Ann Napier (née Stirling)

Claimed unsuccessfully for the compensation for Merchiston on Tobago as widow of Archibald Napier. The compensation was paid to Sir Samuel Stirling (trustee of Archibald Napier and brother of Ann Napier), and Alexander Pearson (assignee of Mrs Ann Napier).

1. Ann Stirling was reportedly born born 08/09/1780 [but see no. 4 below], the daughter of Sir John Stirling, 5th Bart. (1751-1818) and his wife Gloria née Folsome (c. 1754-1826).

2. 24/12/1812 "At Edinburgh, Archibald Napier, Esq., of the island of Tobago, to Ann, daughter of Sir John Stirling, Bart. Of Glorat".

3. Children born to Archibald Napier and Ann Stirling: Ann (born 03/10/1815 christened 10/11/1815 Canongate, Edinburgh); Archibald (born 06/06/1814 christened 27/06/1814 Canongate, Edinburgh); Christian Jane (born 05/01/1818 christened 13/02/1818 Canongate, Edinburgh).

4. ODNB entry for Charles Ottley Groom, born 14/05/1839 Merchiston, Tobago, posthumous son of Charles Edward Groom and his wife Ann, daughter of Archibald Napier and Ann Napier. In 1841 Ann Napier Independent aged 50 born S[cotland] was stayiing at 'Bedford Hotel, Beach', in Sidmouth, with Ann Groom aged 25 and 'Charlotte Groom aged 2' and Caroline Napier aged 4, among others. In 1851, Ann Napier, 'mother', 'w'[idow] aged 62 'lacemaker' born Edinburgh was living at Verney Place, St Sidwell Exeter with daughter Anna [sic] Groom widow aged 35 and Charles Ottley Groom aged 11 born Tobago. In 1861, Ann Napier widow aged 72 annuitant born Scotland was living with Annie Groom aged 45 born Scotland and Charles O. Groom at 13 Hove Villas, Brighton. She died late of Southwell Cottage, Kingsdown Bristol 13/12/1866 leaving £20.

5. Will of Archibald Napier of Island of Tobago proved 17/03/1823.

T71/891 Tobago no 58.

1. Albert Mack Sterling, The Sterling Genealogy (New York, Grafton Press, 1909) p. 112.

2. The Scots Magazine and Edinburgh Literary Miscellany, Vol. 75, Part 1, p. 77.

3. www.familysearch.org batch no. C11999-8.

4. Richard Davenport-Hines, ‘Groom, Charles Ottley (1839–1894)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, (Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2004) available at http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/54058, [accessed 02/07/2012]; 1851 census online [which indexes him as 'Charles Wesley Groom']; 1861 census online; National Probate Calendar 1872.

5. PROB 11/1668.