The Stewarts lived
in a picturesque area of the Scottish Highlands between the Rivers Tay and Tummell near Strathtay.
On the high banks of the Tay, Little Clochfoldich is named as the birthplace of our Stewart family and later records show that William Steuart, their father was also born on Clochfoldich estate in 1780 at Clochfoldich, to parents James Steuart and Margaret Walker or Margaret Fergusson in 1777.
In 1814 an extensive census of Stewarts of the Athol area revealed that William Stewart and his three daughters, his father, James Stewart with two sons and four daughters, and William’s sister Isobell lived at Little Clochfoldich. One of the grandchildren of William Stewart, John Stewart was also born there in 1836. The heiress of the estate of Clochfoldich since 1833, Janet (Jessie) Wilhemina Maxwell Stewart married William Bowie Campbell in Logierait on 5/4/1838 and later the estate was sold to the Robertson family .
At some point in the late 1830’s William Stewart, a widower, moved to Scone, Perthshire and was still working as a shoemaker in the 1841 census. He had a son named Robert Stewart who married Elizabeth Stewart. Their names were the same though not related directly.
Janet (Jessie), Margaret and her husband John Connolly and John Stewart departed Dundee in Scotland to emigrate to Australia on the ‘Anne Milne’, in September 1841 and landed in Sydney cove on 17th January 1842. Margaret Stewart must have married shortly before the voyage as she was living with her father William and infant niece Elisabeth in the 1841 census.
John Connolly was a wheelwright, from Kings County (Offaly) in Ireland. William Stewart was listed as a parent as a parent and Margaret Livingstone, mother of the ‘Anne Milne’ trio, was listed as a deceased parent on the ship records. Unknown to the Australian family at the time, their step-sister Elisabeth and husband Robert Stewart and family members may have watched their boat depart Scotland’s shoreline.
On the high banks of the Tay, Little Clochfoldich is named as the birthplace of our Stewart family and later records show that William Steuart, their father was also born on Clochfoldich estate in 1780 at Clochfoldich, to parents James Steuart and Margaret Walker or Margaret Fergusson in 1777.
In 1814 an extensive census of Stewarts of the Athol area revealed that William Stewart and his three daughters, his father, James Stewart with two sons and four daughters, and William’s sister Isobell lived at Little Clochfoldich. One of the grandchildren of William Stewart, John Stewart was also born there in 1836. The heiress of the estate of Clochfoldich since 1833, Janet (Jessie) Wilhemina Maxwell Stewart married William Bowie Campbell in Logierait on 5/4/1838 and later the estate was sold to the Robertson family .
At some point in the late 1830’s William Stewart, a widower, moved to Scone, Perthshire and was still working as a shoemaker in the 1841 census. He had a son named Robert Stewart who married Elizabeth Stewart. Their names were the same though not related directly.
Janet (Jessie), Margaret and her husband John Connolly and John Stewart departed Dundee in Scotland to emigrate to Australia on the ‘Anne Milne’, in September 1841 and landed in Sydney cove on 17th January 1842. Margaret Stewart must have married shortly before the voyage as she was living with her father William and infant niece Elisabeth in the 1841 census.
John Connolly was a wheelwright, from Kings County (Offaly) in Ireland. William Stewart was listed as a parent as a parent and Margaret Livingstone, mother of the ‘Anne Milne’ trio, was listed as a deceased parent on the ship records. Unknown to the Australian family at the time, their step-sister Elisabeth and husband Robert Stewart and family members may have watched their boat depart Scotland’s shoreline.
Historical Backdrop of Athol Stewarts
The history of the
Clochfoldich Estate is that it was the original Seat of Alexander Stewart, Esquire of Clochfoldich, grandfather of Janet
Stewart, and Seats of estates of Killiechassie,
Blackhill, and Derculich, are all descendants of Mr Robert Stewart, Minister of
Killin, commonly called Curan an tsaghail, of the House of Cluny and
Atholl. Whilst our Stewarts listed their religion as Roman Catholics in the Ann Milne ship
records, it is unknown if they had any
association with these Stewarts of Clochfoldich
listed in the Scottish Catholic church archives. Since the 1745 Battle of Culloden massacre,
the Catholic religion was not openly practised
in Perthshire until the 19th century when there was a influx
of Irish immigrants. It may have been an
act of defiance that the Stewarts listed their religion as Catholics on the
ship’s records as they never practised Catholism in Australia. The Catholic Stewarts were in danger of
being murdered after Culloden for supporting Bonnie Prince Charlie’s bid for
the return of a Stewart king to the throne.
The main estate house of Clochfoldich
was firstly the hereditary estate of
Alexander Stewart 1st of Clochfoldich and Margaret Stewart of
the Urrard Stewart family and secondly of their son, Robert 2nd of Clochfoldich and Susan Fleming from Dull, and thirdly Alexander Stewart 3rd
of Clochfoldich and Wilhemina Maxwell.
Their daughter Janet Stewart became the heiress of the estate. Robert and Susan Stewart had a son James but
he was born on 1/12/1762 which made him too young to be the father of our
William Stewart b. 1777.
There was
certainly no immediate connection to the Minister of Killin, Robert Stewart b.
1650 but there is a remote possibility that our ‘Steuarts’ living on one of his
estates and also having a trade as a shoemaker and son, a carpenter were
supported in some way as trades were very expensive in that era as mostly
children grew up to be agricultural labourers or factory workers. The Minister of Killin was the fifth son and 8th of 9
children born to James Stewart, 1st of Wester Cluny put him well
out of contention of an inherited estate which was the birthright of his eldest
brother Alexander 2nd of Wester Cluny. His other elder brothers John b. 1643,
James, b. 1647 and William, b. 1648 do
not appear to have estates either.
However, the Minister of Killin, did procure estates for each of his four
sons, James, b.1683 (Killichasie),
Duncan , b. 1688 (Blackhill), Alexander,
b. 1689 (Clochfoldich) and Robert,
b. 1704 (Derculich). All estates
were upstream of Clochfoldich estate.
The funding of these estates was an area of great contention with the
Catholic church, the history of which is on public record.
The Royal connection
with the Minister of Killin’s family is through the King Robert II’s brother
Alexander, the Wolf of Badendoch or Earl of Buchan. The Minister of Killin was the son of James 1st of Wester Cluny was the son of Alexander 5th
of Bonskeid who was the son of John Stewart 4th of Bonskeid who was
the son of James Stewart 3rd of Bonskeid who was the son of
Alexander Stewart 1st of Bonskeid, who was the son of John Gorm
Stewart of Fortingall, who was the son of James Stewart of Fortingall and
Garth, who was the second son of Alexander Stewart b. 1343, the Wolf of
Badenoch and 1st Earl of Buchan.
The ruins of the Castle of Garth are near Killichasie upstream on the
Tay River from Clochfoldich. Also at
Killichasie there is a tree under which it is reported that Bonnie Prince
Charlie spent the night. Also at the
entrance to Killichasie there is a famous tree, a sycamore which is known to be
the first to bud in the United Kingdom, even before the Cornwall sycamores which
is highly unusual.
This clan of Atholl
Stewarts was distinct from the Appin Stewarts who also had highland Royal
connections to the English Stuarts and were related to John of Bonkyll, the
grand uncle of King Robert 2, and brother of his grandfather,
James Stewart. There is more
than a rumour in our family history that our
Stewarts are Appin Stewarts but there does not appear to be any
proof for this in the history given by
family members in the 1817 census as they associated as being
‘old Athol family’ of
Stewarts. The only substantiation
for this would be related to the Earl of Athol, son of Black Lord of Lorn,
James Stewart who married King Robert’s widow Jean Beaufort, and was the son of
John of Bonkyll. A great historian,
writer and journalist James Irvine
Robertson was asked by a member of our Stewart family the
question of the ‘old Atholl’ roots and he replied that it is possible these
Stewarts relate from the Earl of Athol.
