Rev. David Stuart (help!)

[jmhollis]

I hope this is the right forum to ask this question on.   I've recently been trying to trace back the Stuart side of my family.  I -think- I've managed to trace it as far back as a Rev. David Stuart.

I'm completely stumped at this point, however, because I keep finding conflicting articles about David's origins.

What is consistent:
- he was born in Scotland sometime between 1687-1690
- he moved to the US around 1715
- he died in King George, Virginia, Colonial America in either 1748 or 1749
- his mother was Lucy Erskine
- his wife was Harriett Jane Gibbons
- he had several children, 'John Gibbons Stuart' being the son that links my family to his

What is inconsistent:
- whether he was born in Iverness or Aberdeenshire
- who his father was.  From what I've gathered from bits and pieces, it seems widely believed by distant family members of mine that David was the son of Charles Stuart, 6th Earl of Moray.   The problem is that the majority online sources I've found indicate that Charles never had children.
- he may have spent some time in England
- I've come across snippets of unsourced articles (which is the primary problem I keep running into) that note he was either a cousin or at least somehow related to James Francis Stuart, "The Pretender".  It was supposedly his support of James Francis Stuart that led to David fleeing to the US.

None of the American records I've found can seem to confirm who his father was.  The relatives of mine who seem convinced that he was the son of Charles of Moray are distant and have not replied to my emails.   My Grandmother Stuart has no records that go that far back, either.  I'm trying to trace the Stuart lineage back to its origins as best I can, but I'm afraid this feels like a dead end.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[GR2]

Have you looked at the rolls of graduates of the four Scottish universities which existed then? Sometimes there are family details given there.

Have you looked for him in the on-line catalogue of the National Archives of Scotland?

Did he marry in America or in Scotland?

[wdh1802]

Hello. My name is Bill Hutchinson. I just saw your post and while I realize it is many months old, I thought I would reply anyway. John Gibbons Stuart is also my ancestor- my 5 Greats Grandfather.

My information has always indicated David was born in 1697 at Inverness. He supposedly did come to America in 1715 as he had to flee Scotland because of his support for James Francis Stuart. He probably was connected to the Royal Stuarts although I doubt as close as a first cousin. I say this if for no other reason than that the Royal Stuarts lived (and most were born) in England starting in 1603 when James I and VI inherited the English throne. Since David was born in Scotland, he was probably something like a 3rd or 4th cousin.

My understanding is he did return to England in around 1722 to complete whatever the process was to be ordained as an Episcopal priest. Supposedly, he was sponsored by Reverend Alexander Scott which is how he was able to overcome his Jacobite history. It was while he was in England that he met Jane Gibbons. Her sister was Scott's wife.

All sources I have seen do suggest that Lucy Erskine was his Mother. I have also seen the references to Charles Stuart as being his Father, however, my research concurs with yours that there is no record of that gentlemen either marrying Lucy Erskine or having children.

I am curious- what is your descent from John Stuart? My 2 Greats Grandmother was Mary Wray Stuart. Her parents were 1st cousins. Her Mother was Frances Maria Wray Stuart, daughter of John Alexander Stuart who was a son of John Gibbons Stuart. Her Father was William Gibbons Stuart, son of Philip Stuart who was also a son of John Gibbons Stuart.

Bill

[J11]

Bearing in mind that about half of the Scottish parishes have no or incomplete records surviving from that far back and that roughly a third of baptisms were never recorded in the Session Books, there are still 35 David Stuart/Stewarts baptised between 1690 and 1705 in Scotland none with a mother Lucy or Erskine, 12 baptised between 1695 and 1700 and none in Inverness for that five year period. I searched with St*rt D*v*.  There could have been a hundred or so born in that 15 year period!

Something else to note is that being sufficiently educated to study as a minister was not a preserve of the upper classes in Scotland.  It was a particularly popular occupation for farmer's sons as well as further down the social scale.  Indeed, many quite humble Scots became ministers.  The social disruption caused by the 1715 Jacobite Uprising or commercial opportunities lead many families entirely unconnected with the uprising itself or the Royal Stuarts to leave for America or the Caribbean at that time.

[wdh1802]

I doubt anyone will ever be able to definitively determine who the parents of David Stuart were or what connection he might have had to the Royal Stuarts.

While also probable impossible to prove, I do suspect he was more likely a well connected or educated Scotsman as opposed to being a farmer for example. I base this assumption on three factors-

1. His connection . sponsorship by the Reverend Alexander Scott. Scott clearly was a well
    educated and accomplished individual- the son of a well known Scottish minister. Scott came
    from Dipple Parish in Morayshire, Scotland. That may very well imply a connection between
    the Stuart and Scott families.

2. David Stuart's marriage to Jane Gibbons. She certainly came from a prominent English family
    and might not have been likely to have married and uneducated person.

3. From almost the moment he returned to America after receiving his orders, David Stuart
    became connected to the most prominent families of the Northern Neck and certainly became
    one of the most prominent individuals in King George / Stafford Counties.

[J11]

I think I may have found a possible connection between your David Stuart and Alexander Scott.

According to Fasti:
Parish of Speymouth or of Old Dipple and Essil.

