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Date Posted: 22:19:53 03/16/14 Sun
Author Host/IP: 98-159-196-245.scottsboro.org/98.159.196.245
Post 340 A: Alexander Family Records and Accounts
"THE ERELS OF STIRLING" 75.
ww.archive.org/stream/clandonald20macd/clandonald20/macd_djvu.txt
Sir William Alexander "...surrendered his titles of...into the kings hands shortly before he died" (died 1640). "Thereupon the king, by a charter under the Great Seal, of date 7th December, 1639, granted these titles de novo to the heirs male, and failing them to the eldest heirs female... by a single fatality his titles became extinct in less than a century after his death.
Lord Alexander, the Earl's eldest son, did not succeed his father, having pre-deceased him by about a year,..."
The background of this true story is Sir William Alexander was given a charter to the lands of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Long Island (latter to be part of New York), by King James the first (I) of England, sixth (VI) of Scotland. He had spent the fortune he had made in trade with India settling Nova Scotia. Only to has the son of King James, Charles I, give the land back to France in a peace Treaty.
One story has it that John Alexander, Lord Alexander, died before his father. His father, Sir William Alexander, 1st Earl of Srirling, Viscount of Canada, Lord of Tullibody, Baronet of Nova Scotia died in 1640. Another story has it that John Alexander died shortly after being released from debtors prison in 1641. The only reason he would have been in debtors prison was because of the actions of the King, Charles I, himself.
Charles I had promised to give 10,000 pounds to Sir William, while Sir William was still alive, in "recompense" for his losses. But as it's stated in the "archive.org/stream/clandonald..." on page 75:
"...but neither he nor any of his successors ever actually received payment."
With the loss of his father's fortune in one fell swoop by King Charles I, John Alexander may have been facing debtors prison. For Charles I, it would have been a boon. Have your subjects spend their own money to found a vast landmass, then give it back to an enemy; with the idea of reclaiming it at a later date.
I have come to believe Charles I saw an opportunity to coerce John Alexander, the rightful 2nd Earl of Stirling or Sterling out of his claim to the land, his rightful due titles and the 10,000 pounds that had been promised him and or his descendants. Such an action would have been illegal in todays society and I believe it would have even been illegal in the early 17th century.
With the prospect of debtors prison hanging over his head, John Alexander may have been forced to abdicate his position and leave Scotland, lest some embarrassing questions arise. What followed was a poorly constructed string of lies to explain the disappearance of John, Lord Alexander. The story of his pre-deceasing his father had to be changed. Something must have happened. Perhaps someone saw him after his fathers death. Then after he had been forced to leave Scotland the story of his death after leaving debtors prison arose, probably from official sources, as they are likely to do in such cases.
The probable outcome was that John Alexander was to disappear from Scotland to the lands of John or James Cunningham, of whom Sir William had lent the money to buy said lands, and fad into Irish society as John "of Eredy" or "Eridy" Alexander.
In the text of "Memorials of the Earl of Sterling and the house of Alexander" on Chapter XXVII and page 87 it states Robert Alexander, probably the son of John of Eredy, had a son, Joseph. Joseph had two sons, James and Thomas. The remains of James rest in the churchyard of Dromore, county Tyrone "where an alter tombstone to his memory displays the armorial escutcheon of the House of Menstry." This is the line of the Barons of Menstrie or Menstry which is the bloodline associated with the descent of Sir William Alexander, 1st Earl of Stirling, Viscount of Canada, Baronet of Nova Scotia. It is also known that Robert Alexander had a brother named Archibald. John Alexander of Eredy is known to have had a son known as Archibald Alexander of Ballybiglimore.
Patricia Arnold in her book: ALEXANDER FAMILY IN EUROPE refers to Archibald Alexander of Ballybiglimore, husband of Elizabeth MacKay or McKay as "Archibald Alexander, Baron of Menstrie."
Archibald Alexander of Ballybiglimore is the father of William Alexander, born 1686, died 1749. William Alexander is the father of Elizabeth Alexander, born 1735, died in Virginia. Elizabeth Alexander married John McClung, a Lieutenant and Indian Spy in the American Revolutionary War.
I also suggest having a look at:
ww.archive.org/stream/alexanderfamilyr00clem/alexanderfamily00clem_djvu.txt
In this small book, published 1914, it states that "John Alexander married Miss Grahame, sold his home, Gartmore, in Scotland, emigrated to America, 1660, and settled in Stafford county, Virginia."
That is all I have time for tonight. On genealogy, good hunting.
P.S., I usually don't text of tweet, but I have recently applied for twitter at realteltalheart.
End Post 340 A: ww.voy.com/40560/ teltalheart is Michael D. Barnes.
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Post 340 A: Alexander Family Records and Accounts