1. HENRY de ERSKINE
Erskine is a name of great antiquity and was
originally derived from the lands and barony of Erskine
in Renfrewshire situated on the south side of the
Henry was proprietor of the barony of Erskine as
early as the reign of Alexander II. He was witness of a grant by Amelick, brother of Maldwin, Earl
of Lennox of the patronage and tithes of the parish
Issue-
· 2I. JOHN-
Ref:
(1) Chartulary of
The Scottish Nation- William Anderson, A. Fullarton
& Co., Edinburgh, 1880
The Scots Peerage- Vol. 5, p.590
John witnessed a charter in 1260 and two writs dated 1262/3 and 1271. He submitted to Edward I in 1296.
Issue-
· 3I. JOHN-
Ref:
The Scottish Nation- William Anderson, A. Fullarton
& Co., Edinburgh, 1880
The Scots Peerage- Vol. 5, pp.590-1
Between 1300 and 1309 James, Lord High Steward of Scotland granted to John Yrskyn, son and heir of John land in Largs.(1) This John may have been the one who swore fealty to Edward I in 1296.
Issue-
· 4I. WILLIAM- alive in 1331
· II. Mary/Helen?- m.1. Sir Thomas Bruce, 2. Sir Ingram Morville
· III.
· IV. John-
· V. Margaret- m. William Livingston, Laird of Drumry
· 29VI. JANET- m. JOHN MONTGOMERY, Laird of Eaglesham
Ref:
(1) Macfarlane MS, Adv. Lib. 34.3.25, p.222
The Scottish Nation- William Anderson, A. Fullarton
& Co., Edinburgh, 1880
The Scots Peerage- Vol. 5, p.591
4I. WILLIAM (HENRY 1, JOHN 2, JOHN 3)
alive in 1331
Sir William was a faithful adherent of Robert the Bruce and accompanied the
Earl of Moray and Sir James Douglas in their expedition into
Issue-
· 5I. ROBERT- m.1. BEATRICE LINDSAY (m.1. Archibald Douglas (d. 1333), d. before 1352), m.2. c.1352 Christian Menteith (m.1. Edward Keith of Sinton, d.c.1387), d. 1385
· II. Alan- m. before 1362 Isabel Inchmartine (d.c.1399), d. May 1400
· III. Andrew- granted a charter to Roploch in 1361
· IV. Archibald-
Ref:
The Scottish Nation- William Anderson, A. Fullarton
& Co., Edinburgh, 1880
The Scots Peerage- Vol. 5, pp.591-2
5I. ROBERT (HENRY
1, JOHN 2, JOHN 3,
WILLIAM 4)
m.1. BEATRICE LINDSAY
(m.1. Archibald Douglas (d. 1333), d. before 1352
2. c.1352 Christian Menteith (m.1. Edward Keith of
Sinton, d.c.1387)
d. 1385
In 1343 Robert witnessed a charter by John Maxwell to the monks of Dryburgh.
Sir Robert was appointed constable, keeper and captain of
In 1359 he applied to the Papal See for a dispensation and release from a
vow he had made to bear arms against the Saracens in the Holy Land and to visit
In 1367 he was warden of the marches and heritable sheriff of Stirlingshire. In 1371 he was one of the great barons who ratified the succession of Robert II to the crown.
In 1373 he exchanged the lands of Ednam for an
annual rent of £100 from the custom's duties of
Alloa Tower- home of the Erskines
Issue-
· 6I. THOMAS- m.1. c.1365 Mary Douglas, 2. before 13 Apr. 1370 JANET KEITH (m.1. Sir David Barclay of Brechin, d. 1413)
· II. Nicholas- m.1. Jean Cameron of Balegarno (d. before Mar. 1382/3), 2. after 1402 Elizabeth Keith (m.1. Adam Gordon), d. before Dec. 1406
· III.
Ref:
(1) Papal Reg. Petition- I, 346
The Scottish Nation- William Anderson, A. Fullarton
& Co., Edinburgh, 1880
The Scots Peerage- Vol. 5, pp.592-6
6I. THOMAS (HENRY
1, JOHN 2, JOHN 3,
WILLIAM 4, ROBERT
5)
m.1. c.1365 Mary Douglas
2. before 13 Apr. 1370 JANET KEITH
(m.1. Sir David Barclay of Brechin, d. 1413)
In 1354 a "son and heir" of Robert Erskine was proposed as a hostage for the return of King David II and upon the king's release he was again a hostage and was under the care of John de Coupland on 2 Oct. 1357.(1)
In 1365 Thomas married Mary Douglas heiress of William Douglas the Knight of
Liddesdale. Mary died in childbirth and there was
some question as to whether the child was born dead or alive. Thomas claimed
the liferent of his wife's estate based on the fact
that the child lived while James Douglas the next heir claimed the estate on
the grounds that the child was stillborn and the two of them wanted to settle
the matter by personal combat. The duel was to take place at
Before 1371 Thomas was keeper of
Thomas had a charter from Robert II of the barony of Dun near Montrose in Forfarshire 8 Nov. 1376.(5)
Thomas was frequently a witness to royal charters which indicates his attendance at court and on 27 Jan. 1398/9 when David, Duke of Rothsay was made Lt. General of the Kingdom Thomas was one of the people appointed to be his special advisors.(6)
By his marriage with Janet Keith, great grand-daughter of Gratney, 11th Earl of Mar, he laid the foundation of the succession on the part of his descendants to the Earldom of Mar and Lordship of Garioch. On 22 Nov. 1393 Robert III granted to Thomas that although Isabella Douglas, Countess of Mar might make an agreement with anyone to resign the earldom of Mar to which Thomas' wife is entitled the royal consent would not be given and these agreements would be considered null and void.(7)
On 2 Feb. 1392/3 Thomas and his wife were granted a portable alter by Pope Clement VII.(8)
Thomas was taken prisoner at Homildon Hill 14 Sept. 1402 and may have still been a prisoner at his death in 1403/4.(9)
The
Here is a dear, a true industrious friend,
Sir Walter Blunt, new lighted from his horse.