He also replied that regardless of that connection, any Stewarts living
in Perthshire are related as younger sons of younger sons of the Wolf of Badendoch. The whole River Tay area has evidence of
ancient Kings as not far away, downsteam of the Tay, is the
mythical setting of Macbeth. There is
one remaining old oak at Dunkeld which is supposed to be the last of the forest
of Birnam Woods. Banquo was supposedly
a Stewart whose descendants ascended the throne.
Tracing the
Scottish history of the Stewarts was simplified by the discovery of a Stewart
census of 1817 published on the internet:
List of Stewarts of Atholl and
their descendants collected by David Stewart of Garth in 1817[1]. This list aimed to identify the ancestral
branch of each Stewart household and covered the area of our Stewarts.
In Clochfoldich, William, James and Isabell Stewart were identified as being from an Old Athol family. Isabell Stewart is possibly the sister of William Stewart and another possibility to be explored is that James Stewart is William’s father. Two further Stewart households in 1817 in Clochfoldich were John Stewart of the Bonkseid family and Elizabeth; Jean Stewart of the Foss House Family of Stewarts. It was quite usual in those times to have a daughter or son working in a relative’s home as a servant so there is often a variety of different family groups under the one roof. In the census, the children were not recorded except for the number of sons and daughter of each household. William’s household record for Clochfoldich listed 3 daughters. James household record listed 2 sons and 4 daughters with a notation about one son and daughter which could mean that they are married or have left the area.
In Clochfoldich, William, James and Isabell Stewart were identified as being from an Old Athol family. Isabell Stewart is possibly the sister of William Stewart and another possibility to be explored is that James Stewart is William’s father. Two further Stewart households in 1817 in Clochfoldich were John Stewart of the Bonkseid family and Elizabeth; Jean Stewart of the Foss House Family of Stewarts. It was quite usual in those times to have a daughter or son working in a relative’s home as a servant so there is often a variety of different family groups under the one roof. In the census, the children were not recorded except for the number of sons and daughter of each household. William’s household record for Clochfoldich listed 3 daughters. James household record listed 2 sons and 4 daughters with a notation about one son and daughter which could mean that they are married or have left the area.
Original parish
records reveal that William Stewart, father of John Stewart of Bald Hills
married at least twice. But firstly to
identify William Stewart, shoemaker of Clochfoldich, Scotland’s people – parish
records were consulted. From the census
of 1840 in Scone where William had moved, his age was rounded to 60 which means
his birth year was approximately 1780.
There were two choices:
1. William born 23 July, 1780 to James Stewart and Margaret Walker in Balendune, Clochfoldich, (just north of the main house) This date is closer to the 1841 census where William is noted as being 60 years old.) or
2. William b. 20 July 1777 and
baptised 22/7/1777 to James Steuart and
Margaret Fergusson in Wester Clochfoldich. (Just west of the main house.)
1877 Marriage of James Stewart and Margaret Walker
1880 Logierait Parish, Scotland
After, a visit to
Cloichfoldich and visiting Little
Cloichfoldich which is also known as Upper Cloichfoldich, it is apparent that
Balinduin or Balendune is not the same place but another house on the
Cloichfoldich estate. This rules out
William No. 1 as other parish marriage records
definitely describe William as living at Little Clochfoldich. Also William and Margaret Fergusson
married at Blair Atholl which also associates them as an old Athol family
rather than at Derculich and Logierait where William and Margaret Walker
married. It may of course have been
because Margaret Fergusson lived at Kincraigie near Blair Atholl.
The marriage in
Blair Athol is:
James Steuart of Wester Clochfoldich, Logierait Parish and Margaret Ferguson of Kincraigie married on 26/8/1776. (Kincraigie is outide Blair Athol)
Other recorded
siblings, consistent with living at Wester Clochfoldich are:
William Steuart
b. 20/7/1777 (our ancestor)
Isobel Steuart bap. 26/4/1779
Isobel Steuart bap. 26/4/1779
Grizel
Steuart bap. 31/5/1781
John Steuart bap. 8/2/1784
Note:
First son is named for the Father's Father.
Second son is named for the Mother's Father.
Third son is named for the Father's Father's Father.
Fourth son is named for the Mother's Mother's Father.
Fifth son is named for the Father's Mother's Father.
Sixth son is named for the Mother's Father's Father.
Seventh through Tenth sons are named for the Father's Great-Grandfathers.
Tenth through Fourteenth sons for the Mother's Great-Grandfathers.
First daughter is named for the Mother's Mother.
Second daughter is named for the Father's Mother.
Third daughter is named for the Mother's Father's Mother.
Fourth daughter is named for the Father's Father's Mother.
Fifth daughter is named for the Mother's Mother's Mother.
Sixth daughter is named for the Father's Mother's Mother.
Seventh through tenth daughters are named for the Mother's Great-Grandmothers.
Tenth through fourteenth daughters for the Father's Great-Grandmothers.
NOTES:
In some cases you will find that the order is reversed with the first and second children, i.e. the first-born son being named after the mother's father and the second-born son after the father's father. If this is the case then the daughters are also usually reversed.
You will also find instances where a child is named 'out of pattern', after an aunt or uncle who has died, or after an admired other relative or friend of the parent.
If a child dies in infancy, his or her name is often given to a subsequent child - a natural consequence of the high birth rate and infant mortality rates of past times.
These are only general guidelines and were certainly not always followed.
John Steuart bap. 8/2/1784
Note:
First son is named for the Father's Father.
Second son is named for the Mother's Father.
Third son is named for the Father's Father's Father.
Fourth son is named for the Mother's Mother's Father.
Fifth son is named for the Father's Mother's Father.
Sixth son is named for the Mother's Father's Father.
Seventh through Tenth sons are named for the Father's Great-Grandfathers.
Tenth through Fourteenth sons for the Mother's Great-Grandfathers.
First daughter is named for the Mother's Mother.
Second daughter is named for the Father's Mother.
Third daughter is named for the Mother's Father's Mother.
Fourth daughter is named for the Father's Father's Mother.
Fifth daughter is named for the Mother's Mother's Mother.
Sixth daughter is named for the Father's Mother's Mother.
Seventh through tenth daughters are named for the Mother's Great-Grandmothers.
Tenth through fourteenth daughters for the Father's Great-Grandmothers.
NOTES:
In some cases you will find that the order is reversed with the first and second children, i.e. the first-born son being named after the mother's father and the second-born son after the father's father. If this is the case then the daughters are also usually reversed.
You will also find instances where a child is named 'out of pattern', after an aunt or uncle who has died, or after an admired other relative or friend of the parent.
If a child dies in infancy, his or her name is often given to a subsequent child - a natural consequence of the high birth rate and infant mortality rates of past times.
These are only general guidelines and were certainly not always followed.
No research has been undertaken to know if the
following are siblings or parents of James Stewart:
Robert Stewart of Killychassie
Donald of Drumcharie
Ann of Killichragie
Robert Stewart of Killychassie
Donald of Drumcharie
Ann of Killichragie
Stewart, b. 1778 to
Donald and Janet Scott. I can
find no evidence in the parish records to support these alternative parents of
William. If Alexander or Donald were his
parents then this name would have been used in the descendants and I cannot see
evidence of this as a major name sequence. One of the younger sons of John and Jean Stewart was named
Alexander after Alexander Caldwell (the minister at the Bald Hills Presbyterian
church). Also John Stewart’s sister
Janet and Thomas Gray had an Alexander as a 6th of 7 children. In Rev. James Stewart’s eulogy for his
father, John Stewart, his birthplace is
Strathtay (close to Clochfoldich). The
parish of Logierait is the nearest registration for Births, Marriages and
Deaths in this district. There are quite
a few buildings in Upper Clochfoldich, Clochfoldich and the Laigh of
Clochfoldich, Cloch Cottage and Red Gate Cottage. When Jessie or Jane Stewart, daughter of
John Stewart married Samuel Latham, their farm at Murgon was named Red Gate.
Whether there was a family connection with Red Gate cottage/farm at Clochfoldich is unknown.
