James Falconer (1648 - 1705)

Born 16 Aug 1648 in Halkerton, Kincardineshire, Scotland

Descendants

Died 9 Jun 1705 at age 56 in Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland

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Biography

Sir James Falconer was a member of the aristocracy in British Isles.

Sir James Falconer was born Aug 1648. He was the oldest son and heir of Sir John Falconer of Phesdo, warden of the Mint, of Scotland, and his wife, Agnes (Spence) Falconer.^[1]

Sir James Falconer was educated in Edinburgh and admitted an advocate at the Scottish bar on 6 Jan 1674. He left the bar when a dispute arose about certain appeals but was re-admitted, 8 Jan 1676. His father had ceded his lands at Phesdo, Scotland, to his oldest son in 1672 (at James' marriage to Elizabeth Trent).

Nov 1682, his father Sir John Falconer, a warden of the Scottish Mint, on learning that he was to be pursued for malversation in office, suffered a massive heart attack and died suddenly at the family estate in Phesdo, Scotland. After his death, the crown imposed a fine of five years and a half rent of his whole estate. Sir James, his son, whom the authorities held liable as his father's successor, and because he had earlier refused to pay a composition on his inheritance, was also fined in six years rents of his whole fortune.

Sir James Falconer was appointed an Ordinary Lord after the Glorious Revolution of 1688 that brought William & Mary to the English/Scottish throne. He took his seat in the House of Lords as Lord Phesdo, on 1 Nov 1689. He was nominated a Lord of the Justiciary, on 27 Jan 1690. He represented the shire of Kincardine, Scotland, in the Parliaments of 1703-4.^[2]

Sir James Falconer married Elizabeth Trent, b: 7 Jan 1655, in 1672 in Scotland. The couple had 13 children, per the Sir James Falconer on Geni.com site, which has some sourcing attributions.

1. John Falconer, b: 21 October 1674; d: 1764 without issue
2. Alexander Falconer, b: ca. 1676
3. Elizabeth (Falconer) Arbuthnot, b: ca. 1685
4. Mary Falconer b: 1687
5. Margaret (Falconer) Arbuthnot
6. Patrick Falconer
7. James Falconer b: 1689
8. Maurice Falconer b: 21 December 1697
9. William Falconer
10. Charles Falconer
11. David Falconer
12. Catherine Falconer
13. Esther Falconer

He died at Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland, 9 Jun 1705. His wife survived his passing. She died in Scotland in July 1748, as described at the family tree site: Willey-Markle Family Tree on RootsWeb - Elizabeth Trent.

Research Notes

Biography needs rewritten, as it is mostly wholesale copy from: Sir James Falconer on Geni.com:

Sources to Be Examined Directly

The best lead that we have on Sir James Falconer who lived at Phesdo and was once Lord of Session reportedly comes from Cokayne, G E with Gibbs, Vicary, Doubleday, Geoffrey H, White, Duncan Warrand and de Walden, Lord Howard eds. The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, Extant, Extinct or Dormant. Vol I. 1910-1959; 2000, p. 185. Gloucester, UK: Alan Sutton Publishing.

Margaret (Falconer) Arbuthnott is listed as a daughter who m. Hon John Arbuthnott (contract) 30 May 1695 (Burke's Peerage, 1999, Vol 1, p. 99).

Records

While not original vital records, the following resources indicate substantial evidence of birthdate, has baptisms of three children, lists nine others, has a short biography on James, names his wife and his death date. Also includes a transcript of his wife's will listing heirs in lineal succession: added -C-213 05:49, 24 February 2020 (UTC)

• Specific Birthdate: 16 Aug 1648 listed as footnote following baptism transcriptions for several of his children in ^[3]
• Died: 09 June, 1705. Obituary, elegiac form. Professional elegy written by William Whyte, and read in the College of Justice following Sir James death."On the Death of the Right Honorable Sir James Falconer of Phesdo, one of the Lords of the College of Justice, who died the 9th of June, 1705." ^[4]

Sources

1. ↑ Bulloch, John ed. Scottish Notes & Queries. Vol. 4. 1891, pg. 77. Aberdeen: D Wyllie & Son.
2. ↑ Brunton, George & Haig, David. "An Historical Account of the Senators of the College of Justice: From Its Institution in MDXXXII." 1832, p. 445-6. Edinburgh: Thomas Clark and London: Saunders and Benning.
3. ↑ Baptismal records of members of the Falconer family in the 17th century, Volume 5. London: 1860. googlebooks. p101 Will of Elizabeth Trent naming inheritance succession of male descendants; Footnote p109
4. ↑ Scottish Elegaic Verses. Maidmint, James, editor. googlebooks.com. p151

Acknowledgments

• Thanks to William Arbuthnot for creating WT profile Falconer-153 on 4 Jun 2013. Click the Changes tab for the details of contributions by William and others.