“This low fellow that raised himself from the dung hill
by forwardness and villainy….”

— Capt. James Stewart, author of Stewarts of the South,
describing Duncan Stewart, tacksman of Letter and Breanachoille.

III Branch – Sliochd Rob Dhuibh Mhoir

In Wester Ardchullarie in Strathyre, Ardcheanochdan, Letter, and Brenachoille

The Stewarts of Sliochd Rob Duibh Mhoir were a cadet branch of the Stewarts of Gartnafuaran.  Please refer to the Gartnafuaran page for a full introduction.

The third branch of descendants from the Stewarts of Gartnafuaran were known as Sliochd Rob Duibh Mhoir or “Descendants of Big Black Rob”.  Their primary residences were initially Wester Ardchullarie in Strathyre, and later one-fourth of Ardcheanochdan on Loch Venacher in Lower Strathgartney and the properties of Breanachoille and Letter on the northeast shore of Loch Katrine in Upper Strathgartney.  This family is described in Stewarts of the South as follows:

Or what is called “Sliochd Rob Dhuibh mhoir” (“Children of Big Black Rob”), who was a son of Gartnafuara, [and a] tenant of Wester Ardchubry [sic, s/b Ardchulary] [in] Balquhidder parish in Strathyre[,] district of Auchlessy. 

[Big Black Rob’s] descendant was Rob McDonachie (“Robert, son of Duncan”), lately one of the four tenants of Ardcheanacnocan who left four sons, [namely]

1. Duncan, [a] tacksman of Letter & Brainchoill [on] Loch Catherineside [in] Callendar parish who has three sons:
   1. Robert, a clerk in London
   2. James, a student of Divinity and
   3. a young boy [who is] under age

   This Duncan Stewart is possessed of some unprincipled abilities; he is tacksman of Brainchoill where there was once a hospitable reception for persons of every description with every mark of kindly hospitality by the late worthy family of Glenbuckie and where there is now neither house nor hall.I mentioned in one of the preceding pages, concerning one Duncan Stewart, [a] tacksman of Brainchoil & Letter of the family of Gartnafuaran, which you will notice in the proper place, that he was a dangerous character which truly happened shortly after.  I mentioned likewise in its proper place that Glenfinglas was 800 guineas – 100 guineas to each of the eight tenants there.  This low fellow that raised himself from the dung hill by forwardness and villainy, offered 1200 Guineas for the Glen altogether with 100 guineas in the Earl of Moray’s will.  Now bad as he is, the coiff, the Earl would not accept of this, and only advanced the rent of �60.  By this [the Earl] refused fully 400 guineas.  But this present Earl, is acting by the injunctions of his father who directed him not to harass these tenants.  For he is not in himself really bad, if Lady Moray and other bad councillors would not influence him. This Duncan Stewart, it cannot be denied, is a clever fellow, were he to make good use of his abilities.  It was not out of mere spite and malice [that] he did this to his neighbours, who were tenants [at] the time [that] he was a cottar.  His offers, however, rejected here with disdain and so might every one of his kind.

2. [The Stewarts of the South Appendix has the following reference, brought forward here for reference.]
3. David Stewart, his brother [is] a land-surveyor and factor in England.  [He] has one son, a character, who is proof against all disappointments and adversities.
4. Robert, his brother, is a steady [and] respectable man and a clerk in the bank of England and has no family
5. James, his brother, [a] tacksman of Ard-chean-cnocan, has one son.  This man has an opportunity to gain friends and money, but I am afraid he is too much addicted to his cups.

This finishes the account of “Sliochd Rob Dhuibh-mhoir”.  Ard-chean-cnocan, belongs to Burrel Drummond and pay of rent 100 guineas.  Brainchoill and Letter pay 200 guineas.  Duncan Stewart has also another farm in Glen-elg which pays �500.

Mitchell’s Monumental Inscriptions records the following entries from Kilmahog Cemetery which pertain to this family:

47         (next to 48) James STEWART, late tacksman and landlord of the inn of Ardceanachrochan, 22 FEB 1827, age 55, by wife.

48a       (next to 47) Robert STEWART, farmer (at) Wester Ardcheanacrochdan., wife Janet BLACK, son David born here 1 JUN 1769 went to England at an early age in partnership with his brother as land surveyor and land agent for many years in Great Russel Street Bloomsbury, London, died 26 MAY 1852, age 82, at (the) home of his nephew at Aucharacle near Strontian, Argyll.  (Mitchell notes: see Allan, Emigrants to Canada (The Scottish Genealogist xvii 3 (1970) p. 89-90 � the brothers, Robert and David, were active in the colonization of Prince Edward Island, Canada, and their letter dated 1834 to William Buchanan, Trossachs, is quoted [in the article.])

