The Stewarts in Letter

The History and Genealogy of the Stewarts in Letter, Port of Menteith;
Branch IV of the Stewarts of Ardvorlich, Perthshire, Scotland;
Commonly known as the 'Letter Stewarts'
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The Stewarts in Letter, Port of Menteith, Perthshire, Scotland

Cadet Branch IV of the Stewarts of Ardvorlich

Commonly known as the “Letter Stewarts”

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It has been copy/pasted from our old Rootsweb site.
Links below may be out-of-date.

Ancestry.com is shutting down access to all old Rootsweb sites starting January 2024, so we have had to hastily copy this information here before we lose access to our old site.

Our volunteers are in the process of updating the information on this page. We cannot provide a timeline for when this page will be updated as it depends entirely on volunteer labour availability.

 

IV Branch – The “Letter Stewarts”

The Letter Stewarts are cadet branch IV of the Stewarts of Ardvorlich. Please refer to the  Stewarts of Ardvorlich page for a full introduction.

This cadet branch of the Ardvorlich family is named after the property in Port of Menteith which was their primary residence. This branch is accounted as IV Branch in Stewarts of the South. The branch descends from Duncan Oag Stewart, youngest son of Alexander Stewart, 1st of Ardvorlich. Duncan Oag was also the patriarch of the Stewarts in Auchraig (Branch III of the Stewarts of Ardvorlich). The two branches are close cousin branchs. Branch III descends from Duncan’s eldest son Alexander Oig Stewart. It is believed, but not confirmed, that Branch IV descends from Duncan’s younger son, Duncan Oig Stewart, as shown below.

Stewarts of the South presents this branch as follows:

Duncan Oag of Ardvorlich, commonly called “Letter Stewart”, tacksman of Letter and Auchraig, then belonging to Ardvorlich, in Port [of Menteith] Parish.

1 line

The first line of his descendants I think is:

(It is important to note that Captain Stewart is uncertain of this branch.)

1. Duncan Stewart. (The reference below indicates that this line is descended from Duncan Stewart, once tacksman of Radnaik — who is NOT the same person as Duncan Oag, patriarch of Branch IV. Duncan is the brother of Donald Stewart, late tacksman of Auchmore, patriarch of line 2, below.)

a) James Stewart, tacksman of Easter & Wester Ward, Kincardine parish, on the Blair Drummond estate, is a gentleman farmer and bachelor. He is son of Duncan Stewart, once tacksman of Radnaik, Port parish General Graham of Bogtown – £350 rent.

b) John Stewart, his brother, a farmer in Redhaugh [which is] Touch’s estate, which now belongs to Murray of Polmaize, Stirlingshire.  His sons:

        1. An officer in the 42nd Regiment of Foot.
        2. An officer in another regiment.
        3. A surgeon and physician.
        4. A writer
        5. Another 2 or 3 at home who are minors.

2 line

1. Donald Stewart. (The reference below indicates that this line is descended from Donald Stewart, late tacksman of Auchmore.  Donald is the brother of Duncan, patriarch of line 1, above — who is NOT the same person as Duncan Oag, patriarch of Branch IV.)

a) John Stewart, a spirit dealer in Glasgow, is son to Donald Stewart, late tacksman of Auchmore, Port parish.  He has two sons:

        1. A spirit dealer
        2. A cloth merchant

b) Alexander Stewart, his (John’s) brother, is a cotton manufacturer.  He has two sons, same line, in Glasgow, well doing.

2. James Stewart, brother to the above Duncan & Donald, tacksman in ?Tinich, on the estate of Radnaick, Port parish.  His sons:

      1. John Stewart, tacksman and maltman in the parish of Kippen, on the estate of Gartmore, Stirlingshire.  He has 4 sons who are minors.
      2. James Stewart of Thornhill, on Blair Drummond’s estate, Down parish.  He has four sons who are minors.

3 line

1. John Stewart, tacksman Ward of Goodie, Erskine of Cardny, Port parish, at home. £140.

2. John Stewart, tacksman of Broich, on Sir John McGregor’s estate of Lendrick, Down parish.  He has three sons employed on the farm.

