Simon Fraser, 13th Lord Lovat

Simon Fraser, 13th Lord Lovat and 2nd Baron Lovat, was a Scottish nobleman, landowner, and soldier. He was the 22nd Chief of Clan Fraser of Lovat in the Scottish Highlands, and responsible for overseeing the reconstruction of Beaufort Castle.

Early life

Lovat was the eldest of four sons and three daughters born to Thomas Alexander Fraser, 12th Lord Lovat and Hon. Charlotte Georgina Stafford-Jerningham, daughter of George William Stafford-Jerningham, 8th Baron Stafford.
Among his siblings was Amelia Charlotte Fraser, Frances Giorgiana Fraser, Charlotte Henrietta Fraser, Alexander Edward Fraser George Edward Stafford Fraser, and Henry Thomas Fraser.

Career

He succeeded his father in 1875, who had been awarded another barony, that of Baron Lovat, in the peerage of Great Britain. Lovat resided at Beaufort Castle, and was the 22nd Chief MacShimidh of the Clan Fraser of Lovat.
He served as a Lieutenant colonel of the 2nd Battalion Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders Militia, and Lord Lieutenant of Inverness between 1873 and 1887. From 1883 to 1887, he served as aide-de-camp to Queen Victoria.

Marriage and issue

In 1866, Fraser married Alice Maria Weld-Blundell, the fifth daughter of Thomas Weld-Blundell and his wife, Teresa Maria Eleanora Vaughan. They had 11 children:

Simon Thomas Joseph Fraser, who died young.
Hon. Mary Laura Fraser, who married John Scott, Viscount Encombe, eldest son and heir apparent of John Scott, 3rd Earl of Eldon, and had issue.
Hon. Alice Mary Charlotte Fraser, who married Hon. Bernard Constable-Maxwell, son of William Constable-Maxwell, 10th Lord Herries of Terregles, and had issue.
Simon Joseph Fraser, 14th Lord Lovat, who married Laura Lister, daughter of Lord Ribblesdale and, his first wife, Charlotte Monkton Tennant.
Hon. Etheldreda Mary Fraser, who married diplomat Sir Francis Oswald Lindley.
Maj. Hon. Hugh Joseph Fraser, who served with the Scots Guards and was killed in the First Battle of Ypres during World War I.
Maj. Hon. Alastair Thomas Joseph Fraser, who married Lady Sybil Grimston, daughter of James Grimston, 3rd Earl of Verulam.
Hon. John Fraser, born prematurely in Gibraltar; survived only half an hour
Hon. Margaret Mary Catherine Fraser OBE, who married Brig.-Gen. Archibald Stirling, son of Sir William Stirling-Maxwell, 9th Baronet, and had issue.
Hon. Muriel Mary Rose Fraser, who became a Catholic nun.
Hon. Ian Benedict Joseph Fraser, died in infancy

Lord Lovat died in September 1887, aged 58, while shooting on the moors of Inverness. He was succeeded by his son Simon, who became the 14th Lord Lovat. Lady Lovat survived her husband by over fifty years and died in 1938, aged 92.

Descendants

Through his daughter Mary, he was a grandfather of John Scott, 4th Earl of Eldon. Through his daughter Alice, he was a grandfather of World War I flying ace Gerald Maxwell. Through his daughter Margaret, he was a grandfather of Special Air Service co-founder Sir David Stirling.