| Notes |
- John, 5 (John, 4 John, 3 Robert, 2 Walter, 1 ) b. Sept. 22, 1743, in Windham, N. H., m. in Windham, Dec. 3 1, 1765, Rebecca, dau. of Charles Stewart of Colrain. Tradition says he took his bride home horseback, but our Rebecca could hardly have been bedecked with jewels of silver and jewels of gold and with fine raiment, mounted with her servants on gaily caparisoned camels, to journey to her future home like the Rebecca of old. Neither was she showered with rice and old shoes like the modern Rebeccas ; those were too valuable commodities to be wasted in such follies. But she prepared her wedding outfit with her own hands from the raw material, received the parental blessing, sprang lightly to the pillion behind her future husband and they were off for their New Hampshire home over ninety miles away, where we find him actively engaged in farming and other pursuits of that time. The items entered in his memoranda give such a vivid glimpse of his life and activities, and the primitive methods and rude implements then in use, that I am led to deviate from the prevailing custom and form of arrangement in works of this kind, by weaving in a few of his running accounts.
Windham, May 6, 1768, David Hopkins
debtor to me John Stewart
£
s
Dr. for one days plowing of myself
oxen and plow
4
Jan. 1769 Dr. for two days hailing
wood
6
June " your horse pasturing
16
" to one and one half days
moing
£ S d
Nov. ye 1 3, Dr. for beef 115 4
" " forty-one pounds of green
leather at 2 pence a pound 6 10 " " fifteen tallow 2 6
May 1770 Dr. for one days plowing 3
June " " pasturing your calf 6
July " " two pigs 6
Feb. 1 77 1 Dr. one days work for myself 1 6 April, bringing your hay from widow
Eastmans 3 6
April, my oxen and cart one day 2
Oct. ye 16, hailing one load of boards 3
" " barrel of lime 1
" " hay from Mr. Browns 1 6
" " one day hailing wood 3 3
" " myself and oxen harrowing
one day 4
May ye 8, 1772 Doctor Thorn Dr. to John Stewart for hailing one barrel of molasses from Haverhill 1 3
Sept. ye 7, Dr for your plank from
Drakett 9 4
" ye 23, five pounds and three
quarters of lamb 1 2
" 23, 14 bushels of ashes 9 4
May 8, 1770, Jonathan Tenney Dr to John Stewart for two calf skins 9 9
July ye 1 8, Dr half a cord of bark 6
Oct. ye 24, hefers hide 611
Feb. 1 77 1, one coalt skin 2
May 1 771, calf skin 2
Oct. 1 77 1, heifers hide 2 3
June 1772, calf skin 6 5
Windham, Dec. ye 20, 1770, Samuel Merill Debtor to me John Stewart for 165 feet of timber 1
Windham, Feb. ye 6, n 73, Joseph Smith Debtor
to me John Stewart for hailing 825 brick from Plastor
to his home 9 shillings.
Windham Dec. ye 29, 1772. The selectmen of
Windham indebted to me John Stewart constable for
warning James Gillespey an indignant person out of
town, seven and one pence.
His arithmetic which he used when teaching " the rule of three direct " was of his own compiling. It was written with a quill pen, and bound by sewing blank leaves together, and throughout its pages examples are wrought where he asserts " done by me John Stewart it is wrong." Again " done by me John Stewart it is right. ,, It contains multiplication table, table of time and the tables for weight and measure, and short copies for pen practice like " John Stewart my hand of right" " Go to school and learn to spel, and do it well." His books are well sprinkled with odd bits of poetry, showing his love for that form of composition of which the following is a sample :
" John Stewart is my name An for to write I am not ashamed.''
At the top of one page in his memoranda, is written, in a beautiful hand the words : " A new song wrote by me John Stewart." The page is so defaced and mutilated, the writing cannot be deciphered. In his mother's old Bible, printed by Richard Watkins, His Majesty's Printer, Edinburgh, 1 747, is written :
" Rebecca Stewart is my name, Scotland is my nation, Windham is my dwelling place And Christ is my salvation."
