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Duncan Stewart of Rowley, MA and his Descendants to Maine

1/20/2019

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DUNCAN STEWART was my 9th Great-Grandfather, and lived in the towns of Ipswich, Newbury, and Rowley, Massachusetts. He was living in Ipswich, in the service of George Hadley, when he married ANNE WINCHURST, also a servant, in 1654. They moved to Newbury, Mass in 1659, and resided there for 30 years before going to Rowley, MA [Stewart Clan Magazine, Dec 1923]. 

​A deposition by Duncan in 1698 said he was about 75 years old (so born ca 1623), though his death notice in 1717 (see below) claims it was thought he was about 100 yrs.
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These images are from the "Copy of the record of deaths of the First Church in Rowley, Mass", showing the deaths of Duncan and his wife. Book found at [archive.org]
​​Duncan and Anne had 12 known children, as given in the Stewart Clan Magazine, Dec 1923 (Vol 2, pg 69), a clip of the page shown here:
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The same list is given in the Early Settlers of Rowley, Massachusetts, pg 356 (orig printed in 1887; 1933 ed. here on archive.org), both articles submitted by the same author.

JAMES STEWART
born 8 Oct 1664 in Newbury, MA
died 17 Sept 1750 in Rowley, MA
​​Marr. 1) abt 1687, ELIZABETH ------, d. 1732
Marr 2) SARAH PRIME, 25 Jun 1733 [Rowley VR, pg 404]. 
​
James lived in Newbury through 1690, and is seen in Rowley by 1693. From 1709 to 1723, they lived in Boxford, MA, and afterwards returned to Rowley (living in the part of town which later became Georgetown). Wife Elizabeth died in Rowley, but was buried in Bradford on 28 Oct 1732.
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​Stewart Clan Magazine, Dec 1923 (Vol 2, pg 70)
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Above image from the "Copy of the record of deaths of the First Church in Rowley, Mass" (pg 27)

SOLOMON STEWART/STEWARD
born 24 July 1698 in Rowley, MA
​died 28 Feb 1758 in Lunenburg, MA
Married in Andover, MA on 28 Jun 1727, MARTHA FARRINGTON

Lived early in Rowley, then moved to Salem, MA prior to 1734 (the part of town that became Peabody). He then relocated to Lunenburg in 1737 [Proceedings of Fitchburg Historical Society, Vol. 4, pg 95-96].

[from the Proceedings of the Fitchburg Historical Society, Vol. 3, pg 264]
In the Lunenburg South Burial Ground:
Here lies buried the body of Mr. Solomon Steward, who departed this life Feb. 28th, A.D. 1758, in the 61st year of his age.
Mrs. Martha Steward, the wife of Mr. Solomon Steward, who died Nov ye 6th, 1777, in the 77th year of her age.
She was a virtuous wife, a kind neighbor, and a tender parents.
The children (and bio) of Solomon and Martha, as given in the Early Settlers of Rowley, Massachusetts [page 361: archive.org]
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See also:
Worcester County Probate: Series A, Case #56063 "Solomon Steward", 1758
Stewart Clan Magazine, Jan 1924 (Vol 2, No. 7)

DANIEL STEWART/STEWARD
born 21 Nov 1734 in Salem, MA
died 2 Jun 1802 in Fitchburg, MA
Married in Lunenburg on 14 Mar 1757, MARY IRELAND
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Salem VR, Vol. 1 (births), pg 322
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Lunenburg VR, pg 97
The children of Daniel and Mary (Ireland) Stewart [Stewart Clan Magazine, Vol 2, No 9, pg 82]
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The following was printed in the article "Fitchburg Soldiers in the Revolution" [Proceedings of the Fitchburg Historical Society, Vol. 4, pg 230]. This service is the same as his son Daniel, and I do not see two of this name in the Mass Soldiers and Sailors of the Revolution. Daniel senior's may be an error, as the son filed a pension and his service documented. 
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Daniel is buried in the South Street Cemetery, Fitchburg, MA (Find a Grave memorial #51725531). Wife Mary (Ireland) went to Maine following her husband's death, to live with their son Daniel [Skowhegan on the Kenn, pg 1011], and is buried in the Old Bloomfield (now Bloomfield Weston) Cemetery (Find a Grave memorial #51726171).