Stain’d with the variation of each soil
Betwixt that Holmedon and this seat of ours;
And he hath brought us smooth and welcome news.
The Earl of Douglas is discomfited:
Ten thousand bold Scots, two and twenty knights,
Balk’d in their own blood did Sir Walter see
On Holmedon’s plains. Of prisoners, Hotspur took
Mordake the Earl of Fife, and eldest son
To beaten Douglas; and the Earl of Athol,
Of Murray, Angus, and Menteith:
And is not this an honourable spoil?
A gallant prize? ha, cousin, is it not?
Shakespeare- Henry IV, part 1, act 1, scene 1.
Issue-
· 7I. ROBERT- m. ELIZABETH LINDSAY, d. 1453
· 8II. JOHN-
· III.
Ref:
(1)
(2) Fordun- ed. 1871, 370n.
(3) Exch. Rolls- II, 364
(4) Ibid- III, Passim
(5) Reg. Mag. Sig.- fol. ed., 129
(6) Acta Parl.
Scot.- I, 572-4
(7) Acta Parl.
Scot.- I, 578; Antiq. of Aberd.
and Banff- IV, 165
(8) Vatican Archives- Avignon Regista- 272, 389
(9) Exch. Rolls- III, 606
The Scottish Nation- William Anderson, A. Fullarton
& Co., Edinburgh, 1880
The Scots Peerage- Vol. 5, pp.596-601
7I. ROBERT (HENRY
1, JOHN 2, JOHN 3, WILLIAM 4, ROBERT 5,
THOMAS 6)
m. ELIZABETH LINDSAY
of Crawford(1)
d. 1453
Robert was captured at the battle of Homildon Hill in 1402, but was back in Scotland in 1405 when he received a pension on behalf of his mother.(1) He was one of the hostages for the ransom of James I and was exchanged for the Earl of Menteith in 1427.(2) In 1430 he was an ambassador to England and keeper of Dumbarton castle.(3)
On the death of Alexander, Earl of Mar in 1435 Robert claimed the title in
right of his mother and assumed the title of Mar and claimed one half of the
lands of the earldom. On 22 Apr 1438 he was by means of a fraudulent plot
served heir to the countess Isabel and in the following Nov. was given the
estates. He was not however allowed to retain possession of it. In 1437 after
the assassination of James I an act of Parliament was passed that no lands or
possessions belonging to the King should be given to any man without consent of
the three Estates until the young King James II should be 21 years old. At a
General Council at Stirling 10 Aug. 1440 it was
agreed: "for the good and quiet of the land, that the King should deliver
up to Sir Robert Erskine, calling himself Earl of
Mar, the castle of Kildrummie, to be kept by him till
the King's majority when the said Sir Robert should come before the king and
the three Estates, and show his rights and claims, as far as law will."(4)
At the same time Sir Robert delivered up to the King the castles of Mar and
Dumbarton held by him. In 1442 Sir Robert took a protest at Stirling
in the presence of the King and council complaining against the chancellor for
refusing to return to him the Lordship of Garioch and
put him in possession of the
Issue-
· 9I. THOMAS- m. JANET DOUGLAS?, d. before 1493
· II. Janet- m. Walter Stewart of
· 30III. CHRISTIAN- m. PATRICK, Lord GRAHAM
Ref:
(1) Exch. Rolls- III, 639
(2) Cal. Doc. Scot.- IV, No.872,942,1010
(3) Ibid- No.1032
(4) Acta Parl.
Scot.- II, 55
(5) Mar Minutes of Evidence, 92
The Scottish Nation- William Anderson, A. Fullarton
& Co., Edinburgh, 1880
The Scots Peerage- Vol. 5, pp.601-5
9I. THOMAS (HENRY
1, JOHN 2, JOHN 3, WILLIAM 4, ROBERT 5,
THOMAS 6, ROBERT 7)
m. JANET DOUGLAS?, daughter of James, Earl of Morton
d. before 1493
Thomas is first mentioned as a knight on 24 Jan. 1440/1 in a charter of his father's.(1)
Sir Thomas was dispossessed of the Earldom of Mar by an assize of error held
in the presence of the King 15 May 1457 at
Issue-
· 10I. ALEXANDER- m.1. before 1466 CHRISTIAN CRICHTON (m.1. Sir Robert Colville of Ochiltree), 2. before 1480 Ellen, daughter of Lord Home (m.1. Sir Adam Hepburn of Hailes (living in 1513)), d. before 10 May 1509
· II. Helen- m. Sir Humphrey Colquhoun of Luss
· III. Isobel- m. Patrick Graham of Kilpont
· IV.
