James Stuart CB of Gracehill

[Gilby]

you seem to be the only one doing actual reearch on them.

Why in the last 40 years didn't someone even look to see who the one at Trinity was and from where??   LIMERICK.

I haven’t really researched these Stuarts yet, but I probably will eventually, hence my interest in the thread.  For now, I’m just trying to help out.  I have done some work on the Stewarts of Ballintoy, but they’re only connected by marriage.

I didn’t look up Trinity record because I wasn’t interested and/or hadn’t the time.  Perhaps the OP didn’t know about Alumni Dublinensis.  Also, I wasn’t born 40 years ago

In defence of Amy Young, she does discuss where Henry Stuart and the Irwins were from later in her book.  I just hadn't had the time to read that far when I posted the extract.

Hutchinson's Legacy had to be dealt with in London and terms changed ... What year was it and What was outcome?

See below:

Hutchinson died in 1740.  The Dobbs report was done in the 1790s.  Betham didn’t come to Ireland till about 1805.

Francis Dobbs was married to one of the Stewarts, so that probably helped him.  A lot of the research seems to have been done by interviewing people about their families.

Did you read George's Will ?  Anything interesting in it?

Haven't read it!

Not yet!  I’ve made a note so I will get to it when I’m next researching the Stewarts. 

[JonBoody]

Hello,

I’ve been reading through this thread and I was hoping perhaps someone in this group might be able to assist with a project I’m working on. I am looking for the parents of Martha Stewart, born probably in the early 1680s and the wife of Walter Lindsay of Cahoo, Co. Tyrone. I have a copy of a letter she wrote to her cousin, Rev. Richard Dobbs of Trinity College, in 1730 (via PRONI). Rev. Dobbs, by all accounts, was the son of a Mary Stewart of Ballintoy. With that I am making the leap that Martha’s father was a brother of Mary Stewart. Online genealogies suggest she had one brother named Archibald, who had two sons, Rev. Archibald and Alexander. In the letter Martha mentioned visiting with “Doc (Deacon?) Stewart and his bro Alick”, whom I am assuming are the two sons of Archibald. Given the wording of this, Martha was probably not their sister, but clearly she and Richard Dobbs were familiar with them and were likely closely related. This implies that Mary and Archibald Stewart had another brother who would be Martha’s father.

In all of the research on the Ballintoy Stewarts has anyone come across more detail on this particular branch? Any and all suggestions or hints would be welcome and greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

[Gilby]

I can't answer your question exactly, but I'll send you a PM!

[Gilby]

I found a ref to a tablet
https://archive.org/stream/ulsterjournalofa05ulst/ulsterjournalofa05ulst_djvu.txt
(4) I have seen a very interesting note in the handwriting of the late Charles G. Stuart, J. P., Ballyhivistock, wherein he traces his family to a Robert Stuart, a relative to James I., who obtained lands in the County Cavan at the Plantation. His grandson William raised at his own expense a regiment, still known as "Stuart's Regiment," which fought under William III., but the expenses of which the king never refunded. Rev. Irwin Stuart was his grandson, and the present Charles M'D. Stuart, is great grandson of the erstwhile curate of Derrykeighan. There is a tablet in the parish church " to the memory of Major-General James Stuart, C.B., after nearly fifty years of Indian service, during many of which he filled the arduous and responsible office of Military .Secretary to the Government. This veteran soldier returned to his native land, where, on the 19th July, i8s9, aged 75 years, he fell asleep, full of faith in the atoning blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.

I've just bought Thomas Camac's History of the Parish of Derrykeighan (1908, reprinted 1930), where he goes into a bit more detail than he did in the UJA article:

I have copied a very interesting document in the hand-writing of the late Chas. Geo. Stuart, Ballyhivistock, in which he traces his lineage thus – Robert Stuart got a grant of that part of Co. Cavan now in the possession of Lord Farnham, from his relative James I.  He was drowned in the passage between Calais and Dover, returning from the Court of the King of Sardinia, where he was sent as Ambassador.  His grandson William succeeded to the grant and lands, and took an active part in the Revolution, raised the 9th Foot, still called Stuart’s Regiment, and fought at the siege of Derry and the battles of Aughrim and the Boyne in support of King William.  From the very heavy cost of raising and paying this regiment, the charge of which William never refunded him, he was obliged to sell the estate, and his son William succeeded him, who had several sons and daughters, and Irwin Stuart (curate of Derrykeighan), his grandson, came with his sister, Mrs. McDaniel, to Ballylough and Bellisle, and had issue James Chas. McDaniel (rector of Dunluce), Archie and Christopher, and several daughters.  James’ issue – Henry Irwin, William, died as captain of Artillery, and James in India and daughters.  Charles McDaniel’s issue – Samuel, Charles, James, and Eliza.  Archibald, three sons and four daughters, all the sons died – Charles as a lieutenant in the Marines, and Alexander as a lieutenant in the 32nd Regiment at Corfu, and Archie in the West Indies.

This may be supplemented by saying that there is a tablet in Dervock Church which reads, “To the memory of Major-General James Stuart, C.B., after nearly 50 years of Indian service during many of which he filled the arduous and responsible office of military secretary to the Government.  This veteran soldier returned to his native land where, on the 19th July, 1859, aged 75 years, he fell asleep, full of faith in the atoning blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.”  Major General James Stuart, Staff Officer, Londonderry, is buried in Dervock churchyard, and was brother of Chas. Geo. Stuart.  It may here be mentioned that the last-named gentleman’s son, Leslie, has lately been appointed to the distinguished position of Rear-Admiral in the British Navy.
                                                                                             
Many of the details don't match, but there was a Colonel William Stewart, commander of the 9th Regiment:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Steuart_(British_Army_officer)

[Benody1921]

Ohh good find!! I’ve seen some of that before but not with so many details. I was hoping to find the Burke’s Peerage of 1958 edition but it’s not available online. It apparently has more on this Stuart line.

[Gilby]

It's probably Burke's "Landed Gentry of Ireland" 1958 you need (maybe that's what you meant?).  I was trying to find a copy the other day myself, but gave up.

Here's another extract from Camac's History of Derrykeighan:

[p67]  BALLYNAFEIGH AND MONTRAGEE were held by Thomas Bourke nearly two hundred years ago, but were shortly afterwards sold to John Henry, of Brevallin, by Lord Antrim.  Henry, who lived at Cloverhill, was High Sheriff for the County in 1763, and kept extensive bleaching concerns at the Livery.  His tombstone in Ballymoney churchyard is inscribed thus:

   Here lieth the Remains of
   John Henry Esq
   Who died 27 February 1773
Aged 73 years.  Also Margaret Henry
   His wife who died 11th of June 1802 aged 79 years
Also Alexander Henry Esq.
Son of the above who died 13th Jan 1810
Aged 55 years.

Archibald Stewart, of Mostragee (brother of Rev. C. McDaniel Stewart, Rector of Dunluce) married Henry’s daughter, and had issue Elizabeth, who married Rev. Robert Longhead, minister of Second Presbyterian congregation, Ballymoney.  Margaret married Daniel McKay, of Mosside, Fanny married Captain Hall, and Jane married Dr. Beatty, whose daughter married to ____ Hanna, agent to Lord Antrim.

According to Three Hundred Years in Innishowen, Archibald Stewart married Jane, daughter of Alexander Henry.  The dates may make more sense if she was his sister.

[Benody1921]

Yes! Burke’s Landed Gentry is what I meant. I think they are available at some libraries but none close to me so that’s too bad. I should contact my library and ask if they can have it sent over from another. Not sure if that’s possible especially with the pandemic.

It seems you’ve really hit the jackpot. Thanks so much for sharing.

Do you know if the project going on in to restore the lost records will include Wills?

[Gilby]

Do you mean the project to "restore" the archives destroyed in 1922?  It is an exciting project, and it probably will include some wills, but they can't recreate the many unique records which were destroyed, only those for which copies were stored elsewhere.

Just following up on Archibald Stewart/Stuart of Mostragee...

Belfast Newsletter, 17th Sep 1811:
On the 4th instant, Mr. WM. BEATTIE, Surgeon, Dervock, to the agreeable Miss JANE STUART, daughter of Archibald Stuart, Esq Portrush.

[Benody1921]

Looking at Jane Henry and Archibald Stuart. It makes a lot more sense for Jane to have been Alexander Henry’s sister and not his daughter. She was supposedly born in 1750 and he in 1755.