I have noticed the existence of some confusion in relation to the antiquity of the family of Weir of Stanebyres. The assertion is that William Weir, younger son of James Weir of Blackwood, was the progenitor of that stirpes. First off, chronology considered, that particular James Weir of Blackwood was styled heir apparent to his father, Thomas Weir of Blackwood, in March 1577/78, and died some time after 1595. His eldest son, James Weir, predeceased him having had issue (a son George Weir of Blackwood who succeeded his grandfather, James, and had issue). Thomas's second son Mr. William - the proposed founder of Weir of Stanebyres - is included in the remainder of his nephew, George Weir's charter for the lands of Blackwood in 1594. Comparing all of that against evidence relating to Weir of Stanebyres: William Weir of Stanebyres was in possession of those lands by 1507 [Reg. Kelso] and was killed by John Lindsay of Covington and accomplices who had a remission for that crime under the Privy Seal on 6 August 1526 [NRS PS1/6/18]. It is therefore biologically as well as genealogically impossible for those two Williams to have been one and the same person and, instead, any common male line ancestry which existed between those two families can only have been within the second half of the 15th century at the latest.

That William Weir of Stanbyres was succeeded by;

William Weir of Stanbyres, who, on 18 April 1543, had a remission for having "inter-communed" with David Hume of Wedderburn [PS1/17/48]. 

George Weir of Stanbyres had succeeded by 2 January 1565/66 when he is included in a remission to James, Duke of Hamilton. He married Elizabeth Hamilton, relict of Quentin Weir, and had issue;

William Weir of Stanbyres succeeded and died before 29 October 1596. He had, with other issue;

1. George Weir of Stanebyres (see below).
2. Jean Weir, married James Lockhart of Lee and died in June 1599 having had issue.
3. Margaret Weir, married George Weir, younger of Blackwood the contract for which is dated 13 January 1594, with liferent charter to her on 10 June 1595.

George Weir of Stanbyres, succeeding his father, had special service as heir to him in the lands of Kerse on 14 July 1607 [NRS C22/4/162]. He was succeeded by his eldest son;

Sir William Weir of Stanbyres, who was served heir to his father on 30 June 1630 [NRS C22/11/50] and, in turn, was succeeded by his eldest son;

James Weir of Stanebyres, who had service as heir general to his father on 11 January 1672 [NRS22/32/67] and had issue which, for present purposes, need not be laid out but which will be included in further detail in a subsequent edition of the Red Book.

Gordon MacGregor

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