Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-08-28

was "a tract OF Maine and the Island OF
Stirling and islands adjacent The
tract OF Maine embraced all east OF the
Kennebec river TO Nova Scotia and in
cluded Newfoundland. The Island or
Stirling Is now known as Long Island.
and on the western end OF this and on
Manhattan Island, one OF those ADA
cent" stands today the city or New
York. the second greatest city In all the
world. IL was the most prodigious gift
ever bestowed on a subject by British
sovereign. Yet. huge as II was. the
claims OF the house OF Stirling TO this
vast territory were subsequently, con-
frmed and recognized by Charles and
his successors.
Along with these titles and a landed en-
pire as large as the continent of Europe
came tremendous political and admins
trative powers. Among others. the Earl
OF Stirling had the power of appointing
$50 baronets. called 'Baronets OF Nova
Scotia who were 10 take precedence
over all other baronets. Under this power
the first Earl of Stirling actually created
more than 100 baronets Nearly nifty or
the baronets OF Great Britain today owe
their titles TO patents granted by the first
Earl Of Stirling.
When New Amsterdam was under the
governorship OF Peter Stuyvesant. In l6S'.
the Earl OF Stirling sent an agent TO
America TO claim the proprietorship az
the Isles OF Stirling. otherwise Long Is
land The agent took possession OF
Shelter Island but the Dutch arrested
and deported him an undesirable alien.
Eight years later another agent arrived.
and he also was promptly arrested ana
shipped to Holland by the doughty Dutch
governor.
No permanent colonization was ef
fected under Lord Strings proprietor
ship, although several attempts were
made to colonize little spots In the "a,
flung empire across the seas; IN TO-,
the third Earl OF Stirling sold his right
to Long Island TO James, Duke or YORK.
when the latter came into possession 81
New York. The price fixed was EIoo
C35.O0oD-a less sum than would be neces
sary today TO purchase front foot OF
ground where the skyscrapers stand on
the lower part OF Manhattan Island.
But the Stuarts were royalty Indifferent
about paying their debts. and nine years
later the purchase price being still owing
to the Earl OF Stirling. the Duke OF York
made a new contract with him by which
he agreed to pay the Earl OF Stirling out
of the revenues arising from MS provinces
OF New York. an annuity equal to si.50o
a year. This annuity was never paid,
and in 1160. nearly a century later. Ma.
Gen. Alexander. the Earl OF Stirling.
thinking, doubtless. his title clear. and
two other heirs to the estates Of Stirling.
petitioned the king. praying for payment
of the purchase money for Long Island
granted to their ancestors.
sA
II was afterward discovered and claimed
by his descendants that the Maine grant
was also included in the instrument OF
transfer, quite by accident. A descendant
of the first earl in the female line, as
late as the middle of the nineteenth cen
fury attempted TO establish claim 10
this country. as well as 10 the Sanada
grant. But Henry, NTH and last Earl OF
CSsx cd In
childless. He was in full possession or
his titles. but shorn OF the American es-
tates OF his ancestors
When Nova Scotia fell into the hands
OF the French I'm 1861 the British govern
ment granted the Earl OF Stirling 10000
pounds I'm compensation for loss. but the
grant distinctly stated that IL was IN no
wise for quitting title to New Scotland
When, some hundred years later, the
question OF claims to American estates
was inquired into by the heirs of the
third Earl OF Stirling. IL was claimed
that the 10000 pounds never had been
paid by the government. So vanished the
vast American estates OF the first Earl OF
Stirling. Today they exist only In faded
parchments with royal seals that have
only a historical value.
The father OF Maj Gen. William Alex
ander was heir presumptive 10 the earl
dom Of Stirling when he left Scotland.
His son went to England in 1850 and
spent six years endeavoring to obtain the
title OF Earl of Stirling. Although he did
not obtain a legal recognition OF the title,
his rights to ii were generally conceded.
and from that time he was always adj
dressed officially by the British govern
ment as the Earl OF Stirling. On his re-
turn to America in 1861 he married the
daughter OF Philip Livingston (the sec
ond lord OF the manor) q sister Of Gov.
Livingston OF New Jersey.
Today the male line OF the house OF
Stirling is extinct II survives on the
distaff side in the Duer family. Mrs.
Clarence Mackay, who was Katherine A.
Duer. is direct descendant from the
last of the Earls Of Stirling.
Copyright. 1910. BY Richard spfIisaal