William Duff 1st Earl

William Duff, Lord Braco, (1697-1763) was a wealthy landowner and successful business man, whose fortunes rose hand in hand with the newly established Georgian royal family.

Braco was the Member of Parliament for Banffshire from 1727-34 and actively supported the Crown during the Jacobite rebellions of 1715 and 1745. This was in spite of the fact that several family members including his heir, supported Bonnie Prince Charlie and the Jacobite cause.

He had 14 children from his second marriage to Jean Grant: seven boys and seven girls and sought a new house to create an impression.

He never lived at Duff House and when he died in 1763 it was at his home Rothiemay House, now demolished, that he had bought in 1741.