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BARONETS OF STEVENSON

[from Burke's Peerage and Douglas' Peerage]

I. JOHN SINCLAIR, whose paternal grandmother was of the family of Longformacus, and who is himself said to belong paternally to that family as son of George (charter 1604), second son of Matthew Sinclair of Longformacus, amassed a considerable fortune as a merchant at Edinburgh, of which metropolis he was Lord Provost, and purchased the lands and barony of Stevenson, in the counties of Edinburgh and Haddington, in 1624. He founded a Sinclair Society about 1620. A Scottish song entitled "The Clouting of the Cauldron" was made about this baronet. He was created a Baronet of Nova Scotia 18th January 1636. By his wife Marion, daughter of McMath of Newbyres, he had (besides younger issue) -

  1. JOHN, who died during his father’s lifetime 1643, leaving issue by Isabel, daughter of Robert, sixth Lord Boyd: -
    1. SIR JOHN, second baronet
    2. SIR ROBERT, third baronet
    3. ELIZABETH, married Sir John St.Clair of Herdmanston, ancestor of the present St.Clairs of Herdmanston, Lords Sinclair.

NOTE - In 1633, John Sinclair was Member of Parliament for Edinburgh.

Sir John died in 1648, and was succeeded by his grandson

II SIR JOHN SINCLAIR, at whose decease, unmarried, about 1652, he was succeeded by his brother

III SIR ROBERT SINCLAIR, Lord Stevenson, who was appointed by King William II in December 1689, sheriff of Haddington, a Privy Councillor in the May following, and one of the Barons of the Exchequer. In 1689 he was Lord Justice-Clerk. He was representative in Parliament for Haddingtonshire 1689-1702.

On 29th July 1680, he was pannelled for factiously opposing Act of Privy Council, levying 5500 militia; on the 13th and 14th March 1683, assoilzied [freed] from damages claimed by Sir John Seton of Garmilton, but on the 30th same, the Chancellor caused the Lords to alter above and make Stevenson liable, though damage was from a cause ab extra. On the 2nd August next thereafter Sir Robert was imprisoned in castle for declining purge in the matter of Test Act, but was presently released. In 1663 he had his lands erected into a barony. Sir Robert married, first, Helen, daughter of John, 14th Earl of Crawford and Earl of Lindsay; and secondly, Anne daughter of Sir William Scott of Ardross, without issue. He died July 1713, and had issue -

  1. SIR JOHN, his successor
  2. CHARLES, died unmarried
  3. ROBERT, married Anne, daughter of John Balfour, third Lord Burleigh
  4. WILLIAM, died without issue
  5. DR. PETER, died without issue
  6. DR. ARCHIBALD, married Helen Strachan, died without issue
  7. MARGARET, married Robert Dundas of Arniston
  8. ELIZABETH, married Thomas Menzies of Letham
  9. A daughter, died unmarried
He was succeeded by the eldest son of the first marriage,

IV SIR JOHN SINCLAIR, who represented Lanark in Parliament 1703-7. He married in 1698 Martha, widow of Cromwell Lockhart of Lee, County Lanark, and daughter of Sir John Lockhart of Castlehill, a Lord of Session, sole heir on her brother's death to a large estate, by whom he had eight sons and five daughters -

  1. SIR ROBERT, successor to his father
  2. JOHN, assumed the surname of Lockhart, married Charlotte, daughter of James Bogle, W.S., and left three daughters
  3. GEORGE, assumed the name of Lockhart on succeeding to the Castlehill estate, became one of the senators of the College of Justice by the title of Lord Woodhall, and died without issue
  4. JAMES died without issue
  5. CHARLES died without issue
  6. WILLIAM died without issue
  7. THOMAS died without issue
  8. PATRICK died without issue
  9. ANNE, married George Bogle, of Daldowie
  10. KATHARINE died single
  11. HELEN died single
  12. MARTHA died single
  13. MARGARET died single
Sir John died in 1726, and was succeeded by his eldest son

V SIR ROBERT SINCLAIR. This gentleman married in 1732 Isabella, only daughter of Colonel James Kerr, of the 3rd Regiment Foot Guards, by whom he had four sons and four daughters -

