Duncan Stuart, son of Duncan Stuart and Helen Margaret Campbell. Born Aug 23, 1623 at Scotland, died Aug 30, 1717 at Rowley, Massachusetts, 94 years Early New England Settlers, 1600's - 1800's Ancestral Heads of New England Families, Surnames. by Frank R. Holmes, pg. 228 Duncan Stuart (Stewart), shipwright, brother of Alexander, Newbury, Mass., 1659, removed Rowley, Mass., 1669 The First Settlers of New England, pg. 274 STEWART, DUNCAN, one of the early settlers of Newbury, d. in Rowley, in 1717 a. 100 years Captured in battle while in the Scottish Royalist Army by English Parliamentary Army during Civil War and transported to Massachussetts. Servant to George Hadley, Ipswich, Essex, MA Deposed in 1698 that he was about 75 yrs old. BIOGRAPHY Genealogical History of the Duncan Stuart Family in America Author: Joseph A Stuart Caxton Press. 1894. This book contains the history and genealogy of the Duncan Stuart family of New Hampshire OUR BRANCH AND ITS CONNECTIONS. When commencing investigations in the winter of 1891 for tracing our family lineage back to the first settlers in this country the earliest information we had as from the tales of our grandmother, that they came in "the troublous times of King Charles." or about 1650 to 1660. Our Aunt, Ruth Hobson used to think they came earlier, and that they settled Stuartstown, in the extreme northern part of New Hampshire, the original immigrant, named Charles, fleeing from Scotland with a hundred followers. I find, however, that the grant of Stuartstown, N. H. was given to Sir George Cockburn, Sir George Coleman, John Stuart and John Nelson; and as the location must have been a very unsafe one previous to the conquest of Canada in 1760, and the settlement was so weak as to be abandoned after the Revolution broke out, this John could not be the immigrant from whom we descend. Her version of the traditions, however, lead s me to conclude that our ancestor was in one of the defeated Scotch armies led into England by Charles Stuart, father or son, and fled here for safety. Both promised immunity from religious persecution to the Covenanters, and they flocked to the aid of each in turn. My aunt and sister say our ancestor was a Covenanter, "coming here to escape persecution;" but as the religious persecution of Covenanters did not begin till 1662, any evidence of presence here befor e that time is evidence that our ancestor was a military refugee for acts in favor of Charles I, in 1646, or Charles II, in 1651. Our traditions have "There was a Henry about that time, who went up country and was never heard from after;" also a Charles, "who went up north with a large party;" and of a Samuel, "who left for parts unknown." The attention of members of our family has been directed to advertisements in New York papers recurring at intervals of twenty years, for the heirs of Archibald Stuart, as being entitled to property left by Charles and Henry Stuart. Our oldest sister, Sarah W., wrote to other relatives in 1873 that her attention had been directed to a similar one some forty years previously, and that she remembered talking with Aunt Hobson about it at the time, not then knowing the date of this Archibald's immigration. A letter from a claim agent, named Spear, to our brother Robert about the year 1855 set that at rest by giving the date of Archibald's emigration as 1797, and that the Charles and Henry were Surgeons in the British Army during our Revolution, nearly a century after our earliest record. This earliest record of our grandmother's time was seen in grandmother's desk at Newtown by my sister Ruth as late as 1830. It was a fragment of a deed, dated 1700, giving "to my beloved son, Eben-" (the rest of that name and the name of the donor eaten by mice .) As a family possession, dated the year before the birth, of our great-grand father Robert, this was presumptive evidence that "Eben-" was his father. Of Robert we knew that in youth he was in the personal service of Gov. Dummer, of Massachusetts, then residing at Newbury, near to Rowley, the birth-place of Robert, and a relative of whom this Robert married. Of Robert's brothers our traditions say little, while of his sisters we knew that two married Websters; o ne married Ezra Clough; and another William Davis, they all settling about him upon parts of his land in Kingston and Newtown. "Squire" Isaac Webster, of Deep Brook came from one of the sisters and "Wildeat" Isaac Webster from the other; but I fail to learn to which each of these is to be credited. I think from the one marrying a Davis came Gilbert and Alfred Davis, the last still a resident of Newtown in 1892, when I visited my birthplace. Sources: 1. Title: "Early Settlers of Rowley, Massachusetts" - Jewett & Blodgett 2. Title: "Ancestors and Descendents of Deacon Thomas Stewart" - Arthur W Stewart Married 1654 at Ipswich, Massachusetts (62 or 63 years married) to: Ann Winchester, daughter of Alexander Winchester and N.N.. Born Dec 10, 1642 at Rowley, Massachusetts, died Jul 9, 1729 at Rowley, Massachusetts, 86 years RFN1120 Children: 1. Jane StuartBorn Nov 1654 at Ipswich, Ma, died after 1682, at least 28 years RFN1121 2. Katherine StuartBorn Jun 8, 1658 at Ipswich, Massachusetts, died before 1750 at Norwich, New London, Connecticut, at most 92 years RFN1122 3. Martha StuartBorn Apr 4, 1659 at Newbury, Essex, MA RFN1124 4. Charles StuartBorn Jun 5, 1661 at Newbury, Essex, MA, died May 8, 1689 at Rowley, MA, 27 years RFN1125 5. Elizabeth StuartBorn Nov 2, 1662 at Newbury, Essex, Massachusetts RFN1126 BIOGRAPHY Bibliographic Information: Stuart, Joseph A. Genealogical History of the Duncan Stuart Family in America. Caxton Press. 1894. In the d eed of 1718 the daughters' names are missing, but among my notes is a marriage of Silvanas Wentworth and Elizabeth Stewart, of Rowley, Nov. 3, 1685, when Du ncan's Elizabeth would be 23 years old. This, with our story of the daughters that were Carters, previously mentioned, and that there was a Nancy Carter in the household of Captain Robert Stuart during the Revolution, supposed to have been a descendant of one of these sisters, is all I learn of them. 6. James StuartBorn Oct 8, 1664 at Newbury, Essex, Massachusetts, died Sep 17, 1750 at Rowley, Essex, Massachusetts, 85 years RFN1128 BIOGRAPHY Bibliographic Information: Stuart, Joseph A. Genealogical History of the DuncanStuart Family in America. Caxton Press. 1894 James Stua rt, son of Duncan, as he styles himself in the deed of 1718, was born in Newbu ry Oct. 8, 1664, and with his wife Elizabeth had James, July 19, 1688; Charles , Jan. 16, 1690; then moved to Rowley and had Edward, Sept. 20, 1693; Abigail, Nov. 26, 1695; Solomon, July 24, 1698; Benjamin, Mar. 3, 1700-buried Mar. 20, 1702; David, Jan. 9, 1702-choked to death by a copper coin, Jan. 10, 1706; an d at Boxford, Moses, July 9, 1712. In the deed of 1718 he is recorded a s of Boxford, and in one of Mar. 17, 1724, as of Bradford, buying back land i n Rowley. His wife probably died 29th Dec., 1747, as in the book of deaths in Rowley there is the record of "the wife of James Stewart" dying then. James is recorded, "died, James Stewart in his 86th year, 17th Sept.,1750." Presumabl y of his son James I find a marriage record of "James Stewart and Sarah Prime. both of Rowley, 23 June, 1733." Also the marriage record of "James Stewart an d Mary Boynton, both of Rowley, 11th Jan. or June, 1742." She was a daughter of Jonathan Boynton and born 21st of Aug., 1720; the marriage dates are from d ifferent volumes, vols. VI and X'X, of Essex Institute Historical Collections, as given to me. This marriage could hardly refer to James, son of Duncan or to his son, on account of disparity in age, but rather to a great-grandson of Duncan. Mary's mother married David Gage, of Bradford,May 12, of the same yea r. A marriage is recorded of James Stewart and Sarah Prime, both of Rowley, 25 June, 1733, probably James' son, then 45 years old. James daughter Abigail se ems to have married John Yell, of Ipswich, 29 Nov., 1736, she then being 42 ye ars old. His son Solomon, born 1698, and wife Martha have a record of Benjamin , Jan. 26, 1729; Solomon, Jan. 14, 1730; Phineas, Mar. 27, 1732. A Daniel, so n of Solomon, was baptised at Salem, middle precinct, now South Danvers, Nov. 24, 1734; also William, in March, 1737.