The Sterling genealogy

THE STIRLINGS OF GLORAT 109
of his grandfather, Sir George, on Aug. 8, 1712. On Feb. 12,
1740, he had a Crown charter of the estate of Glorat.
He married first, in May, 1728, Martha Luke, daughter of a
wealthy Glasgow merchant, John Luke (of Claythorn?); second,
at Edinburgh, Jan. 28, 1751, Jean, only daughter of John Stir-
ling of Herbertshire (q. v.), but had no issue by either of these
ladies. He entailed the estates by a deed, dated Oct. 5, 1765.
Sir James died at Glorat, Apr. 30, 1771, and was succeeded in
his title and estates by his first cousin, Alexander, son of his
uncle, John Stirling, writer to the signet. Sir James's widow,
Jean, married second, James Erskine, a lord of Session, by the
title of Lord Alva.
JOHN STIRLING, third son of Sir George, the first
baronet.
He was apprenticed (by article) to William Stirling, W.S.,
by indenture dated Mar. 1, 1699. He was one of the tutors of
his nephew, Sir James, and purchased Glorat for him when it
was publicly sold in 1720. He married Elizabeth, eldest daughter
of Sir Alexander Home, of Renton, Bart., and his wife, Dame
Margaret Scott.
Through this marriage his son eventually succeeded to the
estate of Renton, and transmitted with it to his descendants the
representation of two great historic houses, — the Hepburns,
Earls of Bothwell and their successors, the Stewarts of Colding-
hame, — beside no small share in that of George Home, Earl
of Dunbar, the trusted councilor of King James VI. John Stir-
ling had one son and two daughters. They were:
IX 1 Alexander Stirling, the fourth baronet of Glorat.
2 Margaret Stirling, named in a memorial by counsel for
her uncle, Sir Robert Home of Renton.
3 A daughter married Thomas Graham of Ballagan.
IX SIR ALEXANDER STIRLING OF GLORAT,
FOURTH BARONET. Before his succession this gentleman
was Mayor of St. Albans, Hertfordshire, England, in 1755.
He was born in 1715. He received a Crown charter of Glorat,
Aug. 6, 1771. On the death of his cousin, Sir John Home of