Alexander Stirling (bef. 1787 - 1858)

Born before 25 Feb 1787 in Forfar, Angus, Scotland

Ancestors

Husband of Margaret (Wilson) Stirling — married 25 May 1811 in Forfar, Angus, Scotland, United Kingdom

Died 10 Feb 1858 after age 70 in Forfar, Angus, Scotland, United Kingdom

Biography

Native of Angus, Scotland

Alexander Stirling, son of James Stirling and Margaret Whyte was baptised in the parish of Forfar, Angus on 25 February 1787.^[1]

Alexander married Margaret Wilson in the parish of Forfar on 25 May 1811.^[2]

The couple had at least six children born in Forfar:

1. Alexander Stirling (baptised 5 January 1812)^[3]
2. William Stirling (baptised 7 November 1814)^[4]
3. John Stirling (baptised 16 January 1820)^[5]
4. James Sterling (baptised 15 May 1822)^[6]
5. Andrew Stirling (born circa 1828)^[7]
6. David Stirling (baptised 15 February 1829)^[8]

By 1841 the family was living at Glencoe Park in Forfar where Alexander was working as a freestone miner. Their four youngest children were still living at home, with the three older children working.^[7]

Alexander continued to work as a freestone quarrier and the family remained at Glencoe Park for the remainder of Alexander's life.^[9]

Glencoepark was a small hamlet south of the town of Forfar and close to the Corrsloan and Balmashanner Quarries, where Alexander may have worked.

Alexander, who had been working as a pavement quarrier, died of old age on 10 February 1858 at Glenco Park, Forfar aged 71. His parents were listed as James Stirling, agricultural labourer and Margaret Stirling M.S. White (both deceased), and his death was registered by his son, James. Alexander was buried in the Churchyard of Inverarity^[10]

Inverarity Churchyard where Alexander was buried

Freestone, in British English, is defined as "any fine-grained stone, espcially sandstone or limestone, that can be cut and worked in any direction without breaking"^[11] Angus was one of the two counties in Scotland which produced paving stones (the other one being Caithness) and, by the time of Alexander's death this process had been largely mechanised, machines having been developed to saw and plane the stone.^[12]

Research Note

There is another Alexander Stirling who died in 1858 in Forfar, Angus. That Alexander was the son of a Kinnear mother and was six years older than the Alexander Stirling of this profile.^[13]Templeton-1883 14:49, 11 May 2022 (UTC)

Sources

1. ↑ OPR Baptism indexes; STIRLING, ALEXANDER; JAMES STIRLING/MARGT. WHYTE; M; 25/02/1787; 288/ 30 273; Forfar; from www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk
2. ↑ OPR Marriage indexes; STIRLING, ALEXANDER; MARGARET WILSON/; 25/05/1811; 288/ 50 314; Forfar; from www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk
3. ↑ OPR Baptism indexes; STIRLING, ALEXANDER; ALEXANDER STIRLING/MARGARET WILSON; M; 05/01/1812; 288/ 40 281; Forfar; from www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk
4. ↑ OPR Baptism indexes; STIRLING, WILLIAM; ALEXANDER STIRLING/MARGARET WILSON; M; 07/11/1814; 288/ 40 312; Forfar; from www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk
5. ↑ OPR Baptism indexes; STIRLING, JOHN; ALEXANDER STIRLING/MARGARET WILSON FR1373 (FR1373); M; 16/01/1820; 288/ 60 4; Forfar; from www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk
6. ↑ OPR Baptism indexes; STERLING, JAMES; ALEXANDER STERLING/MARGT. WILSON; M; 15/05/1822; 288/ 60 40; Forfar; from www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1} 1841 Census: "1841 Scotland Census"
   Parish: Forfar; ED: 5A; Page: 12; Line: 1270; Year: 1841
   Ancestry uk Record 1004 #1645536 (accessed 11 May 2022)
   David Stirling (11) in Glencoe Park, Forfar, Angus. Born in Angus, Scotland.
8. ↑ OPR Baptism indexes; STIRLING, DAVID; ALEXR. STIRLING/MARGT. WILSON; M; 15/02/1829; 288/ 60 150; Forfar; from www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk
9. ↑ 1851 Census: "1851 Scotland Census"
   Parish: Forfar; ED: 7A; Page: 11; Line: 1; Roll: CSSCT1851_64; Year: 1851
   Ancestry uk Record 1076 #968770 (accessed 11 May 2022)
   Alexr Stirling (64), Quarrier Free Stone, head of household in Glencoe Peock, Forfar, Angus. Born in P Forfar, c forfar.
10. ↑ Statutory registers - Deaths; STIRLING, ALEXANDER; 71; WHITE; 1858; 288/ 28; Forfar; digital image from www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk
11. ↑ Collins English Dictionary (online version); "freestone"; accessed May 2022
12. ↑ The industries of Scotland; their rise, progress, and present condition; David Bremner; Edinburgh; 1869; pages 416 ff
13. ↑ Statutory death indexes; STIRLING, ALEXANDER; 77; KINNEAR; 1858; 288/ 152; Forfar; from www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk

See also:

• Grace's Guide to British Industrial History; James Hunter (of Arbroath) accessed 11 May 2022
• The Hunter Machines by J. G. Isherwood (49 page pdf) accessed 11 May 2022