HERON MAXWELL, Sir John Shaw Stewart, 4th Bt. (1772-1830), of Springkell, Dumfries.

Heron Maxwell, who had recently come into a double inheritance, aspired to the county seat for Dumfries at the by-election of 1804, though he felt bound to support Sir Charles Douglas, if the latter stood. On learning that Sir Charles was ineligible, he expressed his disappointment to his friend Lord Dalkeith that he was not the Duke of Buccleuch’s next choice, but Dalkeith protested that he had known nothing of Heron Maxwell’s ambition. He accepted this explanation and agreed to fall in with Dalkeith’s plans.SRO GD224/580, Heron Maxwell to Dalkeith, 12, 18 Sept., reply 15 Sept. 1804.

In 1807 he was returned for the burghs by Buccleuch with Lord Melville’s blessing. He was listed ‘against the Opposition’ by the Whigs in 1810 and more specifically a supporter of Lord Melville,SRO GD51/1/198/29/7. but no speech or vote is known: although ‘J. Maxwell’ voted for Sheridan’s Irish motion of 13 Aug. 1807, this was most probably a mistake for William Maxwell of Carriden. Heron Maxwell was not re-elected in 1812. He died 29 Jan. 1830.