John Scot of Loch, born 1651 son of John S. burgess of Forres....
He married 1. Marjory (died 1696) daughter of Walter Stuart of Ryland, Alvah and had issue
James, Episcopal clergyman in Virginia USA born 1715
Alexander, also Episcopal clergyman in Virginia born 1716 died 1737
burgess = inhabitant of a town with full rights of citizenship.
(I have copied this as entered in the book.  I think the original scribe has entered dates of emigration as dates of birth for James and Alexander as they don't make sense otherwise)   

Also came across this on Walter Stuart while googling:

    Thomas STEWART of Ryland, Alvah, Banffshire, bailie, (civic officer) m. by 1643 Marjorie GORDON. [ref. 2]
    Walter STUART or STEWART, m. aft. 20 Nov 1643 Isobell MITCHELL, d. by 1671. In 1643, in Ryland. In 1671 (posth.), portioner of Bogtown, near Fordyce, Banffshire.
 (portioner = small landholder, likely he inherited a bit or portion of Thomas's holdings when he died))
        Jean STUART (eldest daughter), m. 20 Oct 1671 Robert SAUNDERS or SANDERS or ALEXANDER. [ref. 1]
        George STUART. [ref. 1]
        Marjorie STUART or STEWART, m. John SCOTT (minister of Dipple, Moray), d. 23 Dec 1696. [ref. 1,3]
            Alexander SCOTT, b. 20 Jun 1686. The first minister of Overwhorton parish, Stafford, Virginia. [ref. 3]
            George SCOTT. Writer in Edinburgh. [ref. 3]
    Patrick STEWART. [ref. 2]

According to Fasti Ecclesiae Scoticanae, the following was minister of Alvah: [ref. 3]
    JAMES STEUART, son of Walter S., and nephew of John S. of Ryland; educated at Marischal College, Aberdeen; received his degree M.A. 1686. Ordained in 1718. Died unmarried 19 Feb. 1745, aged about 65.

It may be that David was a cousin of some sort to Alexander Scott.  Might be worth having a go at the descendants of Thomas Stuart to see if you can find a David of the right age.

Addition: unfortunately the OPRs for Alvah only exist from 1711.  Just your luck!

[wdh1802]

I really appreciate this response. I know at some point I had found a connection between the Scott family and Stuarts back in Scotland. I could not remember what it was, but I am pretty sure this is it.

Thanks again.

Bill

[J11]

Just a thought.  The Stuart Royal family were Catholic.  Your David Stuart is an Episcopalian minister.  Do you have any records that he converted?  Not impossible but does beg the question!

[J11]

Banffshire Sasines 20th November 1643.
Instrument of seaseing given to Isobell Mitchell future spous to Walter Stewart in Ryland of all and haill the landis of muriehill and herodhill and presented be Mr George Leyth minister at Bethelme upon the twentie day of November 1643
Translation (original in Latin)

In God's name Amen. By this present public instrument be it clearly known and made manifest to all men that upon the sixth true day of November, in the year of the incarnation of the Lord 1643, and the nineteenth year of the reign of Our Sovereign Lord Charles, by the grace of God King of Great Britain, France, and Ireland and defender of the faith, In the presence of me, notary public, and the witnesses named below, compeared personally a discreet man, Patrick Stewart, brother of Thomas Stewart of Ryland, specially constituted bailie on behalf of Walter Stewart in Ryland, also his brother, for his precept of sasine, described below, to the ground and soil of the below-written lands etc., And at the same time also compeared Mr Arthur Mitchell, lawful son of Mr Thomas Mitchell, minister of Turriff, as attorney and in the name of Isobell Mitchell, his sister and the future spouse of the said Walter Stewart, and established his power as attorney sufficiently and clearly to me, notary public underwritten, Having and holding in his hands a charter made, given, and granted by the said Walter Stewart in Ryland, with the special consent and assent of the said Thomas Stewart of Ryland, his brother and immediate superior in the lands described below, to the said Isobell Mitchell in liverent for all the days of her life, and in fee to the children legitimately procreated between her and the said Walter, or there being none, reverting again to the said Walter, his heirs, and assigns whatsoever, Of all and whole the touns and lands of Muiryhill and Herod Hill together with the [glebariis] of Moss of Muriehill, the [maneries loco do---ibus], buildings, gardens, tofts, crofts, outseats, inseats, parts, pendicles, and pertiments thereof whatsoever, accordingly as the dependencies are possessed and occupied by the tenants, [hegrasmen], and possessors thereof, lying within the the parish of Alvah and the sheriffdom of Banff, which lands are in fact [impignoratae] to the said Walter by the said Thomas Stewart his brother, with consent of Marjorie Gordonne his wife, in return for 3000 pounds money of this kingdom of Scotland. Other clauses are also contained in the said charter. The said Mr. Thomas Mitchell, as attorney and [eo nomine quo supra dicto Ballivo in hac parte] indeed presented this charter, containing the precept of sasine, and delivered the same [requiren--- pro debita executione eiusdem sibi fienda], Whereby indeed the bailie ([annuens?] his request) accepted the said charter in his hands and handed the same over to me, notary public underwritten, to be read through, made public, and interpreted in common language to the [astantibus] witnesses. The tenor of which precept of sasine, contained in the said charter, follows and is as follows: I greet you, my most beloved, my brother Patrick Stewart and my truly, jointly, and severally specially constituted bailies in this behalf whomsoever, and with the consent of the aforesaid, I firmly commit [q---tus visis p---ntibus indilatae] estate, sasine, liverent, and real, actual, and corporal possession of all and whole the abovewritten touns and lands of Muiryhill and Herod Hill together with the [glebariis] of Moss of Muiryhill, the [maneries loco do---ibus], buildings, gardens, tofts, crofts, outseats, inseats, parts, pendicles, and pertinents thereof lying as above to the before-named Isobell Mitchell or really her attorney [p---ntium latori] by handing over and delivering of earth and stone of the ground of the said lands [re---] in his hands as is customary according to the form and tenor of the foresaid matrimonial contract and [sub reversione] that the said lands are redeemable by the said Thomas Stewart [eiusque prescriptorum] by payment or consignment of the foresaid sum of three thousand pounds of money aforesaid [modo et forma in dicto contractu Impignorationis et alienationis earundem ac in] . . .