· V. Mariota- m. William, 2nd Earl Marischal
Ref:
(1) Reg. Mag. Sig.- 30 Oct. 1444
(2) The Scots Peerage- Vol. 5, pp.605-7
The Scottish Nation- William Anderson, A. Fullarton & Co., Edinburgh, 1880
10I. ALEXANDER (HENRY 1, JOHN 2, JOHN 3, WILLIAM 4, ROBERT 5, THOMAS 6,
ROBERT 7, THOMAS 8)
m.1. before 1466 CHRISTIAN CRICHTON (m.1. Sir Robert Colville of Ochiltree)
2. before 1480 Ellen, daughter of Alexander, Lord Home (m.1. Sir Adam Hepburn
of Hailes (living in 1513))
d. before 10 May 1509
On 9 Oct. 1466 Alexander won a dispute concerning the office of bailiary of the barony of Ochiltree against Lord Cathcart who renounced his claim to the office.(1)
Alexander was granted a charter of the lands of Balhagirdy and the mill of Inveramsay on 26 Aug. 1485.(2) He also received a Crown Charter to Alloa, the forest of Clackmannan, Pittarrow in Forfarshire, and Kellie in Aberdeenshire upon his father's resignation 12 Aug. 1489.(3) He succeeded his father before 1493 as in that year as Lord Erskine he had a sasine of Sintoun.(4)
On 21 Oct. 1497 he founded a chaplainry at the high altar of St. Mungo in the Alloa kirk for the souls of his father, mother, the late James III and Queen Margaret and for the welfare of himself, his two wives and King James IV.
Alloa Kirk
Issue- first two children by first wife, last two by ?
· 11I. ROBERT- m.c.1485 ELIZABETH/ISOBEL CAMPBELL of Loudoun (alive in 1519), killed at
· II. Walter- of Over Dunnotter
· III. Christian- m. David Stewart Jr. of Rossyth
· IV. Agnes- m. William Menteith of Kerse
Ref:
(1) Acta Auditorum-
3
(2) Reg. Mag. Sig.
(3) Ibid
(4) Exch. Rolls- X, 768
The Scottish Nation- William Anderson, A. Fullarton
& Co., Edinburgh, 1880
The Scots Peerage- Vol. 5, pp.607-8
11I. ROBERT (HENRY 1, JOHN 2, JOHN 3, WILLIAM 4, ROBERT 5, THOMAS 6, ROBERT 7, THOMAS 8, ALEXANDER 9)
m.c.1485 ELIZABETH/ISOBEL CAMPBELL of Loudoun (alive in 1519)
killed at battle of
On 2 Mar. 1485/6 Robert was mentioned as son and heir apparent of Alexander Erskine of Balhagerdy in a Crown Charter to himself and his wife of the lands of Ellem and others in Co. Berwick and elsewhere.(1) He had Crown Charters of various lands during his father's lifetime and was given his father's estates about 1508 or before May 1509.(2) He also acquired lands in 1510.(3) Robert was killed at Flodden 9 Sept. 1513.
Memorial at the
Issue-
· 12II. JOHN- m. MARGARET CAMPBELL, alive 11 July 1555
· III. James- m. before 7 June 1541 Christine Stirling (d. Sept. 1582, ae. 70), d. between 1592 & 1596
· IV. Alexander- Parson of Moniabroch or Kilsyth (4)
· V. William-
· VI. Margaret- m. 14 Dec. 1518 James Haldane of Gleneagles, alive in 1534
· VII. Janet-
Ref:
(1) Reg. Mag. Sig.
(2) Ibid- per Index; Exch. Rolls- XIII, 659
(3) Reg. Mag. Sig.
(4) Mar Minutes- 516
The Scots Peerage- Vol. 5, pp.608-9
12II. JOHN (HENRY
1, JOHN 2, JOHN 3,
WILLIAM 4, ROBERT
5, THOMAS 6, ROBERT
7, THOMAS 8, ALEXANDER
9, ROBERT 10)
m. MARGARET CAMPBELL
alive 11 July 1555
John had the rank of knight before June 1510 and was the Scottish ambassador
to
John was appointed guardian for James V during his minority and was paid between
£50 per month to £200 per year. When James V went on his expedition to the
Isles in 1540 he appointed John as one of the guardians of his infant son
James.(2) Later John was ambassador to
Inchmahome Priory-
Issue-
· I. Robert- m. Margaret Graham, killed at battle of Pinkie 10 Sept. 1547
· II. Thomas- m. 30 Jan. 1548/9 Margaret Fleming, d. before 1555
· 13III. JOHN- m. 29 Jan. 1556/7 ANNABELLA MURRAY (d. Feb. 1602/3), d. 29 Oct. 1572
· IV. Alexander- of Gogar
· V. Arthur- m. 7 Jan. 1561/2 Magdalen Livingstone, d.s.p. before Jan. 1570/1
· 14VI. CATHERINE- m. 20 Nov. 1525 ALEXANDER ELPHINSTONE (4)
· 15VII. MARGARET- m. 11 July 1527 ROBERT DOUGLAS, mistress of James V, d. 5 May 1572
· VIII. Janet- m. 1 Sept. 1532 John Murray of Touchadam
· IX.
· X. Margaret- ?illegitimate, m. before Aug. 1526 George Home of Lundies, alive 25 Mar. 1556
Ref:
(1) Rymer's Foedera- XIII, 509
(2) Mar & Kellie Papers- 15
(3) Acta Parl.