48b       pelican plucking its breast, in her nest (crest of the STEWART family).

The following two references pertain to this family.  They are believed to have come from Stewart Clan Magazine, but the original source reference has unfortunately been lost.  If any reader is aware of the correct source, please inform us here: http://www.hostmybb.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?p=875&mforum=stewart#875

David practised as a lawyer in London.
From a hand?written note seen in a file of tourist material in a local library.[on Prince Edward Island, Canada]??: Anyone interested in the local history of P.E.I. would enjoy reading a book titled After Strathgartney. It throws some light on the ‘Land Question’ by describing conditions under the Landlords…. David Stewart, born at Ardcheanochrochan, Perthshire, Scotland, was the owner of 70,000 acres, comprising Lots 30, 7, 10, 12, and parts of 47 and 27, which he visited from June to August, 1831. He never returned to the Island. His son Robert Bruce Stewart came in 1846, and took possession of the vast property, he built a large house on Lot 30 which he name Strathgartney. Among many privileges he enjoyed as proprietor of a great estate was a private mail bag. In 1875 the Land Purchase Act required him to sell all but 500 acres. His great?grandson, Alan Stewart, has his diary.
(dated 1967, unsigned).

In 1846, Robert Bruce Stewart, David’s son, sailed for P.E.I. and settled there as resident landlord. He built a fine house named Strathgartney, apparently after an ancestral home on the shore of Loch Katrine. Descendants of Robert Bruce Stewart occupied Strathgartney until about 1950. The house has now been restored to its original period and is operated as a museum by a private company.
From a brochure circulated by Strathgartney Enterprises Ltd., Charlottetown, P.E.I., 1968. “. . . Strathgartney Homestead was built in 1846 ? 47 by Robert Bruce Stewart, son of David Stewart of Perthshire, Scotland, who received grants of land, totalling over 70,000 acres in P.E.I. David Stewart visited his property in 1831, and in 1846 his son settled as Landlord at Strathgartney…. In 1875, when the Land Purchase Act was passed, Robert Bruce Stewart retained the 500 acres which is today Strathgartney Homestead. . . . the Stewart family continued to live here until 1955, when the Hon. W.F. Allen Stewart, a long?time member of the P.E.I. Legislative Assembly, died….

Rob Duibh Mhor Stewart, patriarch of this branch, is described in Stewarts of the South as being “a son of Gartnafuaran.”  That is, he was the son of one of the lairds of Gartnafuaran.  Rob Duibh Mhor Stewart is recorded as having a “descendant” named Robert McDonachie Stewart (Robert, son of Duncan Stewart).  Robert McDonachie Stewart has been identified below in Callander parish records as having married in 1766 in Callander to Janet Black.  As the average age of males to marry in this era was about 30 years of age, then Robert McDonachie was probably born about 1735.  Since Robert McDonachie is described as the “descendant” of Rob Duibh Mhor then we must presume a gap of at least two generations between them.  Otherwise the author would more likely have described Robert McDonachie as Rob Duibh Mhor’s “son” or “grandson”, rather than “descendant”.  If Robert McDonachie was probably born about 1735, this his father was probably born about 1705, his grandfather about 1675, and his great-grandfather about 1645 with an increasing margin of error with each increasing generation.  Thus we are looking for a laird of Gartnafuaran who was probably born no later than about 1675 +/-20 years.  Alexander Stewart, 8th of Gartnafuaran, was having children too late to be the father of Rob Duibh Mhor.  Walter Stewart, 7th of Gartnafuaran, had a son named Robert who has already been accounted for elsewhere and could not be identical with Rob Duibh Mhor Stewart.  Thus, we are looking at Andrew Stewart, 6th of Gartnafuaran as the earliest possible candidate to be the father of Rob Duibh Mhor. However we have no record of Andrew having a son named Robert.  That doesn’t mean he didn’t have a son, Robert; just that we have no record of any such son.  However, if we go back one more generation we do find that Alexander Stewart, 5th of Gartnafuaran did have a son named Robert.  Thus we suggest that Alexander Stewart, 5th of Gartnafuaran, is the most likely candidate to be the father of Rob Duibh Mhor Stewart.

We are able to fill in at least one more generation with certainty and one or two more with decreasing probability.  We know that Rob McDonachie was the son of a Duncan Stewart.  McDonachie is an Anglicization of the Gaelic mac Donnachaidh, which simply means “son of Duncan.”  Thus we can conclude with reasonable certainty that Robert’s father was named Duncan Stewart.  This Duncan Stewart was probably born around 1700.  If Rob Duibh Mhor was probably born about 1605 then we can posit about two generations in-between.  We also know that Robert McDonachie was the eldest surviving male descendant, otherwise Stewarts of the South would have mentioned another heir.  If we presume for now, the simplest possible arrangement then onomastics would suggest that the intervening generations would be Duncan Stewart born about 1640 and another Robert Stewart born about 1670.  We have no documentary evidence to support the naming of these intervening generations.

