Sir James Grant, 6th Baronet facts for kids

Sir James Grant, 6th Baronet (born 28 July 1679 – died 16 January 1747) was an important Scottish politician. He was a member of the Whig party, which was one of the main political groups in Britain at the time. Sir James served in the House of Commons, which is like the main parliament, for 25 years, from 1722 until he passed away in 1747. He was also the Chief of Clan Grant, a powerful Scottish family, from 1719 until his death.

Early Life and Family History

James Grant was the third son in his family, but the second one to live past childhood. His parents were Ludovick Grant of Freuchie and Grant. He went to school in a town called Elgin.

In 1702, James married Anne Colquhoun. She was the daughter of Sir Humphrey Colquhoun, who was the 5th Baronet of Luss. A "Baronet" is a special title, like a knight, that can be passed down in a family.

In 1704, James was set to inherit his father-in-law's land and the Baronet title. So, in 1718, when his father-in-law died, James became Sir James Colquhoun of Luss.

However, in 1719, something else happened. His older brother, Alexander, passed away. This meant James became the Chief of Clan Grant and inherited the Grant family lands. Because of this, he changed his name back to Grant, keeping the Baronet title. He then passed the Colquhoun family inheritance to his second son, Ludovick.

In 1721, a special title was given to him by James Francis Edward Stuart, who was known as the "Old Pretender." This title was "Lord Grant" in the Jacobite peerage. The Old Pretender was trying to get support from powerful families like Clan Grant to help him become king.

Political Career in Parliament

In 1722, Sir James Grant was elected as a Member of Parliament for Inverness-shire. He was chosen because his family was very influential in that area. He always voted with the government in power at the time.

He was re-elected without anyone running against him in 1727. The only time he was recorded speaking in Parliament was in 1732. He asked for a relative, Sir Archibald Grant, to be treated kindly.

Sir James was elected again in 1734. Then, in the 1741 election, he changed the area he represented and became the MP for Elgin Burghs. He continued to support the government.

Role During the Jacobite Rising

In 1745, a major event happened in Scotland called the Jacobite rising of 1745. This was when Charles Edward Stuart, also known as the "Young Pretender," arrived in Scotland to try and take the throne.

Sir James was in Scotland when this happened. After meeting with his clan members at Castle Grant, he decided to travel south to London. He told his son to "stay at home, take care of his country and join no party." This meant he wanted his son to stay out of the conflict.

Sir James sent two messages to Henry Pelham, who was a very important government official. He suggested that an army could be formed from loyal clan members. He also sent a letter from the Young Pretender to Lord Tweeddale, who was in charge of Scotland for the government. Sir James sent the letter without even opening it, showing his loyalty to the government.

Later Life and Family

Sir James Grant passed away on 16 January 1747. He and his wife had a large family with six sons and eight daughters.

His oldest son, Ludovick, took over the Baronet title after his father. Ludovick also became a commissioner of police. Sir James's second son became an army captain. His fourth son, who was the third to live to adulthood, was Lieutenant-General Francis Grant.