" Written by John Stewart in the year of our Lord Christ 1765, in the 2 2d year of his age April 20, 1765."
Let us imagine for a moment his wonder and surprise, if he could be placed amid the scenes of to-day, with our mowing machines, horse rakes, tedders and reapers; could he behold our mammoth engines ; flash the electric light upon his vision, or let him listen to the voice in the tele-phone, could we wonder if he should declare that we were in league with the infernal regions ?
Upon the settlement of his father's estate he received a double share of the property and a share of his father's land in Halifax, Cumberland County, west of the Connecticut River (old Cumberland County included what is now Windham and Windsor Counties, Vermont). What disposal was made of this land does not appear. It probably came under the controversy between New York and New Hampshire but no evidence has been found to show that he fought for his claim.
He retained the old home at Windham, where he continued to reside until the fall of 1773, when he removed to Shelburne, Mass., with his family. The following account of his journey is a verbatim copy from his old memoranda.
" Shilburn, October 20th 1773 I John Stewart Left windham the 13 th Day of this month with my Team and harf of my family and the other Part of my family Left it the Day before the first night I crossed merimack River and
Lodged at herods in Dunstable 12 miles
from thence to wilton at blunts 1 7 miles
from thence to petersborough willsons 1 1 miles from thence to Dubline Saturday night
mories 11 miles
from thence to Swansay grahams 16 miles
from thence to falltown Sheldins from thence Shelbure to my home
i j miles 10 miles
94
"A true account of my journey Tohn Stewart."
wrote by me
An old bottle which they brought in saddlebags is a choice relic of that journey. It has been painted by a great-granddaughter, with a bit of history on one side and upon the opposite side a bunch of cherries, emblematical of that essential beverage, cherry rum, which had been poured from its spacious mouth.
This journey was made with an ox team and tradition says the wife brought her babe of a few month's old in her arms on horseback.
He settled upon the farm which he bought of his cousin, Samuel Stewart.
Here again we must consult his memoranda to appreciate the busy life he was leading.
"Shelburn, Oct. 22, 1773, Abraham Peck debtor to me, John Stewart
s d
to one day of myself and oxen hailing corn 4 6
to one day of " '" " " " wood 1 6 Feb. ye 15, 1774, Dr. for making your barn
doors I o
March ye 1 1 for myself and oxen after a
load of shingle 3 6
June ye 29, half a day shearing your sheep 2 o
Oct. Dr. to three days hailing timber for
your house 5 3
Nov. Dr. framing your house 5 3
A part of this old house is still standing and the hewed rafters measure 6 by 6 inches in thickness.
" Shelburne March ye 12, 1774 Alexander Clark Dr. to me John Stewart
for seven bushels of ashes Dr. for half a days work of myself « « « « « of my plow April ye 23 one day " " oxen 1
June 8 " " " " "
June 15 to one day mowing of myself 2
Oct 24 Dr. for one day of myself chopping
coal wood 1
July 1 5, 1 775 Dr. for three days of my steers 3
Shelburne Feb ye 25, 1774 Dr. to Alexander Clark for pig 3
March ye 2, for one day of William making sugar troughs 2
April ye 21, making a plow 5
for one bushel of corn 1 1
half a bushel of oats
His farm was located on a little meandering stream which wound its silver thread in and out among the little wooded bluffs, on the summits of which often gathered in bold defiance the wild beasts of the forest, of which the wolves were the most troublesome, often collecting at his door on cold winter nights and howling for prey, when he would open his door and send his dog after them. They would retreat a dozen rods, or to rising ground, form into line, and with glaring eyes, challenge the canine to battle, when suddenly a two ounce bullet from the old flintlock gun would put them to flight for the time, while he retired, literally the victor in " keeping the wolf from the door." Upon another occasion while returning from his labors as a carpenter, a pack of wolves persistently insisted upon being his close and unwelcome traveling companions ; removing his leather apron which he had worn while at work, he suddenly wheeled about and shook it at them with such a loud crackling noise that their animal instinct taking this to be a new and deadly mode of warfare, they broke ranks and fled. But they seemed to owe this old combatant a special grudge as the following incident seems to show. One intensely dark night he had missed his bridle path and became lost in the forest, and being superstitious to the last degree, suddenly there confronted him eyeballs of fire. Thinking it was Satan that had led him into the wilderness to tempt him, he addressed him thus : " Thou goest about like a roaring lion seeking whom you may devour/ ' The eyes vanished and he soon found his way home, never doubting that he had met the arch enemy of mankind and had vanquished him with a passage from Scripture. Doubtless, too, the wolves could not brook such indignity of being classed with that race, gave up the struggle and troubled him no more.
