Sir Alexander Cuninghame, 1st Baronet ( – March 1685) was a Scottish landowner and aristocrat.

Early life

Cuninghame was born in . He was the only son of Alexander Cuninghame (1625–) and Anne Crawfurd (1628–1649). His sister, Margaret Cuninghame, was the wife of George Meikle of Lesmahagow. His paternal grandparents were Alexander Cuninghame, 5th Laird of Corsehill (son of Alexander Cuninghame, 4th of Corsehill), and Mary Houstoun (a daughter of John Houstoun of

Houston Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...

). Through his paternal line, he was a great-great-great-grandson of the 4th Earl of Glencairn through the Earl's second son, Hon. Andrew Cunningham. His maternal grandparents were John Crawfurd of

Kilbirnie Kilbirnie () is a small town of 7,280 (as of 2001) inhabitants situated in the Garnock Valley area of North Ayrshire, on the west coast of Scotland. It is around southwest of Glasgow and approximately from Paisley, Renfrewshire, Paisley and ...

and Lady Mary Cuninghame (a daughter of the 7th Earl of Glencairn). Through his maternal uncle,

Sir John Crawfurd, 1st Baronet Sir John Crawfurd, 1st Baronet, of Kilbirnie ( – 1662) was a Scottish landowner and politician. Early life Crawfurd, a member of Clan Crawford, was the eldest son, and heir, of John Crawfurd of Kilbirnie (1606–1629) and Lady Mary Cunningham. ...

, MP for

Ayrshire Ayrshire (, ) is a Counties of Scotland, historic county and registration county, in south-west Scotland, located on the shores of the Firth of Clyde. The lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area of Ayrshire and Arran covers the entirety ...

, he was a first cousin of Margaret Crawfurd (wife of Hon. Patrick Crawford, son of the 17th Earl of Crawford) and Ann Crawfurd (wife of Sir Archibald Stewart, 1st Baronet, of Blackhall).

Career

In 1663, his grandfather settled the family estate of Corsehill on him and his affianced wife, reserving to himself the life rent (though he died shortly thereafter in 1667). Paterson, James (1863–66). ''History of the Counties of Ayr and Wigton Vol. V, Part II. Cunningham'' Edinburgh: J. Stillie, p. 590. Reportedly, he was ruined by guaranteeing the credit of his spendthrift cousin, Sir David Cuninghame, 4th Baronet of Robertland. A Scottish baron and landowner in

Dumfriesshire Dumfriesshire or the County of Dumfries or Shire of Dumfries () is a Counties of Scotland, historic county and registration county in southern Scotland. The Dumfries lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area covers a similar area to the hi ...

, on 26 February 1672, he was created the 1st Baronet Cuninghame of Corsehill in the

Baronetage of Nova Scotia Baronets are hereditary titles awarded by the Crown. The current baronetage of the United Kingdom has replaced the earlier, existing baronetages of England, Nova Scotia, Ireland and Great Britain. To be recognised as a baronet, it is necessary ...

, with remainder to heirs male of the body.

Personal life

In , he married Mary Stewart (1647–1683), a daughter of John Stewart (the son of Sir Archibald Stewart of Blackhall) and Mary Stirling (the daughter of Sir James Stirling and sister to Sir George Stirling, 6th Laird of Keir, Dunblane, Perthshire, and 3rd Laird of Cawder, Bishopbriggs, Lanarkshire). Among her siblings were James Stewart of Lumlock and Sir Archibald Stewart, 1st Baronet, of Blackhall (who married Sir Alexander's first cousin, Ann Crawfurd). Together, they were the parents of: * Sir Alexander Cuninghame, 2nd Baronet (d. 1730), who married Margaret Boyle, a daughter of John Boyle of Kelburn, MP for

Bute Bute or BUTE may refer to: People * Marquess of Bute, a title in the Peerage of Great Britain; includes lists of baronets, earls and marquesses of Bute * Lord of Bute, a title in medieval Scotland, including a list of lords * Lucian Bute (born ...

, in 1686. Her brother was

David Boyle, 1st Earl of Glasgow David Boyle, 1st Earl of Glasgow (c. 1666 – 31 October 1733) was a Scottish politician and peer. He was the last Treasurer-depute before the Union with England. Early life David Boyle was born circa 1666 at Kelburn Castle, Fairlie, in No ...

. Sir Alexander died on 25 March 1685 and was succeeded by his only son,

Alexander Alexander () is a male name of Greek origin. The most prominent bearer of the name is Alexander the Great, the king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia who created one of the largest empires in ancient history. Variants listed here ar ...

Descendants

Through his son Alexander, he was a grandfather of

Sir David Cuninghame, 3rd Baronet Sir David Cuninghame, 3rd Baronet ( – 4 July 1770) was a Scottish landowner and aristocrat. Early life Cuninghame was born in Scotland in . He was the only son and heir of Sir Alexander Cuninghame, 2nd Baronet (died 1730) and the former Margar ...

, who married Penelope Montgomery by whom he had three sons and a daughter, the eldest of whom, Alexander, married Elizabeth Montgomery, and was father of the

4th Fourth or the fourth may refer to: * the ordinal form of the number 4 * ''Fourth'' (album), by Soft Machine, 1971 * Fourth (angle), an ancient astronomical subdivision * Fourth (music), a musical interval * ''The Fourth'', a 1972 Soviet drama ...

5th Fifth is the ordinal form of the number five. Fifth or The Fifth may refer to: * Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution, as in the expression "pleading the Fifth" * Fifth Avenue * Fifth column, a political term * Fifth disease, a cont ...

and 6th Baronets.

Notes

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cuninghame, Sir Alexander, 1st Baronet 1643 births Cuninghame, Alexander Baronets in the Baronetage of Nova Scotia

Clan Cunningham Nobility from South Ayrshire