The Stewarts of Annat, Ballachallan, and Craigtoun

By John Stewart of Ardvorlich (1904-1965)

Stewart Society Magazine, Vol. XI, 149 (undated, ca. 1960)

The following is a transcription of two articles which originally appeared in “The Stewarts”, the magazine of the Stewart Society. This copy is extracted from The Clan Steuart – Stewart – Stuart, 800 to 1970 AD: The Genealogy of the Family of Steuart (in Maryland, USA), by Gladys P. K. Nelker, 1970. Nelker did not provide the original date of publication, but it is estimated to be circa 1960. Parenthetical footnotes ( ) are from the original. Square braced notes [ ] are my own editorial additions to aid the reader.

Headings and formatting have been modified from the original for ease of reading.

For our accounting of these families, go to:

The Stewarts of Annat

The traditional account of the origin of this family was narrated to my great uncle by a local worthy, Donald Maclaren of Ardveich. (Ardvorlich Papers) This Donald was known locally as “Chiefie Ardveich,” he was undoubtedly descended of a long line of MacLarens, who had once owned Ardveich and had been chiefs of a considerable tribe of clan Laurin in the loch Earn district, in fat, in early times Ardveich had gone by the name of Ardveichlorne.

A legendary account

‘…And the Stewarts of Annat too, they spring from the Ardvorlichs, did ye ever hear tell hoo that was?

‘It was in the time of Duncan Dubh, Duncan o’ the Castles they ca’d [called] him, for he built mony a ane [many a one], and he lived in the Castle o’ Finlarig himself.’ [Black Duncan Campbell of Breadalbane built Finlarig Castle in 1629.] He had a dochter that ga’ed wrang wi’ [went wrong with] the Ardvorlich o’ that day (it was afore the Major’s time) [referring to Alexander Stewart, 1^st of Ardvorlich] and she had a fine strapping lad for a bairn [child] – well-faured [favoured] and handy wi’ the broad swaird [sword] and at a’ games o’ strength. When he grew to man’s estate, he sought to his father Ardvorlich [sic, Alexander Stewart, 1^st of Annat, was a nephew to Ardvorlich, not a son] for employment and maintenance, but Ardvorlich would hae nane o’ [have none of] him, but bad him gang [bid him go] to Duncan [Campbell], his grandfather, who was a richer man nor himself, and better able to provide for him.

‘So young Stewart sets off to Finlarig to the auld man, and speirs [asks] at him for wark [work]. Now Duncan (it was him the Breadalbane family a’ cam frae [came from]), was a black, sly and greedy man, and wasna going tae be fashed [provoked to anger] wi’ this youngster aye speiring at him for siller, so he thought upon the best way o’ getting rid o’ him. At that time, Duncan was much troubled wi’ the MacGergors in Glendochart, which was part o’ his possessions, and he had placed there a strong man, his ain sister’s son, that was ca’ed Baravarich, to hold the MacGregors in check.

‘Baravarich was a great man o’ the sword, and a wild and fierce man; so says Duncan to Stewart, “there’s Baravarich now, in Glendochart, he’s been sair [sore] displeasin’ tae me, liftin’ cattle and haddin’ [holding] the whole countryside in fear, him and his swashbucklers – if you would do for him, it’s a thousand merks that I would pay you for the same.” He thocht [thought] that by setting Stewart on to Baravarich he would easy get rid of him, for in any quarrel that might occur Baravarich was sure mak slauchter o’ [make slaughter of] such a young man.

‘But Stewart nothing daunted ga’ed straicht [went straight] to Baravarich and when he arrived at this house, he found the young men playing at the putting stane [shotput stone] wi’ their maister, and they asked him to tak a throw. He pleaded that he was a stranger, and didn’t like to throw against Baravarich among all his people, but they pressed him, and at last he putted, and cast the stane further than Baravarich could, which sore nettled him, and he challenged Stewart to wrestle, but this Stewart positively refused to do in the presence of all Baravarich’s people, but on being pressed said, “Come up wi’ me to the back o’ yon hill wi’ none there but ourselves, and I’ll wrestle wi’ you.” To this Baravarich agreed, and they went out of sight of his people and set to. But Stewart threw him, and when he was down, dirked him too, and then out wi’ ‘his claymore, and off with his head and into his plaid wi’ it, and then set off for Finlarig as hard as he could.

‘Duncan was in his private room when he arrived, and he was at first refused admittance, but he would not be gainsaid, and went straight into this presence, and out wi’ the pow and on to the table wi’ it demanding his fee.

‘When Duncan saw the result of his stratagem to get rid of young Stewart, he was horrified, and rising up said, “You have slain my own sister’s son! The hand of every man will be against you, and I will be against you too.” But before he could give any alarm, Stewart, who saw the state of affairs, sprang upon him, and holding the point of his dirk close to his heart said, that there was just that distance between him and his death, unless he at once gave him four times the stipulated amount! This Duncan was fain to do, and Stewart possessing himself of the money, and binding and gagging Duncan, locked him up in his own room, and took to his heels.’

After a time, when Duncan had been discovered tied up, he was pursued, but he had a long start, and made his way across Glenogle, and took refuge at Ardvorlich, where he was protected from the vengeance of the Campbells.

‘It was wi’ this money he bocht Annat and founded that family. He built a castle there that was afterwards destroyed, and no man knew where it had stood until they came upon the foundations of it while draining, in my father’s time.

Aye, aye, — yes, that was the origin of the Stewarts of Annat.’

John Stewart, 1st of Portnellan, Predecessor of Annat

Unfortunately, this delightful story bears little relation to the generally accepted descent, but, in my experience folk tales are rarely pure invention. They are nearly always based on some event which did take place, though many have become garbled in the course of the centuries; dates have often gone awry; generations have got mixed up. It may be that this tory really concerns an earlier Baldorran Stewart, for it seems impossible that it could concern John Stewart, the progenitor of Annat.

Alexander Stewart, 1st of Annat

John Stewart, first of the Annat line, was probably tenant in Annat towards the end of the sixteenth century. Annat formed part of the Muschet Estate, and lies in the Braes of Doune. The name of his wife has not come down, but he had a son, Alexander, who bought Annat from James Muschet of Burnbank in 1621;

Alexander [1st of Annat] married a daughter of Macnab of Acharn and had five sons,

Alexander was a man of some importance, as his gravestone in the ancient Kilmadock kirkyard testifies.

‘Here lys the worthie and honorable Alexander Stewart of Annat, who died 14th January 1647. His age was 76 years.’

A curious tradition regarding Alexander was narrated to me by Mr Stewart Thomson, Garthonzie, whose mother’s family, Stewarts, have been resident in Buchany for many generations. ‘Alexander and two men, the other two being sib to him – possibly Craigtoun and Coilichat – were concerned circa 1630 in the hanging of two Highland girls at the Bogle Brig, 1-1/2 miles on the east side of Doune. They had stolen a web of cloth from a weaver’s widow in Burn of Cambus in order to cover their nakedness. The women were caught and hanged, and with their last breath they cursed their captors, prophesying that none of the three would die in their beds Their prophecy was fulfilled, for Alexander his said to have committed suicide, and the other two met violent deaths.

Annat Castle, the residence of the Stewarts of Annat, must have been built by Alexander, unless it was bought with the estate from the Muschets. The site of the castle can still be traced on the bank above the Annat Burn. Annat, which is [a] fairly common place name in Scotland, comes from the Gaelic, Annait, meaning a chapel or cell. The site, therefore, is a very ancient one.

John Stewart, 2nd of Annat

Alexander [1st of Annat] died in 1647, and was succeeded by his eldest son John. This John [2nd of Annat] was twice married, his first wife being Janet, daughter of Gespard Graham of Gartur. By her he had two sons:

He married secondly, Elizabeth, daughter of John Campbell of Kinloch, and had issue:

John [2nd of Annat] is mentioned on several occasions. In 1645 as a signatory to the Stewart Alliance. (Ardvorlich Papers) [sic – this is likely a typo reference to the Bond of Keltney Burn signed in 1654, not 1645.] In 1648 as a member of the Commission for Broken Men. (A. of P. Scot., Vol. VI, Johne Stewart of Ainnat.) In 1655 in an action for Horning against Colin Campbell of Mochaster. (Vol. XXXIII, Sheriff Court Books of Perth.) Finally, his testament was given up at Dunblane in 1666. (Dunblane Comm.)

Alexander Stewart, 3rd of Annat

Alexander [3rd of Annat], John’s eldest son, succeeded as fourth of line. He married Janet, daughter of Edmonston of Hermit’s Croft, by whom he had one son, Alexander, and four daughters, who all married. In 1685, Alexander Stewart of Annat is mentioned as one of the commissioners for the protection of the Shire of Perth and places adjacent against invasion by Argyll. (Register of the Privy Council, 25^th May 1685, and Military History of Perthshire.) His testament was given up at Dunblane in 1698.

Alexander Stewart, 4th of Annat

Alexander [4th of Annat] who succeeded, married Isobel, daughter of Mr John Fullarton, of Greenhall, Bishop of Edinburgh. By her, he had two sons and several daughters.

