William Hamilton (d.1822)
William Hamilton (d.1822) was the son of an Ayrshire ‘writer’ [i.e. solicitor], William Hamilton of Mauchline. The son also went into the law, and was admitted as a writer to the signet [a more senior solicitor] in 1793. In 1800, Hamilton acquired the rights and responsibilities of the Dundonald Bursaries from Archibald Cochrane, the 9th earl of Dundonald (1748-1831), who was almost certainly short of funds at the time.
The seven bursaries had originally been established by William Cochrane, 1st earl of Dundonald (1605-1685), and were to be held by students at the University of Glasgow, with the possibility of reversion to the University of St Andrews. Hamilton augmented the value of the bursaries to £30 each; but in 1813, he sold or transferred the rights to Alexander Hamilton, then Marquess of Douglas and Clydesdale, later the 10th Duke of Hamilton.
NB Although the original founder had shown some willingness to benefit the University of St Andrews, there is no evidence that Hamilton was aware of the potential St Andrews connection.
Sources: History of Writers to the Signet (1890), p.93; Deeds Instituting Bursaries [etc] in the College and University of Glasgow (1850), p.69; on the earls of Dundonald, see their entries in Oxford DNB.