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The Family Garden
Notes
John STEWART
The following notes are replicated in entirety from Kathy Longhurst's Stewart Clan website at:
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~stewartclanscms/pafn01.htm#15948
ABSTRACTS OF NOTES OF DR. LEONARD CROSBY (desc of Moody Burt Stewart, b. 1813) , kept in the home of his son, James Crosby in Aberdeen MS.: "Will of John Stewart, Laurens District SC, 3 Jan 1806 ... oldest son Francis ... David Stuthers, son in law ... Nelly, youngest daughter. Executors: Charles LIttle ... Witnesses: James Brown and Joseph Vance ... Will Book C1, page 225. (typed note here saying the names mentioned in the WILL of Francis Stewart were also included in the actual packet of estate papers concerning this John Stewart.) - from Mary Anna Riggin From Mary Stewart Rawlinson: Rebecca Stoddard/Studdard, wife of William Stewart (Walter Stewart desc) was the granddaughter of David Stoddard, son-in-law of your original John Stewart whose WILL you have. So you and I both are descended from this John Stewart. Howdy, cousin
. . . At least one of our Walter Stewart's sons was acquainted with "your" John Stewart, as he mentions him briefly in his diary, but he does not claim any particular kinship with him. And this
was back in the days when any known kinship ties were extremely important. - * Mary Rawlinson descends from 2 Stewart lines, not related to each other. Our John Stewart is from what she calls the "Newberry Stewarts". I have researched some Newberry Stewart families but cannot make any connections yet. - Kathy Stewart Longhurst
DICK STEWART- RESEARCHER OF NEWBERRY STEWART FAMILY
puttpl@earthlink.net (Dick Stewart)
Kathy; its a problem. My Joseph was born before 1750, so the John mentioned as the father of Francis, is possibly a brother. What were both looking for is a provable genealogy which gives us a Stewart family from a young STEWART from Ireland arriving about 1730. This would have been a result of the 1722 Potato famine. A PA birthplace for my Joseph and your John likely Chester Co, PA.
(doriss@telesal.net (DORISS) Kathy, I was just looking at your web page. You mention a deed with William PRATHER and SC. I just wanted to tell you that the PRATHERS intermarried with my Stewarts as well as the Cockerhams. We have discussed the Cockerhams before. Edward Stewart was in 1800 Greenville census. His daughter Nancy Stewart married William Prather, son of Middleton Prather. The Parthers were in Laurens, Pendelton, and Greenville, Sc. Alot of the Prather/Praytors/Praters are later seen in AL. Teresa Stuart)
NEWBERRY CO. SOUTH CAROLINA STEWART ( don't know if these are ours or not)
From: puttpl@earthlink.net (Dick Stewart)
Kathy, the "Little River" settlement was on Little River branch of the Saluda River, Newberry Co., SC. I bought a wonderful book * about this area with considerable information dating to 1749. I found a John Stewart on the Mudlick Creek of Little river who had settled there in 1755. William Stewart begins to acquire land a few miles away in 1764. Then, all manner of Stewarts file on land ; Joshua, Jennet, John (2), Joseph, Alexander and, I believe William JR., all this by 1775. * "Laurens & Newberry Counties,
S.C.:Saluda and Little River Settlements 1749 -1775" by Motes , Southern
History Press, 1995 Dick Stewart.
ABOUT NEWBERRY & LAURENS IN SOUTH CAROLINA
From: puttpl@earthlink.net (Dick Stewart)
Well. you have been busy. Much of what you sent I have seen before but the info on the "cowpasture" assemblage was new. In my first reading of all of this, I found no mention of Old Ninety Six (Newberry , Laurens and Edgefield COs) except Catherine of Long Canes fame, also Archibald of Crowders Creek.Isn't the story of the Long Canes Massacre hair raising?
With regard to William Stewart's in Newberry. I see the patriarch William(1) outliving his son William(2). William (2)'s children were raised by Joshua Stewart and are provided for in Josuah's will of 1807 and included a William(3). I have asked a look person in Edgefield to search for William(1)'will , but possibly he died in Lincoln CO, GA.
