William Kerr, 3rd Marquess of Lothian

Who was William Kerr, 3rd Marquess of Lothian?

William Kerr, 3rd Marquess of Lothian KT was a Scottish nobleman, styled Master of Jedburgh from 1692 to 1703 and Lord Jedburgh from 1703 to 1722. He was the son of William Kerr, 2nd Marquess of Lothian and Lady Jean Campbell.

Although his title of Lord Jedburgh is generally regarded as a courtesy title, he voted at the election of Scots representative peers under that name in 1712. On 7 December 1711, he married Margaret Nicolson, daughter of Sir Thomas Nicolson, 1st Baronet and Margaret Nicolson. They had three children:

Lord Robert Kerr, killed at the Battle of Culloden

William Henry Kerr, 4th Marquess of Lothian

Lady Jane Kerr, died young.

He succeeded to the Marquessate of Lothian in 1722 and was elected a representative peer in 1731, sitting in the House of Lords until 1761. From 1732 to 1738, Lothian was Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, and he was appointed a Knight of the Thistle in 1734. From 1739 until his resignation in 1756, he was Lord Clerk Register.

His first wife died on 30 September 1759 at Newbattle Abbey and was buried there.