Scot.- II, 414
(4) The Lords Elphinstone,
Fraser, I, 77-9
The Scottish Nation- William Anderson, A. Fullarton
& Co., Edinburgh, 1880
The Scots Peerage- Vol. 5, pp.609-12
13III. JOHN (HENRY
1, JOHN 2, JOHN 3, WILLIAM 4, ROBERT 5, THOMAS 6, ROBERT 7,
THOMAS 8, ALEXANDER
9, ROBERT 10,
JOHN 11)
m. 29 Jan. 1556/7 ANNABELLA MURRAY (d. Feb. 1602/3)
d. 29 Oct. 1572
will 9 Aug. 1568
Sir
John Erskine, Earl of Mar
Sir John succeeded his father as governor of
Issue-
· 16I. JOHN-
b.c.1562, m.1. Oct-Nov. 1580 ANNE DRUMMOND (d. before 1592), 2. 7 Dec. 1592
Lady Mary Stewart (d. 11 May 1644), d. 14 Dec. 1634
· II. Mary- m. 13 June 1573 Archibald, Earl of Angus
Ref:
(1) Minutes of Mar Evidence- 121;
(2) Mar & Kellie Papers- 16-7
The Scottish Nation- William Anderson, A. Fullarton
& Co., Edinburgh, 1880
The Scots Peerage- Vol. 5, pp.612-5
16I. JOHN (HENRY
1, JOHN 2, JOHN 3, WILLIAM 4, ROBERT 5,
THOMAS 6, ROBERT 7, THOMAS 8, ALEXANDER
9, ROBERT 10,
JOHN 11, JOHN 12)
b.c.1562
m.1. Oct.-Nov. 1580 ANNE DRUMMOND
(d. before 1592)
2. Lady Mary Stewart
Sir John was educated with King James VI at
In April 1578 the Earl of Morton prevailed upon him to remove his uncle Sir
Alexander from
Sir John was called by his classmate, King James, "Jocky
o'Sclaittes" or slates because as the boys were
playing a game John "slaited" or outwitted
the future king. When a widower John fell in love with Lady Mary Stewart the
daughter of
In 1592 he was appointed governor of the castle at
In the spring of 1595 the Queen insisted that the Prince should be moved
from Stirling to
In Aug. 1600 occurred the Gowrie conspiracy where the Earl of Gowrie and his
brother Alexander Ruthven planned to assassinate the King in revenge for their
father's execution in 1584. On 5 Aug. King James was at his
Gowrie
House
In 1601 Sir John was sent to
In 1603 Sir John accompanied the King on his departure for
In the beginning of 1606 John returned to Scotland to assist at the trial of Mr. John Welch and five other ministers at Linlithgow on a charge of treason for having gone against the jurisdiction in an ecclesiastical matter and in 1609 King James asked his help in the matter of the Marquess of Huntly and the Earl of Errol who were suspected of papist leanings.(5) He was a member of the court of High Commission established in 1610 for the trial of church offences.
The
Crown Jewels of
In Dec. 1616 he was appointed Lord High Treasurer of
In his will he appointed his wife Mary tutor to their son William and appointed his grandson John Erskine his executor. He gave his wife in addition to her rightfull third the "jewell of diamonds" which he recieved from the French King. He also tells his oldest son to care for his step mother and brother and sisters, especially the "lytell ons wha can nocht do for thamselffis." His estate was valued at £75,971/17/6.(6)
Issue- first child by Anne, last twelve by Mary
· 17I. JOHN- m. 6 Feb. 1610 JEAN HAY, d between Jan & Oct 1655
· II. James- m. Mary Douglas, countess of Buchan
· III. Henry- received barony of Cardross
· IV. Alexander- mistress Anna Bothwell (d. Apr. 1625). He was blown up at Dunglas house,
· V. Arthur- m. 25 June 1628 Margaret Buchanan
of Satscraig, killed 3 Sept. 1651
· VI. John- m. 1640 Margaret Inglis of Otterstoun,
· VII. Charles- m.1. Mary Hope of Craighall, 2. Helen Skene of Curriehill (m.1. Robert Bruce of Broomhall, 3. 1666 James
· VIII. William- Cupbearer to Charles II and
master of Charles House,
· IX. Mary- m. 12 Oct. 1609 William, Earl of Marischal
· X. Anna- m. 28 Dec. 1614 John, Earl of Rothes
· XI. Margaret- m. John, Earl of Kinghorn, d.s.p.
· XII. Catherine- m. 27 Feb. 1622 Thomas, Earl of Haddington
· XIII. Annabella- d. young
Ref:
(1) Mar Minutes- 127-8
(2) Mar Peerage Evidence- 517
(3) The Knights of England, William A. Shaw, I, 30
(4) Mar & Kellie Papers- 52; Mar Peerage Evidence- 517
(5) Mar & Kellie Papers- 60-3
(6) Stirling Tests.- 19 Aug. 1635
The Scottish Nation- William Anderson, A. Fullarton
& Co., Edinburgh, 1880
The Scots Peerage- Vol. 5, pp.615-22
17I. JOHN (HENRY
1, JOHN 2, JOHN 3,
WILLIAM 4, ROBERT
5, THOMAS 6, ROBERT
7, THOMAS 8, ALEXANDER
9, ROBERT 10,
JOHN 11, JOHN 12, JOHN
13)
m. 6 Feb. 1610 Lady JEAN HAY
(d. 24 May 1668, will 6 May Alloa)
d. between Jan. & Oct. 1655
Sir John was invested with the order of the
On 8 Mar. 1620 he was granted a monopoly of the leather trade in
On 1 Feb. 1620 he was named one of the Extraordinary Lords of Sessions and in 1626 he was superseded with the rest of the Extraordinary Lords. He was reappointed 18 June 1628 and sat on the bench until 1630.