The high born connections studied by J Adgar Stewart and the SCM seem to me to be a diversion. Joseph Stewart's daughters may have some surviving family lore, but so far only one researcher has asked me about Rosannah Stewart Boyd. Two others married a McLure and a McDonald. Esther was the only unmarried daughter at the time of her fathers death.
************
Possible family: It was JAMES STEWART who was married to Mary Ann Lafferty and JAMES STEWART who was killed in 1757.
You say they had sons Robert, Ralph and James. According to Stewarts and Allied Families by William C. Stewart, there was also a son John:
1757 Nov. 17 Ann (Lafferty) Stuart made bond as administratix of James' estate with John Dickenson and George Wilson as bondsmen.
1758 March 14: James Stuart's estate was appraised. Robert, the eldest son, took over the Cowpasture farm, while the widow Ann soon after married a widower, Thomas Armstrong, of Jennings Branch of Middle (or Cathey) River.
From Augusta Co. wills: Page 237.--14th March, 1758. James Stewart's appraisement, by Ralph Laverty, James McCoy, Henry Cartmell.
1762 February 17: John Stuart, orphan of James, was ordered bound out, although there is no record that he actually was, and he and his brothers, James and Ralph, chose guardians. John, age 14, chose Henry Murray, husband of Thomas Armstong's daughter Rosanna, with Armstrong himself as surety. (Thomas Armstrong was John's stepfather who married Ann Lafferty Stewart.)
Augusta Co. Va. Will Book:
Page 243.--17th February, 1762. Henry Murray's bond (with Thos. Armstrong) as guardian (chosen) to Jno. Stewart, orphan of James Stewart.
***********
: pensjonert Date: January 20, 2002 at 08:17:34
In Reply to: John Stewart of Newberry and Laurens SC by Kathy Longhurst of 9754
There is a Nancy Stewart, born abt 1781 in Fort Jackson, Va, who married David Stoddard, born abt 1777 in Fort Jackson, Va. They had a son, William Stoddard, born 1803 and died 1866.
There is an Eleanor Nelly Stewart, born 1783 in Ireland and died 1859 in Laurens, SC, who married Guideon Thomason, born 1783 in Greenville, SC and died 1867 in Laurens, SC. The parents of this Guideon Thomason were William Thomason, Jr and Sarah (unknown).
I do not have the parents of these Stewart girls, but they appear to match your facts. Good luck in your quest. - pensjonert@cox.net
Benjamin WELLS
He was the county clerk in Stephenville, Erath County, Texas. He died sometime before the census of 1880. Nancy and children are living with her father at the time of the 1880 census. Cause of death unknown.
*Source: Chuck Kelly, descendent of Nancy Steward Wells
Nancy Victoria STEWARD
IN MEMORIAM
Saturday, Sep. 8, about 10 a.m., the death angel visited the home of Mrs. Anna Watson and took away her mother, Mrs. Nancy Victoria Wells.
Mrs. Wells was born in Mississippi, Feb. 13, 1845; came to Texas with her father, Washington Steward in the fall of 1850. He was one of the very earliest settlers of this county, and the town of Stewards Mill was named for him.
She married Mr. B. F. Wells in 1864, and moved to Blue Ridge, Falls Co., where she lived a few years. From there she moved to Stephenville, Erath county, where she lived until 1880, the time of her husband's death.
After the death of her husband, she returned to Stewards Mill and lived with her children until the fall of 1880, when she moved to Wortham and lived until the spring of 1893, at which time she returned to Stewards Mill and lived until the time of her death, with her daughter, Mrs. Anna Watson.
She was a consecrated Christian, having joined the Baptist church (old Rehobeth church near Young), and was baptized in the Trinity river, near Cook's Ferry, when about sixteen years of age.
During the latter years of her life, she was a great sufferer from cancer. She bore her hopeless condition with Christian fortitude, ever remembering the One who giveth and taketh.
Her place in the church was vacant all the last year of her suffering, but her Christian influence and petition to her God were constant until the last as she knew her condition; and kept her speech and consciousness till nearly the last minute.
Her remains were laid to rest in the Stewards Mill cemetery after a most touching and consoling discourse by Rev. E. J. Brown, of Fairfield.
