| Notes |
- Robert Stewart was born in 1777 in Ardveich, Comrie, Perthshire, Scotland, to James Ross Stewart and Catherine McLaren.
Stewarts of the South (written about 1815-1818) describes Robert Stewart as "son of Sheumas Ross - Robert Stewart once foreman to Mr Stewart of Ardvurlich now in the same capacity with one Mr Rob at Menstrie Blairlogie parish Sir Ralph Abercrombie's estate Stirlingshire two sons."
The Stewarts of Ardvorlich, Vol. 3, which says "Robert, who lived at Ashinranoch, and was a ploughman at Ardvorlich. He married Lizzie MacLaughlan, a servant at Ardvorlich. His son, William, is now (1879) a shopkeeper at Menstrie." Ashinrannoch no longer exists. but was described as "a croft just where the nursery used to be at Ardvorlich."
Both of these sources describe Robert Stewart as a farming labourer (either a ploughman or foreman) to the Laird of Ardvorlich and then later residing in Menstrie.
In 1908, Christina Margaret McIntyre (b. 1878) received a letter from her 77-year-old aunt Margaret McIntyre which stated that Margaret's mother (Christina's grandmother), Mary Stewart, was born in 1798 in Stronvar as the daughter of James Stewart and Jean McDiarmid, and that James was the youngest of three brothers -- the others being John and Donald. It also says that Donald had to flee the country due to his "wild behaviour."
Christina Margaret McIntyre was the youngest daughter of John Lorne Stewart McIntyre, son of Peter McIntyre and Mary Stewart, daughter of James Og Stewart in Stronvar. Margaret McIntyre (b. 1831), author of the letter, was a younger sister of John Lorne Stewart McIntyre.
The James Stewart that the letter is referring to is James Og Stewart, grandfather to Christina's aunt Margaret McIntyre. One would like to think that Margaret knew the family of her own grandfather well, and that her account is reliable, but she was 77-years-old, just four years from her death, at the time that she wrote the letter. Her grandfather, James Og Stewart had been dead at least 70 years by then, so Margaret McIntyre was at most 7-years-old and possibly not even born when her grandfather died. He died in Scotland and she was raised in Canada, so she certainly never met her grandfather. Thus, her account of her grandfather's family would have been recalled from second-hand stories told to her by others decades prior to her writing of the letter. As such, her account is succeptible to mixing up details as would appear to be the case.
Margaret McIntyre stated that James Og Stewart was the youngest of three brothers, but no older brothers have been found for James. Margaret stated that James' older brothers were John and Donald, and that Donald had to flee the country due to his "wild behaviour." But James had no known brothers named John or Donald.
However, James Og Stewart did have a younger brother, Robert Stewart in Ashinranoch, who appears to have had to flee the country for his "wild behaviour" (which is putting it kindly). Robert Stewart sired multiple illegitimate children with multiple young women and was reprimanded by the Comrie Kirk Session on multiple occasions for his conduct. He also appears to have been fired from multiple estate jobs because of his conduct and finally "fled the country" (of Perthshire) to far away Menstrie in Clackmannanshire, Scotland.
On 28 Jan 1795, when Robert was 18-years-old, the Comrie church Session minutes indicate that Mary Dochart, a servant to Mr Stewart of Ardvorlich was pregnant outside of marriage. She identifies "Robert Stewart, servant with Ardvorlich," as the father. A few months later, on 22 Feb 1795, Robert Stewart and Mary Dochart in Ardvorlich had a son, Duncan, who is described in the parish register as "begotten in fornication."
No other Robert Stewart contemporary to this time period has been identified in Stewarts of the South, or The Stewarts of Ardvorlich, Vols 1-3 & Supplement as a servant at Ardvorlich. Thus, it appears that Robert Stewart in Ashinrannoch is the father of Mary Dochart's son, Duncan.
Just three months later, on 17 May 1795, the Comrie church Session minutes indicate that Catherine Dochart, servant maid to Mr McNab at Dundurn was pregnant by Robert Stewart, servant to the said Mr. McNab. The Comrie parish register shows on 9 July 1795 an incomplete entry for Robert Stewart, Dundurn. which says nothing else other than his name. It is followed immediately by an entry dated, 19 Aug 1795, which says that Robert Stewart and Catherine Dochart had a daughter Cathrine. Neither Stewarts of the South nor The Stewarts of Ardvorlich, Vols 1-3 & Supplement identify any Robert Stewart that was a servant at Dundurn.
It is suggested that Robert Stewart in Dundurn is the same person as Robert Stewart (formerly) in Ashinrannoch and that he is the father of both illegitimate children by Mary Dochart and Catherine Dochart. It is possible that Mary Dochart and Catherine Dochart could have been sisters. It is further suggested that Robert Stewart may have been dismissed from his service at Ardvorlich for getting the maid pregnant and went to work nearby for McNab of Dundurn where he did the same thing and was fired again and thus ended up way down in Logie working for Mr Rob at Menstrie. It is further suggested that his conduct matches the description in the McIntyre Letter - 1908, of the brother of James Og Stewart who had to "flee the country" for his "wild behaviour."
In 1805, at age 27, Robert Stewart married in Comrie, Perthshire, Scotland to Lizzie MacLaughlan.
In 1841, at age 60, Robert Stewart was residing in Menstrie, Clackmannashire, Scotland, with his wife and children: Mary Stewart 20, John Stewart 15 (sic), Elizabeth Stewart 15, and William Stewart 14. Robert was employed as an agricultural labourer.
In 1851, at age 77, Robert Stewart was residing at the Sabbath School in Menstrie, Clackmannanshire, Scotland, with his wife and children: Mary Stewart 32, and William Stewart 24. Also residing with them was his granddaughter, Cathrine Mustard 13 and grandson, William Forsyth (7 months). Robert was employed as a farm servant. No birth records have been found for the grandchildren shown here. Their parents are unknown.
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Abt 1777 - 1861 (~ 73 years)
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