SALTOUN, Baron, a title in the peerage of Scotland, conferred 28th June 1445, on Laurence Abernethy of Saltoun and Rothiemay (see ABERNETHY). That family having, in the direct line, ended in 1669, in the person of Alexander, ninth Lord Abernethy of Saltoun, the title devolved on his cousin, Sir Alexander Fraser of Philorth (see FRASER of Philorth). Born in March 1604, Sir Alexander had the command of a regiment in the Scots army that marched into England in 1648, to attempt the rescue of Charles I. His cousin sold the estate of Saltoun, which is in East Lothian, in 1643 to Sir Andrew Fletcher, but he succeeded him in his title as heir of line. It was confirmed to him by Charles II., who had borrowed large sums of money from him when in Scotland in 1651. The patent, dated at Whitehall 11th July 1670, was ratified in parliament 21st of the same month. The tenth Lord Saltoun died 11th August 1693, in his 90th year. His son, Alexander, master of Saltoun, predeceased him in 1682. The latter was thrice married, and by his first wife, Lady Anne Ker, eldest daughter of the third earl of Lothian, he left a son, William, eleventh Lord Saltoun. This nobleman was a great promoter of the Darien scheme, and opposed the treaty of union with England. He died 18th March 1715, in his 61st year. By his wife, Margaret, second daughter of Archbishop Sharp, he had three sons and four daughters. The sons were, 1. Alexander, twelfth Lord Saltoun. 2. Hon. William Fraser, advocate, who purchased the estate of Balgownie, Aberdeenshire, from Lord Gray in 1721, and changed its name to Fraserfield; and, 3. Hon. James Fraser of Lonmay.

Alexander, twelfth Lord Saltoun, was educated at Oxford. He died 24th July 1748. By his wife, Lady Mary Gordon, third daughter of the first earl of Aberdeen, high-chancellor of Scotland, he had, with two daughters, three sons. Alexander, the eldest son, thirteenth Lord Saltoun, died, unmarried, at Philorth, 10th October 1751, aged 41, when his brother George, a lieutenant of marines, became fourteenth Lord Saltoun. He married his cousin, Helen, daughter of John Gordon, Esq. of Kinellar, and died 30th August 1781, aged 61. His eldest son, Alexander, fifteenth Lord Saltoun, passed advocate in 1790, at the age of twenty-three, and before succeeding to the peerage published ‘Thoughts on the Disqualifications of the eldest sons of the Peers of Scotland to sit from that country in Parliament, with observations on the civil polity of the kingdom.’ He died at Baldwins in Kent, 13th September 1793, in his 37th year.

His eldest son, Alexander George, sixteenth Lord Saltoun, a distinguished general, was publicly described by the duke of Wellington, as “a pattern to the army both as a man and a soldier.” Born in 1785, he succeeded his father when only eight years of age. He entered the army in 1802 as an ensign in the 42d regiment, and in 1804 became captain in the first foot-guards. He served with the army in Sicily in 1806 and 1807, and through Sir John Moore’s campaign and retreat in 1808, and was at the battle of Corunna 16th January 1809. He accompanied the expedition to Walcheren in the latter year, and went to Cadiz in 1811. He was at the storming of Seville, the passage of the Bidassoa, the battle of the Nivelle 10th November 1813, and at that of the Nive, fought on the 9th to the 13th December; at the passage of the Adour, and the blockade of Bayonne. He was also all through the campaign of 1815, including the battles of Quatre Bras and Waterloo. In the famous defence of Hongomont he greatly distinguished himself by his gallantry, and had four horses killed under him. That important post was held all day against the overwhelming numbers of the French by Colonel Macdonnell within, and Lord Saltoun without. He returned to his place in the line with about one-third of the men whom he had led into action. He then took a prominent part in the last celebrated charge of the guards, and was present at the storming of Peronne. He was nominated a companion of the Bath in 1815, and KC.B. in 1818, and promoted to the rank of major-general January 10th, 1837. He became a lieutenant-general and colonel of the second foot in 1846. IN 1841, during the opium war in China, he went out to that country with reinforcements, and commanded a brigade at the attack and capture of Chin-Kiang-Fon. He received the thanks of both houses of parliament for “the energy, ability, and gallantry” he had displayed in China. IN 1832 he was invested with the insignia of the order of the Thistle. He was a patron of many of the musical institutions of London, as president of the Madrigal Society, chairman of the Musical Union, &c. From 1807 he was one of the sixteen Scots representative peers. He was a knight of the Austrian order of Maria Theresa, and of the Russian order of St. George, and G.C.H. He died 18th August 1853, aged 68, and having no issue by his wife, Catherine Thurlow, natural daughter of Lord-chancellor Thurlow, he was succeeded by his nephew, Alexander, the eldest son of his brother, the Hon. William Fraser.

Alexander, seventeenth Lord Saltoun, born 5th May 1820, a major, 28th regiment, formerly lieutenant-colonel Royal Aberdeen militia; a deputy-lieutenant for Inverness-shire; married in 1849, Charlotte, 2d daughter of Thomas Browne-Evans, Esq. of Dean House, county Oxford, issue 2 sons and 4 daughters. The elder son, Alexander-Willliam-Frederick, Master of Saltoun, was born Aug. 8, 1851; and the younger son, Arthur Hay-David, Aug. 19, 1852.