A couple of days ago, I wrote a sketch about the little knowledge I have of Walter Stewart, his life, and his family.
By the 1820’s, some of the Stewarts began to move back into what had become the United States. I imagine that Loyalist Walter Stewart had died by this time, as I doubt a man who gave up everything during the war would have approved of his children moving back to the country that broke away from England.
John Stewart was born in 1785 in New Brunswick, Canada. The family settled in Sussex, Kings County, but there is no documentation that John was born in that town.
John married Catherine Carlisle on 28 December 1814 in Sussex, Kings County, and it appears an unidentified son and a second son, William, were both born in New Brunswick.
The Kings County, New Brunswick, Canada land deeds show John and Catherine, signing with their X, selling land on 29 February 1820 to John Cougle Vail. Four hundred acres were sold for 150 pounds, described at Lot #1 an bounded on the south by land granted to Walter Stewart.
John and Catherine left Sussex and settled in Charlotte, Washington County, Maine by 1 July 1822, when the birth of their son, Charles Augustus Stewart, was recorded there.
They were the parents of thirteen children:
1. Son, born 1815-1820; in 1820 census
2. William, born 7 July 1817, New Brunswick, Canada; died 15 Jan 1899, Topsfield, Washington, ME; married (1) Eunice (2) Sarah L. Crabtree, 7 August 1864, Princeton, Washington, ME
3. Charles Augustus, born 1 July 1822, Charlotte, Washington, ME; died 24 Nov 1894, Meddybemps, Washington, ME; married Elida Ann Hicks, about 1850. Elida was his first cousin.
4. Walter, born 15 Aug 1824, Charlotte, Washington, ME; died 13 August 1853, Bridgewater, Aroostook, ME
5. Robert Nelson, born 31 August 1826, Charlotte, ME; married Eliza Augusta Grass, 16 March 1860, Charlotte, ME
6. Nancy Ann, born 19 July 1827, Charlotte, ME; died 7 April 1909, Easton, Aroostook, ME; married Thomas Jenkins
7. Mary, born 29 July 1828, Charlotte, ME; died 2 October 1907, Oakfield, Aroostook, ME; married Joel Hamilton Howard
8. Abigail,born 25 August 1831, Charlotte, ME; no further information and likely died young.
9. Polly, born 10 October 1833, Charlotte, ME; died 10 November 1833, Charlotte, ME
10. Myrta, born 21 January 1835, Charlotte, ME; died before 1850
11. George A., born 5 February 1838, Charlotte, ME; died 6 July 1892, Bridgewater, Aroostook, ME; unmarried
12. Daughter, born about 1839; died after 1840 but before 1850
13. Eunice, born 31 August 1841; died after 1850
John must have liked living out in the wilds by himself. There were few people living in Charlotte, Maine in 1820; by 1840, he headed north to Aroostook County, where there were even fewer people. I guess if he saw smoke from a neighbor’s chimney, they were too close.
John died on 20 November 1869 in Mars Hills, Aroostook County, Maine, but Catherine apparently moved back to Calais some time after that, as she died in Calais on 30 December 1888. No burial records have been located for either of them.
I am looking for Stewart cousins! Of John and Catherine’s thirteen children, I know that William had one daughter, Carrie, with wife Sarah. Charles had four children who married and left descendants, Nancy and Thomas Jenkins were the parents of twelve children and Mary and Joel Howard had six children.
Robert Nelson Stewart is yet another mystery in this family. He is the subject of Saturday’s post.
Please leave a comment if you recognize any of these people.