BOOKS PUBLISHED BEFORE 1875
An Account of the Life, Writings, and Inventions of John Napier of Merchiston.
About 90% of the contents
deals with the inventions, e.g. logarithms. The book does state, erroneously, that
John Napier was buried in the High Kirk of St Giles in Edinburgh. He was
actually buried in the Churchyard of St Cuthbert's Church (The West Kirk) in
Edinburgh.
Memoirs of Archibald, First Lord Napier: Written by
Himself.
Archibald, first Lord Napier, was the only
son of John Napier, of logarithms, and his first wife, Elizabeth Stirling. He
served King James VI and went with him to London in 1603. He served both King
James and King Charles I. He was created a Peer, with the title of Lord Napier
of Merchistoun, in 1627. He was appointed Treasurer Depute of Scotland by King
James and continued in that position under King Charles. He was accused
(falsely) of financial impropriety and this is his defence against the
charges. The book was published by Sir Francis, 8th Lord Napier.
A General Description of the Shire of Renfrew, including an account of the
Noble and Ancient Families, who, from earliest times, have had property in that
county.
A compilation of
information collected from earlier published and unpublished sources. Contains
many engravings and a copy of the map of the county published by Blaev in 1654.
It also contains a genealogical history of the Royal House of Stewart,
originally published in 1710 by George Crawfurd, and updated by the Editor. Of
Napier interest is the brief family history of the Milliken Napiers, descended
from Robert, son of John Napier of Merchiston (inventor of logarithms), and also
of the Napiers of Blackstoun, who are descended from Adam, a younger brother of
Robert.
Memoirs of the most renowned James Graham, Marquis of
Montrose.
George Wishart spent some time as Chaplain
to Montrose during his time on the Continent. He first published his Memoirs of
Montrose in Latin in 1647. It was also published in English later the same year.
It was not until 1720 that a translation of the Second Part, containing
descriptions of the execution of Montrose in 1650 and his State Funeral in 1661 was published.
Archibald, first Lord Napier, married Montrose's sister, Margaret Graham.
Archibald and his son were great supporters of Montrose. This book is a good
source of information about these Napiers and their experiences with
Montrose.
Memoirs of John Napier of Merchiston, his Lineage, Life, and Times, with a
History of the invention of Logarithms.
Mark Napier was a great-grandson of Francis, sixth Lord Napier.
He was a Barrister and Sheriff of Dumfries and Galloway. He had access to the
papers and charters of Lord Napier. This is probably the most authoritative and
definitive description of the life of John Napier. It contains an excellent
commentary on the derivation of the name and arms of Napier.
A must for any serious student of the Napier family. Very difficult to get.
History of the Partition of the Lennox.
Who is the Representative of Duncan, eighth and last of the ancient
Earls of "the Levenax"? The Levenax is the old name for the Lennox, that area
around the southern end of Loch Lomond. This is Mark Napier's argument about who
should have inherited the title and lands. It involves the Napiers, the Haldanes
of Gleneagles, and the Stewarts of Darnley. It also contains Mark Napier's
"Vindication of the Antiquities of Merchiston and Thirlestane".
De Arte Logistica.
This book is the publication of a previously
unpublished manuscript, in Latin, by John Napier. The introduction is by Mark
Napier. The main part of this book, written in Latin, is called "The Baron of
Merchiston, His Booke of Arithmeticke and Algebra". This is a collection of John
Napier's mathematical investigations over the years. Although probably only of
interest to mathematicians, the book is worth reading for the Introduction ( 94
pages). Unfortunately, only 101 copies were printed so it is very difficult to
obtain.
Genealogical Notices of the Napiers of Kilmahew in
Dumbartonshire.
The title is self-explanatory. A most useful book
when researching this family. Unfortunately, only fifty copies were printed for
private circulation, so it is very difficult to get.
English Battles and Sieges in the Peninsula.
William was the third son of Col. George Napier and Lady Sarah Lennox.
He was the third General in the family, his elder brothers Charles and George
were the others. William wrote a comprehensive history of the (Iberian)
Peninsular War fought against the French. This is an extract from that larger
work.
Memoirs of the Marquis of Montrose, 1612-1650 (Two
Volumes).
This is the story of the life of Montrose, and thus
contains much more information, especially about the early days, than is
contained in Wishart's Memoirs. Mark Napier also had access to papers in the
Napier and Montrose charter-chests which had only been partly published or
referred to in previous publications by him (Montrose and the Covenanters in
1838 and Life and Times of Montrose in 1840). Probably the most definitive
source of information about the intertwining of the Napier and Graham
families.
The Life and Opinions of General Sir Charles James Napier,
GCB.
Charles Napier was the eldest
son of Col. George Napier and Lady Sarah Lennox. He was one of the most
outstanding military leaders in the British Army of the 19th century. This book
was written by his younger brother, William, who himself had an outstanding
military career.
Memorials and Letters illustrative of the Life and Times of John Graham of
Claverhouse, Viscount Dundee (Three Volumes).
Thorough history of the life of John Graham of Claverhouse, who
was related to the first Marquis of Montrose.
Claverhouse was born in 1643, created Viscount Dundee in 1688, and died after
being wounded at the Battle of Killiecrankie in 1689. Contains references to the
first Lord Napier, the third Lord Napier, the ninth Lord Napier, and Margaret,
Baroness Napier, as well as Montrose.
Catalogue of the Works of Art forming the Collection
of Robert Napier of West Shandon, Dumbartonshire.
This catalogue was prepared and printed for the use of the owner of the
collection and also for presentation to his friends, as a souvenir of his art gatherings. It lists
4,937 items under 36 different headings, showing how broad and extensive was his collection.
Popular Genealogists or The Art of Pedigree Making.
A small booklet on the subject of creating pedigrees for families.
It seems to concentrate particularly on the Coulthart family of Scotland. It mentions the Lords
Napier and how from the 6th Lord Napier they are, paternally, really all Scotts.
There is a brief mention of the families into which the Coultharts married, including the Lord
Napier family, and to Mark Napier in his role as Sheriff of Dumfries and Galloway.
Notes on the Pedigree of Her Most Serene Highness Ann Groom, Duchess
of Mantua and Montferrat in Italy; Heiress of the Line of Palaeologi, or last Emperor of
Constantinople, and of the line of the old Kings of Italy; Countess of Lennox, Baroness de
Lennox; Heiress of the line of Napiers of Kilmahew in Scotland; Countess of Lennox and Baroness
de Lennox in France; Baroness de Tobago, and of Merchiston, Tobago, in the West Indies; and of
her son, His Highness Charles Ottley Groom Napier, Prince of Mantua and Montferrat, Master of
Lennox and of Napier of Kilmahew.
This is a description of a complicated genealogical claim to the titles
above. It must be treated with extreme caution as there are some erroneous statements in it.
© Charlie Napier,
Morningside, Edinburgh, Scotland.