Stewart Migrations from Scotland to America
Source: " The History of The Stewart Family", by Bucher Ayres (1876)
Transcribed by Vincent Summers
John Stewart, born (1630/1640) of Glasgow, Scotland was a Presbyterian Covenanter who would not comply with the Royal order forcing attendance at the newly established Episcopacy Church in Scotland by Charles II in May 1661. As a result, he incurred heavy penalties which impelled him to flee to Ireland. The Stewarts flourished as agriculturist, framers, and freeholders in Scotland, Ireland , and America; so, it is probably safe to assume John was of the same category. John and family stayed in Ireland until 1685 when he returned to Scotland with his family where he died in 1720. John had one known son, Robert Stewart born 1665, Glasgow, Scotland.
Robert, son of John, must have been a newly born infant when his family fled to Ireland as he was born in the same year they fled. Robert returned to Scotland in 1685 with his father and remained there until his father's death in 1720. He then returned to Ireland, County Down, where he died in 1730 at age 65. It is believed that Robert had a large family, but we have record of only three children.
1) Samuel Stewart, born 1698, Glasgow, Scotland
2) Robert Stewart Jr., born
3) Hugh Stewart, born 11 June 1719, Glasgow, Scotland
Samuel, eldest son of Robert., migrated from Ireland to America in 1735 accompanied by his wife, two sons, and younger brother, Hugh. Why Samuel emigrated to America is unsure. It could have possibly been because the landlords were unwilling to renew leases on old terms. Or, maybe it was just a desire for religious liberty and material interest. The voyage across the ocean in 1735 was perilous and inconvenient. Vessels were small and over crowded, ill ventilated, slow, poorly equipped, and ill fitted for the voyage.
The emigrant Stewarts landed at Philadelphia and settled at Chestnut Level, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania in the spring of 1735. The family had one dollar and twenty five cents in their pockets. Samuel spent the money for a jack knife to cut threads necessary to the business of weaving. This occupation he previously learned in Ireland.
The journey from Philadelphia to Lancaster County was done by pack horse. The road to Lancaster County (King's Highway) was a winding road through forest, marshes, and unbridged streams. The progress was slow and difficult. They stopped and remained at Chestnut Level, Octoraro Region, Lancaster County which was the metropolis of a Scotch-Irish settlement and the seat of the Presbyterian Church.
Samuel Stewart was tall in person, large and well made. He had a large Roman nose, eyes of blueish-grey, and lively deep brown hair, with a Scotch complexion. Samuel married in Ireland to Mary McClay who was remarkable for her dark complexion and large size weighing 200 pounds. Samuel and Mary had twelve sons and one daughter. Two were born in Ireland and the rest in Lancaster County.
It is believed that Hugh Stewart husband of Susanna Wilson was the seventh child of Samuel and Mary McClay. The above mentioned source record shows Hugh son of Samuel & Mary "settled in Lexington, Kentucky at a very early day and his descendants settled in Indiana". (To review Hugh Stewart file go BACK to Stewart homepage.)
Robert Stewart, brother of Samuel, sailed from Belfast with his family, but was driven back by weather. After three different unsuccessful attempts, he abandoned his design to emigrate. We have no further account of Robert.
Hugh, younger brother of Samuel, later moved to Paxtang Township sometime before 1750. Hugh married twice. First, 1750/1751 to Hanna Dallas. They had four children. After the death of Hannah, Hugh remarried in 1764 Nancy Moore. They had five children. The descendants of Hugh settled in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania.