James Stuart (1775–1849) facts for kids

James Stuart by Daniel Macnee.

James Stuart of Dunearn (1775 – November 3, 1849) was an important Scottish politician. He was known for facing challenges from his opponents. He also traveled a lot and wrote a popular book about his time in America.

Early Life and Education

James Stuart was born in 1775. His father, Charles Stuart of Dunearn, was a minister and later a doctor in Edinburgh. His grandfather, James Stuart of Binend, was once the Lord Provost of Edinburgh, which is like being the mayor of the city. James's mother was Mary Erskine.

James likely went to the Royal High School, Edinburgh from 1785 to 1789. He then studied Law at the University of Edinburgh. After his studies, he became a member of the Society of Writers to Her Majesty's Signet in 1798. This society was for lawyers who prepared legal documents.

Public Life and Challenges

From 1818 to 1828, James worked as a collector for the widows' fund of his society. However, he was more interested in farming than in his law career.

As a local official, he was very active in county business. He was a Whig, which was a political group that believed in certain ideas about government. His strong Whig beliefs sometimes caused problems with the authorities.

For example, in 1815, his name was left off a list of local officials in Fife. But other local gentlemen wanted him to continue his work, so he was put back on the list. Later, he had another disagreement with the Earl of Morton. James was an officer in the Fife yeomanry (a type of volunteer army). He was told off for gathering his troops for drill against an order. James said he had never seen the order and resigned his position in 1821.

James Stuart was involved in a serious personal conflict that led to a duel. After this event, he was cleared of any wrongdoing.

Life in America and Return

After these events, James lived in Edinburgh and Fife. But in 1828, he faced financial difficulties. He resigned from his job and moved to America. He left Liverpool in July 1828 and arrived in New York in August.

He stayed in America until April 1831, returning to England in May. In 1833, he published a book called "Three Years in North America." It was about his travels and became very popular, with two more editions printed the next year. In his book, Stuart wrote positively about Americans. This led to some debates with British army officers about his descriptions of the War of 1812.

Later Career and Death

Soon after returning from America, James Stuart became the editor of a London newspaper called the "Courier." The newspaper was not doing well, so he tried to make it more popular. He started publishing a larger weekly edition with a section dedicated to reviews.

He worked as editor until 1836. Then, a politician named Lord Melbourne appointed him as an inspector of factories. This was an important role, helping to ensure factories were run properly.

James Stuart passed away on November 3, 1849, at the age of 74. He died from heart disease in Notting Hill, London.

Family Life

On April 29, 1802, James Stuart married Eleanor Maria Anna Moubray. She was the only daughter of Dr. Robert Moubray. They did not have any children.