Re: Stewart Researchers'
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In reply to:
Stewart Researchers'
William Stewart 2/17/11
I'm hoping someone can help me with my Stewart research.The only information that I have to go on is from the Tyler County WV History Book.I was told years ago that there're no passenger records for ships leaving Ireland in the 1820's.
"It was a dispirited Charles Stewart who embarked from the Port of Belfast, Ireland in the late 1820's, recently widowed and having lost his land rights through the injustices of land tenure system, he set sail with his three children, Jane born 1798,William 1808, and Ruth in 1815.The voyage took a perilous sixteen weeks and ended on the eastern seaboard, possibly Philadelphia or Baltimore.
Migrating down the Ohio Valley to Friendly, he set up residence with a family by the name of Parker, Charles died shortly after their arrival in the Ohio Valley, Sept. 15, 1828.
William the only son became the head of the household at the age of 20.In 1835 William purchased 250 acres of land for $190.00 dollars at a public auction in front of the Tyler County Courthouse in Middlebourne, Virginia.He immediately began clearing the land and built a log cabin.The cabin is preserved at Arlington Cabins, near Little.Prior to this purchase of land the area was known as the North Fork of Middle Island Creek.It now is known as Stewart Fork or Stewart Run.The 1840 census records William as head of household and Jane and Ruth living with him.In 1843 Ruth married Powell Calhoun, and Jane married Levi Starkey in 1853.William married Isabelle Smarr of Lonaconing Maryland in 1848, whom he met and courted while she was caring for her sister at Little.The marriage produced eight children, Charles, 1849, never married, Margaret Jane, 1851, married Charles Keller, Mary,1853, married Smith Dearth, Isabelle, 1856, never married, William, 1859,married Sophia Smith, Elizabeth Ann,1862, married William Wilson, James Brannon,1867, married Anna Knowlton, Adeline Brannon, 1867, married Wilmer Leander Knowlton.The Stewart family lived in the Stewart's Run area traveling to Matamoras, Ohio for supplies and to Long Reach to church.I recall my grandmother telling about going to Matamoras for supplies in the winter.
In 1892 William drew up his will dividing his property among his children.To James his youngest son, he bequeathed the lower tract, to Isabelle the middle tract and to Adeline B., he gave the upper tract on Stewart's Run.Other land at Sancho he bequeathed to Margaret and William, the remaining family members received money.William died in 1893 and Isabelle his wife died in 1898. "
This was written by Lenna Knowlton for the 1984 Tyler County History Book.