Summary information for the Stewart's

A starting point

Family stories from Ireland recall that “Our great-great-grandfather was called Robert Stewart and he was born in 1840. He was probably from Scotland and had two sons, Joseph and James and other sons who migrated to America as ship builders. The two sons who remained in Ireland were Joseph and James and James’s descendants continue to live on Rosscorkey Island. Joseph also went to America but returned when his father died to inherit a large farm.”

While the outline of family folklore about Robert contains many correct facts there is certain genealogical evidence that puts a different time scale on Robert’s birth year, which of his sons went to America and, while his said birth place" probably from Scotland" is most likely correct, no evidence has currently been found to locate where he was born.

Some Known Facts
– (see the Individual Stewart Page Views for more details)

My investigations for facts to establish details about Robert and his descendants is based upon the knowledge that my ancestors in Ireland, in and before 1850, were known to have lived on either Rosscorkey Island or Mullynavarnoge, two Townlands located along the north-eastern shoreline of Lough Macnean Upper in the Parish of Cleenish, County Fermanagh; see following map.

Townlands

Supporting facts thus far determined:

  1. The first evidence of Stewarts in the designated Lough Macnean Upper locality comes from the Tithe Applotment Books, (a listing of occupiers of agricultural holdings required to pay tax to the Church of Ireland) which lists Robert Stewart Esq as the lessor of Rosscorkey or Corralea Townlands in 1834. The Applot. Books include a second entry for a Robert Stewart on Kilkuskey Island. Other evidence (as follows below) shows that both entries are most likely for the same person. The Esquire suffix may signify that Robert had some social standing; perhaps former or current military service, was not married or, there may be no particular significance.To view the extracted information listing the Stewart’s in the Parish of Cleenish, County Fermanagh from the Applot. Books, link here.

  2. Details from a 1951 Census Extract, which resulted from an application for a pension under the "Old Age Pensions Act 1908" by Fanny Cassidy (née Stewart) in 1916 lists her parents as Robert and Mary (née McCourt) Stewart and they were residents of Rosscorkey Island in 1851. An annotated pdf version of the 1951 Census Extract is available here.

  3. There are at least 12 entries in the Catholic Parish Registers for the Parish of Cleenish listing Stewarts baptised from about 1860, they come from the townlands of Kilrooskagh, Rosscorkey Island/Corralea, Mullynavarnoge and Mullan. The listed parents are mainly James and Susan (née Magrath) Stewart from Rosscorkey Island/Corralea and, Joseph and Mary (née Lilly) Stewart from Mullynavarnoge; James and Joseph are the sons of Robert Stewart mentioned in family folklore. A pdf document listing these births can be viewed here. The Catholic Parish Registers - Marriages also includes an entry for the marriage of Bridget Stewart to Thomas McGuire in 1866 and her parents are shown as Robert and Mary (née McCourt) Stewart. A pdf document of the marriage entry can be viewed here.

  4. The Griffith ’s Valuation’s (a property tax survey) has an entry for Rosscorkey Island Townland in 1862 which shows the occupier as James Stewart and the owner as Thomas H M Jones. It is assumed here that James, Robert's son has become the official occupier. A similar valuation entry for Mullynavarnoge Townland in 1862 shows the occupier as Robin Stewart and the owner as William Deane. Here it is assumed that Robin may be Robert Stewart, or perhaps another of his sons because at some time in about 1880, another son Joseph, becomes the occupier.

  5. While there are no genealogical records thus far found to prove it, most of the birth details referred to above strongly supports the fact that James (est. b.1837) and Joseph (est. b.1851) were brothers. Statements from older residents of Belcoo who knew the families also assert that James and Joseph’s children were first cousins. Additionally, there is good evidence that Fanny Cassidy (née Stewart), Bridget McGuire (nee Stewart) and Patrick Stewart were also Robert Stewart's children.

