New-York tribune., 1909-02-24
UNIQUE SCOTCH HONOR
Only Baronetcy Which Descends
also IN the Female Line.
copyright 1909 by the Brentwood conpany.l

Copyright 1909 by the Brentwood Company.l
? While British peerages. especially those OF an
Gent creation occasionally descend in the female
rs well as in the male line. there IS only one in
stance. far as aware of a baronetcy being
herltable in this fashion, matter which mention
in reply TO an inquiry which has reached me by
letter from reader. This baronetcy is that Of Sir
John Stirling Maxwell Of Pollock, in Renfrewshire.
The MaxweIls of Pollock younger branch of
the Maxwells Of Monreith of whom Sir Herbert
Eustace Maxwell is the chief. and. like them. de-
scended from Maccus. q noble OF Norwegian de-
scent at the court Of David I, King Of Scotland.
He received from this monarch q grant Of land
on the Tweed and from the fishery attached
thereto. with its water wheel the of Meccus
Wheel, corrupted into Maxwell IS derived. The
connection of the two branches OF the house Of
Maxwell is, however, very remote For the Max
wells OF Pollock have been IN possession OF Pollock,
their place in Renfrewshire. since the begin
ming OF the fourteenth century. Sir John Maxwell
OF Pollock distinguished himself at the battle OF
Otterburn. Chevy Chase where according 70
the Chronicles Of Froissart. his contemporary. he
CAPTURED Sir Ralph Percy. of the Earl Of
Northumberland and the brother of the noted
''5ctspur-' Each Of the owners OF Pollock was
knighted ny the sovereigns Of their day; but Sir
John Maxwell the master OF Pollock at the end
Of the seventeenth century, received bsronetcy
of Nova Scotia. dated May, 1859. Having no chill
dren, he secured a second patent, dated March q.
I707, by the terms of which the baronetCy was to
descend to his heirs Of entail whatsoever in his
lands and estates By virtue of this second
patent his cousin and namesake. Sir John Max
well. succeeded 10 the baronetcy at his death.
The eighth baronet Of the line. Sir John Max
well. NJ P, died in 1865 without issue. and by
virtue Of the provisions OF the 1907 patent the
baronetcy went, along with the Pollock estates. 10
MS nephew. William Stirling, only of his sister
Elizabeth Maxwell, who had married Archibald
Stirling. Of KeiT. William Stirling, on succeeding
the Pollock property and TO the baronetcy, as
surned accordance with the provisions of his
uncle's will the Of Maxwell in addition 70
that Of Stirling and was known throughout his
life as Sir William Stirling Maxwell He was
great favorite of the royal family and splendid
type Of the Scottish grand segneur. known as such
both home and abroad was, moreover, the only
connmoner who. in modern tim has received the
Order OF the Thistle. which. save for this excep-
ton. has restricted 70 Scottish peers of high
degree He twice married His first wife was
a daughter Of the eighth Earl of Leven, while in
1g77 he married the Hon Mrs. George Norton
daughter of Thomas Sheridan and the heroine Of a
romance which the talk OF all England during
the first half of Queen vctoria's reign. The pres
ent Sir John Stirling Maxwell is the son OF old Sir
William by his first marriage Sir John has no
children His only brother, Captain Archibald STR
ling Of the Scots Guards. is his next heir. and
should they arrange 10 break the entail and TO
sell Pollock il is question whether, according to
the peculiar wording of 17O7 patent the baron
etcy of Maxwell Of Pollock would not go TO the
new Of Pollock