Series 4 > Letters of John Ramsay of Ochtertyre, 1799-1812

INTRODUCTION
XX1U
ing, though by 1809 he was better again and riding about. Charles
Stirling (1771-1830), his brother, inherited a thirteenth share in the
copartnery of Somerville, Gordon and Co., West Indian merchants,
Glasgow, and spent most of his life in the business.1 In 1806 he bought
the lands of Kenmure, adjoining the estate of Cawder, and in 1816
sold them to his brother Archibald Stirling, who later succeeded to
Keir. Charles Stirling married in 1817, Christian Erskine, daughter of
David Erskine, w. s., third son of John Erskine of Carnock.
A branch of the family of Keir was the Stirlings of Kippendavie.
The relationship dated back to Sir Archibald Stirling of Keir, who
granted Kippendavie to his third son Archibald in 1594.2 John
Stirling of Kippendavie married Mary Graham, Mrs Dundas’s sister,
and they had seven sons and six daughters. She died in 1820. John
Stirling bought the estate of Kippenross from William Pearson in
1778. Of their children, Ramsay mentioned Margaret Douglas, who
married James Sandilands, later tenth Lord Torphichen; Mary, who
married James Russell of Woodside; and Katherine who married
Ramsay’s favourite, James Erskine of Linlathen.
Ramsay’s relationship with the Edmonstones of Newton deterio¬
rates throughout the correspondence. As usual he is enthusiastic
about the older generation whom he knew in his youth, especially
Mary Abercromby, sister of Sir Ralph Abercromby, who married
Colonel James Edmonstone of Newton; but on the subject of their
son, John James Edmonstone of Newton, his tone becomes pro¬
gressively more querulous. In 1800 and 1801, Ramsay was receiving
letters from him, and was solicitous about his health, but by 1802
Ramsay complained that he might as well live in Japan or Nova
Zembla for all he heard from James. From Ramsay’s letters at least,
it seems that Edmonstone failed as a farmer; he had disputes with his
tenants, and in 1807 a day was fixed for a sale. Later, he set out for
Buxton and Montrose, hoping for an improvement in his health.
Ramsay sent him fruit and cauliflowers after this, but by 1808 was
afraid to ask for news of him. Grizel Edmonstone, his sister, is
mentioned less often by Ramsay, but in considerably more approving
tones. In his testament of 1808, Ramsay left her the legacy he had
previously left to her brother.
The Drummonds of Blair Drummond were among Ramsay’s
1 Sir W. Fraser, The Stirlings of Keir (Edinburgh, 1858), p. 77. 2 Fraser, Keir. 103.