Robert Stewart,
husband of William’s daughter Elizabeth
b. 1809 identifies as being born at
EdraDynate so could be one of these estate families. Still in the search for William’s ancesters
a search from Scotland’s people from 1770 until 1820 for
Ste?art births of James Ste?art
and Margaret revealed:
Possible births of
Margaret Fergusson who lived at Kincraigie near Blair Atholl at the time of her marriage
are:
Or if she was from
Logierait
Out of these three
choices, the Blair Atholl is more likely as she stated she was from Kincraigie
at her marriage and the 1751 Margaret would be 25 at marriage which is more
likely.
James has the
possibility of being the son of John Steuart and Ann McLagen of Easter
Auchnagie bap. 13/1/1755. He would be
21 at the marriage and his wife would be older in both of the cases above Another child born to this couple spelt their
name Steuart. Really we are into
speculation here so it is not worth pursuing this back any further.
Of these entries
it seems that William’s sister, Isobell or
Bell remained at Clochfoldich and possibly William’s daughters Mary Stewart was a servant at Killichassie
house as she would be 28 at this time and ages were rounded down to 25. The fact that she has an independent income
may indicate that the family was quite well off at one point.
Another possibility is that John Stewart of
Cloch Cottage may have apprenticed our Australian John Stewart as he is a Wright and there are two
possibilities for our John Stewart, the first is a Wright living in Perth and
the second is a Joiner living in Glasgow.
The Robertson family are obviously the new owners of the estate. The other interesting entry is for Donald
Livingston who could be the brother of Margaret Livingstone (the second wife of
William Stewart). There was no definite
census entry for Janet or Jessy Stewart.
Also John Conolly, Margaret’s husband was not found nearby or in the
whole of Scotland. He may not have been
in the country at that point in time.
Probably the more likely scenario with our ancestor John Stewart is that
he was the journeyman Wright in Perth which is not far from Scone.
The other entries are for daughters Elizabeth Stewart in Burnside, Cargill and
Jean Crichton in Kinclaven. Margaret
Stewart was living with her father William Stewart, shoemaker in Scone. His grand-daughter Elisabeth (Elizabeth’s
daughter) was also with them at the time.
I know nothing about Mary Stewart b. 1813 but it is possible that if she
did not marry then she could be a servant at Killichasie house as this estate
is connected with Clochfoldich. These
family members of William Stewart were not from the same marriage so his two
marriages are now researched. Matching
with ship records in 1841, Janet Stewart, a nurse maid and John Stewart, a
carpenter, arrived as singles and both stated they could read and write. The middle sister, Margaret Stewart, a
seamstress, was already married to John Connolly, a wheelwright. Occupations listed may not be accurate
because the new colony required certain skills and census records in 1841 and
ship record occupations often do not
match
William’s Marriages in Clochfoldich
His first marriage
on 28 February 1808 at Logierait to Elizabeth Erskine of Derculich in the Dull
Parish (just slightly to the south of Clochfoldich) . Elizabeth was the mother
of his three daughters: Elizabeth b.
1808, Jean b. 1809 and Mary b. 1813, the same year Elizabeth Erskine died. William is listed as a shoemaker of Little
Clochfoldich on the marriage record.
Verification of Elizabeth Erskine’s
possible birth in Bailntium to Alexander Eskine and Ispol McGregor was
found. This would make her 16 at her
marriage if the baptism was a couple of days after the birth but her birth date
is not given. This is possible and she
was the only Elizabeth Erskine found in the Perthshire area. The birth area was not at Derculich though
but at Bailtuim, not far downstream of
the Tay. This would make William about
31 at the marriage.
Unfortunately,
even though there was an extensive search done, none of the daughters were
found in the Parish records. I know they
exist from ancestral records on ancestry.com and this has now been verified
since contact with the GatheringGardiners blogspot compiled by
Kent. William’s grand-daughter Margaret
Stewart married Robert Gardiner in Liverpool harbour on the emigration path to
Salt Lake City, Utah. Margaret is
Elizabeth and Robert Stewart’s daughter.
There is an extended history on this site relating to Margaret
Gardiner’s family.
The only parish
record regarding this first family is the marriage of Jean Stewart b. 1809 and
James Crighton or Crichton. Certainly there was family history mentioning a
sister left behind in Scotland named Jean who married James Crichton. At
John Stewart’s funeral in 1905 there was a Mr Crichton Stewart in
attendance which verifies the connection with Jean Stewart.
The marriage
of Elizabeth and Robert Stewart could
not be found in Perth parish records,
Catholic records, or Blair Atholl records. It is unknown if Mary Stewart b. 1813 married
or not.
Elizabeth Stewart
died sometime in 1813 or 1814. William
had re-married by December 1814 to Margaret Livingstone at Redgorton, near
Scone. He obviously did not live at
Scone then as the family of Margaret and William were born at Little Clochfoldich.
It is possible
that Margaret Livingstone is the daughter of John Livingstone and Margaret
McDonald born at the Brea of Tullipourie on 8th August, 1779. This would make her two years younger than
William at this second marriage.
The only John Livingstone of Logierait marriage
I could find in the area was to Margaret McDougall of Fortingall parish in
1768. This could have been a first
marriage for John as well as many childbirth related deaths occurred
There is a Donald
Livingston living at Clochfoldich in 1841 who could possibly be Margaret’s
brother but Margaret Livingstone died prior to the 1841 census so no information can be verified unless that
record is found. In the United Kingdom,
births, marriages and deaths were compulsory since 1837 but the Scottish
records were not necessarily the same. A
brief look in the official records of Scotland did not reveal any deaths. It is possible that Margaret and John
Connoly’s marriage is in the official records of Scotland not the parish
records.
The Stewart Family’s Arrival in Australia
Probably the very
best account that could be given of the conditions in a penal colony at the
time they arrived is that written by Charles Duncan, the brother of John Stewart’s
wife – Jane Duncan. This article is pasted at the end of the document. Charles
made no mention of the fact that two of his siblings youngest sister Ann, and
eldest brother James, died on the
voyage, his baby sister Ann and eldest brother James Duncan. The Duncan family headed to the Hunter Valley
soon after arriving in Sydney. John
Stewart joined them later after earning some money working as a carpenter. Charles Duncan’s father, James, was employed as a convict overseer and
saw some terrible scenes with convicts being ill-treated. The push factor for Charles and his brother
David to leave the Hunter Valley was the
constant floods. The pull factor was
brother in law Thomas Gray who was
settled in Brisbane and informed them of new allotments at Bald Hills on the
outskirts of Brisbane. Charles
Duncan did not stay long farming at Bald
Hills and moved on to other ventures but David Blackether Duncan also married to an
unrelated Stewart from the Fort William area of Scotland and John Stewart and Jane Duncan remained in
the area. The area they settled was
pin-marked for a settlement to support a proposed large port at the nearby
coastal area of Bramble Bay where Sandgate now is located.
John Stewart and Jane Duncan Stewart – first settlers
at Bald Hills, Brisbane
After their
experiences on the Hunter River, the settlers selected the higher ground for
their farms, erecting their first houses [apparently slab and bark] on the low
ridge above the South Pine River where St Peter's Anglican School is now
situated. Fearing attack from
Aborigines, their houses were loop-holed for rifles and located within sight of
each other. These precautions proved
unnecessary, for at the request of Thomas Gray and other settlers in the area
between Cabbage Tree Creek and Caboolture, a detachment of Native Police was
stationed at Sandgate from 1858 to 1862.
Under the command of Lieutenant Frederick Wheeler, the Native Police
eliminated Aboriginal resistance to white settlement in the Pine Rivers,
Cabbage Tree Creek and Caboolture districts by the early 1860s.
The Stewart and
Duncan families cleared the gentle slopes along the South Pine River for their
crops. By the end of the 1860s most of
the valuable stands of red cedar and hoop pine in the Bald Hills district had
been removed, although much scrub remained.
Through the 1860s, 1870s and 1880s maize, potatoes and some oaten and
wheaten hay were the principal cash crops, and John Stewart had early
experimented with arrowroot and cotton, for which he won bronze and silver
medals at the London International Exhibition of 1862. Following the opening of a railway to Bald
Hills in 1888, dairying became the principal economic activity in the district. By 1929, dairy farmers at Bald Hills were
supplying up to 1000 gallons of milk daily to Brisbane and Sandgate.
