Archibald Stirling the elder

Went to Jamaica as a young man, "after acquiring a moderate fortune in Jamaica, Archibald Stirling returned to Scotland in 1748". Succeeded his elder brother John c. 1758. Married Margaret Erskine, daughter of Colonel William Erskine of Torrie in 1751. Margaret died s.p. in Bristol, 04/09/1761. Married secondly to Dame Ann Hay, daughter of Alexander Hay of Drummelzier. He entailed the estates of Keir in 1771. Assumed the debts of his brother Robert in 1777, along with Frontier estate in St Mary, Jamaica, and Hampden estate in St James. Also owned Kerr or Kier estate in Trelawney. Died at Keir, 03/11/1783 and was succeeded by his brother William Stirling (1725-1793).

According to Stephanie Barczewski, Archibald Stirling in fact made his initial fortune in India, where he went in 1735 having failled to prosper in Jamaica between 1733 and 1735, retiring home with £18,000 in 1748, with which he purchased the Cawder estate from his brother John. Archibald and his brother James then restructured the affairs of his brother Robert Stirling in Jamaica: 'when Archibald [Stirling] died in 1783 his Scottish and West indian estates were valued at £125,000, showing just how vital colonial endeavour had been in restoring the family's financial footing.'

Alan L. Karras, Sojourners in the Sun: Scottish Migrants in Jamaica and the Chesapeake, 1740-1800 (Ithaca and London, 1992) pp. 71-80. William Fraser, The Stirlings of Keir, and their family papers (Edinburgh, 1858) pp. 72-80.

Stephanie Barczewski, Country Houses and the British Empire, 1700-1930 pp. 22-23.