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STEWART CLAN MAGAZINE

Genealogical Records of Stewart-Stuart Families

Editor - George T. Edson, 817 Elk St., Beatrice, NE

Associate - Horace Dickerman, New Haven, CT

TOME B December, 1932 Volume X - No. 6

STEWARTS OF BLANDFORD, MA., AND GOSHEN, NY A:158

John² Stewart and his brother Walter are said to have been of the same Perthshire family as Gilbert⁴ Stuart, the snuff grinder of Newport, RI, father of the celebrated painter, Gilbert⁵ Stuart, A:169. Tradition says that John and Walter as children were hastily sent by their parents from Scotland to Ireland after the defeat of the Old Pretender, James Stuart, in 1716, and a few years afterward they made their way to America, A:238. The father of Gilbert³ Stuart was a Presbyterian clergyman in Perth and escaped banishment with other adherents of the Stuarts, and he changed the spelling of his name from Stewart, but Gilbert enthusiastically joined the army of the Young Pretender, Charles Stuart, in 1745 and after the Bonnie Prince's defeat by the English he fled to Rhode Island. The younger Gilbert recognized his kinship with the grandchildren of John² Stewart, it is related, and was well acquainted with Nathan⁴ Stewart and offered to paint his portrait. John² came from Ireland, for when his son James was baptized Mar. 18, 1721-2, in the First Church of Bradford, MA, the record said, "son of Mr. Stewart from Ireland." He purchased a Bible, printed in Edinburgh in 1725, which descended to his son John³ and grandson John⁴ and great-grandson John⁵, who made a copy of the family records "which had been much injured and mutilated. December 22, 1854." This branch often took the spelling Steward. John's² first wife probably died in Boxford, MA, about 1730. He removed to Hopkinton, where he married (2) on May 20, 1733, Sarah Ball ₃ (or Bell). In 1737 he removed to Blandford and continued to live there until his death in the summer of 1747. He was selectman in Blandford in 1742-43, 1744, 1745, and 1747. His widow Sarah survived him. His will, dated July 27, 1747, in Suffield (now in Connecticut) was probated Sept. 9, 1747. He gave to his son James "my home place in Blandford" and to his son John 60 acres in Blandford, while he gave certain property to his son William. James was to pay some money to "my daughter Mary" and to "my little daughter Rachel when she comes of age to choose her guardian." He also made a bequest to "my son Robert Black." See August 1925. In the appraisal of his estate, dated Oct. 13, 1747, at "Suffield, Hampshire County, Mass."he was called blacksmith. Children, James having been baptized in Bradford, and Sarah, Mary, and Sarah in Boxford:

William³ Stewart (John²) born about 1716, probably in Ireland, accompanied his father to Blandford in 1737 and later went with him to Suffield. The William who was given one of the smaller allotments of land in Blandford, as given in this magazine for September, 1925, was perhaps the William who was born Apr. 18, 1729 [or --- 1731], son of Paul² Stewart: this William was probably the one who signed the petition from Blandford, April 28, 1752: he was, we believe, the soldier of that name in the French & Indian War in 1756, in Capt. William Houston's company, and who died Sept. 16, 1757, in his 27th year.₄ William, son of John² signed (Stuard) the petition from Suffield, Apr. 6, 1741. About 1759 he removed to Goshen, NY, as in 1754 James Stewart of Goshen, Orange Co., NY, with power of attorney from William and John Stewart, both of Goshen, sold land in Blandford, Hampden Co., MA.₇ William was a "house carpenter." He probably married and had children. It is our belief that he returned with some of his children to Blandford about 1770 and married (2) Oct. 1, 1771, widow Janet Campbell. We think that among his children were:

John³ Stewart (John²) born about 1718, probably in Ireland went from Blandford with his brothers William and James and settled in Goshen, Orange Co., NY, about 1750 or possibly earlier. The History of Orange County says he bought a house in Goshen in 1740 of a Mr. Jayne. He married , about 1746, Elizabeth Bradner, daughter of Rev. John and Christian (Colville) Bradner of Goshen. John Stewart was a blacksmith, as noted in his will, dated Aug. 16, 1770, and died before Oct. 5, 1770, when the will was probated. The witnesses were Daniel Everett, James Steward, and Silas Steward, and the executors were John Bradner, brother-in-law, Elizabeth Stewart, wife, and John Stewart, son. He owned land at Newburgh (then in Ulster Co.) which he had bought of Benjamin Carpenter, and a tract in the same county which he had bought of John Dill, beside land "in New England in the government of Boston" (MA). The will named these children:₁

