Charles (Erskine) Areskine (1680 - 1763)

Born Nov 1680 in Alva, Clackmannanshire, Scotland

Ancestors

Husband of Grizel Grierson — married 21 Dec 1712 in Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland

Descendants

Died 5 Apr 1763 at age 82 in Edinburgh, Scotland

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Biography

The date of his christening is provided as 25 Nov 1680 at Alva, Clackmannanshire.

During his public career he generally used the name of Areskine.

He was educated at Edinburgh 1693 and later studied law. He was, however, over 30 when he was called to the Bar. He was Professor of Law at Edinburgh between 1707 and 1714 and seems to have held that position at Utrecht about 1710.

In 1716 he went to France to see his cousin, Lord Mar (likely John Erskine, through whom he became involved in the Gyllenborg plot to reinstate the House of Stuart (the Rebellion of 1715 having failed). He returned to Britain in 1717 having purchased the estate of Tinwald in Dumfriesshire, Scotland which he added to the estates of Barjarg he had acquired by marriage. He employed William Adam (1689 - 1748) to build a country house there.

He became a member of Parliament and has a page on The History of Parliament. He is noted on wikipedia.

When his brother incurred debts and was immersed in financial difficulties, Charles sold his estates at Tinwald and Barjarg and purchased the estates at Alva. Unfortunately he burdened the estates too much and his son was required to sell them soon after inheriting.

He married, firstly, dated 21 Dec 1712, Grizel, daughter and heiress of John Grierson of Barjarg, through whom he acquired the lands of Barjarg in Dumfriesshire. He married secondly, 26 Aug 1753, Elizabeth, daughter of William Harestanes of Craigs in Kirkcudbright; she being the widow of Dr. William Maxwell of Preston.

From his first wife he had 10 children that would die young and are buried beside their mother at Greyfriars in Edinburgh. They also had three daughters that survived; Christian, born 30 Dec 1715 and married, 4 Feb 1733, to Sir Robert Laurie of Maxwelltonn in Dumfriesshire; Jean, born 15 Apr 1726 and married, 21 Dec 1746, to William Kirkpatrick of Shaws, Dumfriesshire; and Susannah, born 20 Sep 1727 and married, 26 Mar 1749, to Robert Campbell of Finab and Menzie, M. P. for Argyleshire and Receiver General of Customs; and two sons; Charles Erskine, born 21 Oct 1716, M. P., who died, unmarried, in his father's lifetime and is buried in the chapel at Lincoln's Inn, London; and James, later Lord Alva.

By his second marriage he acquired two daughters from the marriage of Elizabeth Harstanes to William Maxwell: Mary Maxwell, married at Edinburgh, 14 Apr 1761, to William Sutherland (was Gordon), Earl of Sutherland (said to be 21st in The Peerage of England by Collins but better known as 18th) and Wilhelmina Maxwell, married at London, 26 Sep 1761, to John Campbell, Lord Viscount Glenorchy.

Footnotes

Sources

• "Scotland, Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950," index, FamilySearch, Charles Bart. Erskine in entry for Charles Bart. Erskine, 05 Apr 1763; citing , reference ; FHL microfilm 1,041,970.