He succeeded his father 25 Mar. 1634/5.(1) In 1638 he was
deprived of his command of Edinburgh castle with General Ruthven, Earl of Forth
having been recalled from the Swedish service and appointed governor in his
place by the King. This was due to the commotions in
On 23 June 1638 he gave his lands to his son John in exchange for paying off his creditors.(3) He was proposed by the King to be a privy councillor and was sworn for life on 13 Nov. 1641. He obtained a patent for the tanning of leather, but was accused of having a monopoly and it was discharged by Parliament 16 Nov. 1641.
In 1640 he was ordered by the Estates to muster his men for defense of the
county.(4) At first John favored the Covenanters, but soon joined
the Cumbernauld association to support the King and
therefore his property was forfeited by the Estates. He is said to have sold
several lands in
Issue-
· 18I. JOHN- m.1. 1641 Lady Elizabeth Scott (d. 23 July 1647), 2. 8 Oct. 1647 Lady MARY MACKENZIE (m.2. Andrew, Lord Fraser), d. Sept. 1668 Alloa
· II. Francis- d.s.p. 1662
· III. Elizabeth- m. Archibald, Lord Napier
· IV. Mary- d.s.p.
· V. Annabella- m. Robert Stewart of Culbeg
Ref:
(1) Mar Minutes- No.147-9
(2) Mar & Kellie Papers- 195
(3) Mar Evidence- 671-91
(4) Mar & Kellie Papers- 197
The Scottish Nation- William Anderson, A. Fullarton
& Co., Edinburgh, 1880
The Scots Peerage- Vol. 5, pp.623-5
18I. JOHN (HENRY
1, JOHN 2, JOHN 3, WILLIAM 4, ROBERT 5,
THOMAS 6, ROBERT 7, THOMAS 8,
ALEXANDER 9, ROBERT 10, JOHN 11, JOHN 12, JOHN 13, JOHN 14)
m.1. 1641 Lady
2. 8 Oct. 1647 MARY MACKENZIE
(m.2. Andrew, Lord Fraser)
d. Sept. 1668 Alloa
In 1638 John received his father's lands. In Nov. 1638 he was at the Glasgow Assembly where he stated his grief at being held aloof from their meetings and wished to be admitted to their covenant.(1)
Sir John had the command of the Stirlingshire regiment in the Scots army
which in 1640 marched to
Issue-
· 19I. CHARLES-
b. 19 Oct. 1650, m. 2 Apr. 1674 MARY MAULE
(m.2. 29 Apr. 1697 Col. John Erskine of Alva) d.
23 May 1689
· II. George- d. 21 June 1676 Muchall
· III. Barbara- m. 7 Sept. 1670 James, Marquess of
· IV. Mary- m. 5 Aug. 1673 John, Earl of Glencairn
· V. Sophia- m. 1676 Alexander, Lord Forbes
Ref:
(1) Letters & Journals- Baillie- I, 144
(2) Mar & Kellie Papers- 203
(3) Lamont's Diary- 130
(4) Acta Parl.
Scot.- VII, 107; Lamont's Diary- 163
(5) Acta Parl.
Scot.- VII, 508
The Scottish Nation- William Anderson, A. Fullarton
& Co., Edinburgh, 1880
The Scots Peerage- Vol. 5, pp.625-6
19I. CHARLES (HENRY
1, JOHN 2, JOHN 3,
WILLIAM 4, ROBERT
5, THOMAS 6, ROBERT
7, THOMAS 8,
ALEXANDER 9, ROBERT 10, JOHN 11, JOHN 12, JOHN 13, JOHN 14, JOHN 15)
b. 19 Oct. 1650
m. 2 Apr. 1674 MARY MAULE (m.2. 29
Apr. 1697 Col. John Erskine of Alva)
d. 23 May 1689
Sir Charles succeeded to the earldom at age 14 and had a grant of his father's escheat on 8 Oct. 1668.(2) He had a sasine of his lands from certain creditors on 19 Sept. 1670 and a Crown charter of the earldom on 25 Mar. 1674.(3) He had another charter 1 June 1677.(4) In 1670 he was given a charter to have a weekly fair and market at Kildrummy .
In 1679 he raised the 21st regiment of foot or Royal Scots Fusileers of which he was appointed colonel.
In 1681 he was empowered to receive a small toll from passengers passing over the Tullebody bridge for repairs.(5)
In 1682 he was sworn a lord of the Scots privy council and continued one in the reign of James II, but he did not approve of that monarch's arbitrary measures or pro-Catholic policy and in 1686 he voted against the Act for releasing the papists from the penal statutes against them and thereby lost favor with the King and was deprived of his office as keeper of Stirling castle.(6) In 1688 he was ordered to attack the Highlanders who were in rebellion and as a consequence his castles of Kildrummy, Corgarf and Braemar were burned.(7)
He retired to the continent when news of the arrival of the Prince of Orange
arrived in
Issue-
· 20I. JOHN-
m.1. 6 Apr. 1703 Margaret Hay (d. 25 Apr. 1707), 2. 20 July 1714 Frances Pierrepont (d. 4 Mar. 1761), d. May 1732
· II. James- b. 1679, m. Rachel Chiesley of Dalry (d. June 1749, Idragil, Isle of Skye), d. 24 Jan. 1754
· III. Henry- b. 11 Sept. 1682, killed at
battle of
· IV. Jean- m. 21 Feb. 1712 Sir Hugh Paterson
of
Ref:
(1) Acta Parl.