James³ Stewart (John²) born perhaps in 1721, was baptized Mar. 18, 1721-2, in Bradford, MA., and went with his father to Blandford about 1737. He married, perhaps about 1748, Catherine Knapp, daughter of William and Margaret Knapp of Goshen, NY, to which place he removed before 1750. The "land of James Steward" was referred to in the will of Daniel Denton of Goshen, dated July 30, 1750. He was executor of his father's will in 1747, and in 1754 he made a trip to Blandford and, acting also for his brothers William and John, sold land in that town. He was a blacksmith and farmer.₁₁ He doubtless had military experience, and he signed the Revolutionary War pledge in Goshen in 1775, with Silas, Joseph, and James Stewart. He was a member of the Committee of Safety in Goshen "west of the Drained Lands." A James Stewart was president of the town of Minisink, Orange Co., on Oct. 2, 1787. The date and place of his death, or that of his wife, are unknown. According to Miss Antoinette Elmer, now deceased, James and Catherine [--A:238] had these children:

Joseph⁴ Stewart (William³, John²) is of dubious existence. A Joseph Stewart signed the Revolutionary War pledge in Goshen in 1775, with James, Silas, and James Stewart.

James⁴ Stewart (William³, John²) is a shadowy person. A James Stewart, born in 1749 or earlier, enlisted from Blandford in the Revolutionary War, and later lived in Westerlo, NY. --A:237. In Blandford a James Stewart married (intention May 6, 1776) Anne Sitton or Seaton. James, born in 1747 or 1748, settled in Stamford, Delaware County, NY. A:237.

Moses⁴ Stewart (William³, John²) is conjectural. Moses Stewart was born Feb. --. 1757, in Goshen, Orange Co., NY, according to his pension applicatin, Sept. 21, 1833, but no mention is made of his father. He was living in Westfield, MA, when he entered service in 1776₈. He enlisted Sept. 21, 1777, from Blandford as a private in Capt. David Moseley's company in Col. John Moseley's regiment and served a month and 3 days in the expedition to Saratoga, and was discharged on Oct 17, 1777₈. He enlisted Oct 7, 1778, asa private in Capt. Phineas Stebbins' company in Col. Nathan Sparhawk's Massachusetts regiment and served 2 months and 12 days, to Dec. 12, 1778. The company was detached to reinforceGen. Sullivan but was ordered to Boston by resolve of Sept. 17, 1778. Subsequently he servedfrom Aug. 9 to Oct 22, 1780, in Capt. Levi Ely's company in Col. John Brown's regiment.₈ He married about 1785, Magaret ----. Since the war, he said, he lived in Westfield and Blandford. In 1798 he removed to the state of New York and was living in Kortright, Delaware County, in 1832. He stated that his service in the Revolutionary War started in September, 1776, in Capt. John Kellogg's company. In 1777 he entered Capt. David Moseley's company and marched to Saratoga and joined Col. John Moseley's regiment and was at the surrender of Burgoyne. In 1778 he was with Capt. Stebbins and Col. Rowley for 5 months, and in 1780 he was with Capt. Ely in New York. "I was in the battle of Stone Robley on the Swaguchey, where Col. Brown, Capt. Ely, and 17 men of his company were killed." Jesse Stewart attested to Moses' service. Children of Moses and Peggy Stewart, recorded in Blandford:

David, July 31, 1786

Polly, Aug. 14, 1788

Harry, Sept. 24, 1790

Laura, Apr. 6, 1792

Julius, July 3, 1795

William, May 10, 1797

Jesse⁴ Stewart (William³, John²) is conjectural. Jesse Stewart was born Jan. 16, 1759, in Blooming Grove, Orange County, NY, according to his pension application., Oct. 8, 1832, but no mention is made of his father. He was living in Blandford, MA, when he entered the military service in the Revolutionary War. He was drafted Jan. 9, 1778 into Capt. John Morgan’s company, in Col. Mason’s Massachusetts regiment, and was detached from the militia of Hampshire and Worcestershire counties to guard the stores and magazines at Springfield and Brookfield, serving 5 months and 22 days: Discharged July 1, 1778. He volunteered July 31, 1779, for service in Connecticut as a private in Capt. Sol Brown’s company in Col. Elisha Porter’s regiment and marched to New London (81 miles), serving a month and 6 days: Discahrged Sept. 1, 1779.₈ He affirmed he was a sergeant on this tour and that his colonel was named Porter. He enlisted Aug. 9, 1780, as a corporal in Capt. Levi Ely’s company in Col. John Brown’s regiment, raised for three months, and served two months and 21 days, including 7 days’ travel home, 140 miles: Discharged Oct. 22, 1780.₈ He stated that he was a sergeant on this tour also. Moses Stewart served in this company at the same time. Jesse was among the men from Blandford mustered into Capt. Sloper’s company for three months in the fall of 1780, according to a return of the late col Moseley’s Hampshire County regiment, dated Oct. 26, 1780. Two or three years after the war he moved from Blandford to Kinderhook, Columbia County, NY, and in 1832 he was living in Kortright, Delaware County, as was Moses Stewart.₉ He was still living in Kortright in 1840, aged 81, in the family of Foreman Denison, according to the census of pensioners. We know nothing of his family.

