The Earldom of Kellie

This is the geneoalogy of the Earldom of Kellie. Please pay attention to the blue underlined text with the small superscript numbers. These are hyperlinks to notes on the text. Information on this and the page of notes was taken from The Complete Peerage, or a history of the House of Lords and all its memebers from the earliest times.

1. THOMAS ERSKINE, 2nd but 1st surv. s. and h. of Sir Alexander ERSUNE, of Gogar (next yr. br. to John, 6th Lord Erskine, to whom the earldom of Mar was allowed in 1565), by his 1st wife, Margaret, dau. of George (HOME), 4th Lord Home, was b. 1566. He was educ. with James VI, to whom he was a Gent. of the Bedchamber in 1585. In what is known as the Gowrie Conspiracy, 5 Aug. 1600, he earned the King's gratitude by killing Alexander Ruthven, who, with the Earl of Gowrie, his brother, was alleged to have attempted the King's life,2 and as a reward received a third of the forfeited lands of Dirletoun. P.C. 2 July 1601. He accompanied the Duke of Lennox, in 1601, on his embassy to France. Attending the King into England, he was, 1603 to 1617, Capt. of the Yeomen of the Guard. As Thomas Areskyne Knt. he was Cr.,8 July 1604, BARON ERSKINE (Areskyne). OF DIRLE- TOWNE. Groom of the Stole, Feb. 1604/5. On 18 Mar. 1606 he was Cr. VISCOUNT OF FENTOUN, with rem. of that dignity to his heirs male whatsoever. P.C. 30 Jan. 1609/10. Being in great favour with the King, he was nom. K.G. 24 Apr. 1615,3 and inst. 22 May following. He was Cr., 12 Mar. 1619, EARL OF KELLIE,VISCOUNT OF FENTOUN AND LORD DIRLETOUN, with rem. to heirs male bearing the name and arms of Erskine.4 He m., 1stly, 30 Nov. 1587, Anne, dau. of Sir Gilbert Ogilvy, of Powrie. He m., 2ndly, in 1604, Elizabeth,5 widow of Sir Edward Norreys, sister of Robert, 1st EARL OF KINGSTON-UPON-HULL, and dau. of Sir Henry Pierrepont, of Holme PierrePont, Notts, by Frances, dau. of Sir William Cavendish. She d., 27, and was bur. 28 Apr. 1621, at Englefield, Berks, with her 1st husband. (Fun. Certif.) Inq.p.m. at Reading, 25 Sep. 19 Jac.I. He m., 3rdly (as her 4th husband), Dorothy,6 widow of Robert (NEEDHAM), 1st VISCOUNT KILMOREY (who d. Nov. 1631, and to whom she was 4th wife), and formerly of Sir John Pakington, K.B., and before that of Benedict Barnuam,Alderman of London, being dau. of Ambrose or Humphrey Smith, of Cheapside, London, Sflkman. He d. in London, 12, and was bur. 23 June 1639, at Pittenweem, Co. Fife, aged 72. His last wife d. in or before 1639. [ALEXANDER ERSKINE, s. and h. ap. by 1st wife. K.B. 3 Nov. 1616. As Alexander, Lord Fentoun, acting for his father, Thomas, Earl of Kellie, he granted a charter 18 Aug. 1630. He m., in 1610, Anne, 1st dau. of Alexander (SETON), 1st EARL OF DUNFERMLINE, High Chancellor, by his 1st wife, Lilias, 2nd dau. of Patrick (Drummond), 3rd Lord Drummond He d., 11 Feb. 1633.]

2. THOMAS (ERSKINE), EARL OF KELLIE, grandson and h., being s. and h. of Alexander Erskine, styled VISCOUNT FENTOUN, and Anne, his wife, both abovenamed. He was bapt. 4 May 1615, at North Berwick; was styled VISCOUNT FENTOUN 1633-39. He took part with the King against the Covenanters in 1642. He d. unm., 3 Feb. 1642/3, aged 27.

