Personal data
John Gordon
ca.
Born 1713   Died June 16, 1769  
at Liverpool
8th Viscount Kenmure
Lord Kenmure

Son of William Gordon (d. 1716), 6th Viscount Kenmure and Mary Dalyell (d. 1776). Married (1744) to Frances Mackenzie.

John Gordon's father forfeited his title for his part in the Jacobite Rebellion in 1715, for which he was executed in the following year, so John Gordon was only Viscount Lord Kenmore by courtesy. The honours were restored to John Gordon's son, John Gordon (1750-1841) in 1824.

Boswell described Gordon as "a man of a good heart, a cheerful temper, and uncommon genius".1

Boswell visited him at Kenmure on the first part of his Harvest Jaunt, on September 16, 1762. He stayed for two days, and thoroughly enjoyed the company of Lord and Lady Kenmure.

  • 1In Journal of my Jaunt, September 16, 1762
The Gordons of Kenmure (Electric Scotland)

Unless otherwise noted, the source for a dated quotation of Boswell's is generally the corresponding volume of the Yale Trade Editions of Boswell's journals.