Her many friends and loved ones mourn their loss but our loss is Heaven's gain. Heaven is richer; earth is poorer. Our lives will ever be nobler for having known her.
A Friend
*Note, this was found amongst my father's papers. It was copied from a newspaper, but not noted as to which newspaper.
Mayo WELLS
Died at age 17.
*Source of name and death: Chuck Kell, descendent of Nancy Steward Wells
Anna Florence WELLS
*Source of name and death: Chuck Kell, descendent of Nancy Steward Wells
Elkannah BABBITT
Styled "Captain". He resided in Berkley on a farm set off to him by his father from his own lands (lands of his father). In some deeds called "of Dighton" into which town his land extended. Married (1st) Mary Hathaway, daughter of Isaac and Mary (Pitts) Hathaway. She died 15 Aug, 1729, age 38.
Married (2nd) on 2 Apr 1730, Mehitable Crane, daughter of Stephen and Mary Crane, of Braintree, Mass. She was living in 1773, at New Ashford, Mass. with her son, Amariah, as shown by a deposition recorded in Morristown, N.J. Elkanah Babbitt "Victualled" in Worcester County, 1758
Elkanah Babbitt "Centinel" Capt. Oulton's Co. at Richmond, Mass., Step 14 to Oct 3, 1747; also at Richmond, April 1 to Sept 23, 1747. Elkanah Babbit was for years a leading figure in the town life of old Berkley. In public and military life he took full lead. When Berkley commenced its separate town government, the first town meeting took place in his house, May 12, 1735. His sons early removed to Western, Conn, and Berkshire County, Mass, and were at one time in various towns situated along almost exactly the western bounds of Connecticut and Massachusetts, ranging from New Milford, Coon, to New Ashford, Mass.
In 1743, Elkanah seems to have disposed of all his land holding at Berkley and he appears thereafter for brief periods in some of the towns where his sons settled. He perhaps accompanied his son Isaac to New Jersey; at any event he owned lands there in in April, 1754, was living at Mendham, N. J. , at which date he and wife Mehitabel deeded lands in Mendham situated near Malachi Holloways. It is presumed that he finally returned to Berkley and died there after and adventurous and active life. Deed Extracts:
1 Jun 1738: Elkanah Babbit of Berkley, Gent. deeds son Isaac Bobbet of Berkely, laborer, one-half of my homestead, being the south half thereof, bounded on east by land of Daniel Axtell".
31 Mar 1743: Elkanah Babbit, Gent. and Isaac Bobbett, laborer, deeded Benj. Chase, boatman, 5 acres, it being the north half of said Bobbet's homestead farm." Signed by Elkanah, Isaac and Mehitabel Bobbet. This would seem to be the date upon which they moved to New Jersey.
*Source: The Babbit Family History, 1643-1900 compiled by William Bradford Browne, Taunton, Mass 1912, pp. 47-48
William CAPPS
Rebecca Jane Hinton…..married William Capps. William Capps was killed by Indians in Falls County (TX).
*Source: History of Freestone County Texas, by the Freestone County Historical Commission, First Edition 1978, p. 632 (article # 870). Repository: Personal Copy
Rebecca Jane HINTON
She married (1) William Capps and had one child with him, he was killed by Indians in Falls County, TX. She married (2) Major Pleasant Clarke Whitaker in 1841 and they had 8 children, he was killed by her brother - William (Bill) Hinton in 1859. She married (3) George Washington Steward. The unmarried children were living with her at the time of her marriage to Washington.
In 1862, Washington Steward rode up to the Widow Whitaker's home in Falls County. He was not a stranger, for Eliza Jane Whitaker (sic, Rebecca's daughter) had married his son (sic, Jeremiah Terry Steward) in 1860. He said, "Mrs. Whitaker, I've come down here to ask you to marry me. Tonight I'm gonna leave my saddle bags here in the hall. If I come down in the morning and they're still here, I'll know you answer is "No" and I'll leave. If they've been put somewhere else, I'll know your answer is "Yes and I'll stay". Romance had won again. The entire family removed to Stewards Mill soon after that. It is important to list these children and who they married. Otherwise, inclusion in a Freestone County book will not be relevant. Elvira Pearl Capps, "Aunt Y" Capps married Thomas B. Jones
Eliza Jane Whitaker married Jeremiah T. Steward
Mary Worth "Molly" Whitaker married (1) John Lamb, (2) Silas Jasper Lake
Martha Elizabeth "Matt" Whitaker married Alexander Tazewell Watson.
