Sir James Skene of Curriehill, 1st Baronet

Biographical Summary

"Sir James Skene (d. 1633), the eldest son, was admitted advocate on 6 July 1603, and on 12 June 1612 became a lord of session. On 12 June 1619 he was summoned before the privy council for endeavoring, at Easter, to evade one of the five articles of Perth, requiring that the communion should be taken kneeling, by failing to attend; but excused himself on the ground that he was examining witnesses by direction of the lords at the time of the preparation sermon, and his excuse was accepted (Reg. P. C. Scotl. xi. 595–6; Calderwood, vii. 383). ‘Some, however,’ says Calderwood, ‘ascribed his not conforming, not to conscience, but to the dissuasions of his mother-in-law and her daughter, a religious woman’ (ib.). His wife was Janet Johnston, [daughter of Sir John Johnston of Hilton. SIC]. On 14 Feb. 1626 he succeeded Thomas, earl of Melrose, as president of the court of session, and on 16 Jan. 1630 he was created by Charles I a baronet of Nova Scotia. He died on 25 Oct. 1633 at his own house in Edinburgh, and was buried in the church of the Grey Friars."

SOURCE: Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Volume 52, Page 348

Disputed Wife

She was Janet Johnston, of Hilton according to the Skene book, but the Johnston diary has her as daughter of Archibald Johnston.

Other References

• Memorials of the family of Skene of Skene, from the family papers, with other illustrative documents (1887), Page 113
• Complete baronetage; Cokayne, George E. (George Edward); 1900; Vol. II; page 345
• https://genealogics.org/getperson.php?personID=I00618155&tree=LEO
  • ”Diary of Sir Archibald Johnston, Lord Wariston. 1639, The preservation of the honours of Scotland, 1651-52, Lord Mar's Legacies, 1722-27, Letters concerning Highland affairs in the 18th century.” Page 3 - 5. Archive.Org