The Stewarts of Annat

The Stewarts of Annat, Kilmadock, Perthshire, Scotland

The Fourth Major Branch of the Stewarts of Balquhidder

The Stewarts of Annat lived at Annat in the parish of Kilmadock in Perthshire, Scotland. (Modern spelling: Annet.) Their original residence was a small castle by the Annat (Annet) burn, and later a manor house, both now in ruins.

The Stewarts of Annat were deeply involved in the Jacobite Risings of 1715 and 1745. Notorious Jacobites Allan Breck Stewart and James Stewart of the Glen both stayed at Annat House on route to the infamous Appin Murder Trial that led to the wrongful conviction and execution of James of the Glen.

The Origins of the Stewarts of Annat

The Stewarts of Annat were the youngest of the four principal families descended from the ancient Stewarts of Baldorran and Balquhidder, including the families of the Stewarts of Ardvorlich, the Stewarts of Glenbuckie, and the Stewarts of Gartnafuaran. Alexander Stewart, 1st Laird of Annat (below), was a nephew to Alexander Stewart, 1st of Ardvorlich, by Ardvorlich’s younger brother, John Stewart, 1st of Portnellan (below). Alexander Stewart, 1st of Annat, purchased the lands of Annat in Kilmadock Parish in 1621 from James Muschet of Burnbank. The Annat lands were later sold to their cousins, the Stewarts of Ballachallan, also in Kilmadock Parish, and by the early 19th century this estate had been completely broken up among some of the larger neighbouring estates. By 1820 the principle line of the Stewarts of Annat became extinct, although their cousins, the Stewarts of Rait, were styling themselves as “of Annat” at that time.

The Annat Lands

Alexander Stewart, 1st of Annat purchased Annat in 1621 from James Muschet of Burnbank.  According to Stewarts of the South, the Annat family also had a tack one fourth of Glenfinglas (in the care of the Bains of Glenfinglas branch), which lands were sublet from the family of Perth. They had a tack of Easter and Wester Portnellan on Loch Venachar in Callander parish, purchased by the Earl of Murray from the Perth family. They had a tack of the farm of Offrans and Duncragan later purchased by Sir Patrick Murray of Auchtertyre from the Perth family. These lands were rather prosperous.

John Stewart, 5th of Annat, sold the estate to his cousin, David Stewart of Ballachallan, excepting one farm and some feues, which became the property of Sir John McGregor. The Ballachallan estate was later sold to Mr. Buchanan of Cambusmor – being contiguous to his own. And the estate of Annat was bought by Lord Doune as it was lying in the midst of his own estate, except for the farm mentioned above, which was bought by Sir John McGregor. (Stewarts of the South)

Active Jacobites and the English Raid on Annat

The Stewarts of Annat were very active in the Jacobite Risings of 1715 and 1745. The story of an English raid on the house of Annat gives us a clear indication as to how involved the Stewarts of Annat were. The story is undated, but the content of the story would seem to indicate that it occurred shortly after the collapse of the Rising when Jacobites were in hiding in the Highlands and actively being sought by Crown soldiers.

One night, there was a meeting at the house of Annat consisting of Jacobite gentlemen from the area around Doune, a notoriously Jacobite district. The meeting was interrupted by a troop of English soldiers knocking at the door and demanding entrance in the (Hanoverian) king’s name. The Jacobites doused their light and hid hastily behind some large coats behind the main staircase. Peggy Stewart, daughter of Alexander Stewart, 4th of Annat, answered the door pretending that only she and her apparently deaf sister Annie were home. Peggy led a well-acted ruse of stalling and misdirection to allow her Jacobite kin to escape out the back window while the English major attended to Peggy’s faked sprained ankle and subsequent search of the house.

