The following pages give a brief summary of my findings in attempting to re-create a family tree of my mother’s side of the family. The information was first collected in 2004 and I decided to publish it to make it available to anyone with an interest in the Stewart Family History.
Researching the Stewart’s grew into a far more complicated exercise than first anticipated. The 1st four Generations of Stewart’s were considered Hawkers or Travelers and because they moved throughout the countryside, in most cases, between Durham, England and the Ayrshire region of Scotland, very few public records are available. For those public records that are available, there are numerous inaccuracies, making confirmation of facts difficult. It has been necessary to make one or two assumptions along the way due to finding conflicting information.
In 2006, the Stewart’s celebrated the first 8th Generation Stewart; Anna, the daughter of Jeffrey and Tanya “Turner” Stewart.
Regrettably in 2006 we lost one of the 5th Generation Stewart’s; Sophia Shaw, the daughter of William and Nellie Stewart and the wife of John Callander.
Of the forty 5th Generation Stewart’s – nine are still with us today;
Jack Stewart
James Stewart
Peggy Maureen Stewart
Sheila “Stewart” Wardrop
Donna “Stewart” Forbes
Nana “Salkeld” McMahon
Helen “Ries” Brown
Jean Ries
Mary Ellen Shaw
The format of the following pages is that each contains a particular generation. They begin with my Grandfather from five (5) generations removed, Robert Stewart, with successive pages containing his children, grandchildren and so on. This particular branch of the Stewart’s descends from James and Jane “Creig” Stewart, from the 3rd generation onwards. Little information is known about Jane Creig other than that her mother’s maiden name was Drummond.
I would personally like to thank Mr. Ian Steele, the husband of Helen “Shaw” Callander who has provided much valued information on Nellie Stewart & William Shaw and their descendents. Nellie was one of ten – 4th Generation Stewart’s and unfortunately the other Stewart families had lost contact with that side of the family for over 60 years until Ian stumbled across us in early 2007.
Genealogy is a hobby and this book and the information contained is a living document, continually being upgraded. As such I will be happy to receive anything you wish to contribute; especially if you scan it first and send it in digital form (it’s my desire to eventually have pictures for all of the 3rd to 8th generations of Stewart descendents).
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THE STEWART'S OF DURHAM, ENGLAND