In the previous segment, I mentioned that Jemima Maudlin, Nelson Stephenson's wife, had a very interesting pedigree. Her great-great grandfather was Ezekiel Maudlin, who married a woman named Mary Hall. She was also a woman with an interesting pedigree. Her great-great-great-great grandfather was William John Hall (1517-1560), who married a woman named Mary Stuartel (1513-1570).
In several places, Mary's father is listed as Alexander Stewart, oldest son (but illegitimate) of King James IV of Scotland. How could that be, since both the king and his son were killed at the Battle of Flodden in late 1513? This was a devastating battle, poorly planned by the Scots, and nearly all of Scotland's noble sons were slaughtered. At the time, Alexander was only 19 years old.
It turns out that several reputable sources note that the king and his son were entertained for at least a week before the battle at Ford Castle in Northumberland in England. Its owner, Sir William Heron, was imprisoned at the time, and gave his wife permission to entertain the king and his son. Their daughter was also at the castle during that time. Distracted by Lady Heron, King James failed to plan with his troops and made several tactical errors.
So it is possible, though implausible, that Mary Stuartel's father was Alexander Stewart. Even in this age of DNA revelations, it's nearly impossible to prove. If it were true, some of our direct ancestors would include the three previous King Jameses, King Robert II, Walter Stewart, the first High Steward of Scotland, and his wife, Marjorie Bruce, the daughter of Robert the Bruce, and de Brus himself.
Robert Bruce (1274-1329)