John Stewart and
his family were well respected in the Bald Hills community and active members
of the local Presbyterian church, John serving as an Elder for nearly 40
years. The earliest Presbyterian
services in the Bald Hills district were conducted at the Stewart home until a
small slab and shingled church was erected in 1863 at the corner of the
Strathpine and Bald Hills roads. In 1889
the slab church was replaced by a
Little Cloichfoldich
The gamekeepers house at Little Clochfoldich. A gamekeeper (often abbreviated to keeper) is a person who manages an area of countryside to make sure there is enough game for shooting, or fish for angling, and who actively manages areas of woodland, moorland, waterway or farmland for the benefit of game birds, deer, fish and wildlife in general.
Barn at Little Clochfoldich
Ballechin Stewarts
This is the Catholic Church that I believe was once in ownership of Ballechin Steuarts. It is under private ownership and is being restored. It has Stewart graves dating back to 1700 but we only saw the more recent ones. Our Stewart's said they were Catholics so highly likely that they attended this church when able to as catholism was outlawed after Jacobite revolution for a while. It is the Ballechin Steuarts that have a different lineage to the rest of the Stewarts in that area who are descendants of Robert or Alexander? Stewart a younger son of James the 3rd. Ballechin Stewart's are an illegitimate son of James 2nd. James the 2nd brother is John of Bonkyll and he I think is from the Appin Stewarts. So that is maybe why it has been stated that William Stewart was more an Appin Stewart. In their lines John and William and James appear as names rather than Robert and Alexander in the other branch. Anyway my best guess is that these are the old Atholl roots rather than the later generation roots of probably your other ancestor Robert Stewart. There was also an Isabella Steuart at little Clochfoldich census of old Athol roots and the information in the genealogy I posted on Ballechin mention an Isabella Steuart. Also William or his father James ? married at Blair Atholl as it may have been where his ancestors married. Our family have this spelling of Steuart in the old records. This is when others have Stewart written down so it is not just a spelling mistake. Anyway it is an explanation. I think I read Appin Stewart's are related to the current royal family through their descendants but I did not keep the article. You of course have both lines. Also we had that odd connection with Mark being able to relate to them as well through marriage. I think this is because later one of the Ballechin Steuarts was in East India company and so were his ancestors we think and maybe in India there was some marriage connecting the two lines. Our family more say they were from Strathtay but we didn't go there. We went to Logierait. Ballechin estate may have once included Clochfoldich. You would have to look at an old map.
April 8, 2015
Kent
I was very lucky to find your blogspot when doing some research on the Crichtons. I was again looking at your blogspot to find the old map of Perthshire but maybe I googled it on another site. I used to do all my research via old map site but now you have to pay to view. It is the only real way to verify places in the old records. If you can direct me to the map on the site I would be very appreciative.
I am a descendant of John Stewart of Bald Hills, Queensland, Australia. John is the youngest child of William Stewart, shoemaker of Clochfoldich. I certainly had heard about the Crichtons from my aunt Ellie who is the youngest g granddaughter of John Stewart, son on William Stewart of Clochfoldich. No-one seems to have heard of the Elizabeth and Robert Stewart family though nor Mary Stewart. Ellie Williams (nee Latham), my aunt, is very with it and her husband is now 90 and still on the internet. I have told her about finding relatives in USA and she was unaware.
I had found in 2005 that William Steuart married twice on Scotland's people, I think I entered it on my genes-reunited family tree.
1st Marriage: I believe Elizabeth Erskine was born in 1792 circa to Alexander Erskine and Ispol McGregor in Bailntium. Need map to verify how close this is to Clochfoldich. None of the Stewart/Erskine daughters are listed in the records unless they were Catholics. I did know about cousin Jean Crichton and Carmichaels from relatives in Australia. It did not surprise me that there were more from this marriage of William and Elizabeth. I could not find though if youngest sister Mary Stewart 1813 married or died before marriage. Do you know if she lived and married? Elizabeth Erskine died about 1813.
2nd Marriage: Margaret Livingstone was born 8/8/1779 to John Livingstone and Margaret McDonald (possibly McDougall) in Brea of Tulliporrie. I believe McDonald may be a mistaken entry as there were a John Livingstone and Margaret McDougall married nearby at about the same time. The person who recorded the Margaret Livingstone birth wrote Donald down directly under another Donald so may have been confused? It was an extremely messy handwritten entry. Margaret was about the same age as William Stewart whereas in the previous marriage he was 12 years senior to Elizabeth.
William Stewart (our common ancestor) was born 23/7/ 1780 to James Steuart and Margaret Walker in Balenoune Clochfoldich. This is Little Clochfoldich. James Steuart of Clochfoldich and Margaret Walker of Kindaldie in Dull Parish married on 23/2/1777.
I am looking for James Steuart's birth and have four possibilities. They seem to be particular about the spelling of their name as there are other Stewarts about. It is sort of half way to Stuart.
In order of my pick of the three possible parents of James Steuart of Clochfoldich going by placenames of birth. Killichasie, Derculich, Blackhill and Clochfoldich are all linked estates as they were owned by the sons of Rev. Robert Stewart, Minister of Killin who is one of the 6th grandsons of Alexander Stewart, the Wolf of Badenock. The father, Minister of Killin, Robert Stewart also lived at Killichasie.
1. James b. 4/3/1758 to John Steuart and Jannett Anderson of Tomehely of Killichasie. This son would be 19 at the time of marriage to Margaret Walker (again possible). I have seen 19 year olds marry in the extended family. John and Janet featured in later family names so could be this one on that basis as they were very great followers of family names in those days. It would be interesting to know the age of Margaret Walker at marriage. I have not looked for her at Kindaldie, Dull Parish.
2. James 18/5/1759 to George Steuart and Elspeth Stewart of Blackhill . This son would be 17 nearly 18 at marriage to Margaret Walker (unlikely). George and Elspeth does not particularly feature in later names.
3. James born 15/1/1755 to John Steuart and Ann McLagan at Easter Auchnagie. This one would be 21 at marriage to Margaret Walker (probably most likely age-wise but not in other respects). There are no Ann's in family of William Stewart who had 5 daughters and 1 son.
4. James born 30/1/1761 to Laird of Clochfoldich - Robert Stewat 2nd of Clochfoldich and Susan Fleming . This James would only be 16. He was the third son of this couple. There is a chance that a younger son would be living on the estate with his wife but timing may not be right for the ages at marriage .
So going on this maybe it is the John and Jannett of Kilichasie parents as they would more likely move to one of the other son's estates e.g. Clochfoldich.
George and Elspeth of Blackhill are once again living on an estate owned by a brother of the Clochfoldich estate.
John and Ann seem unrelated to the Minister of Killin's estate even though the age is more of a marriagable age.
Robert and Stewart are Laird of Clochfoldich but son seems to young to consider.
In the 1817 census of Stewarts - on James Irvine Robertson website William is living on Clochfoldich estate with James as well (probably his father). They relate as 'old Athol family' rather than one of the big estates. There is also an Isobel Stewart listed as 'old Athol family'. But I think the spelling of Steuart may differentiate them from others.
I do have more research to do but finding your site has helped confirm what I found in 2005.
Anyway, aside from the early research, William and Margaret Stewart's three adult children migrated to Australian in 1841 on the barque - Ann Milne departing from Dundee. They settled firstly in Sydney and Hunter Valley, north of Sydney and then eventually migrated to Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. All stated that their religion was Catholic on the boat but none seemed to practice Catholic religion here.
Janet married Thomas Gray a year of so after settling here. I think he was on boat as well. He started a shoe emporium in Queen/George Street of now City of Brisbane. They lived in George Street. She was a founding member of the Presbyterian church. They had a large family - I have their details.
Margaret married John Connolly before departure so it must have been quick as she was in the 1841 census with William Stewart in Scone and the boat departed in September I think. Could never find their marriage but they hosted Janet as a single woman to Australia. John had a mail run by horseback from Brisbane to Ipswich. He was mysteriously drowned in the Brisbane River one night. They never had children.
