EARLS OF

ROSSLYN  . The first earl of Rosslyn was Alexander Wedderburn (see below), who was succeeded by his nephew, James St Clair Erskine (1762-1837), a son of Wedderburn's sister Janet by her marriage with Sir Henry Erskine (d . 1765), a Scottish baronet and soldier . Entering the army in 1776, James Erskine served in Portugal, in Denmark and in the Netherlands, and became a general in P814 . From 1782 until 1805, when he became a peer, he was a member of parliament; a Tory politician and an associate of the duke of Welling-ton, he was lord privy seal in 1829—30 and lord president of the council in 1834—35 . He inherited the estates of the family of St Clair and took this name in 1789, and he died on the 18th of January 1837 . His son, James Alexander (1802—1866), became 3rd earl, and in 1890 the latter's grandson, James Francis Harry (b . 1869), became 5th earl .