Annie Whitaker married Marcus Seely.
Henry McKenzie Whitaker m. (1) Charity Sellers (2) Anna LNU, a "mail-order bride".
*Source: History of Freestone County Texas, by the Freestone County Historical Commission, First Edition 1978, p. 632 (article # 870). Repository: Personal Copy
Note: There is another version of the story of Washington's proposal to Rebecca as told by Jo Watson Turner - he left his saddle on her front porch and told her if it was in the house, he'd come on in, and if it was still on the porch, he'd just take it and ride away. See notes for George Washington Steward.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
She died of cronic ulcer of the bowels.
*Source: Washington Steward Family Bible
Pleasant Clarke WHITAKER
WHITAKER, PLEASANT C.
By Michael Edd Bonner (Extract)
A history of the Whitaker family should be included in this book. Although…he did not live in Freestone County, his widow and children did. Many of his children and grand children played prominent roles in the affairs of the county.
…he was born in South Carolina about 1818. He immigrated to Texas and served as a Major in the Army of the Republic of Texas. His commission, signed by Sam Houston, is dated May 18, 1843. He made his home in Falls County (TX). On Nov. 9, 1841, he married Mrs. Rebecca Jane Hinton Capps, the widow of William Capps. Their marriage license is in the records of Robertson County. Family legend says that they had to ride horseback to a fort, possibly Fort Parker, to find an official to perform the ceremony. In the 1850 census, …he is listed as a farmer with a worth of $1230. He was serving as Sheriff of Falls County when he was shot and killed by his brother-in-law, (William) Bill Hinton, on December 27, 1859. The family Bible lists the cause of death as "of being wounded".
Rebecca Jane Hinton…..married William Capps. William Capps was killed by Indians in Falls County (TX). She and her children continued to lived on their plantation after the death of P. C. Whitaker.
*Source: History of Freestone County Texas, by the Freestone County Historical Commission, First Edition 1978, p. 632 (article # 870). Repository: Personal Copy
Texas Methodist Newspaper Abstracts vol. 1 in the library (R. Gen. 929.3764LL v.1; p. 146 gives the story of "William J. Hinton, executed at Marlin, on 25th of june last for the murder of WHITTAKER, delivered from the scaffold this salutary warning: 'my dear friends, see what whiskey has brought me to; let me beg of you to quit the use of it. Young men and boys, let me warn you against the use of it in any way.'" aug. 9, 1860, vol. VII, No.1
*Source: Whitaker genforum message at:
http://genforum.genealogy.com/whitaker/messages/2066.html
Rebecca Jane HINTON
She married (1) William Capps and had one child with him, he was killed by Indians in Falls County, TX. She married (2) Major Pleasant Clarke Whitaker in 1841 and they had 8 children, he was killed by her brother - William (Bill) Hinton in 1859. She married (3) George Washington Steward. The unmarried children were living with her at the time of her marriage to Washington.
In 1862, Washington Steward rode up to the Widow Whitaker's home in Falls County. He was not a stranger, for Eliza Jane Whitaker (sic, Rebecca's daughter) had married his son (sic, Jeremiah Terry Steward) in 1860. He said, "Mrs. Whitaker, I've come down here to ask you to marry me. Tonight I'm gonna leave my saddle bags here in the hall. If I come down in the morning and they're still here, I'll know you answer is "No" and I'll leave. If they've been put somewhere else, I'll know your answer is "Yes and I'll stay". Romance had won again. The entire family removed to Stewards Mill soon after that. It is important to list these children and who they married. Otherwise, inclusion in a Freestone County book will not be relevant. Elvira Pearl Capps, "Aunt Y" Capps married Thomas B. Jones
Eliza Jane Whitaker married Jeremiah T. Steward
Mary Worth "Molly" Whitaker married (1) John Lamb, (2) Silas Jasper Lake
Martha Elizabeth "Matt" Whitaker married Alexander Tazewell Watson.