John Stewart, carpenter married Jane Duncan whom he met on the boat. The Duncan brothers Charles and David and their wives as well as John and Jane Stewart travelled as first settlers to Bald Hills, (now part of Brisbane) to adjoining farmland. John and Janet had about 10 children. John started the first church/school at Bald Hills to educate I guess mainly family members. I am descended from their daughter Jane Stewart (known as Jessie). They had about 10 children.. I am also in touch on facebook with John Mellor who is related to another John Stewart daughter - Margaret. One of John Stewart's sons - Rev James Stewart started the Brisbane City Mission for homeless people in Brisbane.
I would love to hear from you. I am also interested in doing a blogspot as well as I have so much information on bits of paper and even though I have an extensive family tree on genes reunited. It is not easily accessible for others to view.
Kind Regards,
Sandra
April 12, 2015
Kent
Actually I have had a bit of a research win. It would be very difficult under normal circumstances to actually find the parents of William Steuarts because he fits so naturally with being born about 1780 and the natural parents in Logierait are James Steuart and Margaret Walker of Balenduin, Clochfoldich (which is the next house along). However, this is actually not William's parents because I also was on another site of Atholl Blair marriages. You can go on it from Boronich burial grounds website. I found his parents are really James Steuart of Little Clochfoldich and Margaret Fergusson of Kincraigie (near Blair Atholl). I have looked them up before but I think I was looking for a slightly younger William as he was actually about 31 when he married and the other one was only 27.
I have never been too happy about the Balenduin Clochfoldich birth of James and Margaret as I have been to Clochfoldich and driven up the high hill and past Balenduin to the Keepers Cottage at Little Clochfoldich. Anyway once you search these parents you find other family members including Isobell who lives at Little Clochfoldich as well. I think once we head north of the area it is hard to make those connections I made with the other possible parents of James Steuart but the only one that still is a possibility is the older James out of the list I gave you that was born on the other side of Logierait at Easter Auchnagie but I think it would be too difficult to prove without actual family knowledge. I wonder if the Crichtons kept any family research?
Do you know what happened to Mary???
Anyway I tried to send you my document and its too large so I have to break it up now. I am still on the job though.
Sandra Roome
Try to follow the buildings on the old map to get an idea of where Little Clochfoldich is. Probably William's grave is in Scone or where he last lived with one of his daughters. I would like to know what happened to the third daughter he had to his first wife. Great if you could find her grave but it may be at Derculich - next to Clochfoldich. Can't think of her name at moment but she seems to have disappeared off the books. I also found when I visited the library at Brechin in ANGUS researching the other side of family that there were more local records that did not seem to be on Scotlands people. You could ask if there is a library somewhere that holds local family history records. It’s a pretty remote sort of place with not much going on there so hopefully you will spot a person to ask. The local shop gave me some tips.
Have a great trip,
Sandra
April 14, 2015
Yes I would like to do that have a link to your blog spot. My husband gets back from Perth on Friday so will get him to help me if I can't work it out. Are you on FB at all as I have one very keen Stewart descendant there John Mellor. If you are I am under Sandra Roome and have a red top on. From Brisbane Australia. I found it incredible that I came up with same person twice years later as Williams father.
I have been to Clochfoldich. Many of the photos are our own. You can easily find Clochfoldich on the road going east along the Tay from Logierait. I went to see the estate owner. He was quite friendly. I think he is a MP. I asked him directions to Little Clochfoldich and he told me it was where his keepers house is. The gamekeeper was a bit unfriendly until I told him the owner had said it was ok. No one can stop you walking through these lands though as many are ancient paths and walkers rule in UK. I would take one of the maps I had in my document oh the layout of the estate many years ago as that will guide you to Little Clochfoldich if the gamekeeper doesn't mistake you for grouse before you get there. We also asked about burial grounds around about. There are some we didn't get to but there is a property on the Logierait side of Clochfoldich with a church behind the house with many Stewart Graves. I think it is a Catholic Church which may explain why our Stewarts said they were Catholics. There were lots of Robert and Alexander Stewarts in this graveyard but not our branch that I could see. Worth a look. I asked in a little shop near Clochfoldich. They were impressive graves. She said a few other places but we didn't go. I would go further along That Tay road and you should see Killichasie. I think it belongs to Jk Rowlands of Harry Potter fame. It has a magical tree outside that is a Sycamore that flowers first in UK even beating Cornwall sycamores. Also a tree on Killiechasie estate where Bonnie prince Charlie camped. Derculich Blackhill are also nearby. These are the estates of Minister Of Killin who ripped off his parishioners to fund his estates. Maybe he was fundraising for Bonnie Prince Charlie and it was legit but plenty to read in him in Catholic archives. We didn't venture this way though. We saw the last oak of Birnam forest at Dunkeld by the banks of Tay. I would search for more evidence of our Stewarts at Blair Athol nearby. If they have graveyard. Could not find any relevant Stewart graves at Logierait graveyard. Scone Palace would be good to see but it was closed when we were there. It is the seat of ancient kings and that famous stone that all the Kings coronations was first in Scone. Legend has it that it is still in Scotland not Westminster Abbey. Again you can read about this coronation stone.
Further on the road north from Dunkeld is the Queens residence. balmoral castle. There are ski fields a bit further in if you go in winter. We are going to UK in September for our daughter Amy and Hefin's wedding in Wakes. He is Welsh. Prob won't get a chance to go to Scotland again.
Dundee I didn't go to but that would be on your list as well as Kinclaven. Love to know if you find Williams grave there. We went to Brechin and Lethnot and Navar in where our John Stewarts wife came from.
If I get onto drop box how do I find your link.
There are lots of keen Stewart researchers in Australia but all have different parents for William Stewart. I think technology has helped greatly now to pinpoint in greater accuracy.
July 11, 2015
Well there is a cemetery with a lot of catholic Stewart's at a private Catholic Church in the back of a property. It is a few properties up the road from Clochfoldich towards the town where William worked as a shoemaker called Logerait. It also has a cemetery. From memory it was opposite a little shop on the right hand side. The person in the shop mentioned a few other Stewart graveyards but we ran out of time. Travelling this way the church was on left hand side. Also those relatives of your other Stewart relative are buried at Eradynate I think. No maybe at the main estate which may be this one but once belonged to minister of Killin known as Killiechasie. It now belongs to JK Rowling has some graves of older Stewarts. Also has a really famous sycamore tree that flowers first in UK even beating Cornwall. I think graves are near front of property. These would be of The Minister of Killin and his sons. It is on same road running along banks if River Tay but in opposite direction to Logerait starting at Clochfoldich. Also Bonnie Prince Charlie sheltered under one of the trees in this property.
July 12, 2015
Kent
I did not go to Eradynate estate only Western Clochfoldich or Little Clochfoldich which I believe is the keepers house. The keeper is a bit grumpy though but was okay if you saw owner of main house first. I think he may be a MP.
Try to follow the buildings on the old map to get an idea of where Little Clochfoldich is. Probably William's grave is in Scone or where he last lived with one of his daughters. I would like to know what happened to the third daughter he had to his first wife. Great if you could find her grave but it may be at Derculich - next to Clochfoldich. Can't think of her name at moment but she seems to have disappeared off the books. I also found when I visited the library at Brechin in ANGUS researching the other side of family that there were more local records that did not seem to be on Scotlands people. You could ask if there is a library somewhere that holds local family history records. It’s a pretty remote sort of place with not much going on there so hopefully you will spot a person to ask. The local shop gave me some tips.
Have a great trip,
Sandra
Sandra
July 12, 2015
Kent
I did not go to Eradynate estate only Western Clochfoldich or Little Clochfoldich which I believe is the keepers house. The keeper is a bit grumpy though but was okay if you saw owner of main house first. I think he may be a MP.