--A Solomon kept a store in Boxford abo ut 1730, where he sold stationery, and later a William was a stationer there. In Boxford is the record of "William Stuart married Abigaell Standly, M ar. 3, 1736; also "George and Sarah Stuart had:--Sarah, July 4, 1745; William, March 24, 1746; George, Dec. 16,1748." Whether these belong to James' record I could not decide. 7. John StuartBorn May 1, 1666 at Newbury, Essex, Massachusetts, died Dec 23, 1756 at Rowley, Essex, Massachusetts, 90 years RFN1129 BIOGRAPHY Bibliographic Information: Stuart, Joseph A. Genealogical History of the Duncan Stuart Family in America. Caxton Press. 1894 The first name mentioned in that deed after James is John Stuart, of Rowley. I find he was born in Newbury in February or March, 1666, three years before Henry. His first wife was named Elizabeth, and died Dec. 20, 1689, nine days after their daughter Elizabeth was born. Both he and James appear at Rowley soon after, an d in the first tax list extant in Rowley (1691) John is taxed ¶1 9s.4d. In 16 95 John is deeded land by Duncan, his father. He appears to have had an Elizab eth for a second wife, as there is record of the birth in Rowley of "Mary Stew art, daughter of John and Elizabeth, 3 Oct., 1699.--[Essex Inst. Hist. Colls. vols. IV and V, where it seems the name is spelt with ew always, though if unw illing to concede the privilege of changing the spelling of a family name they should have retained the final d, as found in Duncan's first deeds. This Mary may have been the Mary of Rowley, that married Jeremiah Hunt, of Billerica, 12 Aug., 1731, she being then 32 years old. A second daughter by this Elizabet h was Sarah, born 25 Apr., 1712. Sarah seems to have married Ephraim Boynton. also of Rowley, 2 May, 1732. Ephraim was a son of Deacon Joseph and Bridget (H arris) Boyaton, born 16 July, 1707. He was dismissed from Rowley Church to Sec ond Church in Lancaster, 19 Feb., 1761. John's oldest daughter, Elizabeth pro bably married Ebenezer Gove, 28 March, 1728.--John's second wife appears to ha ve died without record in Rowley; but I find a death record of "Mary, wife of John Stewart, died 29 Sept., 1726," that probably was a third wife of this Joh n, as his nephew, Ebenezer's John was but 17 at that time. He appears to have married on 8 March, 1727, Sarah (Clark, of Ipswich) Bailey, the widow of Nathaniel Bailey, who had diedin 1722. By the spelling of one report, John Stewart was a blacksmith in Boxford about 1730, while the Town Clerk says "Sar ah, daughter of John Stuart, baptised April, 1729." He probably returned to Ro wley before 1736, as his nephew in a deed of that year is styled John Stuart, Jr., son of Ebenezer. In Rowley is the death record of "the wife of John Stew art, 7 Feb., 1749," and of the marriage of "Mr. John Stewart and widow Margare t Gage, 5 Sept. 1749," that may refer to him, as from his age and probable ret irement from active life he may have been given the title, as also to distingu ish him from his nephew of the same name, who would for the same reason be sty led John Jr. The widow Gage would have been his fourth wife. Another theory o f the marriage of the widow Gage to some person of this name with a prefix of "Mr." is given on page 144, but this would seem the more plausible. John died on the 23rd of Decemder, 1756, aged 90 yrs, and 8 or 9 mos. 8. Anna StuartBorn ± 1668 at Newbury, Essex, MA, died after 1704 at Newbury, Essex, MA RFN1130 9. Henry StuartBorn May 1, 1669 at Newbury, Essex, MA RFN1131 BIOGRAPHY Bibliographic Information: Stuart, Joseph A. Genealogical History of the Duncan Stuart Family in America. Caxton Press. 1894 I find no record of Henry, so accept our family tradition. He was either known to be de ad, or given up as dead by the "surviving brothers of Charles" in their deed o f 1718. 