There is a small problem with the reference in Stewarts of the South where it says that Rob Duibh Mhor was a “tenant of Wester Ardchubry [in] Balquhidder parish in Strathyre[,] district of Auchlessy.”  There is no known property in Strathyre, nor anywhere in Balquhidder parish, named Ardchubry.  However, there is a property in Strathyre called Ardchullarie which could easily have been written in 1815 as Archulary and incorrectly transcribed as Ardchubry.  The reference to “of Auchlessy” is likely a reference to the family of Buchanan of Auchlessie who were probably the landlords of Ardchullarie.

Robert Duibh Mhor Stewart in Wester Ardchullarie in Strathyre

Robert Dubh Mor STEWART , in Wester Ardchullarie, b. ABT 1605 in Gartnafuaran, Balquhidder, Perthshire, Scotland, as the son of Alexander STEWART, 5th of Gartnafuaran, as shown above.  It is suggested that this Robert is likely the patriarch of Gartnafuaran III Branch in Stewarts of the South, known as Sliochd Rob Duibh Mhoir, “Descendants of Big Black Rob”

The sons of Rob Duibh Mhoir are not recorded in Stewarts of the South. As his father’s name was Alexander then we can suggest his eldest son was probably named Alexander. Working backwards onomastically from his descendant Rob McDonachie we can suggest that Rob Duibh Mhoir probably had a younger son, named Duncan, whose line became the senior line.

Rob’s wife is unknown.  He is suggested as the father of:

1.  Alexander STEWART b: ABT 1635 in Wester Ardchullarie, Strathyre, Callander, Perthshire, Scotland.  There is no documentary evidence of Alexander’s existence. He is suggested by onomastics only. If he existed at all it is likely that he either died without male heirs or his line failed within a couple of generations, as it seems most likely that the surviving line descends from his suggested younger brother, Duncan.
2.  Duncan STEWART b: ABT 1640 in Wester Ardchullarie, Strathyre, Callander, Perthshire, Scotland.  There is no documentary evidence to verify the existence of this Duncan Stewart. His name is suggested by onomastics working backwards from his later descendant Rob McDonachie.  Duncan is suggested as the father of:
   1.  Robert STEWART b: ABT 1670 in Strathyre, Callander, Perthshire, Scotland.  There is no documentary evidence to verify the existence of this Robert Stewart. He is suggested by onomastics working backwards from his grandson Rob McDonachie Stewart.  Robert is suggested as the father of:
      1.  Duncan STEWART b: ABT 1700 in Strathyre, Callander, Perthshire, Scotland.  According to Stewarts of the South, the surviving senior male line descendant of Rob Duibh Mhoir Stewart was Robert McDonachie Stewart who has been identified in Callander parish records as having married in 1766 to Janet Black and was likely born about 1730. Robert’s patronymic, McDonachie, is an Anglicization of the Gaelic mac Donnachaidh, which simply means “son of Duncan.” Thus we can conclude with reasonable certainty that Robert’s father was named Duncan Stewart.

         Possible marriages
         1724, Duncan STUART in this paroch and Christ: MCGREGOR in the paroch of Balquhidder listed themselves to be proclaimed in order to marriage Nov 14th and after orderly proclamation were married Dec 7th. (No children recorded for this marriage. Fits onomastically with children shown here.)

         1725, Duncan and Ann STUARTS both in this paroch listed themselves to be proclaimed in order to marriage Jan 15th and after orderly proclamation were married 26th Jan. (No children shown for this marriage.)

         Duncan’s wife is unknown.  Duncan was the father of:

         1.  Robert McDonachie STEWART , in Wester Ardcheanochdan b: ABT 1725 in Strathyre, Callander, Perthshire, Scotland.  Robert’s information and descendants are presented immediately below.
         2.  James STEWART b: ABT 1727 in Strathyre, Callander, Perthshire, Scotland.  James and Janet may be the ones married as follows: 1756, James STEWART and Janet STEWART both in this parish listed themselves to be proclaimed in order to marriage 13th Nov. and were married 22nd Nov.” (Callander OPR) If so, then their first son, Duncan, was born “on the wrong side of the sheets.”  James is presumed to have married to Janet STEWART b: ABT 1730 in Scotland, although no record of their marriage has been found.  This family is not mentioned in Stewarts of the South and it would be unusual for a family in this era to have only three children, thus it is suggested that James likely emigrated sometime shortly after 1757.  James and Janet had the following children:
            1.  Duncan STEWART b: 11 AUG 1756 in Breanchoile, Strathgartney, Callander, Perthshire, Scotland
            2.  Alexander STEWART b: 11 APR 1757 in Breanchoile, Strathgartney, Callander, Perthshire, Scotland
            3.  Robert STEWART b: 11 APR 1757 in Breanchoile, Strathgartney, Callander, Perthshire, Scotland