Annie Whitaker married Marcus Seely.
Henry McKenzie Whitaker m. (1) Charity Sellers (2) Anna LNU, a "mail-order bride".
*Source: History of Freestone County Texas, by the Freestone County Historical Commission, First Edition 1978, p. 632 (article # 870). Repository: Personal Copy
Note: There is another version of the story of Washington's proposal to Rebecca as told by Jo Watson Turner - he left his saddle on her front porch and told her if it was in the house, he'd come on in, and if it was still on the porch, he'd just take it and ride away. See notes for George Washington Steward.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
She died of cronic ulcer of the bowels.
*Source: Washington Steward Family Bible
James Lewis WHITAKER
He died of pneumonia as a result of the Civil War.
*Source: History of Freestone County Texas, by the Freestone County Historical Commission, First Edition 1978, p. 632 (article # 870). Repository: Personal Copy
Thomas Clarke WHITAKER
He died of scarlet fever in 1855.
*Source: History of Freestone County Texas, by the Freestone County Historical Commission, First Edition 1978, p. 632 (article # 870). Repository: Personal Copy
Olive WHITAKER
She died of scarlett fever in 1855.
*Source: History of Freestone County Texas, by the Freestone County Historical Commission, First Edition 1978, p. 632 (article # 870). Repository: Personal Copy
William Marcus SEELY
SEELEY, JERMIAH TERRY AND SARAH BERT STEWARD
BY W. B. THIELE (extract)
Elder Seeley's son, William Marcus Seely, moved to Fairfield as a young man and became Postmaster. He met Annie Whitaker, who was the daughter of Major Pleasant Clark Whitaker and Rebecca Hinton Whitaker, while she was attending Fairfield Female College. They were married February 15, 1877 in the home of Mr. And Mrs. Tax Watson in Steward Mill. They bought a two-room house from Jim Weaver on San Marcos St., adding to the house as their family grew. Eight children were born to this union, four of whom grew to adulthood, Mary, Roger, Stuart, and Emma. Mr. Seely had studied pharmacy and had opened a drug store in 1874 and was later appointed Deputy Sheriff under Henry Powell. Pisgah Ridge residents decided they didn't want a town located at Wortham. They organized a posse to come down and shoot up the town. Mr. Seely had arrested some of their posse, and Mr. Henry Polk announced he was coming to town to shoot the Deputy Sheriff. He was drinking heavily when he came and started the gun battle. Mr. Seely dodged behind a large scale and shot Mr. Polk's gun, and then when Mr. Polk continued to fire, Mr. Seely shot him in the heart, killing him instantly. The drug store he had opened continued under the name of W. M. Seely, Druggist, until 1916 when it was changed to Seely Drug Co. The oldest son, Roger Seely, graduated from Baylor Pharmacy in 1912 and settled in Wortham to assist in the business. He and his father also bought land and started raising cattle. Mr. M. S. Seely died January 21, 1921. Roger Seely operated the store until 1945 when he sold ˝ interest to his brother-in-law, W. Wade Odom. In 1960, the store was sold to Joe Beard. Mrs. W. M. Seely helped to establish the Wortham P.T.Z. and the Cemetery Association. She died in Dallas on January 10, 1942. Roger Seely, who was 90 in 1977, is enjoying retirement in Wortham with his only surviving sister, Mrs. Emma Thiele.
*Source: History of Freestone County Texas, by the Freestone County Historical Commission, First Edition 1978, p. 565 (article # 733). Repository: Personal Copy
SEELY, WILLIAM MARCUS
By Emma Seely Thiele (extract)
In about 1900, Southwestern Bell Company installed a switch board in the Drug Store. Mary Seely (daughter) was employed to operate it in the day and Roger and Stuart slept in the store and operated it at night. Stuart finished Baylor Medical University in 1916……and after serving in the Army, settled in Dallas where he practiced medicine for 50 years. He died in 1974.
*Source: History of Freestone County Texas, by the Freestone County Historical Commission, First Edition 1978, p. 566 (article # 734). Repository: Personal Copy
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