The Glassingall Court of Session Papers (1849-1856)

The estate of Glassingall was embroiled in a large ultimus haeres (ultimate heir) legal dispute in the mid-19th century that lasted for six years when it’s occupant, Alexander Smith, a descendant of the Stewarts of Glassingall, died intestate and without a designated heir. Alexander’s late uncle, Archibald Stewart, 2nd of Glassingall, upon his earlier death without children had stated in his will that, upon the failure of any descendant line, the estate of Glassingall should revert to the closest Stewart family. Alexander Smith, like his uncle, also had no children and his older brother, Thomas, had only one son who was illegitimate. Multiple Stewart claimants, all of whom were descendants of the Stewarts of Annat, as well as others, came out of the woodwork attempting to lay claim to the Glassingall estate. Each of these claimants provided a thorough family tree to back up their claim of right to inherit Glassingall. These trees contradict each other in small, but significant ways, as each claimant had a financial motive for positioning themselves as being the closest living relative to the extinct Stewarts of Glassingall. However, despite these biased contradictions, a studious comparison of all the trees taken together has allowed us to present a more thorough and accurate accounting of this branch than might otherwise have been possible. We are indebted to the work of Ailsa Gray of Glassingall in uncovering and helping to analyse these documents.