This finishes the Letter Stewarts.

Our current accounting of this family is as follows.

Duncan Oag STEWART, Of Auchraig & Inchcallbeg, Younger of Ardvorlich, b. ABT 1600 in Ardvorlich, Comrie, Perthshire, Scotland. He was ancestor to the following branches. The intervening generations have not been discovered.

We know Duncan Oag had a son Alasdair Oig who was patriarch of Branch III. It is not known if Branch IV also descends from Alasdair Oig or if Duncan had another son from whom Branch IV descends. As the author of Stewarts of the South was aware of the existence of Alasdair Oig then it seems likely that if Branch IV was also descended from Alasdair Oig then the author of Stewarts of the South would have said so. Although this is far from a solid argument, based on this premise alone we are presently suggesting that Branch IV more likely descends from an unknown younger brother of Alasdair Oig.

A counter argument can be made by the fact that Duncan Oag Stewart died in 1632 and was probably in his very early thirties at the oldest when he died. Thus a case may be made that Alasdair Oig Stewart could have been his only son.

  1. Duncan Oig STEWART in Letter and Auchraig, abt 1632, believed to be son of the preceding Duncan.  It is suggested that he is the patriarch of Ardvorlich IV Branch – Letter Stewarts.  The descendants of this branch have not been accounted.
    1. Son STEWART, b ca 1660
      1. Unknown descent, b ca 1690
        1. Duncan STEWART in Radnaik (Rednock), near Auchrig, Port of Menteith, Perthshire, Scotland, b ca 1720
          1. James STEWART in Easter & Wester Ward, Blair Drummond, Kincardine, Perthshire, Scotland, b ca 1750
          2. John STEWART in Redhaugh, Touch, Stirling, Scotland, b ca 1755
            1. Son STEWART ca 1785, an officer in the 42nd Regiment of Foot.
            2. Son STEWART, an officer in another regiment.
            3. Son STEWART, a surgeon and physician.
            4. Son STEWART, a writer
            5. Son STEWART, a minor residing at home ca. 1815.
            6. Son STEWART, a minor residing at home ca. 1815.
            7. Son STEWART, a minor residing at home ca. 1815. (SOS is unclear whether there were 2 or 3 minor sons)
        2. Donald STEWART in Auchmore, b ca 1725, according to Stewarts of the South he was the brother of Duncan in Radnaik.
          1. John STEWART in Glasgow, b ca 1750, a spirit dealer
            1. Son STEWART, b ca 1780, a spirit dealer
            2. Son STEWART, b ca 1785, a cloth merchant
          2. Alexander STEWART in Glasgow, b ca 1755, a cotton manufacturer
            1. Son STEWART, in Glasgow, b ca 1785, a cotton manufacturer
            2. Son STEWART, in Glasgow, b ca 1790, a cotton manufacturer
        3. James STEWART in ?Tinich, Radnaik, Port of Menteith, Perthshire, Scotland, b ca 1730
          1. John STEWART, in Kippen, Gartmore, Stirlingshire, Scotland, b ca 1760,a tacksman and maltman.
            1. Son STEWART, a minor in 1815.
            2. Son STEWART, a minor in 1815.
            3. Son STEWART, a minor in 1815.
            4. Son STEWART, a minor in 1815.
          2. James STEWART, in Thornhill, Blair Drummond, Kincardine, Perthshire, Scotland, b ca 1765,
            1. Son STEWART, a minor in 1815.
            2. Son STEWART, a minor in 1815.
            3. Son STEWART, a minor in 1815.
            4. Son STEWART, a minor in 1815.
      2. Unknown descent, b ca 1700,
        1. Unknown Descent, b ca 1730
          1. John STEWART, in Ward of Goodie, Port of Menteith, Perthshire, Scotland, b ca 1760. UPDATE PENDING: This family has now been identified.
    2. John? STEWART, b ca 1680
      1. Robert? STEWART, b ca 1710
        1. John STEWART, in Broich, Kilmadock, Perthshire, Scotland. b ca 1745
          1. Son STEWART, employed on his father’s farm. b ca 1790
          2. Son STEWART, employed on his father’s farm. b ca 1793
          3. Son STEWART, employed on his father’s farm. b ca 1795

John Stewart and Janet Dow, m. ca. 1700 (no marriage record) (This is the line of John Stewart in Broich above.)