The full story can be found here:

The Prosperity of the Stewarts of Annat

The Stewarts of Annat were the most prosperous of all the branches of the Stewarts of Balquhidder. Stewarts of the South has the following to say about the Stewarts of Annat:

It is said the first of Annat Family was a bastard of the Ardvorlich family (sic) and that he purchased the estate of Annat from Misset of Burnbank with some money gotten by his mother from some of the Argyll family for hiding them. Whither it was by their marriages or their own activity or through other circumstances is uncertain, but they rose higher than any other branch of their father’s race from Ardvorlich. The last of them was a great drunkard, but was very mindful of his two sisters to see them in Stirling for they were much supported by Gen (General) Stewart of Boblack [Powblack] (a.k.a. General Robert Stuart of Rait), and by the profits of a tack they had of the farm of Offrans of the forfeited estate of Perth, now Sir Patrick Murray’s property. 

Gallery

Cadet Branches and Descendant Lines

The following families descend from the Stewarts of Annat. Their exact connection is shown further below. More information on each of these descendant families can be found by clicking on the buttons.

John Dubh Stewart, 1st of Portnellan, Predecessor of Annat

John Stewart, 1st of Portnellan,   b. 1540, Baldorran, Campsie, Stirling, Scotland ,   d. 1614, Kilmadock, Perthshire, Scotland   (Age 74 years). John was a younger son of James Mhor Stewart, 4th of Baldorran and Balquhidder. John was also a younger brother of Alexander Stewart, 1st of Ardvorlich, then chief of Clan Stewart of Balquhidder.

While we have no record directly referring to John as John Dubh Stewart, his grandson’s byname, Mceandowie (“son/descendant of Iain Dubh/Black John”) indicates that John was referred to as Dubh.

John married a woman who is known to us only by her initials, M H,   b. Abt 1540, Scotland ,   d. UNKNOWN. There are not a lot of families whose surnames begin with ‘H’ in the Kilmadock/Callander area. The most prominent ones were Haldane, Hume/Home, and Henderson/Hendrickson.

John is believed to be the John Stewart in Portre (Portnellan) in “1620, 6th July, RPC vol. XII, p.317 – Commissioned by Lord Hay with Johnne Stewart in Portre and Johnne and Alexander Stewart in Glenfinglas to apprehend and try Johnne Roy McDuff in Rannache for stealing under cloud and silence of night 4ky and ane meir pertaining to Donald McEanlay (McKinley) in Dulater.”

Duncan Stewart (1739) says: “His predecessor was John, brother to Alexander of Ardvorlich and son to James, son of Walter Stewart of Baldorran. This John’s son was Alexander.”

According to Stewart Society Magazine, Vol. XI, John was born in 1540 and died in 1600. The reliability of these dates is not known. but seems to contradict Mitchell’s Monumental Inscriptions.

According to Mitchell’s Monumental Inscriptions, there is a stone in Kilmadock cemetery situated amidst the other Stewarts of Annat stones, being the oldest one, which reads, “1614. JS MH// HS.” It seems likely this refers to this John dying in 1614 and that his wife’s initials were MH. The HS is on a second line and may indicate a child’s name.

Children

John Stewart had the following known child and like other undocumented children:

Alexander mac Iain Dubh Stewart, in Glenfinglas, 2nd of Portnellan and 1st of Annat

Alexander mac Iain Stewart, in Glen Finglas 2nd of Portnellan and 1st of Annat,   b. 1564, probably Portnellan, Callander, Perthshire, Scotland ,   d. 14 Jan 1647  (Age 83 years). Alexander was the only known son of John Stewart, 1st of Portnellan, shown above. Alexander’s middle name is frequently rendered incorrectly in online genealogies as “MACLAIN.” (The middle letter is a capital ‘i’ not a lowercase ‘L’.) His middle name is his patronymic, “mac Iain” (son of John). Alexander married to Daughter MacNab, of Aucharn,   b. Abt 1565, Aucharn, Perthshire, Scotland ,   d. UNKNOWN.

Alexander was the founder of the Stewarts of Annat. He is believed to be the Alexander “M’ean” (mac Iain, or “son of John”) referred to in the following documents. His son Walter’s byname, “Meandowie” (son/descendant of Iain Dubh, or “son/descendant of Black John”) suggests that Alexander’s father was known as John Dubh.

