Sir William Alexander

• General Notes
  • From Lee Clayton Parker:
    
    Sir William Alexander, the Earl of Stirling was the only son of Alexander Alexander and his wife Marion. He was born about 1567 in Menstrie, Parish of Logie, Clackmannshire, Scotland. When Alexander Alexander died in 1581, William and two sisters were left in the charge of his granduncle, James Alexander, a Burgess of Stirling. It is fairly certain that he attended Glasgow University and probably Leyden as well. As a young man he was chosen to accompany the seventh Earl of Argyle on the customary Grand Tour, which took him through France, Italy and Spain. As a result of this service he was later given the entire barony of Menstrie.
    
    Shortly after returning from this trip he met and wooed the young musically talented and aristocratic Janet Erskine, whose family had been keepers of Stirling Castle and protectors of princes of the realm. They were married in 1601 and as far as is known their relationship was both happy and fruitful, Janet gave him seven sons and three daughters and outlived him after 40 years of married life.
    
    His kinship to the Argyles also gave him access to the Scottish court and an introduction to King James VI. KIng James appointed Sir William to the position of tutor to Prince Henry, the King?s eldest son and heir to the throne.
    
    Sir William?s eldest son William led Sir William?s first expendion to Nova Scotia in 1627 at which time he had already graduated from Glasgow University. His second son was Anthony who also studied at Glasgow University and became an architect. Anthony eventually became the King?s Master of Works and Head of all Masons. Anthony died in Sept of 1637.
    
    William Jr. died a few months later. Sir William died in London, impoverished and hounded by creditors in Sept. of 1640. His wife Janet had to apply for and live upon a Crown pension in her remaining years.
    
    There was involvement of at least two of Sir William Alexander's sons with Scottish Freemasonry early in the 17th C. William Alexander was likely born in 1567 or soon afterwards, the only son of Alexander Alexander and his wife Marion. Birth records of the parish of Logie, of which Menstrie was part have been lost. Little or nothing is known of his earliest years spent in Menstrie Castle. When his father died in 1581 he and his two sisters were left in charge of his grand uncle, James Alexander , a well-placed Burgess of Sterling.
    
    According to the Gazeteer for Scotland, University of Edinburgh, and other publications, William, 1st Earl of Stirling, was b. 1567 at Menstrie Castle in the village of Menstrie, Clackmannanshire. He was reared in nearby Stirling, educated at the universities of Glasgow and Leiden and d. 1640 in London, England. In addition to a series of ?tragedies,? he was author of the extensive Doomesday. He served in the court of King James VI (b. 1566 & d. 1625, s/o Mary of Scots, crowned James I of England in 1604), from whom he received a grant of lands in Canada in 1621, which he named Nova Scotia (New Scotland). His illustrious career also included being knighted in 1609; named Secretary of State for Scotland from 1626 to his death; created a Viscount in 1633; and, awarded the title Earl of Stirling in 1639. He suffered bankruptcy in his later years and d. in poverty.