STIRLING, Catherine ¹

   Another name for Catherine was STRIVELING, Catherine.²

   User ID: E165.

Catherine married John BETON (BETHUNE) 4th of Balfour, son of Archibald BETON (BETHUNE) 3rd of Balfour and Unknown.^{1 2} (John BETON (BETHUNE) 4th of Balfour was born about 1412.)

  Marriage Notes:

"John Beton of Balfour, married Catherine, daughter of Stirling of Keir"

from East Neuk of Fife




"Besides these sons, Sir William Striveling of Keir appears to have had a daughter, Catherine Striveling. In Martine's Genealogical Account of the Betons of Balfour, it is stated, that John Beton, the fourth Laird of Balfour, married 'Catherine Stirling, daughter to the Laird of Keir, and got in tocher 'with her the eight part of the lands of Kennoway, which was the beginning of their interest there.' There is no evidence of this marriage in the Keir charter-chest ; but the papers may have perished in the burning of Keir, which took place in 1488, as will be afterwards more particularly noticed. The ownership of Kennoway by the Stirlings, and their connection with the Betons, are established by documents still in the Balfour charter-chest. These are - an instrument of sasine of five-eighth parts of the lands of Kennoway, proceeding on a charter by Thomas Chalmer the superior, in favour of Sir William Streveling of Keir, Knight, dated the 16th of August 1466 ; and assedation in feu-farm by Sir William Streveling in favour of John Bethune of Balfour, 'his louit cousing,' of the said lands of Kennoway, dated 15th July 1473."

from The Stirlings of Keir

Note:

This lady appears to be of the same generation as Sir William Stirling, designated 1st of Keir, which causes a problem when the historian attempts to decide from which marriage of Sir William she issued.

The Stirlings of Keir states, however, on page 17, that Sir William's father was also 'of Keir':

"On the day following, 7th May 1448, a procuratory was granted by George of Leysly, Lord of that ilk, for resigning in the king's hands, the half of the lands of Keyr, in favour of Lucas of Striveling of Boquhumgre. Lukas had previously acquired a wadset of Keir from Norman of Lesly of Rothes, and was infeft in them on 22nd January 1433."

So it may be that John Beton's wife was a sister of Sir William Keir, not his daughter. ^{1 2}