3. ALEXANDER (ERSKINE), EARL OF KELLIE, br. and h., was served h. to his brother 18 Apr. 1643; was a zealous Royalist; Col. of Foot for the counties of Fife and Kinross, was in the "engagement" of 1648 to attempt the rescue of the King; was sent by the Parl, 12 June 1649, to Charles II in Holland, for whom he fought at Worcester, 1651, where he was taken prisoner. He was excepted from Cromwell's Act of Grace, 1654. P.C. 1 Oct. 1661. He m., 1stly, in 1661, Anna, dau. of Col. John Kirkpatrick, Gov. of Bois-le-Duc. He m., 2ndly (cont. 8 July 1665), Mary, dau. of Sir John Dalzell, of Glenae, co. Dumfries, by Agnes, dau. of James Nisbet, of Restalrig. She was living in 1677. He d. May 1677.

4. ALEXANDER (ERSKINE), EARL OF KELLIE, only surv. s. and h. (posthumous) by 2nd wife, was bapt. 14 Sep. 1677, at the Canongate, and was served h. 26 Oct. 1699. He m., 11 June 1699, at Kilconquhar, Anne, dau. of Colin (Lindsay), 3rd Earl OF Balcarres, by his 2nd wife, Jean, dau. of David (Carnegie), 2nd Earl of Northesk. He d. 8 Mar. 1710. Fun. entry in Lyon office. His widow, who was bapt. 20 May 1674, at Kilconquhar, m. (cont. 16 Apr. 1714) James (SETON), 3rd VISCOUNT KINGSTON (who was attainted in 1716, and d., about 1726). She d. 4 Feb. 1742/3, at Edinburgh. Will dat. 14 Dec. 1739, pr. at Edinburgh by her son, Earl Alexander

5. ALEXANDER (ERSKINE), EARL OF KELLIE, only s. and h., styled VISCOUNT FENTOUN till 1710. He favoured the Jacobite Rising of 1745, and surrendered himself 11 July 1746, being kept prisoner at Edinburgh Castle till 11 Oct. 1749, when, there being no indictment against him, he was released. He m., 1stly, in 1726, Louisa, dau. of William Moray, of Abercairny, co. Perth. She d. at Kellie, 11 Nov. 1729. Fun. entry at Lyon office. He m., 2ndly, Oct. 1731, Janet, dau. of Archibald Pitcairn, M.D., a well-known Jacobite physician and poet. He d. at Kellie, 3 Apr. 1756. His widow d. at Drumsheugh, 7 June 1775.

6. THOMAS ALEXANDER (ERSKINE), EARL OF KELLIE, s. and h., by 2nd wife; b. 1 Sep. 1732, styLed Viscount Fentoun7 ill 1756. In 1769 he sold all his estates except the mansion house of Kellie. Grand Master of Freemasons 1763-65. He d. unm., at Brussels, 9 Oct. 1781, in his 50th year. Will pr. Dec. 1781.

7. ARCHIBALD (ERSIKINE), EARL OF KELLIE, br. and h., b. 22 Apr. 1736, at Kellie; an officer in the Army, becoming finally, 1782, Lieut. Col. of the 104th Foot; Rep. Peer 1790-96. He d. unm., 8 May 1797, aged 61, at Kellie.

8. CHARLES (ERSKINE), EARL OF KELLIE, cousin and h. male, being 3rd s. of Sir Charles Erskine, 6th Bart. of Cambo, co. Fife, by Margaret, dau. of John Chiene, which Sir Charles (d. 6 Mar. 1790) was s. and h. of David Erskine, Lyon Depute (d 7 Oct. 1769), who (being yr. br. to the 3rd, 4th, and 5th Barts., all of whom d. unm.) was 6th s. of Sir Alexander Erskine, 2nd Bart. Lyon King of Arms (d. 1727), s. and h. of Sir Charles Erskine, cr. a Baronet, 20 Aug. 1666, Lyon King of Arms (d. Sep. 1677), who was yr. br. of the 2nd and 3rd Earls, being 3rd s. of Alexander Erskine, styled Viscount Fentoun, only s. and h. ap. of Thomas, 1st Earl of Kellie. He was b. about 1764; was sometime Capt. in the Fifeshire Light Dragoons. He suc. to the Baronetcy on the death of his elder br., Sir William Erskine, 7th Bart., 2 Oct. 1791. He d. unm., aged 35, at Folkestone, Kent, 28 Oct., and was bur. 9 Nov. 1799, in the church there. M.I.