1. John [5th of Annat], who succeeded him
2. Duncan, a surgeon, who died in the East Indies
3. Isabel, who married Alexander Stewart of Ballachulish (Stewarts of Appin, p. 181, and Trial of James Stewart in Acharn.)
4. A daughter, who married James Stewart of Innishchaorich (of Invernahyle descent.) (One of those daughters may have married James Stewart of Tarr as his second wife, or possible a daughter of grand-daughter of Isobel and Alex Stewart of Ballachulish. James Stewart of Tarr had by her one son and five daughters, all unmarried – known as the Miss Stewarts of Doune.

Alexander [4th of Annat] was out in the ’45, and, with his cousin Ballachallan, served in the Perthshire Squadron of Horse. With them he took part in the march to Derby and the subsequent retreat, and was at the Battle of Falkirk. (Jacobite Lairds of Gask, pp 178-79 and 183.) There is a curious story about Annat at this time, narrated by Mr Stewart Thomson.

‘After the collapse of the rebellion at Culloden there was a garrison of redcoats at Lanrick Castle, close by Annat, and the men were employed in rounding up Jacobite fugitives who were hiding in the Braes of Doune and that vicinity.

‘Word came to the redcoats that some rebels were hiding at Annat Castle, so they set off to catch them. When they got there the Lady of the House came to the door and requested that as she was alone only the Captain should come in and search the house. When he acceded to her request, she led him down a passage to the living room. The doorway was low and there were two steps. She purposely stumbled, hit her head on the lintel, fell, and the candle she was holding went out. The Captain tried to assist her and while doing so the fugitives escaped out of the window at the back, and then down a precipitous bank into the Annat Burn.’

There is a version of this story in David B Morris’s Robert Louis Stevenson and the Scottish Highlands, page 49 et seq., in which two ladies are mentioned and are named as Miss Peggy and her sister Annie. The story is quoted from Cornhill Magazine 1869.

John Stewart, 5th of Annat

John [5th of Annat], who succeeded Alexander [4th of Annat] about 1761 (Alexander was certainly alive in 1755. Ardvorlich Papers.) had two daughters, Anne and Margaret, which bears out the above story, and he may have had a son. In a list of the names of those who were officers in the Appin Regiment, and of certain others who fought with it during the rebellion appears the following:

“Stewart, Donald – Annat, in Perthshire. Probably a nephew of Alexander Stewart, 4th of Ballachulish. Wounded at Culloden.” (The Stewarts, Vol. IX, No. 2, 1952, p. 172)

This does not prove that John did have a legitimate son, but apparently he did have a grand-daughter, for, after John died and Annat was sold, General Stewart of Rait paid an annuity to his cousins, Miss Ann and Miss Margaret Stewart and to their niece, Margaret Stewart. (Ardvorlich Papers)

John does not appear to have taken part in the ’45, but he evidently was suspected of having Jacobite sympathies, for when James Stewart of the Glen made his famous journey to Edinburgh, Annat was one of the many Stewart houses he visited. Subsequently, when James of the Glen was arrested, a warrant was issued for the search of the House of Annat, and John was warned as a witness at the trial, though he was not called. (Robert Louis Stevenson and the Scottish Highlands)

When John died he was succeeded by his eldest daughter, Anne, but his affairs were in a bad state and Annat had to be sold. It was bought by the Earl of Moray. The sisters removed to the house of Offrance, where Margaret died in 1800 and Anne in 1804. Both the sisters and their niece received an allowance from their cousin General Stuart of Rait, whose lineage now follows. (Ardvorlich Papers)

The Stuarts of Rait

James, second or third son of Alexander, 1st Laird of Annat, married Margaret, daughter of Graham of Boquhapple, in Menteith. They had two sons, John and Charles.

Part Two: The Stewarts of Ballachallan

By John Stewart of Ardvorlich

This article is a continuation of an article entitled “Stewarts of Annat, Ballachallan, and Craigtoun” which appeared in the last issue of this magazine, Vol. XI, 149.

George Stewart, 2nd of Ballachallan

George Stewart, his son, married Mary, daughter and eventual heiress of Harie Home of Argaty. The Homes of Argaty were an ancient and important family of that neighbourhood, and Argaty was a much larger and more valuable property than Ballachallan. By Mary Home, George had four sons and several daughters, one of whom, Janet, married Walter Graham of Nether Glenny.

George must have died before 1751 for Mary Home, described as his widow, succeeded her brother, George Home of Argaty, in the Estate of Argaty in that year. David Home Steuart, their eldest son, was served heir to this grandfather, Duncan Stewart of Ballachallan, in that same year. (Duncan Stewart writing in 1739 calls David Steuart ‘now’ of Ballachallan.)

