Yerl o Kellie

The title **Yerl o Kellie** or Kelly is ane o the peerage titles o in the Peerage o Scotland, creatit in 1619 for Sir Thomas Erskine, who wis Caiptain o the Guard an Groom o the Stool for James VI. It is named efter the Barony o Kellie in Fife, Scotland.

The Yerldom o Kellie wis unitit wi the Yerldom o Mar in 1835, when the twintie-saxt Yerl o Mar became an aa the eleivent Yerl o Kellie. At the daith o that Yerl in 1866, the Yerldom o Kellie an the faimily's estates passed tae Walter Erskine, the cousin o the late Yerl, an his heir-male. Meanwhile, it wis assumed that the Yerldom o Mar passed tae John Francis Goodeve, the late Yerl's nephew, an his heir-general. Goodeve chynged his name tae Goodeve Erskine; his claim wis agreed upon bi maist individuals. He even pairticipatit in the election o representative peers for the Peerage o Scotland. 

Housomeivver, the Yerl o Kellie submittit a petition tae the House of Lords askin that the Earldom o Mar be declared his, dyin afore it coud be considered. His son, the thirteent Yerl o Kellie, renewed the petition, an the Lords decidit the matter in 1875, determinin that the Yerldom o Mar properly belanged tae the Yerl o Kellie. Housomeivver, due tae a sentiment that the Lords haed decidit wrangly, the *Earldom o Mar Restitution Act* wis passed. That Act declared that there wur *twa* Yerldoms o Mar — ane that wad belang tae the Yerl o Kellie, an anither that wad belang tae John Goodeve Erskine. *For further details, see [[Yerl o Mar]]*.

The subsidiar titles belangin tae the Yerl o Mar an Kellie are: *Viscoont o Fentoun* or Fenton (creatit 1606), *Lord Erskine* (1429) an *Lord Erskine o Dirleton* (1603), the umwhile o which is uised as a courtesy title for the eldest son an heir o the Earl. Baith titles are in the Peerage o Scotland.  The Earl is Hereditary Keeper o Stirling Castle.

## Yerls o Kellie (1619)
* Sir Thomas Erskine, 1st Earl o Kellie (1566–1639)
* Thomas Erskine, 2nt Earl o Kellie (d. 1643)
* Alexander Erskine, 3rd Earl o Kellie (d. 1677)
* Alexander Erskine, 4t Earl o Kellie (d. 1710)
* Alexander Erskine, 5t Earl o Kellie (d. 1756)
* Thomas Alexander Erskine, 6t Earl o Kellie (1732–1781)
* Archibald Erskine, 7t Earl o Kellie (1736–1795)
* Charles Erskine, 8t Earl o Kellie (1765–1799). in 1797 he succeeded tae the Erskine o Cambo baronetcy which merged wi the Earldom till its extinction in 1829. 
* Thomas Erskine, 9t Earl o Kellie (c. 1745–1828)
* Methven Erskine, 10t Earl o Kellie (c. 1750–1829)
* John Francis Miller Erskine,(23rd) 9t Earl o Mar, 11t Earl o Kellie (1795–1866)
* Walter Consignby Erskine, 10th Earl of Mar and 12t Earl o Kellie (1810–1872)
* William Henry Erskine, 11t Earl o Mar an 13t Earl o Kellie (1839–1888)
* Walter John Francis Erskine, 12t Earl o Mar an 14t Earl o Kellie (1865–1955)
* James Francis Hervey Erskine, 13t Earl o Mar an 15t Earl o Kellie (1921–1993)
* James Thorne Erskine, 14t Earl o Mar an 16t Earl o Kellie (b. 1949)

The heir presumptive is the Earl's brither the Hon. Alexander David Erskine, Maister o Mar (b. 1952).

## See an aa
*Earl o Mar
*Erskine Baronets

## References

## Freemit airtins
* The Great Historic Families of Scotland — The Erskines of Kellie