Background
Hume was born in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, in 1747, the eldest son of planter and physician George Hume Steuart (1700–1784), and Anne Digges.
Hume was born in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, in 1747, the eldest son of planter and physician George Hume Steuart (1700–1784), and Anne Digges.
Born George Hume Steuart in Maryland, he left for Scotland in 1758, where he studied Medicine, changing his name to his maternal name of Hume in order to inherit his family"s substantial Scottish estates.
These however were substantial. Through his father he inherited the estates of Ballachallan, Argaty and Annat. These estates were held under entail, and Steuart changed his name to Hume (also spelt "Home") in order to be able to inherit.
Hume married Mary Erskine of Powis, daughter of David Rollo of Powis, Scotland on February 9, 1777, in Saint Ninians, Stirlingshire.
Through Mary, he became possessed of the historic site of the battle of Bannockburn. After Mary"s death, Hume married again, on November 20, 1785, in Kilmadock, Perthshire, to Jane Munro, daughter of John Munro of Auchenbowie.
They had one daughter, Sophia Hume-Steuart, born on August 5, 1787. Hume"s family was divided by the, and he would never return to his Maryland birthplace.
According to Alexander B Barty, in his book "Argaty, its Lairds and its Barony":
"At that time there was a doubt whether under the Entail Sophia Home was entitled to succeed her, or whether George Home"s brothers, namely Charles Steuart, was now heir.
Was decided in favour of the infant Sophia.".