10. Solomon StuartBorn ± 1671 at Newbury, Essex, MA, died Dec 1690 at At sea, on the brigantine "Adve...", approximately 19 years RFN1132 11. Samuel StuartBorn ± 1673 at Newbury, Essex, Massachusetts, died before Mar 11, 1751/52 at Wells, Maine RFN1133 12. Ebenezer StuartBorn 1676 at Newbury, Essex, Massachusetts, died Apr 30, 1749 at Byfield, Massachusetts, 72 or 73 years RFN1101 BIOGRAPHY Bibliographic Information: Stuart, Joseph A. Genealogical History of the Duncan Stuart Family in America. Caxton Press. 1894 I get no birth record of Samuel or Ebenezer; (specs they growed, like Topsy,) nor can I find any data of Samuel, but from records of deeds at Salem (See Appendix C) I learned that Ebenezer accumulated property at Rowley, these deeds placing hi m as an Innholder at Rowley Byfield, in the corner of Rowley south of Newbury Byfield, and owning land near his inn, one purchase extending to the Bradford line. In the deed of 1718 the daughters' names are missing, but among my note s is a marriage of Silvanas Wentworth and Elizabeth Stewart, of Rowley, Nov. 3 , 1685, when Duncan's Elizabeth would be 23 years old. This, with our story of the daughters that were Carters, previously mentioned, and that there was a N ancy Carter in the household of Captain Robert Stuart during the Revolution, s upposed to have been a descendant of one of these sisters, is all I learn of them. Ebenezer married Elizabeth Johnson May 23, 1698, and from a deed by one of his children I learn that he died before Feb. 23, 1746, making him seventy or more years old at ?? death. His estate was not settled till 1749, (See App end?? C, bottom of page 146.) Below is as full a tabular record as I can obtai n of the births, marriages and deaths of the CHILDREN OF EDENEZER AND ELIZABE TH JOHNSON STUART. NAME ??ORN MARRIED TO OF DIED AO? ? 1. SAEAM May1??,1699 (???)Wob??ter Kingston 2.ROB??T Nov.20,1701 Dec.11,1727 Anno Adams Newbury 1782 80 3. ??ARD Oct. 15,1704 Jud ith Poor Boxford 4. JOHN Oct. 20, 1707 Nov. --,1732 Hannah ??ley Rowley 5. ELIZABETH " " " Feb. 17,1726 Benj. Wchster Kingston bef 1746 6. AN N Mar. 27,1712 No record Samuel Lowell Rowley 7. MERCY No reco rd Dec. 26,1734 Ezra Clough Kingston 8. MA?? Oct. 26,1715 Ma r. 8,1737 Nathl Boynton Rowley 9. CHARLES May ??1,1718 No record Sar ah Fisk Boxford 10. JA??E Aug. 17,1720 Dec. 24,1751 William Dav is Newtown . APPENDIX C. D??RDS TO EBENEZER STUART, AND ABSTRACT OF HIS WILL. In the Essex Registry of Deeds at Salem I found these records:--B. 26, p. 176, Jonathan Pritchard sold land to Ebenezer Stuart; b. 33, p. 58, Samuel Dic kinson sold to Ebenezer Stuart land bounded on the southeast side by land of s aid Stuart, southwest by Woodman's land; b. 44, p. 148, Dec. 9, 1724, Samuel Platto to Ebenezer Stuart, Innholder, of Rowley, in the part called Byfield, an d upon the plain called Rye Plain, 11 acres--3 acres as part of lot laid out as right of Richard Thurlow, and 3 acres as part of lot laid out as right of F rancis Parrott--the three acres bounded on westerly end by so called Ox Pastu re Land; b. 45, p. 58, July 1, 1725, John Bennett to Ebenezer Stuart, for ¶7 1 0s., one lot, which is the last draft of freehold right in the middle commons- -witnesses, Joseph Jewett and John Hobson; b. 48, p. 279, Sept. 30, 1726, Dav id Wood to Ebenezer Stuart, for ¶30, one commonage or freehold in Middle Commo nage; b. 49, p. 169, July 12, 1727, Mehitable Woodman, single, of Newbury, dau ghter of Joshua Woodman, to Ebenezer Stuart, lunholder, of Rowley, for ¶185, e ight acres, bounded Ed by the great swamp, Nd by land in possession of John Lu ll, Innholder, N. W. and S. W. by land of Dea. Maximillian Jewett,--with 1-2 d welling house, 1-2 of barn and orchard.--Also another tract of 30 acres , bounded Ed by Maximillian Jewett's land, N. W. by Town of Rowley's land?? W. by the highway in Bradford, and S. E. by said Stuart's land. In all these de eds Ebenezer's name was spelt with "u" as ??ere printed. The following, sent me by Mr. Preston, are spelt by him with "ew," and I am inclined to think the name in the deeds was thus spelt as I had taken notes of only those in the index spelt Stuart, thinking at the time no others |