  • John M 29/12/1700 son of John Stewart and Jenat Dou in Achrig
  • Androw M 20/12/1702 son of John Stewart and Jenat Dow in Auchreig W: James & Donald S
  • Andrew M 1/5/1706 son of John Stwasrt and Jenat Dow in Auchreig W: James & Alex S
  • Margaret F 22/5/1709 daughter of John Stewart and Jenat Dow in Auchrigg
  • Isabell, 31 January 1714, daughter of John Stewart and Janet Dow in Airth, Stirling

Research Leads

There is no family matching the description of “John Stewart, tenant [in] Broich, Ardvorlich family, an industrious [and] keen man, in Sir John McGregor-Murray’s Estate.”  The only family in the Kilmadock OPR shown residing in Broich is the following:

Robert STUART/STEWART and Isabella STUART/STEWART in Broich m 27 DEC 1736 in Port of Menteith

  1. Elisabeth STEWART, bap 2 APR 1738 in Broich, Witt. James STUART in Daldorn and John STUART in Deanstoun
  2. Isobell STEWART, bap 23 MAR 1740 in Broich, Witt. John STUART in Deanstoun and John Lennox in Doolet
  3. Katherine STEWART, bap 06 FEB 1743 in Nether Broich, Witt. John Henderson and Robert McUlloch in Broich
  4. Isobell STEWART, bap 14 JAN 1744 in Broich, Witt. Rot McCulloch and Arch McGibbon there (OPR gives father as Robert Muschet sic, however there is no other such couple in the OPR)
  5. John STEWART, bap 17 MAR 1745 in Nether Broich, Witt. John STUART at Bridge End of Doun and James STUART in Daldorn
  6. Alexander STEWART, bap 17 NOV 1751 in Broich, Witt. Will. Greig and Alexr. McGruther in Doun

    Alexander STEWART and May BAXTER in Broich

    1. Agnes STEWART, bap 14 APR 1776 in Broich, Witt. —– Murdoch Lanrick and Alexr Murdoch
    2. Robert STEWART, bap 10 MAY 1778 in Broich, Witt. Robert Stewart and William Murdoch both in Broich
    3. Child STEWART, bap 26 Jun 1791 in Lendrick, Witt. Peter McGregor and James Gow Jr. both at Lendrick (Parents: Alexander Stewart and Mary illegible — McLachlane at Milton of Cambus?)
  7. Jannet STEWART, bap 24 NOV 1754 in Broich, Witt. John Henderson and Gilbert Bo—- there

The John Stewart b 1745 above would fit chronologically with the John Stewart in Broich described in Stewarts of the South above, however no matching children can be found for him.  The family of Alexander Stewart and Mary Baxter is found having children in Broich at the time.  Could Stewarts of the South have made a mistake on the name of John Stewart or were John’s children baptised elsewhere or not recorded?  As the family above represents the only Stewarts in Broich then it would seem this must be the right family, but since we cannot reconcile it with Stewarts of the South as yet then it is currently being left here as merely a research lead in hopes that further information may come to light.

The following families are also found in Broich:

Alexander BLAIR and Janet STEWART in “The Birks”

  1. Thomas BLAIR, bap 3 APR 1763 in “the Birks”, Witt. Peter McArthur and John Smith in Orchard head

James HENDERSON and Agnes STUART in “The Broich”

  1. Beatrix HENDERSON, bap 17 JAN 1768 in The Broich, Witt. Robert and Alexander STUARTS both in the Broich

Robert MITCHELL and Elisabeth STEWART in Broich

  1. John MITCHELL, b/b 27 DEC/20 JAN 1815 in Broich (no witnesses)