9. THOMAS (ERSKINE) EARL OF KELLIE, uncle and h., being 5th s. of David Erskine (Lyon Depute) abovenamed, by his 2nd wife, (__), dau. of (__) Young, of Edinburgh; he was b. about 1745; British Consul at Gothenburg in Sweden 1775; Knight Com. of the Order of Gustavus Vasa of Sweden, having Royal lic., 8 July 1808, to wear the ensigns thereof; Lord Lieut. co. Fife, 1824-28; Rep. Peer 1804-6, and 1807-28. An anti-Catholic Tory. He m., in 1771, at Gothenburg, Anne, dau. of Adam Gordon, of Ardoch. He d. 6 Feb. 1828, aged 82, at Cambo House, Co. Fife. Will pr. May 1828. His widow d. at Cambo House afsd., 20 Mar. 1829.

10. METHVEN (ERSKINE), EARL OF KELLIE [1619] VISCOUNT FENTOUN [1606 and 1619] and BARON ERSKINE OF DIRLETOWNE [1604], and LORD DIRLETOUN [1619], also a Baronet [1666], all in the kingdom of Scotland, br. and h., being 6th and yst. S. of David Erskine abovenamed. He was b. about 1750; was sometime a successful merchant of Bengal, in India, but afterwards of Airdrie, Co. Fife. He m., 10 July 1787, at Edinburgh, Johanna (sister of Anne, Countess of Kellie, abovenamed), dau. of Adam Gordon, of Ardoch, who probably surv. him He d. at Airdrie afsd., 3 Dec. 1829, 8 when the Baronetcy became extinct, while the Barony of Dirletoun, the Barony of Erskine of Dirletowne, the Viscountcy of Fentoun, and the Earldom of Kellie devolved on the collateral heir male9 of the grantee as below.

11. JOHN FRANCIS MILLER (ERSKINE), EARL OF MAR, EARL OF KELLIE, VISCOUNT FENTOUN, cousin and h. male, being s. and h. 10 of John 'Thomas, EARL OF MAR (d. 1828), s. and h. of John Francis, EARL OF MAR (d. 1825, aged 84, having been, in 1824, restored to that dignity as grandson and heir [through Frances, his mother] to John, EARL OF MAR, who was attainted in 1716), which said John Francis was s. and h. of James Erskine (by Frances, his wife, abovenamed), s. and h. of the Hon. James Erskine (a Lord of Session, who d. 1754), 2nd 5. of Charles, EARL OF MAR (d. 1689), s. and h. of John, EARL OF MAR (d. 1668), s. and h. of John, EARL OF MAR (d. 1653), s. and h. of John, EARL OF MAR (d. 1634), only s. and h. of John, EARL OF MAR (to whom that dignity was allowed in 1565), which John was eldest surv. br. of Sir Alexander Erskine of Gogar, the father of Thomas, 1st EARL OF KELLIE and VISCOUNT FENTOUN above mentioned. He was b. 28 Dec. 1795;Suc. to the Earldom of Mar on the death of his father, 20 Sep. 1828, and to the Earldom of Kellie and Viscountcy of Fentoun11 on the death of his distant cousin, in 1829, as above mentioned. He d. 19 June 1866.

12. WALTER CONINGSBY (ERSKINE), EARL OF KELLIE, and VISCOUNT FENTOUN and de jure EARL OF MAR 12 cousin and h. male, 13 being 3rd but 1st surv. S. of the Hon. Henry David Erskine, by Mary Anne, dau. of John Cooksey, which Henry David was yr. br. of John Thomas, EARL OF MAR, father of John Francis Miller, EARL OF MAR and EARL OF KELLIE abovenamed. He was b. 12 July 1810, at Warkworth, Northumberland; entered the Bengal Army, 1826, becoming finally Lieut. Col.; served in and had medal for the Sutlej campaign; was Commissioner of Jubbulpore during the Indian Mutiny, and was thanked by Parl. for his services; C.B. (Civil) 18 May 1860. He in 1867 claimed the Earldom of Mar. He was a Rep. Peer 1869-72 (Conservative). He m., 11 Sep. 1834, Elise, dau. of Col. (__) Youngson, of Bowscar, Cumberland. He d. 15 Jan. 1872, at Cannes, in France, aged 61. His widow d. 14 July 1895, at Bowscar afsd., aged 81. Will pr. at !E(r)I11,674.

