THE property of the Reverend John Erskine Campbell Colquhoun, of Killermont and Garscadden, is situated on the right bank of the river Kelvin, in the parish of New Kilpatrick, and county of Dumbarton, and about four miles from Glasgow.
Early in the seventeenth century Killermont was in the possession of the Cunninghams of Drumquhassil, a considerable family whom we find frequently mentioned in connection with Dumbartonshire and Stirlingshire affairs.
In 1628, John Cunningham of this family sold Killermont to John Stark for 12000 merks, and in his family it remained for a considerable time. John Stark "younger of Killermont" was among those who held conventicles and refused to conform to the Episcopal form of Church government in 1685. Although John Stark is styled in the proclamations "Younger of Killermont," the estate was really sold a year or two previously to James Hunter of Muirhouse.
After again changing hands it was bought in 1747 by Lawrence Colquhoun.
Lawrence Colquhoun was the second son of Andrew Colquhoun of Garscadden, in this parish, and grandson of William Colquhoun, writer in Glasgow, and first of Garscadden.
The Garscadden Colquhouns were descended from Robert, sixth laird of Camstradden.
Agnes, the second daughter and child of Lawrence Colquhoun of Killermont, married John Campbell of Clathic, (1) in Perthshire. This gentleman who was a Glasgow merchant, and Provost in 1784, had previously changed his name from Coates to Campbell on succeeding to Clathic.
Agnes Colquhoun of Killermont and John Coates Campbell of Clathic, spouses, had one son and four daughters. This son, Archibald Campbell Colquhoun, which name he assumed on succeeding his mother in Killermont, succeeded also to Garscadden on the failure of heirs to his relatives there. He was Sheriff of Perthshire, Lord Advocate and Lord Clerk Register, and for some years Member of Parliament for Dumbartonshire. He was a partner in the Thistle Bank of Glasgow. By his wife, Mary Ann Erskine, he had two sons and two daughters. The elder son, John Campbell Colquhoun, succeeded to Killermont and Garscadden, and was the father of the present proprietor, and the younger. William Lawrence Campbell Colquhoun, became laird of Clathic.
The House of Killermont stands among fine timber, and is a very handsome and commodious edifice. The modern part of it forming the south front was built about the beginning of this century. It was for many years the residence of Samuel Higginbotham, an old and respected citizen of Glasgow, who still survives, and whose family are well known in Glasgow and the west of Scotland.
(1) When Robert Foulis, the Elzevir of Scotland, established in Glasgow in 1753 his Academy for painting, engraving, moulding, modelling, and drawing, John Campbell of Clathic, John Glassford, and Archibald Ingram, all Glasgow merchants, much to their honour, bore the expense of this well meant but unfortunate undertaking.
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