Note: More details about the early Stewart's can be found on their Individual Pages which
are accessible via the Name Index page or the Pedigree page.

So, when was Robert born?

Robert's son James’s birth year is estimated to be 1837 (from the 1901 Census and 1911 Census data) and Joseph’s is estimated as 1856 (from the 1901 Census data) or 1851 (from the 1911 Census data). These dates make a birth year for Robert around 1840, as suggested by Family Stories, unlikely. The Applot-Books showing Robert Stewart Esq occupying land in the Townland of Rosscorkey Island in 1834 would at least makes him a young adult by 1930. Based upon these facts an estimated birth year of between 1805 and 1810 is suggested.

When did he come to Ireland?

The family name of Stewart or its derivatives is not considered as a traditional Irish name and is most probably of Scottish origin. In Northern Ireland and particularly in the province of Ulster the Stewart’s are most likely associated with the 17th century Plantation of Ulster by the British Crown. Originally inhabiting areas within the County of Derry overtime they and their descendants moved further south and west, through Tyrone and into Fermanagh. However, based upon family folklore and some recalled information by family members, Robert’s presence in Ireland was not through decent from earlier Stewart’s.

The reason and when Robert came to Ireland has not been established. Perhaps it was just some independent decision of his or, maybe he was one of the British brought to Ireland to maintain the British presence; some stayed on or returned to Ireland. His birth place in Scotland has not been established.

Which Stewarts went to America?

Available evidence shows that it was James's son John (b.1864) who went to Boston, arriving in 1983 where he married Eleanor Maynes of County Tyrone (Ireland) on 3 Jun 1894. He operated a successful boat building business in Quinicy (part of Greater Boston) until his accidental death in 1919. There is also some evidence that his brother Joseph (b.1866) and his sister Mary (b.1868) went to Boston in 1893. Currently, there is no information on Joseph (b.1951/56) going to America or, if John's brother Joseph (b.1864) and sister Mary (b.1868) returned to Ireland. More details about John Stuart can be found on the "Stuarts in the USA" page of this site, link here.

What farm and who inherited it?

The large farm mentioned in family folklore is the area comprising the Townland of Mullinavarnogue, in the Parish of Cleenish, County Fermanagh. In the Griffiths Valuation Record (1862) the occupier is one Robin Stewart and the owner is Dean William; Robin is herein thought to be an alternative spelling for Robert Stewart and, the 1901 Census data shows Joseph Stewart, his wife Mary and eight of their children living on the farm. The Townland of Rosscorkey Island in the same Valuation’s has James Stewart as the occupier.

Surname variation - Stewart or Stuart

In this family tree both Stewart and Stuart are recorded as the family name for members of the same family. Stewart is the name used for the majority of 19th Century inhabitants and paternal decedents from Rosscorkey Island and nearby localities. The exceptions who are recorded herein as Stuart’s are, James (b.1837), his son John (b.1884) and all of John’s family and their paternal descendants in the USA. Why there are two recorded spellings has not been fully determined; however, what evidence there is pertaining to the different spelling follows:

  1. The Tithe Applotment Books, 1951 Census Extract and Griffith’s Valuation’s referred to above all record the occupiers of Rosscorkey Island as Stewarts.

  2. Entries in the Catholic Parish Register for Cleenish thus far found record James (b.1837), his wife Susan Magrath and four of their children, James (bapt. 1861), un-deciphered (bapt.1863). John (bapt. 1864) and Joseph (bapt.1866) with the surname as Stewart. The recorded first names in the Register use the Latin equivalent of the normal English spelling. An extract of the baptism details showing details for James and Susan's children can be viewed here.

  3. When the Ireland Births and Baptisms, 1620-1881, database is searched for residents of the Townlands of Rosscorkey Island or Mullinavarnogue invariably Stuart is the recorded surname found. This occurs even for individuals from the Mullinavarnogue Townland who are identified in the 1901 and 1911 Irish Census records as Stewarts and here, there is no doubt that the longer spelling is the correct one. All that can be surmised is that the Civil Births and Baptisms records were completed by an enumerator and for reasons unknown, the surname Stuart was recorded when Stewart was in most instances the name that was used.

