Lieut. William STEWART

There is an early vital record listed in the Barbour Index Vol 3 Page 5. [Barbour Index, Stonington, p. 371] source: Ancestry.com [online]

STEWART William, d, Mar 4, 1733/4

This is the earliest Stewart vital record. This is a "ledger" book, handwritten in script, and probably says [in Book/Vol. 3 page 5]:

William Stewart departed this life March 4th 1733/4

It is speculated that this may be the father of Lieut. William but the only reason for that is that in Lieut. William's will he left money for a gravestone for his father but it doesn't state where the father was buried or what his name was.

As there are so many small graves in wooded land in North Stonington, this grave may turn up but even if it does, we do not know if this is the father of Lieut. William.

We don't know why Lieut. William was given the title of Lieut. either!

Lieut. William STEWART has no recorded birth date or place in the Vital Records of North Stonington. It is not known if he was born in America, England or Scotland.

The Vital Records of North Stonington are recorded in the Barbour Index under STEWART and STEWARD. The original records are housed at the Town Hall in North Stonington and early records are archived in the old Town Hall.

The surname for this family is spelled most often as STEWART but some of the oldest records list it as STEWARD. Some descendant families and some secondary sources (like newspapers) spell the name as STUART.

Lieut. William STEWART was baptized "as an adult" on 13 Feb 1710 by Rev. James NOYES of The First Congegational Church. [This church is now called the Road Church] This record is listed at NEHGS in the Index to the Records of the First Church of Stonington, CT.

Stewart-Steward-Stuart 1710 Feb 13 William (a dull) b. [record type] Baptism

This does not mean that William was a "dull" person; it is how the record was recorded and transcribed with two ll's instead of the modern lt in the word adult.

This event is also listed in [Wheeler: History of Stonington, page 605]

Lieut. William married for his first wife, Sarah CHURCH on 5 May 1713 [Barbour Index Stonington p. 372] source: Ancestry.com and [Wheeler: History of Stonington, page 605]

Steward, William m Sarah Church May 5, 1713 Vol. 2 p. 14

In 1728 he purchased lands containing Asoupsuck Pond, north of Stewart Hill from Richard and Henry Stevens. source: [Wheeler: History of Stonington, page 605]

Another source for information on this family is a publication called, "The Stewart Clan Magazine" and that will be referenced here.

It is assumed that Lieut. William was of age when baptized and when he purchased land so it is possible he was born abt. 1690, but this is not verifiable as far as anyone knows.

Sarah and William had 9 children. One son named Lemuel died and they named a later child with the same name. This was customary for the times.

Sarah was the mother of all nine children.

After Sarah died [see her entry], Lieut. William married second, Mary BELLOWS.

[Stewart Clan Magazine: May, 1926, Vol. IV No. 11, page 189]

Lieut. William STEWARD of Stonington, CT by Horace W. Dickerman, New Haven, Conn. [Mr. Dickerman was of the opinion that Steward was of the family closely related to the mother of Oliver Cromwell, but this is still unproven.]

"Lieut. William Steward was baptized as an adult on Feb. 13, 1710, in the Congregational church in Stonington. He married (1) May 5, 1713, Sarah Church. On Dec. 27, 1722, he and his wife Sarah deeded to "ye Reverend Mr. Creighead, clerk in Stonington," land they had bought five days previously of Saxton Palmer. He bought Apr. 4, 1726, of Aaron Stark, land in Voluntown, and on Nov. 5, 1728, he bought land of Richard Stephens and Henry Stephens, in North Stonington. On Apr. 9, 1727, Sarah Stewart was dismissed to the church in North Stonington. On Mar. 2, 1729-30, William Stuard, yeoman, of North Stonington, deeded to Jonathan Dean the land in Voluntown, which he had bought of Aaron Stark. [Alexander Steuard sold land in Voluntown Feb. 11, 1729-30, to this same Jonathan Dean Cf. p. 21] He acquired the title of lieutenant, and was a man of prominence. It is said that he knew the line of his ancestry back to kings, and a set of dished bearing a coat-of-arms was later in possession of his descendants. His wife Sarah died Mar. 2, 1745. He married (2) Mar. 16, 1747, Mary Bellows. The date of his death is unknown. In his will, drawn Oct. 20, 1753, probated Dec. 26, 1754, he provided for "grave stones for my father, and fomer wife, and child and myself.", made bequests to his "two grandsons William Steward" and mentioned the following children (except for the first Lemuel) whose births were recorded in Stonington.

[note: births mentioned above same as those in the vital records]