JOHN STEWARD
​born 18 Aug 1765 in Lunenburg, MA
died: unknown
​Married ABIGAIL WHITCOMB in Norridgewock, Maine, 26 Feb 1787
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from Skowhegan on the Kennebec, Vol 1, pg 176
From the Town Records of Canaan, Maine [Canaan VR 1776-1883, pg 19], the following family record of John and wife "Nabby" is found:
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John and Abigail's children, as listed in the Stewart Clan Magazine [Jul 1924: Vol 3, No 1, pg 99], with a few spelling differences (incl Alaxus became "Alexis").
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The 1840 census for Skowhegan, Somerset, Maine, showing the John Steward household, with a male aged 70-80, a female aged 70-80, along with a female, aged 20-30, and a male, aged 5-10. This is surely John and Abigail, with daughter Malora (she didn't marry until 1841). The youngster could be a grandson
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ALAXIS STEWARD
born 4 Dec 1812 in Canaan, Maine
died 15 Jul 1885 Otter Tail, MN
Married in Milburn, ME on 10 Mar 1835, CHARLOTTE (HARNDEN) REED

For Alaxis, who was my 4th Great-Grandfather, his story can be found in the following blogs I have previously written about him and his family:
- Alaxis Steward, son of John
- Alaxis Steward, from Maine to Minnesota 
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Alaxis Steward, son of John

11/26/2018

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"Next to Last" - Week 48 of the 52 Ancestors Challenge

ALAXIS STEWARD, my 4th Great-Grandfather, was the son of John and Abigail "Nabby" (Whitcomb) Steward, the "next to last" child born unto them in Canaan, Maine. His name can be seen in many records with numerous spellings, from Alaxus, to Alexis, Alaxses, Alexis, etc.

From the Canaan, Maine town records [Bk 1776-1883, pg 19: on Family Search], "Alaxus" can be seen near the bottom of list, born December 4th 1812.
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The same list of children can be seen in the July 1924 Stewart Clan Magazine [link: Vol. 3, No. 1, pg 99] 

He married CHARLOTTE (HARNDEN) REED, the daughter of John and Lydia (Hersey) Harnden, and widow of Orrin Reed [Harnden also written as Harding, Harden, etc], at her home in Milburn. Intents were filed on 22 Jan 1835, and they were married on 10 March 1835 [see Skowhegan VR for early Milburn records, incl Book OR-1, pages 18 for intents and pg 31 for marriage]. 
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Skowhegan VR: Bk OR-1, pg 31
​He is seen here in the 1840 Skowhegan, Somerset, Maine census, listed near his father John Steward. Some of the numbers likely belong to the Reed children of former widow Charlotte, as only Lydia and Thomas would have been born by 1840.
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​They had the following known children, as seen in the Skowhegan census records, 1850-1870:
i. Lydia H. Steward, b.ca. 1836; d. 24 Apr 1904
ii. Thomas Steward, b. ca 1838; d. 22 Oct 1897 [bur Sunset Cem, North Anson: Find a Grave entry]
iii. Phineas P. Steward, b. 17 Mar 1841; d. 11 Dec 1911 [bur Wadena, MN: Find a Grave]
iv. Deborah B Steward, b. 3 Nov 1842; d. 6 Jan 1908; Marr William H White [bur Southside Cem, Skow]
v. Lucius Steward, b. 26 Aug 1844; d. 7 Nov 1900 ["Luceus" on grave: Find a Grave]
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1860 Skowhegan, ME map
They lived in Skowhegan through the 1870 census, and then Alaxis and Charlotte, with sons Phineas and Lucius, went west and settled in Minnesota. Their story can be found here, in an earlier blog entry:
Alaxis Steward, from Maine to Minnesota
Thomas Steward, Alaxis' son, also has his own page, my 3rd Great-Grandfather

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George Lewis of Canaan and Cornville, Maine

6/22/2015

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This is a "work in progress" on my research of George Lewis of Canaan and Cornville, Somerset County, Maine. His name came about while working on my 5th Great-Grandparents, Jeremiah Brown and Charlotte Lewis, as they had sold a part of George's land in 1821, being listed as heirs of his estate.

Here is what I have so far....