Robert McDonachie (mac Donnachaidh) Stewart in Wester Ardcheanochdan

Robert McDonachie STEWART , in Wester Ardcheanochdan b: ABT 1725 in Strathyre or Strathgartney, Callander, Perthshire, Scotland as the son of Duncan Stewart, shown above.  Robert Stewart is described in Stewarts of the South as: “[Big Black Rob’s] descendant was Rob McDonachie (“Robert, son of Duncan”), lately one of the four tenants of Ardcheanacnocan who left four sons.”

Robert is recorded in Mitchell’s Monumental Inscriptions for Kilmahog Cemetery: 48a       (next to 47) Robert STEWART, farmer (at) Wester Ardcheanacrochdan., wife Janet BLACK, son David born here 1 JUN 1769 went to England at an early age in partnership with his brother as land surveyor and land agent for many years in Great Russel Street Bloomsbury, London, died 26 MAY 1852, age 82, at (the) home of his nephew at Aucharacle near Strontian, Argyll.  (Mitchell notes: see Allan, Emigrants to Canada (The Scottish Genealogist xvii 3 (1970) p. 89-90 � the brothers, Robert and David, were active in the colonization of Prince Edward Island, Canada, and their letter dated 1834 to William Buchanan, Trossachs, is quoted [in the article.])

Robert’s date of death is not recorded in the preceding entry. All we can say is that he is buried in Kilmahog Cemetery in Callander parish.  Robert married on 28 NOV 1766 in Callander, Perthshire, Scotland to Janet BLACK b: ABT 1740 in Scotland.  They had the following children:

1.  Christian STEWART b: 10 AUG 1767 in Milton, Callander, Perthshire, Scotland
2.  David STEWART b: 1 JUN 1769 in Wester Ardcheanochdan, Callander, Perthshire, Scotland.  David Stewart’s information and descendants are presented below under “David Stewart and the Prince Edward Island Settlement.”
3.  Duncan STEWART , in Breanachachoille and Letter b: 6 JUN 1771 in Ardcheanochdan, Callander, Perthshire, Scotland.  Duncan Stewart’s information and descendants are presented further below.
4.  James STEWART , in Ardcheanochdan b: 29 JUN 1773 in Ardcheanochdan, Callander, Perthshire, Scotland.  James is recorded in Stewarts of the South as follows: “James, his brother, [a] tacksman of Ard-chean-cnocan, has one son. This man has an opportunity to gain friends and money, but I am afraid he is too much addicted to his cups.”

   James is recorded in Mitchell’s Monumental Inscriptions for Kilmahog Cemetery: “47         (next to 48) James STEWART, late tacksman and landlord of the inn of Ardceanachrochan, 22 FEB 1827, age 55, by wife.”

   There is only one birth in Callander for a Robert, son of James Stewart in the right date range and that is the birth shown here in Offrans. Robert is the only child shown for this couple. It is not certain that Robert is the son of James, but he is a perfect fit with the information given above.

   Robert married on 13 AND 24 JAN 1798 in Aberfoyle and Callander, Perthshire, Scotland to Janet STEWART b: ABT 1775 in Aberfoyle, Perthshire, Scotland.  They are believed to have had the following child:

   1.  Robert STEWART b: 25 JUL 1798 in Offrans, Callander, Perthshire, Scotland.  Robert’s father James is recorded in Stewarts of the South as having one son, whose name is not recorded. There is only one birth in Callander for a Robert, son of James Stewart in the right date range and that is the birth shown here in Offrans. Robert is the only child shown for this couple. It is not certain that Robert is the son of James, but he is a perfect fit with the information given above.  He may be the Robert Stewart found in 1841, Robert is found residing with his cousins at Ardcheanochdan, but more likely this is Robert Stewart, b 1801, son of Duncan Stewart in Breanachoille.
5.  Isabell STEWART b: 31 JUL 1775 in Ardcheanochdan, Callander, Perthshire, Scotland
6.  Robert STEWART b: 15 FEB 1779 in Ardcheanochdan, Callander, Perthshire, Scotland.  Robert is described in Stewarts of the South as: “Robert, his [Duncan’s] brother, is a steady [and] respectable man and a clerk in the bank of England and has no family.”  Robert is mentioned in Mitchell’s Monumental Inscriptions for Kilmahog parish: “48a: (next to 47) Robert STEWART, farmer (at) Wester Ardcheanacrochdan., wife Janet BLACK, son David born here 1 JUN 1769 went to England at an early age in partnership with his brother as land surveyor and land agent for many years in Great Russel Street Bloomsbury, London, died 26 MAY 1852, age 82, at (the) home of his nephew at Aucharacle near Strontian, Argyll. (Mitchell notes: see Allan, Emigrants to Canada (The Scottish Genealogist xvii 3 (1970) p. 89-90 � the brothers, Robert and David, were active in the colonization of Prince Edward Island, Canada, and their letter dated 1834 to William Buchanan, Trossachs, is quoted [in the article.]) ”  In 1841 Robert was residing with his widower brother, David, in St. George Bloomsbury, London, Middlesex, England. Both were employed as surveyors.  Stewarts of the South indicates that Robert had no children by as late as 1815.  It is believed that Robert never married and had no children after that time either.