July 30, 2015
This is the Catholic Church that I believe was once in ownership of Ballechin Steuarts. It is under private ownership and is being restored. It has Stewart graves dating back to 1700 but we only saw the more recent ones. Our Stewart's said they were Catholics so highly likely that they attended this church when able to as catholism was outlawed after Jacobite revolution for a while. It is the Ballechin Steuarts that have a different lineage to the rest of the Stewarts in that area who are descendants of Robert or Alexander? Stewart a younger son of James the 3rd. Ballechin Stewart's are an illegitimate son of James 2nd. James the 2nd brother is John of Bonkyll and he I think is from the Appin Stewarts. So that is maybe why it has been stated that William Stewart was more an Appin Stewart. In their lines John and William and James appear as names rather than Robert and Alexander in the other branch. Anyway my best guess is that these are the old Atholl roots rather than the later generation roots of probably your other ancestor Robert Stewart. There was also an Isabella Steuart at little Clochfoldich census of old Athol roots and the information in the genealogy I posted on Ballechin mention an Isabella Steuart. Also William or his father James ? married at Blair Atholl as it may have been where his ancestors married. Our family have this spelling of Steuart in the old records. This is when others have Stewart written down so it is not just a spelling mistake. Anyway it is an explanation. I think I read Appin Stewart's are related to the current royal family through their descendants but I did not keep the article. You of course have both lines. Also we had that odd connection with Mark being able to relate to them as well through marriage. I think this is because later one of the Ballechin Steuarts was in East India company and so were his ancestors we think and maybe in India there was some marriage connecting the two lines. Our family more say they were from Strathtay but we didn't go there. We went to Logierait. Ballechin estate may have once included Clochfoldich. You would have to look at an old map.
July 31 2015
Sorry did not see earlier email. I sent you my password for Scotland's people. x is my username. x is probably the password. I have already done these searches so don't pay again. It's highly likely to be the second entry at Little Clochfoldich as that is where they said they were born. The 1841 census is very inaccurate with age due to its rounding rules. I think the Ballenduin William also spells name Steuart from looking at the handwriting Also the fact that James is living at little Clochfoldich at time of census with William and daughters. Probably may have lived in gamekeepers house as it was a couple of hundred years old or else one of homes pulled down. If you can locate Ballechin that would be great.
August 4, 2015Little Cloichfoldich
The gamekeepers house at Little Clochfoldich. A gamekeeper (often abbreviated to keeper) is a person who manages an area of countryside to make sure there is enough game for shooting, or fish for angling, and who actively manages areas of woodland, moorland, waterway or farmland for the benefit of game birds, deer, fish and wildlife in general.
Barn at Little Clochfoldich
Ballechin Stewarts
This is the Catholic Church that I believe was once in ownership of Ballechin Steuarts. It is under private ownership and is being restored. It has Stewart graves dating back to 1700 but we only saw the more recent ones. Our Stewart's said they were Catholics so highly likely that they attended this church when able to as catholism was outlawed after Jacobite revolution for a while. It is the Ballechin Steuarts that have a different lineage to the rest of the Stewarts in that area who are descendants of Robert or Alexander? Stewart a younger son of James the 3rd. Ballechin Stewart's are an illegitimate son of James 2nd. James the 2nd brother is John of Bonkyll and he I think is from the Appin Stewarts. So that is maybe why it has been stated that William Stewart was more an Appin Stewart. In their lines John and William and James appear as names rather than Robert and Alexander in the other branch. Anyway my best guess is that these are the old Atholl roots rather than the later generation roots of probably your other ancestor Robert Stewart. There was also an Isabella Steuart at little Clochfoldich census of old Athol roots and the information in the genealogy I posted on Ballechin mention an Isabella Steuart. Also William or his father James ? married at Blair Atholl as it may have been where his ancestors married. Our family have this spelling of Steuart in the old records. This is when others have Stewart written down so it is not just a spelling mistake. Anyway it is an explanation. I think I read Appin Stewart's are related to the current royal family through their descendants but I did not keep the article. You of course have both lines. Also we had that odd connection with Mark being able to relate to them as well through marriage. I think this is because later one of the Ballechin Steuarts was in East India company and so were his ancestors we think and maybe in India there was some marriage connecting the two lines. Our family more say they were from Strathtay but we didn't go there. We went to Logierait. Ballechin estate may have once included Clochfoldich. You would have to look at an old map.
April 8, 2015
Kent
I was very lucky to find your blogspot when doing some research on the Crichtons. I was again looking at your blogspot to find the old map of Perthshire but maybe I googled it on another site. I used to do all my research via old map site but now you have to pay to view. It is the only real way to verify places in the old records. If you can direct me to the map on the site I would be very appreciative.
I am a descendant of John Stewart of Bald Hills, Queensland, Australia. John is the youngest child of William Stewart, shoemaker of Clochfoldich. I certainly had heard about the Crichtons from my aunt Ellie who is the youngest g granddaughter of John Stewart, son on William Stewart of Clochfoldich. No-one seems to have heard of the Elizabeth and Robert Stewart family though nor Mary Stewart. Ellie Williams (nee Latham), my aunt, is very with it and her husband is now 90 and still on the internet. I have told her about finding relatives in USA and she was unaware.
I had found in 2005 that William Steuart married twice on Scotland's people, I think I entered it on my genes-reunited family tree.
1st Marriage: I believe Elizabeth Erskine was born in 1792 circa to Alexander Erskine and Ispol McGregor in Bailntium. Need map to verify how close this is to Clochfoldich. None of the Stewart/Erskine daughters are listed in the records unless they were Catholics. I did know about cousin Jean Crichton and Carmichaels from relatives in Australia. It did not surprise me that there were more from this marriage of William and Elizabeth. I could not find though if youngest sister Mary Stewart 1813 married or died before marriage. Do you know if she lived and married? Elizabeth Erskine died about 1813.
2nd Marriage: Margaret Livingstone was born 8/8/1779 to John Livingstone and Margaret McDonald (possibly McDougall) in Brea of Tulliporrie. I believe McDonald may be a mistaken entry as there were a John Livingstone and Margaret McDougall married nearby at about the same time. The person who recorded the Margaret Livingstone birth wrote Donald down directly under another Donald so may have been confused? It was an extremely messy handwritten entry. Margaret was about the same age as William Stewart whereas in the previous marriage he was 12 years senior to Elizabeth.
William Stewart (our common ancestor) was born 23/7/ 1780 to James Steuart and Margaret Walker in Balenoune Clochfoldich. This is Little Clochfoldich. James Steuart of Clochfoldich and Margaret Walker of Kindaldie in Dull Parish married on 23/2/1777.
I am looking for James Steuart's birth and have four possibilities. They seem to be particular about the spelling of their name as there are other Stewarts about. It is sort of half way to Stuart.
In order of my pick of the three possible parents of James Steuart of Clochfoldich going by placenames of birth. Killichasie, Derculich, Blackhill and Clochfoldich are all linked estates as they were owned by the sons of Rev. Robert Stewart, Minister of Killin who is one of the 6th grandsons of Alexander Stewart, the Wolf of Badenock. The father, Minister of Killin, Robert Stewart also lived at Killichasie.
1. James b. 4/3/1758 to John Steuart and Jannett Anderson of Tomehely of Killichasie. This son would be 19 at the time of marriage to Margaret Walker (again possible). I have seen 19 year olds marry in the extended family. John and Janet featured in later family names so could be this one on that basis as they were very great followers of family names in those days. It would be interesting to know the age of Margaret Walker at marriage. I have not looked for her at Kindaldie, Dull Parish.
2. James 18/5/1759 to George Steuart and Elspeth Stewart of Blackhill . This son would be 17 nearly 18 at marriage to Margaret Walker (unlikely). George and Elspeth does not particularly feature in later names.
3. James born 15/1/1755 to John Steuart and Ann McLagan at Easter Auchnagie. This one would be 21 at marriage to Margaret Walker (probably most likely age-wise but not in other respects). There are no Ann's in family of William Stewart who had 5 daughters and 1 son.
4. James born 30/1/1761 to Laird of Clochfoldich - Robert Stewat 2nd of Clochfoldich and Susan Fleming . This James would only be 16. He was the third son of this couple. There is a chance that a younger son would be living on the estate with his wife but timing may not be right for the ages at marriage .
