| Notes |
- Duncan Stewart was born in 1811 in the clachan of Morell, Easter Glentarken, Comrie, Perthshire, Scotland. The Comrie OPR records his place of birth as "Moril." He was the seventh child, and second son, of Robert Stewart and Catharine McNaughtan. Following Scottish custom, Duncan was named after his maternal grandfather, Duncan McNaughtan.
Family tradition records that Duncan inherited the family croft when his father died sometime around 1830. This seems unlikely given Duncan's position in the birth order. It is possible that he inherited it jointly with his older brother John. Family tradition records that Duncan made "considerable improvements" to the family farm which brought about increased taxes (however, I would suggest that it would be more likely increased rent from the Earl of Perth who was eager to empty his lands of tenants). When a second-such increase occurred it is said that Duncan reached the limits of his tolerance and made the decision to move his family to the New World. It seems that his entire birth family, including his widowed mother, and all of his siblings, some of whom were married, also decided to go with Duncan.
Time has likely embellished Duncan's role in the family's choice to move from Scotland to Canada. Duncan was seventh in the birth order. He not only had an older brother, John, but his eldest sister, Margaret and her much older husband, William McCallum, already had a family of their own. It is likely they had a signficant influence in the choice of the entire family emigrating.
By the time of the family departure to Canada, Duncan was already married to Margaret (or Mary) MacGregor-alias-Drummond, and their first daughter had just been born.
The whole Stewart family left Scotland in 1833 or 1834. Family tradition records that they left when Duncan's daughter, Catharine, was only two months old, however accounts differ as to whether she was born in 1833 or 1834. Census records claim the family arrived in Canada in 1834. The reader should refer to the notes on Duncan's mother, Catharine McNaughtan, for the details of their journey.
By 1834 the family had arrived in Hamilton, Wentworth, Ontario. Duncan Stewart, along with his wife and daughter and several of his older siblings, remained in Hamilton, while his widowed mother and his younger siblings moved north to Puslinch Township in Wellington County and settled there on a farm.
While living in Hamilton, Duncan Stewart appears to have come into the good graces of Sir Allan MacNab (whose family originally came from Upper Strathearn, and who was at the time, arguably the most politically powerful man in Hamilton, and one of the most politically powerful in Canada). MacNab secured a job for Duncan as a foreman road builder, supervising the building of the Dundas Road from Hamilton to London (at the time a stone road, which later became Highway 2). According to a descendant: "One morning, while building the road, Duncan came across his men gathered around a small black and white furry animal who sat unafraid watching them at the roadside. Duncan poked the animal with a stick and the proceeded home to bury his clothes." Apparently they don't have skunks in Scotland.
Duncan purchased a lot on York Street, opposite "Dundurn Castle", the residence of MacNab. On this property Duncan built a house which apparently remained standing until well into the 20th century when it was demolished for development of Dundurn Park.
In the 1842 census, there is a Duncan Stewart residing on York Street near Queen Street in Gore District (Hamilton City), Barton sub-district, labourer, tenant of J. B~~th, with 3 natives of Scotland and 2 natives of Canada, having resided in Ontario for 7 years (1834), 1 f-5, 1 or 2 m 5-14 (smudged), 1 married male 30-60, 1 married f 14-45, 5 belonging to the Church of Scotland. Nearby, on Queen Street at the corner of York, is John Stewart, carpenter, 2 natives of Scotland having resided in Ontario for 8 years, 1 married male 30-60, 1 married female 14-45. No children. Also nearby is Duncan's eldest sister Margaret and her husband, William McCallum, also a carpenter.
Family tradition indicates that in the mid 1840s Duncan apparently moved his family to Ancaster, while retaining ownership of the York Street property where he later traded his home for one in Bayham township. This seems unlikely. What seems more likely was that he had temporary accomodations in Ancaster while he was the foreman building Highway 2 through Ancaster.
In 1847, Duncan traded his home for a farm belonging to Mr. Dality in Maple Grove, Bayham Township, Elgin County East, Ontario. (Maple Grove Road is just south of Eden, near Tilsonburg.) It is believed that the farm was still mostly uncleared wilderness at the time as Duncan's wife recalled marking the trees to be removed and his daughter recalled growing up extremely lonely and isolated.
Duncan served on the local militia in Hamilton during the time of the Rebellion.
Louise Hatch, a descendant of Duncan, records the following anecdote:
"In Hamilton, Duncan was a friend, and something of a favourite, with the pre-rebellion Governor, Sir Alan MacNab. The Stewart home was in fact just across the street from the MacNab Mansion. The land upon which it stood is now part of Dundurn Park. As a mark of friendly favour, in the disposal of the militia at the time of the rebellion, Duncan, whom Sir Alan MacNab knew to be hard of hearing, was placed out of range of probable combat in a safer position as a guard or watchman of a certain road. Sir Alan's kindness in this and other matters was rewarded with heartfelt loyalty. Always Tories of the deepest dye in Scotland, the Stewarts remained so in Canada until the young and smart Sir John A. MacDonald, by some ruse, as they considered it, undermined the power of his colleague Sir Alan MacNab. [After which] Duncan vowed that 'never again would he cast a vote for the interloper'. And no more he did."
