Lords Balmerinoch (1606)

1^st Lord Balmerinoch, James Elphinstone, b.1557, a.1606, d.1612

Younger brother of Alexander Elphinstone, 4^th Lord Elphinstone, he was a Lord of Session under the title of Lord Innernochtie, and was one of the Octavians, the Commissioners for the Scottish Treasury in 1595-1596. He became Secretary of State in 1598 and a Privy Counsellor in 1603 and President of the Court of Session in 1605. In 1606 the lands of the Abbey of Balmerinoch were erected into a barony and he was raised to the peerage. He was a favourite of James VI, but was found to have fabricated a letter from the King to Pope Clement VIII regarding the disposition of the cardinal’s hat to a relative and also commending the Pope and Catholicism in general. He was put on trial, though making sure that James was completely uninvolved. Being found guilty, he was sentenced to death as a traitor and attainted. However, the execution was not carried out, perhaps due to his shifting the blame away from the King. He was instead held at Falkland Palace after paying a heavy fine, and was allowed to retire to his own estate shortly before his death.

2^nd Lord Balmerinoch, John Elphinstone, b.?, a.1613, d.1648-1649

Son of the 1^st Lord and Sarah Menteith, daughter of Sir John Menteith of Carse. The title having been forfeited, he had to wait until 1613 before being restored to the peerage. He was a noted Covenanter and opposed the moves of Charles I to impose his will on the Church of Scotland. In supporting a petition against Charles, he was put on trial. Although public opinion was on his side, he was narrowly convicted and sentenced to death. Being instructed that carrying out the execution would be inadvisable, Elphinstone was pardoned. He supported Archibald Campbell, 8^th Earl of Argyll, protesting against the King’s impositions on Presbyterianism, and such was his influence that he was made President of the Scottish Parliament and a Privy Counsellor in 1641, and then an Extraordinary Lord of Session. He also joined Leslie in England in 1643.

3^rd Lord Balmerinoch, John Elphinstone, b.1623, a.1649, d.1704

Son of the 2^nd Lord and Anne Kerr (b.?, d.1650), daughter of Sir Thomas Kerr of Ferniehurst. He was required to sell much of his estates to pay off his father’s debts. In 1668-1669 he succeeded his uncle as 2^nd Lord Coupar.

4^th Lord Balmerinoch, John Elphinstone, b.1652, a.1704, d.1736

Son of the 3^rd Lord and Margaret Campbell (b.?, d.1666), daughter of John Campbell, 1^st Earl of Loudoun. He was a Privy Counsellor in 1687 and Governor of the Mint in 1704. He was also a Representative Peer after the Act of Union.

5^th Lord Balmerinoch, James Elphinstone, b.1675, a.1736, d.1746

Son of the 4^th Lord and Lady Christiana Montgomerie, daughter of Hugh Montgomerie, 7^th Earl of Eglinton. He was a Lord of Session.

6^th Lord Balmerinoch, Arthur Elphinstone, b.1688, a.1746, d.1746

Younger half-brother of the 5^th Lord, being a son of the 4^th Lord and his second wife Ann Ross (b.?, d.1712), daughter of Arthur Ross, Archbishop of St Andrews. While young he joined in the 1715 Uprising and later lived in France until obtaining a pardon. He was one of Prince Charles’ earliest supporters and took part in the 1745 Rebellion and was taken prisoner after the Battle of Culloden. He was tried and found guilty of treason and executed alongside William Boyd, 4^th Earl of Kilmarnock. The lordship became extinct.

Lords Coupar (1607)

1^st Lord Coupar, James Elphinstone, b.c.1587, a.1607, d.1668-1669

Son of James Elphinstone, 1^st Lord Balmerinoch, and his second wife Marjory Maxwell (b.?, d.1601). He was an Extraordinary Lord of Session from 1649 to 1652 but was later fined for collaborating with Cromwell. Although he tried to pass his title to his wife’s son, the original remainder to his father’s male heir resulted in the title passing to his nephew, John Elphinstone, 3^rd Lord Balmerinoch, mentioned above.

(Last updated: 04/12/2009)