Scot.- IX, 85, app. 37
(2) Mar Minutes- No.153
(3) Ibid
(4) Ibid- No.156
(5) Acta Parl.
Scot.- VIII, 22, 364
(6) Mar & Kellie Papers- 217-9; Acta
Parl. Scot.- IX, 67
(7) Mar & Kellie Papers- 220, 222
(8) Douglas' Peerage- II, 217; Views on the
Clyde- Swan, p.65
The Scottish Nation- William Anderson, A. Fullarton
& Co., Edinburgh, 1880
The Scots Peerage- Vol. 5, pp.626-9
20I. JOHN (HENRY
1, JOHN 2, JOHN 3,
WILLIAM 4, ROBERT
5, THOMAS 6, ROBERT
7, THOMAS 8,
ALEXANDER 9, ROBERT 10, JOHN 11, JOHN 12, JOHN 13, JOHN 14, JOHN 15, CHARLES 16)
m.1. 6 Apr. 1703 Twickenham, Lady Margaret Hay (d.
25 Apr. 1707)
2. 20 July 1714
d. May 1732
Sir John appears to have been deformed and was called the "crooked
backed count". According to a contemporary he had an insinuating and
courteous deportment and his conduct in regard to affairs showed him to be a
man of good sense, but bad morals always making his politics subservient to his
personal interests. He was quiet a rake as a youth and had several affairs with
lady friends. Having a child out of wedlock was not frowned upon then as it was
in the time of Queen
John did have some good points. He had a great interest in gardening and
architecture and laid out the gardens at Alloa. It is
said that during his exile he proposed plans for the improvement of Scottish
architecture and for reconstructing
John was a MP beginning in 1696 and had a charter to the Earldom of Mar from the Crown 10 Mar. 1698/9.(1) In Sept. 1705 he was appointed Secretary of State for Scotland under King William as a reward for getting the treaty through the Scottish Parliament.(2) He became a member of the Commission for the Union of the Kingdoms in Mar. 1706 and took charge of carrying the Act of Union through. In Jan. 1703/4 he was in London and reported that the project of the Union was progressing although slowly.(3) His story of the last Parliament in Scotland is told in his letters to Sir David Nairn and others in London between Oct. 1706 and Mar. 1707.(4)
John was one of the sixteen Representative Peers chosen for
The
Order of the Thistle
Because of his involvement in bringing about the Union John was very unpopular in Scotland, but tried to regain the favor of his countrymen by attending a meeting with the Duke of Argyle, Cockburn, Ormiston and Lockhart of Carnwath which presented to Queen Anne in 1712 a resolution to move for a repeal of the Union with England.
Everything changed upon the accession of George I to the throne. In a letter
to the King he pledged his loyalty. He also composed a letter addressed to
himself and supposedly from some of the heads of the Jacobite
clans stating that as they had always been ready to follow his directions in
serving Queen Anne they were equally ready to concur with him in serving His
Majesty. A loyal address of the clans to the King was drawn up by Sir John's
brother Lord Grange which John intended to present to King George on his
arrival at Greenwich, but the King was well aware that in order to ingratiate
himself with Queen Anne he had procured from the same people a letter of very
opposite character only a few years before. Sir John was accordingly unnoticed
by the King and was dismissed from office, deprived of his ancestral job as
Governor of Stirling Castle and lost his political
clout. The versatility of "Bobbin' John's" politics was probably due
to circumstances in which he was placed. He was a Jacobite
from principle, but as the fortunes of his family had been taken away in the
Civil War by their aliance with the Stuarts and upon
entering public life he found the cause of the exiled family at a low ebb, he
sought to retrieve his family's losses and gratify his ambitions by attaching
himself to the existing government. The loss of £5,000 per year, his office and
the insult he had recieved from the King was the last
straw. At this point he openly became a Jacobite and
rallied the Scottish nobility and raised an army to support the landing of
"the Old Pretender" at Peterhead. In May
1715 a rumor was spread among the Scottish Jacobites
that the "Chevalier de St. George" would decend
upon
A Letter from the Earl of Mar to the King- Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4, Page 5, Page 6, Page 7, Page 8, Page 9, Page 10, Page 11, Page 12, Page 13, Page 14, Page 15, Page 16, Page 17
Unfortunately for the Scots the English did not share their enthusiasm for
the idea and the "fifteen" and the "forty-five" failed
because of lack of support south of the
All of Sir John's lands and titles were forfeited by Attainment 19 Jan. 1715/6.(6) However, some of the Erskines remained in Scotland and bought up much of the old Erskine estates and eventually they got the title back also, but the various Mar peerage cases resulted in two Earldoms of Mar being created.
On 10 Nov. 1717 Sir John was again created Earl of Mar and on 13 Dec. 1722
he was made Duke of Mar, these titles being conferred upon him by the exiled
King James III. John served the exiled Stuarts for many years. John and King
James remained in
In addition to his other duties, John was involved in the early
Issue- second and third children
by Margaret, fourth by
· 21I. JOHN-b. 6 Jan. 1694 Hilston Park, Monmouth, m. 16 July 1719 CATHERINE SURPLUS (b. 9 Mar. 1703
· II. Thomas- b.c.1705, d. 16 Mar. 1766
· III. John- d. ae 3 mos.
