The Minor Family of Somerset

William Erskine Marrs was born at Scotland from http://mywebpage
s.comcast.net
William Erskine Marrs was also known as William Erskine. He imm
igrated circa 1720 to the colonies, from Bristol
ERSKINE. This family descended from Henry de Erskine, who owne
d the barony of Erskine, in Renfrewshire, in the 13th century
. During the War of Independence they supported King Robert th
e Bruce. In 1435 Sir Robert Erskine assumed the title of Earl o
f Mar and his son,who was deprived of the Earldom in 1457, wa
s created Lord Erskine in 1467. alexander, son of the 4th Lord
, was ancestor of the Earls of Kellie. The Earldom of Mar was r
estored in 1565, and the 6th Earl is notable for the part hepla
yed in the Jacobite Rising of 1715. there are several importan
t brancesof this family.
Jacobite Heritage:-
'Jacobite was the name given to that party which, after the Revo
lution of 1688, continued to support the Stuart dynasty, as repr
esenting the rpinciple of divine right. It was derived from Jac
obus, the Latin for James. The origin of the party, however, ma
y be traced to the reign of Charles I, for the jacobites of 168
8 were direct successors ofthe Cavaliers of 1642, as the Whig
s were of the Puritans." (Rivigny, The Legitimist Kalendar, 189
5).
The Jacobites deny the validity of the usurpationof the thron
e first by the Prince and Princess of Orance, next by the Prince
ss Anne of Denmark, and finally by the Elector Georg I of Hannov
er and his heirs.
For the Jacobites, King James II and VII continued to reing unti
l hisdeath in 1701. He was succeeded by his son, Jame III an
d VIII, who in turnwas succeeded by his sons, Charles III and H
enry IX and I. By the death of the latter in 1807 the legitimat
e male line of the Royal House of Stuart becameextinct. The su
ccession to the throne then passed to the senior heir of King Ch
arles I, descended from his youngest daughter Henrietta Anne; th
is prince was none other than Charles Emanuel IV of Savoy. Th
e succession to the throne has continued until toDay when it i
s represented by Duke Francis of Bavaria.
Jacobitism is, however, more than merely a belief that a differe
nt prson has best right to the throne. It is also a radically d
ifferent understanding of the place which the monarch and the mo
narchy have within society. Jacobites reject the idea that th
e king has his authority delegated to him by Parliament. Many h
old that the king's authority come directly from Almighty God.
Declaration of the Earl of Mar, September 9, 1715
Our rightful and naturalKing James the 8th, who, by the grace o
f God, is now coming to relieve us from our oppressions, havin
g been pleased to entrust us with the direction of his affairs a
nd the command of his forces in this his Ancient Kingdom of Scot
land. And some of his faithful subjects and servants met at Abo
yne, viz, theLord Huntley, the Lord of tullibardine, The Earl o
f Mareschal, the Earl of Southesk, Glingary, from the Clans, Gle
nderule from the Earl of Broadalbine, and gentlemen of Argyleshi
re, Mr. Patrick Lyon of Aucterhouse, the Laird of Auldbair, Lieu
tenant-General George Hamilton, Major-general Gordon, and myself
, having taken into our consideration His Majesty's last and lat
e orders tous, find, that as this is now the time that he order
ed us to appear openly inarms for him; so it seems to us absolu
tely necessary for His Majesty's service and the relieving of ou
r native country from oppression, and a foreign yoke too heavy f
or us and our posterity to bear: and to endeavour the restoring
, not only of our rightful and native king, but also our countr
y to its ancient,free and independent constitution under him who
se ancestors have reignedover us for so many generations. In s
o honourable, good, and just a cause, we cannot dubt of the assi
stance, direction, and blessing of Almighty God, whohas so ofte
n rescued the Royal Family of Stuar