by cgms310 » Tue May 13, 2008 8:28 pm
Good Evening from Ontario, Canada.
My name is Charles MacLeod-Stuart originally from the UK, I have lived in the US and Canada for the past 25 years. During that time, I have been researching my family who lived and worked in Campbeltown circa 1612.
Campbeltown Old Parish Records:
Ninian Stewart b. 1644 married Jane Milne b. 1645
Sons: Robert b. 1674, David b. 1678 and John b. 1683
Campbeltown Old Parish Records:
Robert Stewart b. 1674 married Mary Bruce b. 1685
Sons: Archibald b. 1712, Charles b. 1715 and a daughter: Isabell b. 1699
Campbeltown Old Parish Records:
Archibald Stewart b. 1712 married Jean Ryeburn b. 1725
Sons: Archibald b.1751, William b. 1744, James b.1747 and daughters: Mary b. 1737, Elspa b. 1740 and Jean b. 1748
Campbeltown Old Parish Records:
Archibald Stewart b. 1751 married (1) Flory McNeilage b. 1755 d. 1783
Daughter: Mary Stewart b 1783 ( Mary never married and lived in Campbeltown her whole life)
Archibald Stewart then married (2) Mary McLean b. 1762
Sons: Andrew b. 1784, Alexander b. 1786 Donald b. 1789 and John b. 1797
The Stewart family ran a blacksmith business in town and hired several local people as workers. Other brothers and cousins were fishermen and still others owned one or more farms (* Clachan of Struan is one such farm) and a house called ** High Park, which is now owned by Paul McCartney of Beatles fame.
One of the Stewart sons (Alexander b. 1786 see above), left Campbeltown circa 1832 and moved to Glasgow with his blacksmith business to begin making nuts, bolts and screws for the growing ship building industry in Govan.
With his wife Catherine Kelly (b. 1801) also of Campbeltown, they changed (for reasons known only to them) the spelling of their family name to Stuart. The family lived there until the 1930's and dispersed over England, Australia, New Zealand, the USA and perhaps Canada (the latter of which I still have no proof).
* I have spoken with Forbes (James) Stewart who now lives and works the farm known as Clachan of Struan. Forbes is not a relative, but his grandfather did purchase the farm from my family many years ago.
** If anyone has photographs of High Park, I would love to see them as I have never been to Campbeltown despite many trips to Scotland as a child and most recently in 2002.
Having explained who I am and where I am from, I would like to hear from anyone who feels that they may be related or perhaps knows more of the history surrounding the Stewart family who lived in the region during that time frame.
With best regards to all,
Charles.