William Stewart

WILLIAM STEWART

Andrew Stuart of Torrance believed that William Stewart, here treated, was the same person as Sir William Stewart of Castlemilk but he did not prove this conclusively.

Concerning the origins of the Castlemilk family, Peter Charles Barns-Graham, the founder and proprietor of Stirnet, has this to say: "The origins of this family were (allegedly) deliberately obscured in a book published in 1798 by Andrew Stuart of Torrance called "A Genealogical History of the Stewarts". It is understood that Andrew Stuart was attempting to prove that the Stewarts of Castlemilk were the senior legitimate male branch of the Stewarts. To support this claim, he (so it is alleged) not only distorted the ancestry of the Garlies branch (which appears to be the true senior legitimate male branch) but also advanced the view that Sir William Stewart of Castlemilk, shown below as second of this family, was the same person as the William Stewart , son of Sir Alexander Stewart of Darnley by his second marriage, who died in 1429. It appears that this is wrong as the father of Sir William Stewart of Castlemilk has since been identified as this Sir John." Stirnet: Stewart 09

The Question of Identity

William Stewart is the son of Sir Alexander Stewart of Darnley, Kt. He was: "probably the issue of the second marriage (to Janet Keith), as he was apparently a very young man who had only reached the rank of 'escuyer', or esquire, when he was killed at Orleans in 1429". The Scots Peerage IV: p. 145

Biographical Notes from the Heraldry of the Stewarts

Stuarts of Darnley, Aubigny, and Lennox. This important branch of the Stewarts rose to the highest honours in Scotland and England. Sir John Stuart of Darnley (No. 85), was Constable of the Scottish Army in France, and distinguished himself there at the victory over the English at Beauge, 1421. He then entered the French service, and in 1423 King Charles VII. of France conferred on him the Seigneurie of Aubigny in Berry. He was afterwards slain near Orleans in 1429. The title of Lord of Aubigny continued in his descendants, but was generally held, as shown in the text, by the younger sons. The grandson of the first Lord of Aubigny was created Lord Darnley, and he assumed the title of Earl of Lennox, as he had been served heir to his great-grand-father, Duncan, Earl of Lennox. His right to this title was acknowledged by the King. His son Matthew, the second Earl, fell at Flodden with his King, along with nine other Earls, two eldest sons of Earls, ten Barons, and four eldest sons of Barons. The eldest son of the fourth Earl was the unhappy Lord Darnley, husband of Queen Mary, father of King James VI. of Scotland and I. of England. As the Earldom then merged in the Crown it was conferred on other members of this family. Esme Stuart, sixth Lord of Aubigny, rose to be Duke of Lennox, and his son added the Dukedom of Richmond to the family honours.

• (82) Sir Alan Stewart of Dreghorn, son of No. 78, was killed at Halidon Hill 1333, and left three sons :—
  • (a) Sir John, died without issue.
  • http://www.archive.org/stream/heraldryofstewar00john#page/49/mode/1up
  • (b) Walter, died without issue.
  • (c) Alexander (No. 83).
  • (83) Sir Alexander Stewart of Derneley and Cruckistoun. His son : —
    • (84) Sir Alexander of Derneley, left several sons : —
      • (a) Sir John (No. 85).
      • ' (b) William, an "Escuyer," who fell with his brother, Sir John, near Orleans in 1429.
        • Note.— The. Stuarts of Castlemilk and their cadets of Arthurley, Craigs, Fettercairn, Finnart, and Torrence claimed to be descended from him, but the descent cannot be proved. As the male line is extinct, I mention the family here. Archibald Stuart of Castlemilk was created a Baronet 1668, but the title became extinct on the death of the fifth Baronet, 1797. Daniel Stuart, younger son of the first Baronet, was father of Sir Wm. Stuart, who succeeded to the Wishart Baronetcy, but died without issue. .....
      • (c) Alexander, of Torbane and Galleston, ancestor of the Stewarts of Drumlay, Halrig, Raiss, and Shawood. .....
      • (d) Robert, ancestor of the Stewarts of Barscube, Binnie, and Milton. .....
      • http://www.archive.org/stream/heraldryofstewar00john#page/50/mode/1...
      • (e) James.
        • ' Note. — The Earl of Galloway claims that Sir Alexander of Darnley had a second son named William (of Jedworth and the Forest), who was his ancestor in the male line. (See Galloway, page 68.)
    • (85) Sir John was granted the Lordship of Aubigny, in France, 1421. He was killed near Orleans 1429, leaving : — ....

Biographical Notes by Henry Lee

• The second son of Sir John of Bonkyl, was known as Sir Alan Stewart of Dreghorn in Ayrshire. With two other brothers he was killed at the Battle of Halidon Hill in 1333. He left a son Sir Alexander of Darnley, who died in 1372, whose third son, also Sir Alexander of Darnley, died in 1404, leaving an eldest son, Sir John Stewart of Darnley, knighted in 1383 and killed at Orleans, 1429. From him descended the Earls and Dukes of Lennox. Henry Stewart, Lord Darnley, eldest surviving son of Matthew, Earl of Lennox, and husband of Mary, Queen of Scots, was the fifth in descent from Sir John of Darnley. From 'Sir William Stewart, a younger brother of Sir John of Darnley, are descended the Earls of Galloway and their cadets, among whom are the Stuarts of Castlemilk. Sir William is more fully referred to later', his son having married the heiress of Dalswinton.
• The third son of Sir John of Bonkyl, Sir Walter Stewart of Dalswinton, received for his services to Robert the Bruce a grant of the lands of Dalswinton, which had been forfeited by the Comyns. The Barony of Garlies, conferred on his grandfather, Alexander, fourth High Steward, by King Alexander III, for his services in defeating Hakon at the Battle of Largs, in 1263, was also granted to Sir Walter. He was succeeded by his son, Sir John Stewart of Dalswinton, who was captured by the English at the Battle of Neville's Cross in 1346. His son Sir Walter, left an
• http://www.archive.org/stream/historyofstewart00leeh#page/24/mode/1up
• only child and heiress, Marion Stewart of Dalswinton, who, in 1396, married Sir John Stewart, elder son of 'Sir William Stewart. This Sir William figures in different records as, "de Jedworth," "de Tevitdale," and "de Foresta," and, as already mentioned, was the younger son of Sir Alexander Stewart of Darnley. Sir William is mentioned by Froissart as one of the Scottish leaders at Otterburn in 1388, and was killed by Hotspur, when a prisoner, after the Battle of Homildon, in 1402.