Louisa Hamilton, Duchess Of Abercorn

Louisa Jane Hamilton, Duchess of Abercorn (née Russell), was born on 8 July 1812 at 2 Hamilton Place in Mayfair, London. She was the sixth of eight children of John Russell, 6th Duke of Bedford, and Lady Georgiana Gordon. Her siblings included Reverend Lord Wriothesley Russell, General Lord Alexander Russell, Admiral Lord Edward Russell, and Lord Charles Russell. She also had half-siblings, including Francis Russell, 7th Duke of Bedford; John Russell, 1st Earl Russell; and Lord George Russell.

Lady Louisa Jane Russell made her societal debut at age 12. She married James Hamilton, 2nd Marquess of Abercorn, on 25 October 1832 at Gordon Castle in Morayshire, Scotland. James Hamilton was the son of James Hamilton, Viscount Hamilton, and Harriet Douglas. Together, they had fourteen children, although records note thirteen surviving to adulthood.

Her children included seven daughters and several sons, with marriages arranged primarily within the British aristocracy, emphasizing rank. Her daughters were married to individuals holding titles such as Earl of Lichfield, Earl of Durham, Duke of Buccleuch, Earl of Mount Edgcumbe, Earl Winterton, Duke of Marlborough, and Marquess of Lansdowne. Her sons held military or noble roles, including Lord Claud John Hamilton, who served as aide-de-camp to Queen Victoria, and Lord George Francis Hamilton.

In 1881, Louisa was invested as a Lady of the Royal Order of Victoria and Albert (3rd class). She was alive during the birth of her great-great-grandson, Alexander Douglas-Home, future Prime Minister, on 2 July 1903. She also saw other notable descendants, including Lady Patricia Herbert and Mildred Egerton.

Louisa Jane Hamilton died at Coates Castle in West Sussex on 31 March 1905 at the age of 92. She was buried on 5 April 1905 in Chenies, Buckinghamshire. Her estate was valued at over £24,000, equivalent to approximately £3,255,000 in 2023 currency.

Her titles throughout her life evolved as follows: from her birth as Lady Louisa Jane Russell, to her marriage in 1832 as The Marchioness of Abercorn, later attaining the style of Her Grace the Duchess of Abercorn in 1868. She was recognized as Her Grace the Duchess of Abercorn, VA, from 1885, and after her husband's death, she was known as the Dowager Duchess of Abercorn until her death.

Louisa's ancestry traces back to prominent British aristocratic and noble families, with connections to the Russell and Gordon families. Portraits of her are held at the National Portrait Gallery in London.

References and external links include her genealogical records and portraits available through various historical and art institutions.