His farm was the favorite grazing place for deer. Flocks of that gentle game were a common sight upon the brow of the high round hill near his house, and venison was no uncommon luxury on his table, while Bruin often came in for his share upon the sacrificial altar, while with the small game and the large speckled beauties with which Stewart brook was well stocked, kept his larder furnished with an abundant variety of nutritious food, for which he had special need with his rapidly increasing family. Yet with his own large family he kept an apprentice boy whom he agreed to instruct as follows.
" Know all men by these Presents that I William Clark of Shelburn in the Province of the Massachusetts Bay in the County of Hampshire the contents of this obligation is this that I the said Clark do bind myself unto John Stewart in the Province and County aforesaid to be his true and faithfull apprentice and to Serve him for the space of Seven years and to be obedient and at his Lawful call at all times and not to be absent from his masters house or Service without his masters Liberty and he is not to Squander away his masters goods nor See them wasted without taking care of them and giving his master Notice of the Same and I the said Stewart do bind myself unto the Said Clark to Learn him my cast of reading writing and figuring and my art of Husbandry and to give him two Suits of Cloaths when his time is ended in witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands and seals this twelvth day of february one thousand Seven hundred and Seventy five and in the fourteenth year of his majesties Reighn.
" Signed Sealed and Delivered
in presence of
" Daniel Clark, William Clark,
" Matthew Clark, John Stewart."
But soon the wilderness was made to blossom as the roses that lined the mossy green slope in front of the house, while within, the old open fireplace glowed the brighter, and the pine knots gave forth a more cheery light, when an occasional festive event occurred as the following recorded by his own hand. " Shelburne Feb. ye. 23, 1775 this day was married at my house Joseph Mc-Known to my sister Lydia Stewart. Witness our hands John Stewart, Daniel Clark."
From another entry in his memoranda it appears that the children of the neighborhood assembled at his house, where they received at his hand the rudiments of the meagre education of that age. " Shelburne Jan. ye 24, 1775 this day took up school and hath three of Alexander Clarks children and three of my own and one of Abraham Pecks." " March 1775 a Debtor account is entered against Abraham Peck for schooling his son five weeks 3 shillings and 6 pence."
The following account it will be seen, has an interest in various ways. " Shelburne March ye 8, 1775 John Clark Dr. to me John Stewart for my mare to Boston 13 shillings 4 pence." Here his accounts show an interruption in his busy life among his neighbors. The war cloud which had so slowly and surely been gathering burst with all its fury upon the land, and his name appears upon a muster roll with the rank of sergeant on the Lexington Alarm in Capt. Hugh McClellan's Co., Col. Samuel Williams' Regt, which marched for Lexington April 20, 1775, but being too late to participate in the battle, they returned after 1 5 J days' service. During this interval of absence, his accounts show his neighbors' boys are doing his plowing.
In June his account with John Clark is continued. " June ye 3 John Clark Dr. to me for three days weeding corn 6 shillings."
"July ye 4 John Clark Dr, one day howing 1 shilling 9 pence." January 27, 1776, he takes up school to keep for 8 pounds per month old tenor " exclusive of my own children." The spring of this year finds him with his company preparing for war again. April 2 2d his name appears among a list of officers in the Massachusetts Militia chosen by the company as 2d Lieutenant in the 2d company, 5th Hampshire County Regt., Hugh McClellan Capt., Col. David Field commander, May 3, 1776. During this service his neighbors are supplying his family with flour and other necessaries for which a long account is rendered October 3, 1776.
