James Steuart of Coltness

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James Steuart of Coltness (1608–31 March 1681) was a Scottish merchant, banker, landowner, politician and Covenanter. He was born after his father, James Steuart of Allanton, died, to Marion Carmichael and James Steuart of Allanton in Lanarkshire; his mother was the sister of Sir James Carmichael, Justice General of Scotland.

Steuart made a large fortune as a merchant and banker in Edinburgh. In 1653 he acquired the estates of Kirkfield and Coltness (in Lanarkshire). He became a burgess of Edinburgh and a guild member in 1631, apparently through his marriage to Anne Hope’s niece.

Public life followed. He served as Provost of Edinburgh from 1648 to 1649, and again around 1658–1659. He was also Commissioner for Edinburgh to the Parliament of Scotland from 1649 to 1650, and at times acted as Collector of Excise and Accountant-General for the Scottish Army. His leadership included fortifying the harbour of Leith and building a new road between Edinburgh and Leith, later known as Leith Walk.

After the Restoration in 1660, Steuart was dismissed from public roles for his Covenanter beliefs. He was confined in Edinburgh Castle and then sent to Dundee as a prisoner, but received a pardon in 1670.

Family and marriages: He first married Anne Hope in 1630; she died in 1646. They had children, including Sir James Steuart and Sir Robert Steuart, Bt. In 1648, two years after Anne’s death, he married Marion McCulloch Elliott, widow of Sir John Elliott and daughter of David McCulloch of Goodtrees; Marion died in 1690.

James Steuart of Coltness died on 31 March 1681.