James Erskine, Lord Barjarg and AlvaThe family crest of James Erskine, Lord Alva
James Erskine, Lord Barjarg and Alva (20 June 1722 – 13 May 1796) was an 18th-century Scottish lawyer who rose to be a Senator of the College of Justice. For convenience his name was usually contracted to James Erskine, Lord Alva.[1]
On the death of his father in 1763 he inherited both his Edinburgh property, Drumsheugh House, and Alva House in Clackmannanshire.
In 1772, he changed his title to Lord Alva when he inherited the estate of the Erskines of Alva, Clackmannanshire. He lived at Drumsheugh House in western Edinburgh.[5] In 1758, he was appointed Knight Marischal.[6]
He died on 13 May 1796 at Drumsheugh House[7] in western Edinburgh and was buried in St Cuthberts Churchyard. The grave lies on the first dividing wall north of the church, just west of the large monument to Alexander Murray, Lord Henderland.
He was married to Jean Stirling (1719–1797), daughter of John Stirling of Herbertshire.[8]
Their daughter, Isabella Erskine (d.1827), married Lt Col Patrick Tytler, son of Lord Alva's legal colleague, William Tytler and grandson of Alexander Fraser Tytler.
His older brother was Charles Erskine (1716–1749) but as Charles died before the father he inherited neither title nor land.