October 15, 1776, John Clark is again debtor to him for two days' gathering corn 4 shillings. " Oct. ye 19 Dr. for my mare to Worcester, 9 shillings 8 pence."
"November ye 16, 1776, account of expenses with Alxr Clark from Haverhill. Clark paid 4 pounds 12 shillings and 1 pence I paid 2 pounds 11 shillings and 3 pence." February 23, 1777, he inlisted with the rank of Lieutenant in Capt. Lawrence Kemp's Co., Col. Leonard's Regt. for service at Ticonderoga; discharged April 10, 1777.
In the summer of 1777, a terrible and malignant disease swept over the town and two of his children were its victims. This sickness and death in his family seems to account for the vacancy in his company which marched to Bennington August 16, 1777, without a Lieutenant. In the midst of this calamity the battle of Bennington was fought and the roar of the cannon was heard here in these distressing days of sickness and death. Burgoyne was marching down from the North with his army and horde of Indians. This agonizing cloud of grief and alarm which brooded over this defenseless community seems to have paralyzed his pen with utter despair, and the year 1777 is passed over as if to erase the scenes of those terrible months from his memory ; not an entry was made in his book during that year. His name again appears with rank of Lieutenant on Muster and Pay Roll of Capt. Hugh McClellan's Co., Col. David Wells* Regt. Enlisted Sept. 22, 1777, Discharged Oct. 18, 1777. Again his name appears in Capt. John Wells' Co. dated Shelburne Nov. 21, 1777. The first entry made in his memoranda after this year of fatality is Dec. 8, 1778, when he seems to resume his old activities. " Robert Watson Dr. myself and oxen one day hailing wood and building your hovel, 8 shillings."
to hailing you hay 1 2 shillings
two bushel of potatoes 1 pound, 10 shillings, 1 pence
hailing wood 1 5 shillings
your loom 18 shillings
moving your goods 10 shillings
He held his prominenee as an officer in the militia as two of his old Lieutenant's commission papers are still in existence ; one bears the date of 1781, the other 1783. Thus, though he has refrained from alluding to his military service, or the stirring events enacted during the struggle for National Independence, yet the sudden cessation of his industries and the gaps in his debtor accounts against his neighbors during the three years following the opening of hostilities, together with the intersecting records of his military service, from the archives at Boston, prove conclusively that he was serving his country, and that he was the only one of the name who served from this vicinity during the Revolution. One more glance at his memoranda before closing its sacred and time-worn pages which has afforded me so much fascination and instruction.
tc March ye 7, 1780. Alexander Clark debtor to me for serving as constable in his stead for the north part of the town of Shelburne, 28 bushels of wheat."
From an old district book we find him active to the last in promoting the advance of education.
He served as highway surveyor and the town "voted to allow him two shillings per day in summer and one shilling in the faul." The town records show that he was selectman in 1 806 and 1807, also tax collector, while his judgment was considered sound and trustworthy by his townsmen, and we find him serving as committee upon questions of moment and interest to the town. He was sought to write wills and draw up other legal papers. He was remembered by a granddaughter as kind and indulgent but a rigid Presbyterian and very strict in matters pertaining to religion and the observance of the Sabbath, which began with him at sunset Saturday eve and lasted till Monday morning. He, attended church at Colrain, and the children soon learned it was not safe for them to be caught out at play when they saw him returning from church. She speaks of him as wearing a queue and cocked hat and that he spoke with that broad accent and rich toned brogue, which many of the children and grandchildren of those early Scotch settlers are known to have retained through life. A daughterin-law, who lived to an advanced age, was wont to speak of him in terms of highest praise.
The following is a copy of a letter written by him to his brother Robert, in 1817, two years before his death.
" Shelburne, August ye 4th, 18 17.