13. WALTER HENRY (ERSKINE), EARL OF KELLIE, and VISCOUNT FENTOUN EARL OF MAR, s. and h., b. 17 Dec. 1839, in India; educ. at Radley School; matric. at Oxford (Brasenose Coil.) 31 Mar. 1859, B.A. 1862, M.A. 1866; styledVISCOUNT FENTOUN I866-72. Judgment, 25 Feb. 1875, 14was given by the House of Lords in favour of his (and his father's) claim to an Earldom of Mar15 supposed (by their lordships) to have been Cr. by patent (de novo) 29 or 30 July 1565, with a rem. to heirs male of the body of the grantee (which heir the then Earl of Kellie undoubtedly was) in favour of John (Erskine), EARL OF MAR, who had been restored per modum justitiae to that Earidom in the preceding month. In consequence of this decision the EARL OF KELLIE became EARL OF MAR with the precedence of 1565, i.e. the (supposed) creation of that dignity. He was a Rep. Peer 1876-88 (Conservative). Grand Master of Freemasons 1882-85. He m., 14 Oct. 1863, Mary Anne, dau. of William Forbes, of Medwyn, co. Peebles, by Mary Anne, dau. of John Archer Houblon, of Hallingbury, Essex. He d. 16 Sept. 1888, aged 48, at Alloa House, co. Clackmannan. Will pr. at !E(r)I 46,822. His widow d. 22 May 1927.

14. WALTER JOHN FRANCIS (ERSKINE), EARL OF MAR [1565], EARL OF KELLIE [1619], VISCOUNT FENTOUN [1606 and 1619], LORD ERSKINE OF DIRLETOWNE [1604], and LORD DIRLETOUN [1619], in the peerage of Scotland, premier Viscount of Scotland, s. and h., b. 29 Aug. 1865, styled Lord Erskine16till 1888; educ. at Eton 1879-83; Lieut. Scots Guards 1887-92. Lord Lieut. Co. Clackmannan from 1896. Rep. Peer since 1892 (Conservative). Sometime Chairman of the Clackmannan County Council and Clackmannan Territorial Association. Hon. Col. 7th Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. Hereditary Keeper of Stirling Castle 1923. K.T. 19 June 1911. He m., 14 July 1892, at St. Paul's, Knightsbridge, Susan Violet, 4th dau. of Anthony (Ashley- Cooper), 8th Earl of Shaftesbury, by Harriet Augusta Anne Seymourina, dau. of George Hamilton (Chichester), 3rd MARQUESS OF DONECALL. She was b. 18 July 1868.

[JOHN FRANCIS ASHLEY ERSKINE, styled LORD ERSKINE, 1st s. and h. ap., b. 26 Apr. 1895, at the Inch, Midlothian; educ. at Eton; served in the Great War, 1914-18, as 2nd Lieut. Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, and Lieut. Scots Guards; M.P. (Unionist) for Weston- super-Mare Division of Somerset, Nov. 1922-Dec. 1923, and from Oct.1924; unpaid Parl. Private Sec. to the Postmaster Gen. 1923, and to the Home Secretary, 1924. He m., 2 Dec. 1919, Marjorie, 17 eldest dau. of Frederick William Fane (Hervey), 4th MARQUESS OF BRISTOL, by Alice Frances Theodora, dau. of George Edward Wythes.]

Family Estates.-These, in 1928, consist of 7,057 acres in Clackmannanshire, and 149 in Fifeshire. Total, 7,200 acres, worth !E(r)I 12,000 a year, inclusive of mines, Principal Residence.-Alloa House, Co. Clackmannan.