So going on this maybe it is the John and Jannett of Kilichasie parents as they would more likely move to one of the other son's estates e.g. Clochfoldich.
George and Elspeth of Blackhill are once again living on an estate owned by a brother of the Clochfoldich estate.
John and Ann seem unrelated to the Minister of Killin's estate even though the age is more of a marriagable age.
Robert and Stewart are Laird of Clochfoldich but son seems to young to consider.
In the 1817 census of Stewarts - on James Irvine Robertson website William is living on Clochfoldich estate with James as well (probably his father). They relate as 'old Athol family' rather than one of the big estates. There is also an Isobel Stewart listed as 'old Athol family'. But I think the spelling of Steuart may differentiate them from others.
I do have more research to do but finding your site has helped confirm what I found in 2005.
Anyway, aside from the early research, William and Margaret Stewart's three adult children migrated to Australian in 1841 on the barque - Ann Milne departing from Dundee. They settled firstly in Sydney and Hunter Valley, north of Sydney and then eventually migrated to Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. All stated that their religion was Catholic on the boat but none seemed to practice Catholic religion here.
Janet married Thomas Gray a year of so after settling here. I think he was on boat as well. He started a shoe emporium in Queen/George Street of now City of Brisbane. They lived in George Street. She was a founding member of the Presbyterian church. They had a large family - I have their details.
Margaret married John Connolly before departure so it must have been quick as she was in the 1841 census with William Stewart in Scone and the boat departed in September I think. Could never find their marriage but they hosted Janet as a single woman to Australia. John had a mail run by horseback from Brisbane to Ipswich. He was mysteriously drowned in the Brisbane River one night. They never had children.
John Stewart, carpenter married Jane Duncan whom he met on the boat. The Duncan brothers Charles and David and their wives as well as John and Jane Stewart travelled as first settlers to Bald Hills, (now part of Brisbane) to adjoining farmland. John and Janet had about 10 children. John started the first church/school at Bald Hills to educate I guess mainly family members. I am descended from their daughter Jane Stewart (known as Jessie). They had about 10 children.. I am also in touch on facebook with John Mellor who is related to another John Stewart daughter - Margaret. One of John Stewart's sons - Rev James Stewart started the Brisbane City Mission for homeless people in Brisbane.
I would love to hear from you. I am also interested in doing a blogspot as well as I have so much information on bits of paper and even though I have an extensive family tree on genes reunited. It is not easily accessible for others to view.
Kind Regards,
Sandra
April 12, 2015
Kent
Actually I have had a bit of a research win. It would be very difficult under normal circumstances to actually find the parents of William Steuarts because he fits so naturally with being born about 1780 and the natural parents in Logierait are James Steuart and Margaret Walker of Balenduin, Clochfoldich (which is the next house along). However, this is actually not William's parents because I also was on another site of Atholl Blair marriages. You can go on it from Boronich burial grounds website. I found his parents are really James Steuart of Little Clochfoldich and Margaret Fergusson of Kincraigie (near Blair Atholl). I have looked them up before but I think I was looking for a slightly younger William as he was actually about 31 when he married and the other one was only 27.
I have never been too happy about the Balenduin Clochfoldich birth of James and Margaret as I have been to Clochfoldich and driven up the high hill and past Balenduin to the Keepers Cottage at Little Clochfoldich. Anyway once you search these parents you find other family members including Isobell who lives at Little Clochfoldich as well. I think once we head north of the area it is hard to make those connections I made with the other possible parents of James Steuart but the only one that still is a possibility is the older James out of the list I gave you that was born on the other side of Logierait at Easter Auchnagie but I think it would be too difficult to prove without actual family knowledge. I wonder if the Crichtons kept any family research?
Do you know what happened to Mary???
Anyway I tried to send you my document and its too large so I have to break it up now. I am still on the job though.
Sandra Roome
Try to follow the buildings on the old map to get an idea of where Little Clochfoldich is. Probably William's grave is in Scone or where he last lived with one of his daughters. I would like to know what happened to the third daughter he had to his first wife. Great if you could find her grave but it may be at Derculich - next to Clochfoldich. Can't think of her name at moment but she seems to have disappeared off the books. I also found when I visited the library at Brechin in ANGUS researching the other side of family that there were more local records that did not seem to be on Scotlands people. You could ask if there is a library somewhere that holds local family history records. It’s a pretty remote sort of place with not much going on there so hopefully you will spot a person to ask. The local shop gave me some tips.
Have a great trip,
Sandra
April 14, 2015
Yes I would like to do that have a link to your blog spot. My husband gets back from Perth on Friday so will get him to help me if I can't work it out. Are you on FB at all as I have one very keen Stewart descendant there John Mellor. If you are I am under Sandra Roome and have a red top on. From Brisbane Australia. I found it incredible that I came up with same person twice years later as Williams father.
I have been to Clochfoldich. Many of the photos are our own. You can easily find Clochfoldich on the road going east along the Tay from Logierait. I went to see the estate owner. He was quite friendly. I think he is a MP. I asked him directions to Little Clochfoldich and he told me it was where his keepers house is. The gamekeeper was a bit unfriendly until I told him the owner had said it was ok. No one can stop you walking through these lands though as many are ancient paths and walkers rule in UK. I would take one of the maps I had in my document oh the layout of the estate many years ago as that will guide you to Little Clochfoldich if the gamekeeper doesn't mistake you for grouse before you get there. We also asked about burial grounds around about. There are some we didn't get to but there is a property on the Logierait side of Clochfoldich with a church behind the house with many Stewart Graves. I think it is a Catholic Church which may explain why our Stewarts said they were Catholics. There were lots of Robert and Alexander Stewarts in this graveyard but not our branch that I could see. Worth a look. I asked in a little shop near Clochfoldich. They were impressive graves. She said a few other places but we didn't go. I would go further along That Tay road and you should see Killichasie. I think it belongs to Jk Rowlands of Harry Potter fame. It has a magical tree outside that is a Sycamore that flowers first in UK even beating Cornwall sycamores. Also a tree on Killiechasie estate where Bonnie prince Charlie camped. Derculich Blackhill are also nearby. These are the estates of Minister Of Killin who ripped off his parishioners to fund his estates. Maybe he was fundraising for Bonnie Prince Charlie and it was legit but plenty to read in him in Catholic archives. We didn't venture this way though. We saw the last oak of Birnam forest at Dunkeld by the banks of Tay. I would search for more evidence of our Stewarts at Blair Athol nearby. If they have graveyard. Could not find any relevant Stewart graves at Logierait graveyard. Scone Palace would be good to see but it was closed when we were there. It is the seat of ancient kings and that famous stone that all the Kings coronations was first in Scone. Legend has it that it is still in Scotland not Westminster Abbey. Again you can read about this coronation stone.
Further on the road north from Dunkeld is the Queens residence. balmoral castle. There are ski fields a bit further in if you go in winter. We are going to UK in September for our daughter Amy and Hefin's wedding in Wakes. He is Welsh. Prob won't get a chance to go to Scotland again.
Dundee I didn't go to but that would be on your list as well as Kinclaven. Love to know if you find Williams grave there. We went to Brechin and Lethnot and Navar in where our John Stewarts wife came from.
If I get onto drop box how do I find your link.
There are lots of keen Stewart researchers in Australia but all have different parents for William Stewart. I think technology has helped greatly now to pinpoint in greater accuracy.
July 11, 2015
Well there is a cemetery with a lot of catholic Stewart's at a private Catholic Church in the back of a property. It is a few properties up the road from Clochfoldich towards the town where William worked as a shoemaker called Logerait. It also has a cemetery. From memory it was opposite a little shop on the right hand side. The person in the shop mentioned a few other Stewart graveyards but we ran out of time. Travelling this way the church was on left hand side. Also those relatives of your other Stewart relative are buried at Eradynate I think. No maybe at the main estate which may be this one but once belonged to minister of Killin known as Killiechasie. It now belongs to JK Rowling has some graves of older Stewarts. Also has a really famous sycamore tree that flowers first in UK even beating Cornwall. I think graves are near front of property. These would be of The Minister of Killin and his sons. It is on same road running along banks if River Tay but in opposite direction to Logerait starting at Clochfoldich. Also Bonnie Prince Charlie sheltered under one of the trees in this property.
