William Kerr, 2nd Marquess of Lothian

Lieutenant-General William Kerr, 2nd Marquis of Lothian, KT (1661 – 28 February 1722) was a Scottish peer and soldier. He was styled Master of Newbattle until 1675 and Lord Newbattle from 1675 to 1692, and was the 5th Lord Jedburgh from 1692 to 1703.

Kerr was the eldest son of Robert Kerr, 1st Marquis of Lothian and his wife, Jane. On 30 June 1685, he married his cousin, Lady Jean Campbell (third daughter of Archibald Campbell, 9th Earl of Argyll) and they had five children:^[1]

• William Kerr, 3rd Marquis of Lothian (1690–1767)
• Lady Anne Kerr (d. 1727), married first Alexander Home, 7th Earl of Home, and second, Henry Ogle
• Lady Jean Kerr (d. March 1768), married William Cranstoun, 5th Lord Cranstoun
• Lady Elizabeth Kerr (d. 22 May 1758), married George Ross, 13th Lord Ross
• Lady Mary Kerr (d. 1768), married her cousin Alexander Hamilton, of Ballincrieff

Kerr was a Commissioner of Supply in 1685, 1686, 1702 and 1704. He succeeded to his cousin's title of Lord Jedburgh in 1692, and sat under that name in the Parliament of Scotland until its dissolution. Jedburgh was appointed Colonel of the 7th Regiment of Dragoons in 1696^[1] and a brigadier general in 1702. He succeeded his father as Marquess of Lothian in 1703 and was appointed major general in 1704. Lothian was created a Knight of the Thistle in 1705, and on 25 April 1707 obtained the colonelcy of the Scots Regiment of Foot Guards.^[1]

He supported the Union, and was appointed lieutenant general in 1708, being elected a representative peer that same year. However, due to irregularities in the election, the House of Lords struck out his name, although he was again elected in 1715 and sat in the Lords until his death. His Whig affiliation brought him out of favour under Queen Anne, and he lost his colonelcy in 1713. Lothian died in 1722 and was buried in Westminster Abbey.^[1]

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