  1. SIR JOHN, successor to his father
  2. JAMES, assumed the surname of Lockhart on succeeding his uncle, Lord Woodhall of Castlehill. His son or grandson ROBERT LOCKHART born 17-; died 1850; married, first, 1804, Eliza (died 1816), daughter of Richard Newman Newman, M.D., of Thornbury Park, Gloucester; secondly, in 1817, Charlotte Simpson (died 1869), daughter of Captain William Mercer of Potterhill, N.D. Issue by first marriage -
    1. JAMES SINCLAIR, his heir, J.P. and D.L., born 11th September, 1808; died without issue, 1873
    2. ROBERT ALEXANDER, Major 80th Regiment
    3. JOHN HAMILTON, born 24th November 1814; deceased
    4. MARY EMILIA
    5. ELIZA ANNE, married, 1825, John Percy Henderson of Foswell Bank, Perth
    6. SUSAN
    7. ANNE NISBET
    Issue of second marriage -
    1. WILLIAM MERCER, born 1818; drowned 1849
    2. GRAEME ALEXANDER LOCKHART of Castle hill, C.B., born 1820; entered Army 1837, became Captain 1850, Major 1858, Lieut.-Colonel 1859, Colonel 1866, Major-General 1867; served with 78th Highlanders in Persian War, 1857 (medal with clasp), and in Indian Mutiny campaign 1857-8 (medal with clasp); J.P. and D.L. for County Lanark; married in 1861, Emily Udny, daughter of James Brebner of Aberdeen, advocate
    3. GEORGE DUNCAN LOCKHART, born 1821; married and has issue ROBERT DUNCAN LOCKHART
    4. CHARLOTTE
    5. FRANCES CHARLOTTE MERCER
    6. LOUISA
    7. ELENORA JANE
    8. MARGARET DOUGLAS
    9. ROBERTA EMILIA
    10. BARBARA FORBES, married, 1859, Alexander Whitelaw
  3. ROBERT, advocate 1762, died without issue 9th September, 1802
  4. WILLIAM, died without issue
  1. ELIZABETH, married William Hay of Spot
  2. MARTHA
  3. AGNES
  4. ANNE, died single
Sir Robert died in 1754, and was succeeded by his eldest son

VI SIR JOHN SINCLAIR, who succeeded 19th August 1766, to Alexander Sinclair, Earl of Caithness, in Murkle and other lands under an entail. He married Mary, youngest daughter of Blair of that Ilk [of Blair], by whom he had -

  1. SIR ROBERT, his successor
  2. KATHARINE
He was succeeded at his decease in 1789 by his eldest son

VII SIR ROBERT SINCLAIR of Stevenson and Murkle, Lieut.Governor of Fort St.George in Scotland. This gentleman married, 3rd April 1789, Madalina, second daughter of Alexander, fourth Duke of Gordon. Dying 4th August 1795, he was succeeded by his heir

VIII SIR JOHN GORDON SINCLAIR, a distinguished seaman, 63 years in the Royal Navy. Born 31st July 1790, and served when a mere youth in the "Victory" flagship under Lord Nelson. His own gallant conduct while commanding the "Redwing" in the Mediterranean at Morjean and Cassis was officially commended and won much public approbation. He became captain in 1814, and an admiral in 1861. He married 15th June 1812, Anne, only daughter of Admiral the Hon. Michael de Conrey, and had issue: -

  1. SIR ROBERT CHARLES, ninth baronet
  2. JOHN MICHAEL DE COURCY, born 22nd November 1823, an officer in the Madras Artillery, died at Secunderabad 15th June 1862
  3. GORDON CORNWALLIS, lieutenant Royal Navy, born 13th August 1835; died 21st March 1866
  1. ANNE ELIZABETH, died 14th June 1860
  2. MADALINA, married 15th August 1839. Captain the Hon. Dudley Pelham, Royal Navy, son of the first Earl of Yarborough
  3. GEORGIANA, died 2nd January 1870
  4. MARY, died 26th October 1856
  5. SUSAN HAY, married 12th June 1867, Major-General Sir Wilbraham Oates Lennox, R.E., K.C.B., V.C., fourth son of Lord John George Lennox

IX SIR ROBERT CHARLES SINCLAIR of Stevenson, County Haddington, and Murkle, County Caithness, Deputy-Lieutenant for Haddington; J.P. and D.L. for Counties Haddington and Caithness, and Inverness; late Captain 38th Regiment; Hon. Colonel 1st Caithness Artillery Volunteers (V.D.); born 25th August 1820; married, first, in 1851, Cbarlotte Anne, daughter of Lieutenant John Coote, 71st Regiment, and secondly, 5th December 1876, Louisa, eldest daughter of Roderick Hugonin, Esq., of Kinmylies House. Seals - Murkle, Caithness; Stevenson, Haddington. Residence Achvarasdal Lodge, Reay, Thurso. Clubs - Arthur's New (Edinburgh).

Sir Robert is patron of one living - Ripple Rectory, Kent.

Arms - See Armoury

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