July 12, 2015
Kent
I did not go to Eradynate estate only Western Clochfoldich or Little Clochfoldich which I believe is the keepers house. The keeper is a bit grumpy though but was okay if you saw owner of main house first. I think he may be a MP.
Try to follow the buildings on the old map to get an idea of where Little Clochfoldich is. Probably William's grave is in Scone or where he last lived with one of his daughters. I would like to know what happened to the third daughter he had to his first wife. Great if you could find her grave but it may be at Derculich - next to Clochfoldich. Can't think of her name at moment but she seems to have disappeared off the books. I also found when I visited the library at Brechin in ANGUS researching the other side of family that there were more local records that did not seem to be on Scotlands people. You could ask if there is a library somewhere that holds local family history records. It’s a pretty remote sort of place with not much going on there so hopefully you will spot a person to ask. The local shop gave me some tips.
Have a great trip,
Sandra
Sandra
July 12, 2015
Kent
I did not go to Eradynate estate only Western Clochfoldich or Little Clochfoldich which I believe is the keepers house. The keeper is a bit grumpy though but was okay if you saw owner of main house first. I think he may be a MP.
July 30, 2015
This is the Catholic Church that I believe was once in ownership of Ballechin Steuarts. It is under private ownership and is being restored. It has Stewart graves dating back to 1700 but we only saw the more recent ones. Our Stewart's said they were Catholics so highly likely that they attended this church when able to as catholism was outlawed after Jacobite revolution for a while. It is the Ballechin Steuarts that have a different lineage to the rest of the Stewarts in that area who are descendants of Robert or Alexander? Stewart a younger son of James the 3rd. Ballechin Stewart's are an illegitimate son of James 2nd. James the 2nd brother is John of Bonkyll and he I think is from the Appin Stewarts. So that is maybe why it has been stated that William Stewart was more an Appin Stewart. In their lines John and William and James appear as names rather than Robert and Alexander in the other branch. Anyway my best guess is that these are the old Atholl roots rather than the later generation roots of probably your other ancestor Robert Stewart. There was also an Isabella Steuart at little Clochfoldich census of old Athol roots and the information in the genealogy I posted on Ballechin mention an Isabella Steuart. Also William or his father James ? married at Blair Atholl as it may have been where his ancestors married. Our family have this spelling of Steuart in the old records. This is when others have Stewart written down so it is not just a spelling mistake. Anyway it is an explanation. I think I read Appin Stewart's are related to the current royal family through their descendants but I did not keep the article. You of course have both lines. Also we had that odd connection with Mark being able to relate to them as well through marriage. I think this is because later one of the Ballechin Steuarts was in East India company and so were his ancestors we think and maybe in India there was some marriage connecting the two lines. Our family more say they were from Strathtay but we didn't go there. We went to Logierait. Ballechin estate may have once included Clochfoldich. You would have to look at an old map.
July 31 2015
Sorry did not see earlier email. I sent you my password for Scotland's people. x is my username. x is probably the password. I have already done these searches so don't pay again. It's highly likely to be the second entry at Little Clochfoldich as that is where they said they were born. The 1841 census is very inaccurate with age due to its rounding rules. I think the Ballenduin William also spells name Steuart from looking at the handwriting Also the fact that James is living at little Clochfoldich at time of census with William and daughters. Probably may have lived in gamekeepers house as it was a couple of hundred years old or else one of homes pulled down. If you can locate Ballechin that would be great.
Kent
Thanks very much for those two wonderful videos. I will send them to my cousin Stephen and brother Robert. They are both very interested in family history. You are very talented. I am wondering who Amelia is. Is she Elizabeths sister. Margaret was an Australian as well as Janet known as Jessie. John died in 1905. I don't think Amelia is his sister. It is the third sister that seems to have disappeared. Maybe she died as a child.
Did you know about the Australian family before I was in touch with you. John Mellor is also your third cousin. He is a descendent of one of John's daughters - Margaret and I am.descendant of John's other daughter Jane or Jessie Stewart. John travels constantly and goes to Scotland quite often. He is an evangelist and probably travels for that reason. I know he loves Scotland. I have never met John. He is just a FB friend. I would imagine he has been to the States as well. No matter where I mention he has been. He is sort of double related as his step g grandmother was John Stewart's sister in law Louisa Duncan from Brechin In Angus. John and his sisters travelled in same boat as the Duncan family to Australia from Dundee. His daughter is an artist in Melbourne Jasmine Mansbridge she does amazing 3d murals. I will share her paintings in FB. John is about 59 and has 12 grandchildren from 18 to a baby. We have 2 grandchildren as a comparison.
Anyway Stephens mum did an amazing family history before she died about 70 years old. She was told about the Royal Stewart connection. Her tree was not that accurate going back to Scotland. You can see how wrong you can go with two w Williams living next door. It will be the 1777 one for sure. That geni site is great as there are a lot of Stewart's on the site and it looks for connections. When I get a chance I will try to enter further back in Stewart's and see if I can find a connection.
Kind regards
S
Yes it is quite amazing that they were both married within a day and had a LS. Lawful son of same name. Fergufsen. Is Fergussen. It is how ss were written then. However in the 1817 census William was living with three daughters and James Stewart at Little Clochfoldich. Western Clochfoldich and little Clochfoldich are the same. I have seen it on an old map. Ballenduin is in a different estate that's why I think it is Fergussen not Walker. When you see how close ballechin is to Clochfoldich I just bet that is the connection. Have you seen the 1817 census.
Sandra B
Research:
Good afternoon, Sandra!
It was a delight to meet you and your husband at church yesterday and hope you enjoy your stay on this side of the Pond.
The name of the Patron Service Manager for FamilySearch in the UK and Ireland is Brian McKechnie. His email address is:
emckechnie@ldschurch.org
Also mentioned was Ian McClumpha, a professional genealogist specialising in Scottish ancestry. His email address is: imchad@freeola.com
Both are delightful and helpful members of the church and will give you reliable, trustworthy advice.
With warm wishes,
Joseph Leece
Kent: Clochfoldich (sometimes spelled with an i, Cloichfoldich) was and is an estate in the Strathtay Valley in northern Perthshire. The Tay river flows through the bottom or south part of the estate. From the Tay the estate slopes up to and over a mountain and expands from there into forests with red deer and grouse. Fishing the Tay on the estate is a big topic on the internet. It is open to the public. Hunting is restricted but there is road access. When our family lived there is was a small town with a church, shops, farms, fields, livestock and buildings. There is a distinction between Little Clochfoldich and Clochfoldich. Today it has a few nice homes spaced apart and is used for hunting and the grazing of sheep. JK Rollings owns an estate to the west.
We had a little trouble finding the estate and I asked Ron to stop at a house sitting by itself down the road from castle which is privately owned. I walked up the drive around to the back of the home and found the kitchen door open. When the couple saw me the first thing they said was, “Hi, come on in.” They directed us to the other side of the Tay where we drove until we saw the sign for Cloichfoldich.
There were workers in the house so I just walked in. I found a worker and he said the housekeeper and groundsman were outside. Eventually they found the owner who told us what she knew about Cloichfoldich. I video taped her. Like everyone we met she was most polite and kind. She said the old school behind the home was still standing and is now the Dutch ambassador’s vacation home. She also said we could view her walled garden to the west of the home but asked that we close the gate. Gotta watch out for those red deer.
Ballechin is an estate in Logierait parish, Perthshire, Scotland located 3 miles west north-west of Ballinluig junction. The main residence on the estate is Ballechin House. Ballechin distillery operated between 1810 and 1927 and was one of seven original farm distilleries operating in Perthshire. Out of these seven, Edradour is the only one remaining. Since 2002, Edradour have resurrected the Ballechin brand of whisky.
Later in life the distillery was operated by the Robertson Family and supplied a large range of customers both locally and to wine merchants in Edinburgh and Glasgow[citation needed]. The distillery eventually closed due to the diversion of the water sourc