George Lewis of Boothbay, Maine and Dorcas Lambert married in Pownalborough, Maine on 25 Apr 1773 [Maine Historical Magazine, Vol 7, pg 84]. I've seen it mentioned that Dorcas was the daughter of Sherebiah Lambert. With them naming their son Sherebiah, as well as Lambert moving to Canaan (see 1790 census image below), this seems to be a likely conclusion.

During the Revolutionary War, he is believed to be the George who served from 12 July 1775 to 31 Dec 1775 in Capt Timothy Langdon's Company, stationed at Boothbay for seacoast defense. He may also be the one who served from 11 July 1779 to 24 Sept 1779 as a private in Capt Archibald McAllister's Company, Col Samuel McCobb's regiment, and was part of the Penobscot (aka Majabagaduce or Bagaduce) Expedition in July-Aug against the British troops occupying Castine (Fort George) Maine [Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors in the Revolutionary War, pg 740].

By 1790, George was in Canaan, Maine. The town's census page was not in alpha order so, by the clipping below, it looks like Sherebiah Lambert (his supposed father-in-law) and Sherebiah Jr lived near to him. In the 1798 Direct Tax listing for Canaan, George is shown with both a 40 acre and a 60 acre lot of land.
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1790 census - Canaan, Maine (then in Lincoln County)
He was still in Canaan for the 1800 census (below). 
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1800 Canaan, ME census (then in Kennebec County)
On 26 Dec 1803, he (with wife Dorcas relinquishing her right of dower) were in Canaan when they sold a 40 acre plot of land there to Daniel Parkman of Canaan for $192 [Som Cty Deeds vol.7 pg 120]. The lot bordered the Kennebec River, lying on the east side of it, and was the 5th lot from the mouth of the Wesserunsett Stream. This part of Canaan later became Skowhegan, and was called "Parkman Hill". The satellite photo below shows Parkman Hill Road running east to west, just above Rt 2 (that's on the river bank). The cleared land is part of the hill, though I'm not sure exactly where George Lewis's bounds were (I still need to find old plans for this area).
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1809 map of the land between the Kennebec and Wesserunsett.
The 1810 census (below) finds them in Cornville, Maine. The numbers show 1 male aged 16-25, 1 male 45+, 2 females aged 10-15, 1 aged 16-25, and a female 45+. From the names I collected from George's estate sales, this household includes son Isaac, daughters Charlotte and Jane, another young female not yet known, with parents George and Dorcas. Son Sherebiah is listed below him.
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1810 Cornville, Somerset, ME census
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At left is a probate notice, published in the Herald of Liberty newspaper, 8 Oct 1811. On a recent visit to the Somerset County Probate Office in Skowhegan (June '15), I did not find any record of this case. The court house was located in Norridgewock in 1811, and those files are now stored in the Maine State Archives. The George Lewis file may be there, so I will need to visit this facility.

At least this newspaper source does serve to place George's death prior to 30 Sept 1811, and after the 1810 census. "Darcas" is a misspelling of Dorcas. I did not find a mortuary notice of his death.
Micah Pratt of Cornville purchased 100 acres in said town in 1809 from the proprietors of the Kennebec Purchase, lot #2 in the 6th range [Som Cty Deed v.3 pg. 165]. It wasn't recorded until 1819, so was filed in Somerset County instead of Kennebec. George Lewis, probably prior to Pratt, had purchased 60 acres of that same lot (I didn't see it in the Kennebec County deeds). From 1816 to 1821, I have found in Somerset County deeds, land sales from the heirs of George. Each person, it looks very likely they were his children, had sold a 1/10 part of his former land. It seems his land had been equally divided, either through a will (not yet found), or through a ruling in probate (not found either). I did not find anything with the widow Dorcas' name on it, but perhaps she had received the land after George's death, and had died by 1816, so all her children split up the estate. I can only account for 6 tenths of the property sales, so there are other heirs I have missed. The sales included:
2 Nov 1816
Sherebiah Lewis, Oliver Cone (w/ wife Kezia) of Cornville, and Thomas Annes/Annis (w/ wife Dorcas) of Canaan, sells to Dudley Marsh of Cornville, 3/10s for $30. -Som Cty Deed, v.26 p.361
27 Feb 1817
Samuel Weymouth Jr and wife Jane of Somersville, Penobscot, (Maine), sells to Samuel Weston of Canaan, trader, 1/10 part for $10. - v.25 p.139
14 Mar 1817
Isaac Lewis of Cornville, yeoman, to Dudley Marsh of Corn., yeoman, 1/10 part for $8. - v.25 p.137
17 Nov 1821
Jeremiah Brown and wife Charlotte of Cornville, for $6., sells 1/10 part to Samuel Weston, Esq - v.12 p.100.

