Hon. Sir Henry Alexander, 3rd Earl of Stirling

Alexander, Henry (d. 1647), 3rd Earl of Stirling.  Third son of William Alexander (c.1576-1640), 1st Earl of Stirling, and his wife Janet, daughter of Sir William Erskine. Educated at Glasgow University (admitted 1625/6); granted a patent (with three others) for export of goods from Scotland to Africa, 1634; admitted a burgess of Stirling and Edinburgh, 1636; succeeded his elder brother in 1637 as Master of Works in Scotland; Agent for the Convention of Royal Burghs; he was a Royalist and was fined as a delinquent in 1645 (£1000, increased to £2000); succeeded his nephew in the earldom, 1640.  

He married, 10 December 1637 at Greenwich, Mary, youngest daughter and co-heir of Sir Peter Vanlore bt. of Tilehurst (Berks) and had issue: 

• (1) Henry Alexander (c.1633-91), 4th Earl of Stirling (q.v.); 
• (2) Lady Mary Alexander (d. 1682), married Robert Lee of Binfield but died without issue; 
• (3) Lady Jane Alexander (d. 1707), died unmarried between 14 January and 1 March 1707.

He inherited the titles of his father in 1640 but none of the Scottish estates, to which he declined to be admitted as this would have involved taking on his father's debts; they were sold for the benefit of his father's creditors.

He died between 1645 and 1649.  His widow married 2nd, before 13 March 1654, Lt-Col. John Blount, second son of Sir Walter Blount, 1st bt. of Sodington (Worcs), and died before 27 June 1660.