| Notes |
- John's first nickname, Dubh, means "black", which infers that he had dark hair. John Dubh Stewart had an older half-brother also named John Dubh Stewart. In order to differentiate between the two, the elder brother was known as John Dubh Mor Stewart, which means "Big Black John", while this younger half-brother was known as John Dubh Beag Stewart which means "Little Black John."
John Dubh Beag is the patriarch of Branch II of the Stewarts of Glenbuckie as accounted in Stewarts of the South. John is mentioned in the following testament as having resided in Muirlaggan and having had a son John who inherited his estate: "Testament of John dow beg Stewart in Murlagan who died in November of 1669 given up by John Stewart his son." John Dubh Beg, along with his distant cousin Major James Beg Stewart, 2nd of Ardvorlich, were responsible for evicting Clan Gregor from Glenfinglas. It should be noted that his mother was also a MacGregor. Stewarts of the South records the following:
"John Du Beg was one of the stoutest men in the country. It was him who was with Major [James] Stewart [2nd of Ardvorlich] when they drove the MacGregors from Glenfinglas - and he was the best soldier of the two. They slept in the hill and their followers deserted them. The place was between Glenbuckie and Glenfinglas. The Major was for returning back if it was not for John Beg. The MacGregors being that day burning their houses in Glenmain which was close with wood. The two came to the tree where the MacGregors had left their arms and John Du Beg asked the Major whether he would secure the arms or catch Callum Owr, the leader of the MacGregors. The Major undertook the securing of the arms and threw them into a hole full of water. John Du Beg said to Callum Owr if he would stir he would kill him and brought him [as a] prisoner to Doune where he was executed. [And Major James Beg] Stewart got the tack of the Glen [Finglas]."
Elsewhere in the same document the author refers to this incident again in which he specifies that John Dubh Beag resided in Ledcreich:
"The MacGregors who were always ready to seize opportunities came and forced the remains of the Clan from the glen and became possessors themselves. After the restoration of Charles II, Major (James Beag) Stewart... undertook for the Earl Murray to drive the MacGregors out of the glen as they would neither pay rent and committed some acts of riot. ...this he executed together with one John Dubh Beg of [the] Glenbuckie family of Leadchrich."
John Dubh Beg Stewart and James Beag Stewart of Ardvorlich, were not only distant cousins, they were also brothers-in-law. John's half-brother, John Dubh Mor Stewart, married Isabel Stewart, sister of James Beag Stewart.
What makes John Dubh Beg Stewart's role in the clearing of Glen Finglas significant is that the MacGregors who occupied Glen Finglas were from Clan Dougal Ciar and John 's mother was a MacGregor from Clan Dougal Ciar, so John was clearing his own cousins on his mother's side. They were not strangers. They were family.
Glen Finglas was divided into four portions by Maj. James Beag Stewart of Ardvorlich who gave one-quarter to the family of Glenbuckie. However, despite the role of John Dubh Beag Stewart leading the clearing of Glen Finglas, he never got to share in the spoils. The Glenbuckie portion of Glen Finglas was retained by this John's older half-brother, John Dubh Mor Stewart.
A bond in 1622 which names the heads of most of the Balquhidder Stewarts includes: "John Dow Stewart in Glenfinglas and his brother-german, Walter". The bond does not specify which of the two John Dubh Stewarts (Beag or Mor) was residing in Glen Finglas, however we now know that it was John Dubh Mor who resided in Glen Finglas (see notes on John Dubh Mor for more information) while John Dubh Beag is noted above as residing in Muirlaggan and Ledcreich.
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Abt 1585 - 1669 (~ 84 years)