• 1623 – Alexander S. alias M’ean. John, Archibald, and Andrew, his sons. Walter M’eandowie alias Stewart (Alexander mac Iain Stewart, (latterly) 1st of Annat, and his sons, John Stewart, future 2nd of Annat, Archibald Stewart, ancestor of Glassingall, Andrew Stewart, latterly in Ardcheanochdan, and Walter Mceandowie Stewart, in Glenfinglas.)
• (His sons) 1639 John, Alaster, and Walter Stewarts in Glen. Vol. III p.48, tenants to the Earl of Moray

Duncan Stewart (1739) says: “Alexander, who purchased the lands of Annat from James Muschet of Burnbank anno 1621. He married ___ MacNab, daughter to Aucharn, by whom he had John, Walter, Andrew and James. He had likewise Archibald, great-grandfather to Alexander Stewart of Glassingall, writer in Stirling.”

Duncan Stewart accounts for the family of Annat as a separate branch from the Stewarts of Ardvorlich, whereas Stewarts of the South accounts for them as a cadet branch of the Stewarts of Ardvorlich. As the Annat family descends from a brother of Alexander Stewart, 1st of Ardvorlich, rather than a son, then Duncan Stewart’s accounting is preferred. We account for the Stewarts of Annat as a fourth principal family, alongside the Stewarts of Ardvorlich, Glenbuckie, and Gartnafuaran.

Sometime around 1620, the Annat family complained to James Beag Stewart, 2nd of Ardvorlich, after he received a beneficial tack of Glenfinglas and portioned it among the principal branches of the Baldorran Stewarts, because he left out the Annat family. The dating makes it likely that it was Alexander Stewart, 1st of Annat, who complained about being left out of the Glenfinglas tack. The Annat family were then given a one-eighth share of Glenfinglas, which, from later accountings, would appear to have been the property of Auchnahard in Glenfinglas. It is not recorded who from Annat initially resided in Auchnahard, however since the Ardvorlich History claims that the later John Buidhe Mor was preceded by “a John or two” then it seems likely that the Auchnahard portion probably went first to John Stewart, future 2nd Laird of Annat, while Alexander was still alive. It seems likely that John, future 2nd of Annat, likely held Auchnahard until his father’s death, at which point he would have inherited the principal estate of Annat, to become John Stewart, 2nd of Annat, which would be when his natural son, John Buidhe Mor probably took possession of the tack in Glenfinglas.

Alexander’s gravestone is amazingly still intact. According to Mitchell’s Monumental Inscriptions, it reads: “(foot stone. Marginal.) Hier lyes the richt worthiey and honourabel Alexander STEWART of Annet died 14 JAN 1647, age 76. shield with horse.)”

Children

Alexander was the father of:

Capt. John Stewart, 2nd of Annat

Capt. John Stewart, 2nd of Annat,   b. Abt 1587, Annat, Kilmadock, Perthshire, Scotland ,   d. Jun 1665  (Age ~ 78 years). John was the eldest son of Alexander mac Iain Stewart, 2nd of Portnellan and 1st of Annat, shown above.

John married firstly Abt 1630 to Janet Graham, of Gartur,   b. Abt 1602, Gartur, Cardross Moss, Port of Menteith, Perthshire, Scotland ,   d. UNKNOWN. He married secondly on 19 Jun 1649 in Perthshire, Scotland  to Elizabeth Campbell, of Kinloch,   b. Abt 1620, Kinloch, Perthshire, Scotland ,   d. UNKNOWN. He also had relations with an unknown mistress. He had children by all three women.

The Glassingall Court of Session Papers (1849-1856) say “[Alexander Stewart of Annat’s] eldest son was Captain John Stewart from whom the [Glassingall] petitioners descend.”