" Dear Brother
" I received a line from you leting me know that you and yours was well I and mine are well through the goodness of almighty God in hope they will find you enjoying the like blessing. I have no news to write you it is a general time of health in these parts. I would gladly come and see you but I am Destitute of a horse, my old mare died last winter and her left colt three years old broke her leg in the pasture playing and obliged to kill her. Chester is in the state of Maryland at the head of the Chesepeake. Clerk to a man building a bridge over the Susqehanna he hant been home but once this four years I had a letter from him Dated last month he was not well and thought he should come home if he did not get better my kind respects to my old friend John Morrison and let him know that if we should not see each other in this world I hope we shall meet in another and better world where sin and sorrow shall be done away, my respects to your wife, Abraham and wife and all inquiring friends
" farewell
" John Stewart."
Their pioneer life is ended, their trials have ceased and their joys are transmitted to the eternal realm, while their dust reposes side by side in the old Shelburne cemetery, unforgotten by the humble servants of Nature - a wild columbine having sprung up and thrives as it bows its modest head in reverent adoration and keeps its silent vigil in the shadow of the ancient headstone, on which is the following inscription.
" In memory of Mrs. Rebecca, wife of Lt. John Stewart, who departed this life 23 July, 1815, in the 73d year of her age.
" Stop passer as you go by As you are now so once was I, As I am now you soon must be Prepare for death and follow me."
He died January 19,1819, and a nameless grave beside his wife points out the resting place of Lieut. John Stewart.
" Though no shaft of pallid marble rears its white and
ghastly head, Telling wanderers on the hilltop of the virtues of
the dead, Yet a lily is his tombstone and a dewdrop pure and
bright, Is the epitaph an angel writes in the stillness of the
night."
The old house, too, long years ago yielded to the hand of time, the old well with its long sweep and " moss covered bucket/' the old orchard, the seeds of which were brought from Windham, have disappeared. The old maples that yielded up their sweets and have withstood the storms of nearly two centuries have nearly all been felled by the woodman's axe. But the furrowed fields, the old road leading to the south, the high rock that stood in front of the house are still there ; the rosy-tinted arbutus, too, still inhabits its native hillsides and mossy knolls, and lends its sweetness and greets us every springtime as it did our forefathers and foremothers of yore. And the stately lilies clinging so tenaciously to life, after resisting the warfare of years to exterminate them, raise their pleading heads every season and seem to beg for mercy and the care our predecessors were wont to give them. But the little clump of large crimson peonies, the first of which came, with other valuables from New Hampshire soil, have received more favor and attention, and still send forth their tender shoots with the first smile of spring and thrive unmolested ; and Stewart brook continues its gentle and melodious ripple as it wends its way on its winding and sequestered course, but the big speckled beauties no longer inhabit its waters - and the Stewarts, where are they ? The broad prairies of the West have many of them, but the grassy turf of New England has its share.
Among the relics and souvenirs of these old people and their pioneer home are an old desk which dates back to its removal from Ireland in 1 71 8; the old flintlock gun carried by Lieutenant Stewart in the Revolutionary War and by his father in the French and Indian War, and by old papers it appears to be the same old gun owned, and probably brought, from Ireland by " Proprietor John " Stewart. Another choice and highly prized memento of cc ye olden time " is a cane made and labeled as follows : " This cane was made from an old apple tree planted by Lieut. John Stewart of Shelburne, Mass., in 1773 » tne nea d was made from one of his old sugar maples ; the ferrule from one his old pewter plates ; the old handmade spike in the small end came from an old Colonial building erected by the above John Stewart." His " ink well " which bears an ancient look ; his pewter plate and bread and milk bowl ; an ancient work basket, containing steel thimble, steel bowed spectacles, and handmade shears of rude pattern, all bear 'marks of ancient usefulness and are silent reminders of this old couple.
FACSIMILE OF HIS AUTOGRAPH.
Windham John Stewart
(Severence, pp. 44-63)
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1743 - 1819 (75 years)
