Genealogical Records of Stewart-Stuart Families

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

Associate - Horace Dickerman, New Haven, CT

STEWARTS OF DEERFIELD, ONEIDA COUNTY, NY -247

Mrs. Charles C. Bovey, 400 Clifton Avenue, Minneapolis, MN, copied from the clerk's office in Paxton, MA, the records of the births of the children of Daniel³ Steward, so that with these data we shall reprint the records of Daniel, as published in this magazine for December, 1926, page 219. Mrs. Bovey is a descendant of Jabez⁴ Steward. Mrs. Burton Ashley (Mary Knight) Crane, 1013 Amber Court, Erie, PA, has furnished us some definite information about Joseph Knight, and she would be glad to hear from anyone knowing anything about his ancestors or descendants.

Daniel³ Stewart (Daniel², Alexander¹) was born Oct. 14, 1722, in Marlborough, MA, and went to Leicester about 1744. He married Lydia Cutting [intention recorded Mar. 13, 1747-8]. They settled in that part of Leicester which was set off as Paxton in 1775. Sometime during or soon after the Revolutionary War he removed with his family to Brattleboro, VT, where he was living in 1786 when his father's estate was settled. He is said to have gone to Deerfield, NY, to spend his last years with his children there. Children, recorded in Paxton, MA₃:

Sarah⁴ Steward (Daniel³, Daniel², Alexander¹) born July 19, 1758, in Paxton, MA, married about 1779 to Joseph Knight, who was born in 1750 in Worcester, MA₁₄. He enlisted from Paxton and fought in the Revolutionary War. He went to Brattleboro, VT, about 1780 and is said to have accompanied the Stewards to Deerfield, NY. Joseph and Sarah are thought to have been living in Saratoga County, NY, in 1802, but the Federal census reported Joseph Knight and family in Paris, Oneida County, in 1800. The subsequently went to Scio, Allegany County, in 1805, after living 11 years in Oneida County.₁₁ Joseph died Jan. 24, 1829, aged 80 years, and was buried near Scio.₄ Sarah, whose name is said to have been spelled Stuart, died July 9, 1840, aged 82 years, in Scio.₄ Children:

* Ann, wife of Joseph Knight, Jr. died Feb. 18, 1844, in her 53rd year₄ and was buried in a rural cemetery in Allegany County, NY. Joseph's children were John, Willard, Stewart, Melancthon, Eugene, Joseph, and three daughters whose names are unknown.

** Samuel Knight's will, dated February, 1852, was probated Mar. 19, 1852, in Allegany County. It named his wife Sally and children: Mary Ann, wife of Elisha Loomis; Daniel; Bradley; Joseph; Sarah, wife of James Wilkins; and Emily Knight.

Jabez⁴ Steward (Daniel³, Daniel², Alexander¹) born May 16, 1770, in Paxton, MA, moved with his father's family to Brattleboro, VT, about 1780, and subsequently went on out to Deerfield, NY, sometime between 1791 and 1795. There he married in 1796 Rachel Warren, born in 1776 in Cheshire, MA, daughter of John and Mary (Richardson) Warren. He lived on a farm in Deerfield until about 1806, when he moved to Paris in the same county. About 1809 he removed to Wolcott, Wayne County [at that time part of Seneca County], where he was a miller and lived on Mill Street.₁₂ He was living in Wolcott in 1810 and in 1820₁₀. A tract of 16 acres in Paris, Oneida County, was bought by Jabez Steward at sheriff's sale Aug. 9, 1812, for $320, indicating that he made a trip back to Oneida County in that year. During the War of 1812 or thereabouts he was superintending the construction of a mill near Wolcott for Jonathan Melvin, and he had a "struggle with the flood," according to his grandson, George Stewart of Towanda, KS, 1880, who came from the furnace north of Wolcott. Jabez died at the age of 52 years, about 1822. His widow Rachel died Nov. 14, 1852, aged 76, and was buried in Joslyn Cemtery at Oaks Corners, Ontario County.₄ Children, the first six born in Deerfield:

Daniel⁵ Stewart (Jabez⁴, Daniel³, Daniel², Alexander¹) born Apr. 28, 1797, in Deerfield, NY, married at Oaks Corners, Ontario County, Sep. 12, 1824, Anne Peck, born Oct. 16, 1804, in Conway, MA, daughter of Darius and Lydia (Mack) Peck. He was a poet, composer of music, botanist, inventor, and maker of violins and guitars. He built one of the first threshing and fanning machines for grain, at Oaks Corners; he was also a miller. In his old age he went to Mason, MI, to live with his son, Horace, and there he died Mar. 25, 1881, aged nearly 84, and his widow Anne died there Apr. 30, 1887, aged 82. He was respected as a man of intelligence and refinement, and his wife was "a woman of positive character and sterling qualities." Children, born at Phelps, Ontario County, NY:

± Charles and Charlotte (Stewart) Van de Mark had a daughter Josephine who married Martin Koon in HIllsdale, MI. Martin and Josephine (Van de Mark) Koon were the parents of Mrs. C.C. (Kate) Bovey.

