page_title: James Ferguson (Scottish politician)
section_title: Ancestry and early life
hierarchical_section_title: James Ferguson (Scottish politician) / Ancestry and early life
caption_attribution_description: English: 30 Heriot Row, Edinburgh
context_page_description: James Ferguson FRSE was a Scottish advocate and Tory politician and the third Laird of Pitfour, a large estate in the Buchan area of north east Scotland, which is known as the 'Blenheim of the North'.
  Ferguson studied law in Edinburgh, qualifying in 1757 to gain membership of the Faculty of Advocates. He then undertook a tour of Europe throughout 1758 before following in his father's footsteps by joining the Scottish legal profession. Later in life his interests turned to politics and he became a Scottish Tory politician.
  Among the extensive work carried out by Ferguson at Pitfour, he is also credited with beginning work on a canal between the Pitfour estate and the sea at Peterhead in order to transport agricultural produce. Despite planning objections from neighbours, work began in 1797. He is also credited with establishing the planned village of Mintlaw in 1813.
context_section_description: James Ferguson was born at Pitfour on 25 May 1735. He was the eldest son of James Ferguson (1700–1777) and Ann Murray (1708–1793). His parents were married on 3 February 1733, and he was born three years later. They had five other, younger children.
  Before undertaking a grand tour of Europe during 1758, Ferguson continued the family tradition of studying law in Edinburgh. After qualifying, he gained membership of the Faculty of Advocates and Society of Writers to the Signet in July 1757.
  Ferguson spent a great deal of time at Pitfour but also had an apartment in St James Place, Westminster, Middlesex. Ferguson became the third Laird of Pitfour on the death of his father, Lord Pitfour, in 1777.
  The Third Laird was a known associate of James Boswell and together with his brother Patrick, who was the designer of the Ferguson rifle, breakfasted with Boswell in November 1762. Other close associates were William Pitt the Younger and Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville.
  He was the Rector at Aberdeen University from 1794–6.
  In a confidential report titled "View of the political state of Scotland" published in 1788, Ferguson was described as "a man of real good sense, but indolent." The document was published in 1887 but covered the personal circumstances of those involved in county elections in Scotland during the previous century. Ferguson was not a good-looking man and appeared plain, small and stocky. His mother once wrote to him:
  Never expose yourself, James, to the charge of rape, for your broad shoulders will cause the jury to think it probable that you made the attempt, and your face will make it manifest that it must have been against the will.
  He remained a bachelor although there was speculation he yearned for Jane Gordon, Duchess of Gordon. She was born in Edinburgh in 1749, and was a Scottish Tory political hostess who was shrewd, sharp-witted and humorous but good-natured. In a riddle written by the Duchess, the last two lines refer to Ferguson (Laird of Pitfour) and confirm that he was not an attractive man. It reads:
  My first is found upon the banks of Tyne
  My second is scarce quite half of nine
  My whole a laird of Aberdeenshire race
  An honest fellow with an ugly face
  Around 1813, he established the planned village of Mintlaw, and he is also credited with expanding Longside in 1801.
  Prior to his death his Edinburgh address was 30 Heriot Row in the Second New Town.
  He died without issue, and on his death in St James' Place, London, in September 1820, the estate passed to his younger brother, George Ferguson (1748–1820), who was then 72 years old and in poor health. He was said to have died "without a struggle" of "apoplexy".
caption: 30 Heriot Row, Edinburgh
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