David Stewart and the Prince Edward Island Settlement

David STEWART b: 1 JUN 1769 in Wester Ardcheanochdan, Callander, Perthshire, Scotland, shown above as a son of Robert McDonachie Stewart.

David Stewart was born in Ardcheanochdan, Lower Strathgartney, Callander, Perthshire, Scotland, and later moved to London, England where he and his brother Robert were employed as land surveyors. David may also have been a lawyer. David was an active land speculator and purchased (possibly with his brother Robert) an enormous quantity of land (either 67,000 or over 70,000 acres depending on which account one follows) on Prince Edward Island, Canada, in contravention of Canada’s strict land-ownership laws. These laws were introduced to encourage immigration and discourage absentee landlord ownership. The laws required that any land owner must occupy and begin to develop their lands within one year of purchase or forfeit their lands to the Crown. Duncan never lived in PEI and only visited there once in 1831; he lived in London, England the entire time he was purchasing land in PEI. David was the classic absentee landlord that these laws were enacted to prevent. However the aristocratic legislators in Prince Edward Island were lax in enforcing these laws, so David was allowed to indulge his greed. It was not until a generation later in 1875 that disgruntled and impoverished tenants on PEI rose up in protest and civil disobedience that the provincial legislaters were moved to pass the Land Purchase Act which enabled them to reclaim these large lands from their greedy landlords and redistribute them to resident landlords, and David’s son, Robert Bruce Stewart, was forced to sell to the government all but 500 acres of his family’s property.

David Stewart is described in Stewarts of the South as: “David Stewart, his [Duncan’s] brother [is] a land-surveyor and factor in England. [He] has one son, a character, who is proof against all disappointments and adversities.”

David is listed in Mitchell’s Monumental Inscriptions for Kilmahog Cemetery: “48a (next to 47) Robert STEWART, farmer (at) Wester Ardcheanacrochdan., wife Janet BLACK, son David born here 1 JUN 1769 went to England at an early age in partnership with his brother as land surveyor and land agent for many years in Great Russel Street Bloomsbury, London, died 26 MAY 1852, age 82, at (the) home of his nephew at Aucharacle near Strontian, Argyll. (Mitchell notes: see Allan, Emigrants to Canada (The Scottish Genealogist xvii 3 (1970) p. 89-90 � the brothers, Robert and David, were active in the colonization of Prince Edward Island, Canada, and their letter dated 1834 to William Buchanan, Trossachs, is quoted [in the article.])

Strathgartney Homestead, Prince Edward Island, Canada
Home of Robert Bruce Stewart
http://www.historicplaces.ca/visit-visite/image.aspx?id=7764&imgID=0&ver=1

David is described in the following article, believed to have come from Stewart Clan Magazine, however the original reference has since been lost: “David practised as a lawyer in London. From a hand?written note seen in a file of tourist material in a local library.[on Prince Edward Island, Canada]??: Anyone interested in the local history of P.E.I. would enjoy reading a book titled After Strathgartney. It throws some light on the ‘Land Question’ by describing conditions under the Landlords…. David Stewart, born at Ardcheanochrochan, Perthshire, Scotland, was the owner of 70,000 acres, comprising Lots 30, 7, 10, 12, and parts of 47 and 27, which he visited from June to August, 1831. He never returned to the Island. His son Robert Bruce Stewart came in 1846, and took possession of the vast property, he built a large house on Lot 30 which he name Strathgartney. Among many privileges he enjoyed as proprietor of a great estate was a private mail bag. In 1875 the Land Purchase Act required him to sell all but 500 acres. His great?grandson, Alan Stewart, has his diary. (dated 1967, unsigned).”