George W.⁵ Stewart (Jabez⁴, Daniel³, Daniel², Alexander¹) born Sep. 2, 1798, in Deerfield, NY, married (1) Clarissa --- ; (2) Mary --- ; and (3) Anne ---. He lived on the farm at Wolcott, Wayne County, where his father died in 1822, until 1852, when he migrated to Washtenaw County, Michigan. Later he removed to Wheatland, Ingham County, where he remained 23 years, and in 1886 he was living at Williamston, MI. He was a spiritualist, and was severe in his home life. His hobby was raising flowers for seed, and writing letters. His brother Willard was once so ungracious as to reply to one of his abstruse letters by saying "I get more light from your letters by putting them in the stove," and George never again wrote a letter to Willard. George lived near Grass Lake, MI. Children:

 Willard Newton⁵ Stewart (Jabez⁴, Daniel³, Daniel², Alexander¹) born Oct. 23, 1800, in Deerfield, NY, married (1) in 1823 Mary Towne Donaldson, born in 1804; (2) --- Munson. In 1834 he removed from New York state to Michigan and located at Taylor. His children were:

James⁵ Stewart (Jabez⁴, Daniel³, Daniel², Alexander¹) born about 1802 in Deerfield, NY, married Damaris ---. Children: Columbus (died); Carroll (lived in New York City).

Charles⁵ Stewart (Jabez⁴, Daniel³, Daniel², Alexander¹) born about 1808 in Paris or Wolcott, NY, married (1) Nov. 25, 1832, Agnes A. Smith. She died Mar. 19, 1847, at Taylor, MI. He married (2) Apr. 22, 1849, Caroline Webster. He died Apr. 22, 1872, at Plymouth, MI. Children:

Dr. John⁵ Stewart (Jabez⁴, Daniel³, Daniel², Alexander¹) born Jul. 24, 1817, in Wolcott, NY, was only five years old when his father died, and he lived with his brother Daniel at Oaks Corners until he was 15. He studied medicine and, sharing the tastes and inclinations of Daniel, was a botanist, traveler, and lover of nature. He married Sep. 3, 1843, Caroline Powell. They located in Wheatland, MI, soon after their marriage. In the gold rush of 1849 Dr. Stewart went to California and spent the year of 1850 there, afterward traveling much. He became a very successful physician at Wheatland. He had great hopes for his children but after the death of his son Willie in 1867 [see note in Volume X No. 1] he lost interest in the world and became a broken man. He died in 1894 at the age of 77. Children:

COLONEL STEWART "BOUGHT" VON STEUBEN'S HORSE

After the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown, Gen. Washington tendered a state dinner to the beaten foe, Gen. Cornwallis; and afterwards the officers of his staff gave similar dinners in turn. It is related that Gen. von Steuben, when it came his turn to entertain, lacked the money and approached a Col. Stewart, who was known to be in funds, to obtain some cash. Von Steuben's possessions, through his unselfish sacrifices in the war, had been reduced to his much prized horse, which had loyally born him through the conflict, and he offered to sell the horse to Col. Stewart. Stewart, knowing that von Steuben had sold even his watch in order to supply a fellow officer with some much needed cash, was deeply touched and merely handed the German baron his purse to take what money he needed but declined to take the horse. Von Steuben, however, was too proud to be in the position of a beggar, and walked away insisting that Col. Stewart had bought his horse. Who was this Col. Stewart?

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It may be needless to refer to it, but there is not a chance that any Stewart society will be organized this year. These are fine times just to collect all the data we can.

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We feel inclined to quote from a few of the many kindly letters the editor has received, but this time we shall select a few lines from a lady in Kansas who a few years ago dropped from our subscription list but who had furnished us information which recently proved of great assistance to a subscriber in Texas: "It was very kind and lovely of you to take this interest in me when I have seemed an indifferent person. Such is not the case, and I'm hoping to be a clan member again someday."

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While we try to write a personal letter to everyone who sends a subscription to the Stewart Clan Magazine we trust that the following libraries will accept this paragraph as our acknowledgement of and thanks for their renewal of subscription: Vermont Historical Society, New Haven Colony Historical Society, Long Island Historical Society, New York State Library, Sons of the Revolution in the State of California, Minnesota Historical Society, Rhode Island Historical Society, New England Historic Genealogical Society, Wisconsin State Historical Society, New York Genealogical & Biographical Society, New Hampshire Historical Society, Genealogical Society of Utah, New York Public Library, and New York Historical Society.

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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.