John must have done very well for himself as three of his sons were themselves lairds and landowners, a fourth was a doctor, and a fifth was Deputy Governor of Edinburgh Castle. He signed the 1654 Bond of Keltney Burn along with the heads of all the other Stewart houses in Balquhidder, Atholl, and Appin swearing allegiance to King Charles II.

Duncan Stewart (1739) says,

“John Stewart of Annat, married first, Janet Graham, daughter to Gespard Graham of Gartur, by whom he had, 1 Alexander, his son and heir, and 2, Duncan, who purchased Ballachallan, whose son, George, married Mary Hume, daughter to Hary Hume of Argaty, by whom he had David, now of Balachallan, George, a surgeon in Maryland, James, William, and several daughters.

“John of Annat married secondly, Elizabeth Campbell, daughter to John Campbell of Kinlock, by whom he had 3. William, who purchased Craigtoun, William of Craigtoun had Alexander, his son and heir, Lieutenant James Stewart, and Robert. Alexander of Craigtoun married Katharine Drummond, daughter to Drummond-Erinoch, by whom he had James, who died a batchelor and several daughters.

“John of Annat had likewise by his second wife, 4 James Stewart, Lieutenant-Colonel to the Scots Regiment of Horse Guards and Deputy Governor of the Castle of Edinburgh, who had issue, [illegible] also 5 Charles, who had issue, 6 Captain Henry Stewart, and 7 Robert Stewart, a surgeon, who had issue.”

Sometime around 1620, the Annat family complained to James Beag Stewart, 2nd of Ardvorlich, after he received a beneficial tack of Glenfinglas and portioned it among the principal branches of the Baldorran Stewarts, because he left out the Annat family. The dating makes it likely that it was Alexander Stewart, 1st of Annat, who complained about being left out of the Glenfinglas tack. The Annat family were then given a one-eighth share of Glenfinglas, which, from later accountings, would appear to have been the property of Auchnahard in Glenfinglas. It is not recorded who from Annat initially resided in Auchnahard, however since Stewart Society Magazine, Vol. XI, claims that the later John Buidhe Mor was preceded by “a John or two” then it seems likely that the Auchnahard portion probably went first to John Stewart, future 2nd of Annat, while Alexander was still alive. It seems likely that John, future 2nd of Annat, likely held Auchnahard until his father’s death, at which point he would have inherited the principal estate of Annat, to become John Stewart, 2nd of Annat, which would be when his natural son, John Buidhe Mor probably took possession of the tack in Glenfinglas.

John Stewart, 2nd of Annat is recorded in Stewarts of the South, Ardvorlich Section IX – “The Bains of Glenfinglas”, as having had a natural son, by an unknown woman. His natural son was John Buidhe Mor Stewart, 1st in Auchnahard in Glenfinglas.

A copy of an Instrument of Sasine of the Estate of Annat dated 5th and recorded on the Register of Sasine for Perthshire on 29 May 1647 proceeding upon precept of Clare Constat by George Muschet of Burnbank in favour of John Stewart second of Annat as lawful son and heir of the said deceased Alexander Stewart first of Annat in liferent and Alexander Stewart thereof Annat his eldest son dated 3 May 1647.

Children

John Stewart had the following children by his first wife, Janet Graham:

Alexander Stewart, 3rd of Annat

Alexander Stewart, 3rd of Annat,   b. Abt 1630, Annat, Kilmadock, Perthshire, Scotland ,   d. 1 Mar 1695, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland   (Age ~ 65 years). Alexander was the son of Capt. John Stewart, 2nd of Annat, shown above. Alexander married Abt 1670 in Perthshire, Scotland to Janet Edmunston, of Hermitscroft,   b. Abt 1645, Doune, Kilmadock, Perthshire, Scotland ,   d. UNKNOWN. 

Duncan Stewart (1739) says, “Alexander Stewart of Annat married Janet Edmondston, daughter to Edmundston of Hermits-croft, by whom he had Alexander and four daughters.”