David and his descendants are described in the following article from http://www.archives.pe.ca/peiain/fondsdetail.asp?fonds=Acc2316

“The Stewart family of London, England, and Prince Edward Island was one of the largest land-owning families in the history of land proprietorship on PEI. The patriarch, David Stewart, was born in 1769 in Loch Katrine, Scotland. He was trained as a land surveyor and became a successful land agent. He married Martha Mann Hill and had one child, Robert Bruce Stewart, born in London in 1813. As early as 1808, David Stewart began purchasing land in Prince Edward Island and by the 1830’s, the Stewarts had purchased Lots 7, 10, 12, and 30 as well as parts of Lots 27, 46, and 47. The Stewart family shared their Great Russell Street home in London with Robert Stewart, David’s brother and partner. Robert died in January 1846.

“David’s son Robert Bruce received much of his education in the Arts and Sciences independently but was trained as a land agent and surveyor by his father. In London on 27 June 1838, Robert Bruce married Helen Birnie, daughter of the Prince Edward Island merchant, George Birnie. Robert Bruce, along with his wife and their five children left Britain on 29 August 1846 to settle in Charlottetown, PEI. In 1863, Robert Bruce moved his family, now including nine children, to a country estate called Strathgartney on the Stewart property in Lot 30.

“Upon his father’s death in 1852, Robert Bruce Stewart became the largest resident proprietor on PEI, owning more than 67,000 acres . He was one of the key players in the Land Question on PEI, fighting long and hard against the Land Purchase Act by which the government would purchase all large land holdings from the proprietors which were to be sold to tenants. In February 1876, Robert Bruce was forced to sell all but 500 acres of his vast estate to the PEI government. Thereafter, Robert Bruce left his Strathgartney home and retired to Charlottetown where he lived with his second wife, Harriet Amelia Mayne, whom he married 7 December 1876. Robert Bruce Stewart died in Charlottetown 9 May 1884.”

In 1841 David was residing with his brother, Robert, in St. George Bloomsbury parish in the Holborn Division of the Ossulstone Hundred in the registration district of St. Giles in the Fields, in Greater London, Middlesex, England and both were employed as surveyors. David’s wife was not with him and is presumed to have died before 1841.

David Stewart married to Martha MANN b: ABT 1785 in England? although no record of their marriage has been found.

1.  Robert Bruce STEWART b: ABT 20 APR 1813 in Christ Church, Southwark, London, Middlesex, England.  Robert Bruce Stewart was the son of David Stewart, a lawyer and land surveyor from London, England who purchased between 67-70,000 acres of land on Prince Edward Island, Canada, in contravention to local land-ownership laws (see notes on Robert’s father, David). Robert later moved to PEI to act as a resident landlord for his father’s lands, and on the death of his father, Robert inherited the lands. However, (as described in Duncan’s notes) these lands were purchased in contravention to Canadian law that required land owners to physically occupy and begin to develop their lands within one year of purchase or forfeit their lands to the crown. The aristocratic legislators on PEI declind to enforce these laws. During Robert’s lifetime, the disgruntled and impoverished tenants of PEI put pressure on their provincial legislators to enforce these laws. Robert Bruce Stewart organized and headed a landlord coalition to oppose the tenants and enforce the landlords’ rights to land ownership. But by 1875 the provincial legislature passed the Land Purchase Act and Robert was forced to sell all but 500 acres of his property. He kept his residence, located, just west of Charlottetown, which he named Strathgartney after his family’s ancestral residence in Perthshire, Scotland.

   Robert Bruce Stewart is described in Stewarts of the South as “a character, who is proof against all disappointments and adversities.”

   Robert is described in an article which is believed to have come from Stewart Clan Magazine although the original reference has been lost: “In 1846, Robert Bruce Stewart, David’s son, sailed for P.E.I. and settled there as resident landlord. He built a fine house named Strathgartney, apparently after an ancestral home on the shore of Loch Katrine. Descendants of Robert Bruce Stewart occupied Strathgartney until about 1950. The house has now been restored to its original period and is operated as a museum by a private company.

   “From a brochure circulated by Strathgartney Enterprises Ltd., Charlottetown, P.E.I., 1968. “. . . Strathgartney Homestead was built in 1846 ? 47 by Robert Bruce Stewart, son of David Stewart of Perthshire, Scotland, who received grants of land, totalling over 70,000 acres in P.E.I. David Stewart visited his property in 1831, and in 1846 his son settled as Landlord at Strathgartney…. In 1875, when the Land Purchase Act was passed, Robert Bruce Stewart retained the 500 acres which is today Strathgartney Homestead. . . . the Stewart family continued to live here until 1955, when the Hon. W.F. Allen Stewart, a long?time member of the P.E.I. Legislative Assembly, died…. “

   Robert Stewart’s obituary: “Mr. Stewart has, for many years, occupied a place among the prominent gentlemen of our province. Since his large estates were purchased by the Government, his name has not figured so extensively in public documents as formerly; but on account of the high family to which he belonged, his means and his scholarly attainments, his decease leaves a blank in our community which cannot be easily filled.” (Charlottetown Daily Patriot).