Based on the names from the known deeds, I have made up the following list of possible children of George and Dorcas (Lambert) Lewis. This is not a complete list:

DORCAS LEWIS, b. perhaps 1774 (first child listed in Canaan vr b.Nov 1792). Marr CHARLES THOMAS ANNIS (ANNES/ANNAS). 14 children recorded in Canaan VR, starting in 1792.

SHEREBIAH (SHERIBIAH) LEWIS, b. 1781-1790 [based on 1830 census]. An online tree says 1/30/1785.

KEZIA (KEZIAH) LEWIS, b. ca 1781-1790 [based on age bracket in 1830-40 censuses; she was listed as age 60 in 1850 and 67 in 1860]. Married to OLIVER CONE [intents field 25 Jan 1810 in Clinton, ME]

JANE LEWIS, b. 14 July 1792 [grave]; d. 18 Aug 1870 [grave]. Married SAMUEL WEYMOUTH, JR. (1794-1848). They are buried in Abbott, Piscataquis, Maine. 

ISAAC LEWIS, b. ca 10 Oct 1794 [calc from age at death]; d. 27 Oct 1864, aged 70 yrs, 17 das [grave]. He and wife BETSEY buried in Cedarville, Cemetery, Argylle, Penobscot, Maine.

CHARLOTTE LEWIS, b. ca 1796 in Canaan, Maine [1865 Marlborough, MA census; also seen as Cornville]; d. 2 June 1882 in Wakefield, MA [MA vr]. Marr to JEREMIAH BROWN after 30 Mar 1820 (date when cert issued in Cornville). See my other blog about this couple:
http://www.mynewenglandancestors.com/blog/the-family-of-jeremiah-brown-and-charlotte-lewis

[In Cornville Vital Records, there is a PATTY LEWIS who was married to a DANIEL AUSTIN of Bloomfield in 1815. She may be another child of George and Dorcas, or a daughter from an elder son of theirs I have yet to prove. I didn't know of this couple when I researched the other land deeds, so hadn't looked up the names in deed index]
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Alaxis Steward - From Maine to Minnesota

4/5/2014

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My 4th Great-Grandfather, Alaxis Steward (aka Alexis Stewart), was born in Canaan, Maine on 4 Dec 1812, per town vital records. From 1850 to 1870, he and wife Charlotte (Harnden/Harding) are seen with their children in the Skowhegan, Maine censuses. After this latter date, and prior to 1880, they moved out west to Otter Tail County, Minnesota. It is currently not clear if the parents, with sons Phineas and Lucius, all packed up and left at the same time, but they were all together in the township of Compton by the 1880 census. The 1895 MN State Census lists both Phineas and Lucius as being residents here for 17 yrs, so they arrived ca 1878.
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1880 Compton, Otter Tail, MN census
He was officially granted 40 acres of land as his homestead on 28 Nov 1883, in the "SW quarter of the SW quarter of Section 12 of Township 134 North of Range 36 West of Fifth Principal Meridian".

At right is an 1884 map of the Compton Township, showing Section 12, and the location of Alexis Steward's home. The Phineas "Stewart" to the south and east of Alexis should be his son. To make things confusing, there were other Stewart names in the same town (immigrants from Scotland), who had land just west of the 12th Section.

The 1885 State Census seems to indicate that Alexis, Charlotte and disabled son Lucius were living with Phineas and his family, as he was the head person listed first in the record.

Alexis Steward died on 15 July 1885, according to his gravestone, which lies in Wadena Cemetery, only a short distance from their home in the neighboring county. Wife Charlotte died in 1892.

As seen in current satellite photos of his former land below (marked in red), the home of Alaxis/Alexis no longer stands. The building seen is a new construction.  
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1884 Compton Township
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Satellite view of Section 12 (its southern boundary is 320th Street) of Compton, using Bing Maps
The Find a Grave Memorial for Alexis can be found here:
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=99435624

On the above map, the Wadena Cemetery is located in the upper right corner. 
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