In 1851, Duncan was residing in Bayham Township, Elgin County, Ontario, Canada, with his wife and children: Robert, 18, Margaret, 11, William, 9, John, 5, Jane, 3. 19 year old daughter Cathrine was residing next door with the family of her future in-laws, Andrew Moore along with Jane Hatch. Nearby was the family of David Hatch.
In 1861, Duncan is found residing in Bayham Township, Elgin County, Ontario, Canada with his wife and several of his younger children: Cathrine, Margaret Christina, William, and John Wood. They were living in a frame house.
In 1871, Duncan is found residing in Bayham Township, Elgin County, Ontario, Canada with his wife and three of his adult children: Margaret C, William, and John. He was employed as a farmer. Also residing with him was 13 year old, Ontario-born, Annie Drummond (b 1858). She may be a clue to Duncan's wife, Margaret's birth family.
In 1881, Duncan is found residing in Bayham Township, Elgin County, Ontario, Canada with his wife and three of his adult children: (Margaret) Chirstina, William, and John. He was employed as a farmer.
In 1891, Duncan is found residing in Bayham Township, Elgin County, Ontario, Canada with his wife and three of his adult children: Margaret C, William, and John. He was employed as a farmer. Also residing with him were grandchildren, Mary C Moore, 21, and Walter Stewart, 21.
Duncan Stewart remained on the Maple Grove Road farm for the remainder of his life and he is buried in Eden Cemetery.
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The Stewarts of Maple Grove
Compiled by Leah Moore Hatch and granddaughter
Copied and typed from the original handwritten notes by granddaughter, Donna Lucille McKechnie.
(Leah Moore Hatch, granddaughter of Duncan Stewart, is the source. Her granddaughter, Donna Lucille McKechnie (Hatch) is the scribe.)
The grandchildren of Duncan and Margaret Stewart greatly regret that while they had the opportunity they did not learn from their grandparents more of the history of their ancestors in Scotland.
However, there are a few things we know of their life there. Duncan's grandfather was killed at the battle of Culloden in 1746. Duncan was born at St. Fillins, Perthshire, Scotland 1811. His father was a crofter, that is a small farmer, and when he died sometime before 1839, (sic, probably a typo for 1829) he left a wife and a family of grown and growing sons and daughters. As was customary, the croft passed into the hand of the son or sons.
At the time, there was among the people of Europe, an unsettled feeling, a desire to better their condition. It was a divine urge to achieve something better and higher. They began to migrate to the new land.
Mr. Stewart (believed to refer to Duncan's father, Robert) had made considerable improvements in his croft and when his taxes were raised, as a result, he thought it a great injustice and when the same thing happened a second time, the Stewarts decided to join the Great Migration. (sic, It's more likely that it was his rent that was raised.)
Duncan Stewart was shortly to be married to Margaret Drummond and she too was ready for the great adventure, so the entire Stewart family, including their aging mother, began making preparations for the long hazardous journey, but it was not until 1832 (sic, Duncan's daughter was born in January 1833), when Duncan's little daughter was only two months old that the Stewarts boarded a sailing vessel bound for the new land.
They were seven weeks coming across the ocean, and during the passage cholera broke out on the ship and Mr. Stewart's brother-in-law, his eldest sister's husband, died of the disease and was buried at sea.
When they arrived in Quebec they were quarantined for some weeks, but at last they reached Hamilton by way of the St. Lawrence and Lake Ontario and here Mr. Stewart located with his little family. His brothers, Robert, William and (I think John) also settled in Hamilton. His youngest brother, Peter, located in Ancaster. (sic, Robert, Peter and William all located in Puslinch.)
Through the influence of Sir Allan McNab, Mr. Stewart obtained the job as foreman building the old stone road from Hamilton to London, the Dundas Road.
While building this road, he came one morning to find his men gathered about watching a little black and white animal that sat unafraid, by the roadside. Duncan poked it with a stick, then went home and buried his clothes.
After some time, Mr. Stewart (Duncan) purchased a lot and built a house on York Street, Hamilton, opposite the then stately home of Sir Allen McNab. It was not many years ago that this house was demolished when the beautiful Dundurn Park was made.
As his work took him further from home, he moved his family to Puslinch and later to Ancaster. (sic, There is no evidence to support that Duncan's family lived anywhere but Hamilton before moving to Bayham.) In 1847 as his work was nearing completion, he traded his home in Hamilton with a Mr. Daily for his farm in Maple Grove, but he did not leave his home in Hamilton to occupy the farm for a couple of years. He died at the Stewart homestead in 1894.
Margaret Drummond Stewart, Duncan's wife, was born in 1911 at Comrie, Perthshire, Scotland. She was very proud that her family had belonged to the McGregor clan, the clan of Rob Roy. This clan had in the early days been so persecuted that many of the McGregor families were compelled to join other clans and take their name. (sic, No MacGregor ever joined another clan. They simply were forced to use alias surnames. They always retained their true clan affiliation.) Margaret's family joined the Drummond clan (sic) and took that name.
She told us that when she was a "wee lassie" she was one day with her brother James on the hills minding the sheep. James saw that a bad storm was coming so he took of his plaid, wrapped it around her and sent her home. In a few minutes the tree under which he stood was struck by lightning and he was killed.
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Abt 1811 - 1895 (~ 83 years)
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