General Notes

RFN1129
BIOGRAPHY
Bibliographic Information:
Stuart, Joseph A.
Genealogical History of the Duncan Stuart Family in America.
Caxton Press. 1894
The first name mentioned in that deed after James is John Stuart, of
Rowley. I find he was born in Newbury in February or March, 1666,
three years before Henry. His first wife was named Elizabeth, and died
Dec. 20, 1689, nine days after their daughter Elizabeth was born. Both
he and James appear at Rowley soon after, an d in the first tax list
extant in Rowley (1691) John is taxed
1 9s.4d.
In 16 95 John is deeded land by Duncan, his father. He appears to have
had an Elizab eth for a second wife, as there is record of the birth in
Rowley of "Mary Stew art, daughter of John and Elizabeth, 3 Oct.,
1699.--[Essex Inst. Hist. Colls. vols. IV and V, where it seems the
name is spelt with ew always, though if unw illing to concede the
privilege of changing the spelling of a family name they should have
retained the final d, as found in Duncan's first deeds. This Mary may
have been the Mary of Rowley, that married Jeremiah Hunt, of
Billerica, 12 Aug., 1731, she being then 32 years old. A second
daughter by this Elizabet h was Sarah, born 25 Apr., 1712. Sarah seems
to have married Ephraim Boynton. also of Rowley, 2 May, 1732. Ephraim
was a son of Deacon Joseph and Bridget (H arris) Boyaton, born 16 July,
1707. He was dismissed from Rowley Church to Sec ond Church in
Lancaster, 19 Feb., 1761.
John's oldest daughter, Elizabeth pro bably married Ebenezer Gove, 28
March, 1728.--John's second wife appears to ha ve died without record
in Rowley; but I find a death record of "Mary, wife of John Stewart,
died 29 Sept., 1726," that probably was a third wife of this Joh n, as
his nephew, Ebenezer's John was but 17 at that time. He        appears
to have married on 8 March, 1727, Sarah (Clark, of Ipswich) Bailey,
the widow of Nathaniel Bailey, who had diedin 1722.
By the spelling of one report, John Stewart was a blacksmith in
Boxford about 1730, while the Town Clerk says "Sar ah, daughter of John
Stuart, baptised April, 1729." He probably returned to Ro wley before
1736, as his nephew in a deed of that year is styled John Stuart, Jr.,
son of Ebenezer. In Rowley is the death record of "the wife of John
Stew art, 7 Feb., 1749," and of the marriage of "Mr. John Stewart and
widow Margare t Gage, 5 Sept. 1749," that may refer to him, as from his
age and probable ret irement from active life he may have been given
the title, as also to distingu ish him from his nephew of the same
name, who would for the same reason be sty led John Jr. The widow Gage
would have been his fourth wife.
Another theory o f the marriage of the widow Gage to some
person of this name with a prefix of "Mr." is given on page 144, but
this would seem the more plausible. John died on the 23rd of Decemder,
1756, aged 90 yrs, and 8 or 9 mos.