 His father predeceased his grandfather, who still was Lord of Paisley and held the lands of the former Scottish abbey, which his eldest brother eventually inherited in 1621.In May 1628 his servant Claud Algeo was suspected to be a Catholic and was served with a convocation to appear at the presbytery of Paisley by Ramsay, an officer of the Church of Scotland.However, Algeo assaulted Ramsay and Claud Hamilton supported him.