James Anderson (lawyer) facts for kids
James Anderson (born August 5, 1662 – died April 3, 1728) was a Scottish historian and expert in old documents. He was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. His father, Patrick Anderson, was a church minister who was once held prisoner on the Bass Rock.
Contents
Early Life and Education
James Anderson studied law. In 1691, he became a "writer to the signet." This was a type of Scottish lawyer or attorney. His job allowed him to explore his interest in old historical papers.
Working with Scottish Records
Just before the Act of Union 1707, the Parliament of Scotland gave him an important job. They asked him to gather and prepare all the remaining public records of the Kingdom of Scotland. The Parliament even gave him money to help with his expenses.
Anderson worked on this huge project for many years. However, he passed away in 1728 before it was finished. His book was published after his death in 1739. It was called Selectus Diplomatum et Numismatum Scotiae Thesaurus.
This important national work was very costly to create. The many detailed pictures and maps made for the book were later sold. Today, these original pictures are lost, and the book is very rare.
Postmaster General
In 1715, James Anderson was given the job of Postmaster General for Scotland. This was a way to thank him for his hard work on the historical records. However, he lost this job in 1717 due to political changes. He never received another official reward for his services.
Anderson also had a large personal library. It included many books by English historians.
Supporting Scottish Independence
James Anderson strongly believed that Scotland should be an independent country. He wrote books to share his ideas.
Key Publications
In 1705, he published An Historical Essay showing that the Crown and Kingdom of Scotland is Imperial and Independent. This book argued that Scotland was its own boss and not controlled by other countries.
He also wrote Collections relating to the History of Mary Queen of Scotland. This was a four-volume series published between 1727 and 1728. Both of these works were later used by his great-nephew, the famous historian William Robertson.
See also
- Janet Anderson (milliner)