· IV.
Ref:
(1) Mar Peerage Minutes- No.157
(2) Mar & Kellie Papers- 235
(3) Ibid- 227
(4) Ibid- 289-385
(5) Ibid-272; The Knights of
(6) Mar Peerage Minutes- No.169
(7) "The
The Scottish Nation- William Anderson, A. Fullarton
& Co., Edinburgh, 1880
The Scots Peerage- Vol. 5, pp.629-332
The Passing of the Stewarts- Agnes Mure MacKenzie, MacMillan Co., N.Y.,
1937
The Rash Adventurer- Margaret Forster,
21I. JOHN ERSKINE Alias MARR (HENRY 1, JOHN 2, JOHN 3, WILLIAM 4, ROBERT 5, THOMAS 6, ROBERT 7, THOMAS 8,
ALEXANDER 9, ROBERT
10, JOHN 11, JOHN
12, JOHN 13, JOHN
14, JOHN 15,
CHARLES 16, JOHN 17)
b. 6 Jan. 1694
m. 16 July 1719 CATHERINE (2) SURPLUS
(b.9 Mar. 1703
d. of exposure 1750, wrecked off Cape Cod
bur. Frost Burying ground,
John was a mariner and assumed the name of Mar upon coming to
The belief in John's descent from the Earl of Mar prompted a number of
John's descendants (mostly descendants of Dennis) to form an organization to
recover the Mar estates and wealth in
For a complete discussion of all the arguments concerning this link between
John of Kittery and Sir John Erskine see "The
Descendants of John and Catherine Marr of
Dodavah Curtis of Kittery, yeoman, his wife Elizabeth and Withers Berry of Kittery, yeoman sold for £10 to John Marr of Kittery, Mariner, one acre of land in Kittery "beginning at North West Corner of the sd Mars own land & runs West South West to the Country Road... comes in a Little Gore a Little below sd Mars House..."
On 7 Nov. 1724 William and Elizabeth Godsoe of Kittery gave to his son-in-law John Marr and Catherine his wife 256 pole of land on the road from Woodman's Ferry in Kittery.(3) On 13 Aug. 1721 William deeded additional land to John and Catherine. John and Catherine sold their home to John Jr. 24 Dec. 1740.
Issue- all children born in
· I. John- b. 3 Aug. 1720, m. Mary Chandler (d.s.p. before Mar. 1791), d.c.1778
· 22II. JAMES-
bpt. 3 Oct. 1725, m.1. 19 Mar. 1746/7 Mercy Mitchell
2. 1 Jan. 1752
· III. William- bpt.
4 Aug. 1728, m. Ruth Spinney (b. 18 Apr. 1742, d. 16 Aug. 1816
· IV. Surplus- b. 15 Sept. 1729, m.1. 15 Nov.
1750 Sarah Hammett 2. 1763 Rachel Chesley, d. 8 Apr.
1816 South
· V. Dennis- b. 10 July 1735, m.1. 2 Apr. 1759
· VI. Jane- bpt. 30 Aug. 1740, m. Thomas Chandler
· VII. Elsie- bpt. 22 Sept. 1745, m.1. 21 Oct. 1761 Thomas Rogers (b. 1 Sept 728) 2. Nathan Dame
Ref:
(1) "The Descendants of John and Catherine Marr of
(2) Ibid- p.241
(3)
Old Kittery and Her Families- Everett S. Stackpole,
pp.604-5
Saco Valley Settlements- Gideon T. Ridlon,
p.904
John Marr Founded Maine Branch of Family- William Mountain, Downeast Ancestry, Vol.2, No.4 (Dec. 1978), p.20
American Ancestry- Vol.VII, p.186
8II. JOHN (HENRY
1, JOHN 2, JOHN 3, WILLIAM 4, ROBERT 5, THOMAS 6)
Sir John succeeded to the lands of Dun and had a charter from Robert III 25 Oct. 1392.(1)
Issue-
· 23I. ALEXANDER-
Ref:
(1) Reg. Mag. Sig.- fol. ed., 210
The Scots Peerage- Vol. 5, p.600
The Scottish Nation- William Anderson, A. Fullarton
& Co., Edinburgh, 1880
23I. ALEXANDER (HENRY 1, JOHN 2, JOHN 3, WILLIAM 4, ROBERT 5, THOMAS 6, JOHN 7)
Issue-
· 24I. JOHN- d. 15 Mar. 1508
Ref:
The Scots Peerage- Vol. 5, p.600
The Scottish Nation- William Anderson, A. Fullarton
& Co., Edinburgh, 1880
24I. JOHN (HENRY
1, JOHN 2, JOHN 3, WILLIAM 4, ROBERT 5,
THOMAS 6, JOHN 7, ALEXANDER 8)
d. 15 Mar. 1508
Sir John received a charter of the lands of Dun from James II 28 Jan. 1449 while his father retained the liferent. He resigned his lands of Dun to his son John in 1473 retaining the liferent for himself. He and David Graham of Morphie were involved in a court action with Christina, Lady Graham.
Issue-
· 25I. JOHN-
d. 9 Sept. 1513,
· II. Thomas-
· III. Alexander-
Ref:
The Scots Peerage- Vol. 5, p.186 The Scottish Nation- William Anderson, A. Fullarton & Co., Edinburgh, 1880
25I. JOHN (HENRY
1, JOHN 2, JOHN 3,
WILLIAM 4, ROBERT
5, THOMAS 6, JOHN
7, ALEXANDER 8, JOHN 9)
killed 9 Sept. 1513
Sir John treated the inhabitants of Montrose in a tyrannical manner and caused the town to apply to the King for redress and a summons was issued against him and four of his sons 4 Oct. 1493.