Gordon MacGregor (The Red Book of Scotland) says, “Alexander Stewart, 3rd of Annat, was included in his father’s Sasine for Annat in 1647 and whom he succeeded in 1665. He m. Janet, daughter of John Edmonston of Hermit’s Croft, and was buried in the Greyfriars, Edinburgh, on 1 March 1695.”

Children

Alexander and Janet had the following children:

Alexander Stewart, 4th of Annat

Alexander Stewart, 4th of Annat,   b. 1680, Annat, Kilmadock, Perthshire, Scotland ,   d. Aft 1752  (Age > 73 years). Alexander was the son of Alexander Stewart, 3rd of Annat, shown above. 

Alexander married Isabel Fullerton, of Greenhall,   b. Abt 1680, Scotland ,   d. UNKNOWN.

Duncan Stewart (1739) says, “Alexander, now of Annat, married Isabel Fullerton, daughter to Mr John Fullerton of Greenhall, Bishop of Edinburgh, by whom he had John, his son and heir, Duncan, a surgeon, who died in the East Indies, and several daughters.”

Alexander was only 15 years old when his father died, so he was placed in the care of his paternal uncle Duncan Stewart of Ballachallan on 14 June 1695. (MacGregor, Gordon, The Red Book of Scotland)

Alexander is referenced in the following: “Excerpts from Charter of Resignation of the said lands of Annat by the Earl of Perth in favour of the said Alexander Stewart fourth of Annat, his son, in fees dated 4 February 1688 and from Confirmation of said Charter of Resignation in favour of the same parties dated 16 March 1688.” ((MacGregor, Gordon, The Red Book of Scotland)

Alexander’s exact date of death is not known. He was still alive in 1752 at the time of the Appin Murder trial as his son, John, was summoned as a witness, in which he is referred to as “younger of Annat” or “the son of the family.” His burial and his son’s are conspicuously absent from the Old Kilmadock cemetery. It’s possible they fled and died elsewhere or the stones have decayed.

Children

Alexander and Isabel had the following children:

John Stewart, 5th and last of Annat, a “great drunkard”

John Stewart, 5th of Annat,   b. Abt 1705, Annat, Kilmadock, Perthshire, Scotland ,   d. Aft 1745, Unknown   (Age ~ 41 years). He was the eldest son of Alexander Stewart, 4th of Annat, shown above. 

No record has been found of John’s birth. It is estimated to have been around 1705 and presumably occurred at his family’s estate of Annat, Kilmadock, Perthshire, Scotland.

Duncan Stewart (1739), a contemporary of John Stewart, says, “Alexander, now of Annat, married Isabel Fullerton, daughter to Mr John Fullerton of Greenhall, Bishop of Edinburgh, by whom he had John, his son and heir, Duncan, a surgeon, who died in the East Indies, and several daughters.”

Gordon MacGregor (The Red Book of Scotland) says, “John Stewart, 5th of Annat, succeeded his father although his lands being heavily burdened by debts, he mortgaged them to William Wilson, Writer at Murray shall, from whom they were redeemed on 3 January 1763, and afterwards disponed to his cousin David Stewart of Ballachallan. He served in the Perthshire Horse of the Jacobite army of 1745/46 and is generally believed to have [died without children].”

Stewarts of the South describes John as, “The last of them was a great drunkard, but was very mindful of his two sisters to see them in Stirling for they were much supported by Gen. [General] Stewart of Boblach [Powblack] (a.k.a. General Robert Stuart of Rait) and by the profits of a tack they had of the farm of Offrans of the forfeited estate of Perth, now Sir Patrick Murray’s property.”

John’s rank in the Jacobite army is not known. Strathallan’s Perthshire Horse, in which John served, was lled by William Drummond, 4th Viscount Strathallan. It was the Jacobite army’s first cavalry unit, consisting of 36 gentlemen and their servants, including John Stewart of Annat. Their main role was to scout ahead of the army as it advanced into the Lowlands. Strathallan is located southwest of Kilmadock parish, encompassing the lands around Dunblane and Bridge of Allan.