James Ruthven, 7th Lord Ruthven of Freeland

He was born at Melville House south of Monimail near Cupar in Fife[1] on 17 October 1777.

[2] He succeeded his father as 7th Lord Ruthven of Freeland in 1789.

Until 1807 he was a Major in the 90th Regiment of Foot also known as the Perthshire Volunteers.

In 1825 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh his proposer being Sir Thomas Dick Lauder.

In 1813 he married Mary Hamilton Campbell of Shawfield.