Issue-
· 26I. JOHN- m. before 21 June 1508 MARGARET
RUTHVEN (m.1. Alexander, Earl of
Buchan (d. 1505), 3. before 23 Dec. 1518 James Stewart of Ryland
(killed at
· II. Thomas- of Brechin, secretary to James V
· III. Katherine- int. 2 Mar. 1526 Robert Arbuthnott (m.2. Christian Keith, 3. before 13 Apr. 1558 Helen Claphane), d.s.p. 15 June 1529 Arbuthnott
· IV.
Ref:
The Scots Peerage- Vol. 5, p.244; Vol.1, p.290
The Scottish Nation- William Anderson, A. Fullarton
& Co.,
26I. JOHN (HENRY
1, JOHN 2, JOHN 3,
WILLIAM 4, ROBERT
5, THOMAS 6, JOHN
7, ALEXANDER 8, JOHN 9, JOHN 10)
m. before 21 June 1508 MARGARET RUTHVEN (m.1. Alexander, Earl of Buchan (d.
1505), 3. before 23 Dec. 1518 James Stewart of Ryland
(killed at
d. 9 Sept. 1513,
Issue-
· 27I. JOHN- b. 1508, m.1. int 20 Dec. 1522 ELIZABETH LINDSAY (d. 29 July 1538), 2. Barbara de Beirle, d. 12 Mar. 1591
Ref:
The Scots Peerage- Vol. 2, p.268; Vol.4, po.258-9
The Scottish Nation- William Anderson, A. Fullarton
& Co.,
27I. JOHN (HENRY
1, JOHN 2, JOHN 3,
WILLIAM 4, ROBERT
5, THOMAS 6, JOHN
7, ALEXANDER 8, JOHN 9, JOHN 10, JOHN 11)
b. 1508
m.1. int. 20 Dec. 1522 ELIZABETH LINDSAY (d. 29 July 1538)
2. Barbara de Beirle
d. 12 Mar. 1591
Sir John succeeded to the estate when only five years old and was educated by his uncle Sir Thomas Erskine of Brechin.
John murdered a priest from Montrose, Sir William Froster, and was required to pay a fine to the priest's father 5 Feb. 1530.
Sir John studied abroad and upon returning in 1534 he brought with him a Frenchman to teach Greek. On 10 May 1537 he had a license from James V for himself and his son John: "to pas to the partis of ffrance, Italie, or any uthiris beyond se, and thair remane, for doing of thair pilgramagis besynes and uthir lefull erandis, for the space of thre yeiris."
Thomas Erskine of Brechin
obtained from the King the office of Constabulary of Montrose which he gave to
John 9 Feb. 1541. In Apr. 1542 John and his cousin Thomas and John Lambie of Duncarry had a license
to travel into
Sir John became a convert to the Protestant cause and his house was always a
sanctuary for those who were persecuted. In 1548 and 1549 he supported the
Queen Dowager and the French in opposing the English and in 1548 when some
English ships landed near Montrose he attacked and defeated them. Mary, the
Queen Dowager highly respected John and many of their letters have been
published. In a letter 29 Aug. 1549 she tells of the arrival of French Captain Beauschattel in Montrose and reasured
John that there was: "na entent
bot till kepe the fort and nocht till hurt you in your heretage
or ony othir thing."
At Stirling 10 Mar. 1556 John and others signed a
"call" to John Knox in
In 1584 at the insistance of the King Parliament passed "the obligation" which made the King supreme head of the church. John told his ministers to go along with the law and therefore "the Laird of Dun was a pest then to the ministers in the north." The Archbishop of St. Andrews, Patrick Adamson gave John an explanation of "the obligation" in a letter 22 Jan. 1585: "the desys of his Majesties obligatioun extendis no forthir bot to his hienes obedience, and of sik as bearis charge be lawfull commission in the cuntrie, quheirof his Majestie hes maid ane speciall chose of your Lordship: as for the diocese of Dunkeld, I think your Lordship will understand his Majesties meening at your cuming to Edinbrught, and as ffor sik pairtis as is of the diocese of Sanct Androwis in the Merns and Anguse, I pray your Lordship to tak ordour thairin for thair obedience and conformitie as your Lordship hes done befoir, that they be nocht compellit to travell forthis, bot thair suspendis may be rathir helpit nor hinderit." A summons for payment of John's stipend as superintendent of Angus and Mearns 9 Sept. 1585 shows £800 of which £337/11/6 was paid in money.
John died in 1591 at age 82. Spottswood states that he governed the part of the country given to his "superintendance with great authority till his death giving no way to the novations introduced nor suffering them to take place within the bounds of his charge while he lived. A baron he was of good rank, wise, learned, liberal, and of singular courage; who, for diverse resemblances may well be said to have been another Ambrose."
Issue-
·
· 28II. MARGARET- m. PATRICK MAULE
Ref:
The Scots Peerage- Vol. 3, p.27
The Scottish Nation- William Anderson, A. Fullarton
& Co., Edinburgh, 1880
Dun Papers in the Miscellany of the Spalding Club- Vol.4
Calderwood's Church History- Vol.IV,
p.209ff
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