William Maitland (1770-1842)
of Gelston Castle, Castle Douglas, Kirkcudbrightshire; Merchant, of Liverpool
He was born at Barcaple, Kirkcudbrightshire and became a merchant at Liverpool. His brother, Robert, made a fortune in New York and married a daughter of Robert Lenox for whom Lenox Hill on Manhattan's Upper East Side is named. In 1813, William married Mathilda Douglas, niece of Sir William Douglas (1745-1809) who started life as a pedlar and after making a fortune in New York founded the town of Castle Douglas and from 1805 built Gelston Castle in Kirkcudbrightshire. Sir William died without children and his estate was divided between his various nieces and nephews. Gelston was bequeathed to Mrs Maitland and they lived there for most of the 19th century.