  4. In the 1901 and 1911 Irish Census data, James (b.1837) and his children are recorded as Stuart, not Stewart, and when the actual hand written Form A for 1901 and 1911 is examined, the name entered is again Stuart. But the surname recorded in the handwritten Census Forms is not always consistent with the 1911 Census - House and Building Return Form B1 showing the Name of the Landholder as Stewart. Why the inconsistence occurs is not known and who completed the forms, James himself, his wife or an enumerator is also unknown.

  5. An example of the use of different surname spelling within the same family can be found on James Stuart’s gravestone in St Patrick’s Church grounds, Holywell. The gravestone is inscribed with “James Stuart Died March 19916”, then “His wife Ellen Stuart”, but immediately below this is “Frank Stewart Died 21st January 1951” (his son) and then “Patrick Stewart Died 10th November 2001” (his grandson). See the following image depicting the gravestone and link here to view the original image. Again, why there are two different spelling used is unknown.

  6. James's marriage to Ellen McGuire in 1870 may have had some bearing on why the spelling of his name changed. The Catholic Parish Registers - Marriages (8th Apr 1866 to 23 Feb 1881) records his name as James Stuart. One would assume that "Stuart" was what he or the Catholic Parish officials deliberately recorded.

Greavstone

What can be concluded herein is that both versions of the recorded surname spelling belong to the same family and, for the majority of its members in this family tree, the spelling Stewart is the most appropriate. Nevertheless, James retained the name Stuart and this is how his gravestone is inscribed. His son John (b 1864) who went to Boston is also is known as John Stuart and all of his children and paternal descendants in the USA are known as Stuart’s.

The next generation - who stayed, who left?

Some of the descendants James and Joseph continue to live in the same locality as their parents and grandparents. Patrick Stewart, who is James’s great grandson is said to be living on Rosscorkey Island today or if not, recently did. Towards the end of the 19th Century four of Joseph’s sons left Ireland. Robert (b1880) went to Middlesbrough and Patrick (b1882), Thomas (b1889) and Joseph (b1892) all went to Glasgow. Francis (b.1879) appears to have setup home close by, in the Townland of Cornacully. Joseph's other sons John (b.1895) and Peter (b.1897) were joint inheritors of the farm until Peter sold his share to John, who continued occupation of the farm until his death in 1968, when ownership passed to his son Felix. See the Notes displayed on the Individual Page for each person for more details, they are accessible via the Names Index and Pedigree pages of this site.

From Glasgow to Australia

Patrick Stewart (b1882) married Catherine Keanny in Glasgow in 1908 and they had five children, Joseph (b.1908), John (b.1910), Thomas (b.1912), Patrick (b.1918) and Anne (b.1922). The eldest son Joseph married Marry Honnan in 1940 and four of their children were born in Glasgow; Anne (b.1942), Robert (b.1944), Ian (b.1946) and Joseph (b.1948). In 1950 the family immigrated to Australia and in 1950 their fifth child, Patricia, was born in Canberra in 1952.

Another child of Patrick and Catherine’s, Thomas also immigrated to Australia with his family in 1951. More recently, some of Patrick and Catherine’s youngest child Anne’s children have settled in Australia. Many of the Australian grandchildren of Patrick and Catherine are now married with their own children and in some instances, grandchildren. The youngest decedents of Robert Stewart in Australia (and elsewhere) represent the 6th generation down from him.

Other Details

More details about the Stewart’s, their partners and decedents can be found through the Names Index and Pedigree pages of this site and, within the “Notes” that are attached to individuals. The listings and information about the Stewart’s is by no means complete and hopefully, as new source material becomes available, additional Stewart and related records can be added to this Family Tree.


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