Earl of Caledon

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Earl of Caledon is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1800 for James Alexander, who had previously held several important offices in India. Alexander had already been created Baron Caledon, of Caledon, County Tyrone, in 1790 and Viscount Caledon in 1797. The title Viscount Alexander is used as a courtesy title for the Earl's eldest son and heir.

Another member of the Alexander family was Field Marshal the 1st Earl Alexander of Tunis. He was the third son of the 4th Earl of Caledon.

[edit] Lineage

The family's lineage can be traced to Captain Andrew Alexander, of Errigal, County Donegal who was granted lands at Ballyclose near Limavady, County Londonderry in 1663 and was later attainted by the parliament called by James II in Dublin in 1689. He had no children by his first wife, a Miss Phillips, who was a relative of the Alexanders, but by his second wife, Miss Hillhouse, he had a son, John Alexander, who married Anne White, daughter of John White, of Cadyhill, County Londonderry, and had four children. His second son Nathaniel Alexander was born in 1689 and became an Alderman of the city of Londonderry in 1755 and died on September 22, 1761, having had with other children a third son, James Alexander, who became the first Earl of Caledon.