   Robert Bruce Stewart married firstly on 27 JUN 1838 in London, Middlesex, England to Helen Stewart BIRNIE b: 20 APR 1815 in London, Middlesex, England, and secondly on 7 DEC 1876 in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada to Harriet Amelia MAYNE.  By his first wife, Robert Bruce Stewart had the following children:

   1.  Eliza Martha STEWART b: 26 MAY 1839 in London, Middlesex, England
   2.  Walter B. STEWART b: 1841 in London, Middlesex, England
   3.  Robert Bruce STEWART b: 6 DEC 1842 in Prince Edward Island, Canada
   4.  Matilda Mary STEWART b: 1845 in Prince Edward Island, Canada
   5.  Helen Sybil STEWART b: 1846 in London, Middlesex, England
   6.  Henrietta Farrer STEWART b: 22 JAN 1848 in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada
   7.  Emily Stephen STEWART b: 28 OCT 1849 in Prince Edward Island, Canada
   8.  James Farrer STEWART b: 20 AUG 1851 in Prince Edward Island, Canada
   9.  Rosa Maude STEWART b: 4 JAN 1854 in Prince Edward Island, Canada
   10.  David Buchan STEWART b: 8 NOV 1857 in Charolottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada
   11.  Reginald Fitzalan STEWART b: 10 DEC 1859 in Prince Edward Island, Canada

   These children had numerous descendants who are beyond the scope of this research project.

Duncan STEWART , in Breanachoille and Letter

Duncan STEWART , in Breanachachoille and Letter b: 6 JUN 1771 in Ardcheanochdan, Callander, Perthshire, Scotland, shown above as a son of Robert McDonachie Stewart.  Duncan Stewart is described in highly unflattering terms in Stewarts of the South, as follows: “Duncan, [a] tacksman of Letter & Brainchoill [on] Loch Catherineside [in] Callendar parish who has three sons: Robert, a clerk in London, James, a student of Divinity and a young boy [who is] under age.  This Duncan Stewart is possessed of some unprincipled abilities; he is tacksman of Brainchoill where there was once a hospitable reception for persons of every description with every mark of kindly hospitality by the late worthy family of Glenbuckie and where there is now neither house nor hall.” And from the Appendix: “I mentioned in one of the preceding pages, concerning one Duncan Stewart, [a] tacksman of Brainchoil & Letter of the family of Gartnafuaran, which you will notice in the proper place, that he was a dangerous character which truly happened shortly after. I mentioned likewise in its proper place that Glenfinglas was 800 guineas – 100 guineas to each of the eight tenants there. This low fellow that raised himself from the dung hill by forwardness and villainy, offered 1200 Guineas for the Glen altogether with 100 guineas in the Earl of Moray’s will. Now bad as he is, the coiff, the Earl would not accept of this, and only advanced the rent of �60. By this [the Earl] refused fully 400 guineas. But this present Earl, is acting by the injunctions of his father who directed him not to harass these tenants. For he is not in himself really bad, if Lady Moray and other bad councillors would not influence him. This Duncan Stewart, it cannot be denied, is a clever fellow, were he to make good use of his abilities. It was not out of mere spite and malice [that] he did this to his neighbours, who were tenants [at] the time [that] he was a cottar. His offers, however, rejected here with disdain and so might every one of his kind.”

The later children shown for Duncan are not verified. They are found residing at Letter in various census records from 1841 onwards. There are almost no baptismal records in Callander parish for Strathgartney families after 1803 so it’s almost impossible to confirm these relationships. However the son, David, shown here, is found in 1841 residing with a Mary Stewart, born 1771 who is a perfect match for Duncan’s widow.

Duncan married on 30 DEC 1797 AND 10 JAN 1798 in Aberfoyle and Callander, Perthshire, Scotland to  Mary STEWART b: ABT 1770 in Aberfoyle, Perthshire, Scotland.  They are believed to have had the following children:

1.  Robert STEWART b: 11 MAY 1801 in Breanachoille, Callander, Perthshire, Scotland.  Robert Stewart is described in Stewarts of the South as “Robert, a clerk in London” ca. 1815. However it would appear that by 1841 he had returned to the family farm after the death of his father. At least there is a Robert Stewart matching his age living with a widowed Mary Stewart matching the age of his mother and residing at Ardcheanochdan.  However the Robert Stewart found in the census may also be this Robert’s cousin, Robert Stewart son of James Stewart, born 1798.
2.  Jannet STEWART b: 30 APR 1803 in Breanachoille, Callander, Perthshire, Scotland.  The marriage of Jannet to Angus Stewart and the children shown here are not confirmed, but are based on very strong circumstantial evidence. Jannet’s brother is found in 1851 and 1861 with a nephew Robert and niece Jean both born in Edinburgh and matching the children shown here. Furthmore the onomastics for Angus’ and Jannet’s children match perfectly with the parents shown here and their first child was born in Letter, which was Jannet’s father’s property.  It is believed that this family is the same one found in 1881 on Lot 59, Kings County, Prince Edward Island, Canada. Jannet’s uncles, David and Robert Stewart were heavily involved in the settling of Prince Edward Island.  It is suggested that Jannet married on 29 SEP 1827 in Callander, Perthshire, Scotland to Angus STEWART b: ABT 1805 in Callander, Perthshire, Scotland.  Angus’ birth family has not been confidently identified, however he is suspected to come from the Stewarts of Glenbuckie Branch IX – Sliochd Gleanmagaolric or from the family of Archibald Stewart in Glen Lyon.  They are believed to have had the following children:
   1.  Mary STEWART b: 31 OCT 1827 in Letter, Strathgartney, Callander, Perthshire, Scotland
   2.  John STEWART b: 25 MAR 1829 in Edinburgh Parish, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland.  John is believed to have married to a woman named Catherine and had the following children.  They are found in 1881 residing on Lot 59, Kings County, Prince Edward Island, Canada.
      1.  James STEWART b: 1862 in Kings County, Prince Edward Island, Canada
      2.  Maggie STEWART b: 1864 in Kings County, Prince Edward Island, Canada
      3.  Angus STEWART b: 1866 in Kings County, Prince Edward Island, Canada
      4.  Daniel STEWART b: 1871 in Kings County, Prince Edward Island, Canada
      5.  Sarah STEWART b: 1876 in Kings County, Prince Edward Island, Canada
      6.  Euphemia STEWART b: 1878 in Kings County, Prince Edward Island, Canada
      7.  Mary A. STEWART b: 1880 in Kings County, Prince Edward Island, Canada
   3.  Duncan STEWART b: 30 JUN 1833 in Edinbrugh Parish, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland
   4.  Angus STEWART b: 29 JUN 1836 in St. Cuthbert’s Parish, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland
   5.  Robert STEWART b: 14 NOV 1838 in St. Cuthbert’s Parish, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland
   6.  Jean STEWART b: 14 MAY 1841 in St. Cuthbert’s Parish, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland
   7.  Anne STEWART b: 1848 in King’s County, Prince Edward Island, Canada
3.  James STEWART b: ABT 1804 in Callander, Perthshire, Scotland.  James is described in Stewarts of the South as: “James, a student of Divinity.”  He has not been found in any later records.
4.  Margaret STEWART b: ABT 1805 in Callander, Perthshire, Scotland.  She is found residing with her brother David in later census records.
5.  Catherine STEWART b: ABT 1806 in Callander, Perthshire, Scotland.  She is found residing with her brother David in later census records.
6.  Christian STEWART b: ABT 1811 in Callander, Perthshire, Scotland.  She is found residing with her brother David in later census records.
7.  David STEWART b: BET 1816 AND 1817 in Callander, Perthshire, Scotland.  David is believed to be the son mentioned in Stewarts of the South as: “a young boy [who is] under age.” According to later census records it would appear that David inherited his father’s farm of Letter in Strathgartney which he continued to farm at least as late as 1861. Census records indicate that David never married and lived with several of his spinster sisters for most of his life. Census records refer to the farm as Letter (of) Ardcheanochdan, Letter, and Letter (of) Strathgartney. It’s believed these are merely three different names for the same residence, not three different residences. David is shown living with his sisters Mary, Margaret and Christian and later with his nephew Robert/Ross and niece Jean.
8.  Mary STEWART b: BET 1816 AND 1822 in Callander, Perthshire, Scotland. She is found residing with her brother David in later census records.

Research Leads

Alexander STEWART and Janet FERGUSON had a daughter, Agnes, born “in fornication” 20/30 DEC 1717 in Brenachil, Callander.

Robert STEWART and Elizabeth MCFARLAN, son George, b/b 4/7 MAY 1764 in Breanachoile

Alexander STEWART and Affie MCNAB had a daughter Margaret, b/b 20/25 JUN 1766 in Branchylle

David STEWART, born about 1819 in Scotland, residing in 1841 in in St. Giles in the Fields parish, in the Holborn Division of the Ossulstone Hundred, in Greater London, Middlesex, England, employed as a “J (Journeyman?) Baker (Broker? Birkin? Banker?) — nearby to David and Robert Stewart, surveyors.  Not found in 1851.