He practiced law in England, and sat in the House of Commons for twelve years.
His mother was William's first wife Susanna, daughter of Thomas Barnard of Jamaica.
[2] In 1794, he was elected on the interest of his first cousin, the 5th Duke of Argyll as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ayr Burghs.
He made little impact in Westminster, but held the seat until he stood down at the 1807 general election.
This article about a Member of the Parliament of Great Britain (1707–1800) representing a Scottish constituency is a stub.