David Hume Stewart, 1st of Argaty, 6th of Annat, and 3rd of Ballachallan

David Home Steuart, 3rd of Ballachallan, was ‘out’ in the ’45. At one time he commanded the garrison of Doune Castle in the Prince’s interest (though some authorities ascribe this to his brother George). (Red Book of Menteith, by Sir Wm Fraser.) He died without legitimate issue, but had a natural son, Donald, said to have been killed at Culloden when serving with the Appin Regiment. (Stewart Society Magazine, Vol. IX, No. 2, 1952, p. 172.) David died sometime after 1768, when he executed an entail of his estates and was succeeded by his next brother George. (There was some doubt whether Sophia Home, Dr. George’s grand-daughter, could inherit, or whether Charles her uncle was the heir. It was decided in favour of Sophia.)

David Steuart of Ballachallan is the subject of a very curious historical ‘mix up’. In Prisoners of the ’45 he is described as ‘David Stuart or Stewart of Ballachallan, a Major in Lord George Murray’s Regiment. (The Atholl Brigade) was brother of Stewart of Ardvorlich.’  The account of David goes on to say that he was taken prisoner on the 13th of July 1746 whilst hiding in the Braes of Leny. He put up a stiff fight, but was finally wounded and overpowered. He was taken to Stirling and confined in the Castle, where he died of his wounds. The evidence brought against him was ‘that he was seen at Dumblane dressed and armed like a rebel Highlander wearing a White Cockade. Others stated that he acted as a rebel officer in taking possession of Castle Doune with a body of armed men.’

Now David Stewart of Ballachallan was not a brother of Ardvorlich, but the Ardvorlich of that date, Robert Stewart did have a brother David who died in the Tollbooth of Stirling in November 1746. In his Testament, given up in 1748, he is described as David Stewart, brother germane to Mr Stewart of Ardvorlich, in Glenfinglas. Executor George Home of Argaty. He left some money to his son, James, if alive.

In my family records the story of the wounding and capture of David Stewart attributed in Prisoners of the ’45 to David of Ballachallan, is attributed to David in Glenfinglas. Again, in Prisoners of the ’45 there is mention of a Major James Stewart said to be son of Major David Stewart. David Stewart in Glenfinglas must have been about sixty at that time so may well have had a son who held the rank of Major, and he did have a son called James. (In the Atholl and Tullibardine Chronicles there is mention in an MS Roll of those engaged in the ’45, that David Stewart had a son, Major James Stewart, who was ‘out’ and that he was capture.)

There is a further mix up. In an enquiry in 1748 into ‘treasonable practices against various gentlemen who were out in the Rebellion,’ evidence was raked up against David Stewart of Kynachan (though it is stated in The Atholl and Tullibardine Chronicles that Kynachan was killed at Culloden.) Cornelius Inglis, surgeon, late Dean of Guild of the Burgh of Lanark, stated that “about Christmas 1745 a party of rebels came to the place on their way from England and he saw… and one called Major David Stewart who said he had an estate within five or ten miles of Stirling, but has forgot what style he bore and declares that he saw the said Haldane of Lanrick and Major David Stewart, as they were called, bearing arms, and that the said David Stewart acknowledged to the deponent that he had been twice in the Rebellion already.” This evidence undoubtedly refers to David of Ballachallan whose estate lay some ten Scots miles from Stirling, and who would naturally be with Haldane of Lanrick, a near neighbour.

Just to complicate matters still further, the ‘Act of Pardon’ of 1748, granted by George II, mentions ‘Charles Stuart of Ballachallan’ as specially excepted!

Dr. George Hume Steuart, 2nd of Argaty

To return to the history of the family, David had three brothers:

Sophia Home Steuart, Heiress of Argaty, Annat and Ballachallan

Sophia married at the age of sixteen, David, son of Alexander Munro, Professor of Anatomy at Edinburgh University. Her husband had assumed the name of Binning as the estate of Softlaw had been left to him by a distant cousin of that name. Sophia died in 1806, aged nineteen, but left two sons. George, the eldest succeeded his mother in Argaty as George Home Munro Binning Home of Argaty, and Alexander the second son succeeded to Auchinbowie. George left no heir and was succeeded by his grand-nephew, George Home Munro, who sold Argaty in 1917.

I have not yet ascertained when Ballachallan passed out of the possession of the Steuart Homes of Argaty. In the Rental of Perthshire of 1835, Ballachallan is entered as owned by John Buchanan, but Ballachallan’s Brackland is entered as owned by the Laird of Argaty.