Anne Stewart, Countess of Galloway

Anne Stewart, Countess of Galloway, was the wife of John Stewart, 7th Earl of Galloway.

Early life

Anne Dashwood was born at Kirtlington Park, Oxfordshire, the family home of her parents, Sir James Dashwood, 2nd Baronet, and his wife, the former Elizabeth Spencer. Among her siblings was Elizabeth, and Catherine.
Her paternal grandparents were Robert Dashwood and the former Dorothy Reade. Her mother was a daughter of Edward Spencer of Rendlesham and sister of Anne Hamilton, Duchess of Hamilton.

Personal life

On 13 June 1764, she married the future earl, when he was an MP and heir to his father's earldom. His first wife, Lady Charlotte Greville, had died in 1763, leaving him with no living children. In the year of their marriage, Sir Joshua Reynolds painted Anne in the guise of a shepherdess; the portrait is now held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Together, they were the parents of sixteen children:

Lady Catherine Stewart, who married Sir James Graham, 1st Baronet.
Hon. Alexander Stewart, who died young.
Lady Susan Stewart, who married George Spencer-Churchill, 5th Duke of Marlborough, and had children.
Admiral George Stewart, 8th Earl of Galloway, who married Lady Jane Paget, the daughter of Henry Paget, 1st Earl of Uxbridge, and sister of Henry Paget, 1st Marquess of Anglesey.
Lady Anne Harriet Stewart, who married Lord Spencer Chichester and had children
Lady Elizabeth Euphemia Stewart, who married William Philips Inge in 1798.
Hon. Leveson Keith Stewart
Lady Georgiana Frances Stewart
Lt.-Gen. Hon. Sir William Stewart, who married Frances Douglas and had children.
Rt. Rev. Hon. Charles James Stewart, Bishop of Quebec, who died unmarried.
Lady Charlotte Stewart, who married Sir Edward Crofton, 3rd Baronet, and had children.
Lady Caroline Stewart, who married Rev. Hon. George Rushout-Bowles, and was the mother of George Rushout, 3rd Baron Northwick
Hon. Montgomery Granville John Stewart, who married Catherine Honyman and had children.
Hon. Edward Richard Stewart, who married Katherine Charteris and had children
Lt.-Col. James Henry Keith Stewart
Lady Georgiana Charlotte Sophia Stewart, who married Col. Hon. William Bligh, son of John Bligh, 3rd Earl of Darnley, and had children.

Her husband inherited the earldom of Galloway in 1773, making her a countess. Lord Galloway died on 13 November 1806 and was succeeded in his titles by their eldest surviving son, George.
Lady Galloway died on 8 January 1830, aged 86, at Davies Street, Westminster, London.

Galloway estate

He died in 1806, at which point she became Dowager Countess of Galloway. Two years later, a court case ensued over a trust deed set up by the earl in 1804, whereby the trustees were authorised to sell property and appoint additional trustees. The dowager countess having declined to accept nomination as a trustee, a Mr Forbes, who had purchased part of the estate, took the trustees to the Court of Session, claiming he was not bound by the terms of the purchase; the Court of Session found against him.