To be continued...

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GEORGE STEWART AND ELIZA SMILEY

George Stewart, born in Pennsylvania, married in that state Eliza Smiley, who was born and reared in Pennsylvania. This is from the “History of Southeastern Nebraska” - this wide open space out here - 1904. “He was a representative of one of the old families of Pennsylvania. The ancestors were from Scotland, living in the highlands of that country, and were of Protestant faith. The family was established in America at an early date.” After their marriage George and Eliza removed to Kentucky (about 1825) and settled at Maysville, Mason County. In 1839 they moved to Washington County, IN. There Eliza died at the age of 48. Her husband long survived her, dying at the age of 83 in Washington County, IN. Children: James; Mary; Washington, Aug. 16, 1829, Kentucky, married in 1852, Hulda Wright; Margaret; Martha, Eliza Ann; Amanda..

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Notes About People and Events

Miss Nancy Darling of Woodstock, VT, who claimed descent from the royal Stuart family of Scotland and was deeply interested in the research plans of the Stewart Clan Magazine, died Oct. 13, 1932, at the age of 59. She was a graduate of the Green Moutain Perkins Academy in South Woodstock and of the Framingham (MA) Normal College and had a wide experience as teacher. She wrote the “History of the Universalist Church in Hartland” and the “History of Hartland” published in The Vermonter for 1913.

Prof. Arthur W. Stuart of Toledo, OH, who retired a year or two ago from active work in the Morrison Waite High School in Toledo, occasionally is called upon to substitute for one of the teachers. He is descended from Duncan Stuart of Newbury, MA, but works on other lines of Stewarts. Lately he has collected data on Stewarts in Northumberland County, PA.

Stewart M. Woodward is secretary of the Woodward Society of Virginia, 14 North Eighth St., Richmond, VA, and desires to get in touch with Woodward descendants all over the country. Incidentally, Mr. Woodward is a descendant of Sir John Stewart of Stirling, Scotland, whose son John settled in New Jersey about 1699. – B:113. 

Numbers of the Stewart Clan Magazine containing the article on Samuel and Hugh Stewart of Paxtang, PA, were recently ordered sent to Miss Minnehaha Finney at the American Mission at Tanta, Egypt.

Well, both Hoover and Edson lost in the election. The latter lost by a rather close vote , 2.658 to 2,792. The district is ordinarily heavily Republican, and your humble historian is a Democrat. This was a good year to be a Democrat, but we didn’t campaign very hard.

We have been neglecting our correspondence – listening to too much political stuff on the radio – but we’ll catch up some day. Merry Christmas to you all.

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DID DANIEL KNIGHT MARRY LYDIA STEWART?

Mary⁴ Steward of Paxton, MA – B:251, married Nathan Newton. Last month Mrs. B.A. (Mary Knight) Crane of Erie, PA, brought up the question of whether it was Mary or her sister Lydia who married Daniel Knight. The other day as we were looking over some notes which we have never indexed we came across this one from the vital records of Royalston, MA, which ought to dispose of Mary. “Mary Stewart, wife of Nathan Brigham Newton, died Dec. 15, 1842, aged 82, born in Paxton.” Her husband died Dec. 18, 1843, aged 84.

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Symbols and references: a number preceded by a dash, as --90, means refer to that page; m. means married; m.int. means marriage intention; m. lic. means marriage license; b. = born; bp = baptized; d. = died; bur. = buried. (₁) = Bible record; (₂) church; (₃) town; (₄) gravestone; (₅) probate; (₆) court; (₇) land; (₈) military; (₉) pension; (₁₀) census; (₁₁) tradition; (₁₂) local history; (₁₃) patriotic society; (₁₄) biography or genealogy; (₁₅) deduction of the editor.