Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1886-10-16
THE STEWART FAMILY.
FROM WHICH MANY LAhOAsTRIAEs
TRACE THEIR ASoksTRp.
Recalling tho Days when Lancaster and Its
vicinsge was Largely Engaged In tho WORN
OF Trading win tho Indians--Light
on Hidden Historical Places.

Stewart family was a Scptch-Irish Presbyte
risn, and settled along the left bank of the
Susquehanna river, upon land now occupied
In part by the eastern half of the borough of
Marietta and tho land on the east side of IL,
In the year l7l7.
He then had family Of children, several
of whom were grown TO manhood and
womanhood. In that or tho following year
he was appointed a justice OF the peace for
Conestoga township, the western part of
which was called Donegal In l722. This fact
places him In the front rank of the settlers in
Donegal for none but the most prominent
and best qualified ever received commission
OF the peace In Provincial times Several
years prior to his settlement there came a
number OF Scotch Irish Presbyterians to tn at
neighborhood Upon the west side Robert
wilkins and his son Thomas took up several
hundred acres, which included the Ander-
son and Lowrey farms, both Of which are
owned by Col. James Duffy. (The wilkins,
Of Pittsburg, came from this tamily)
MADE HIS owS BEER.
Upon the north and northeast were John
Galbraith, who built grist mill at Meeting
House run In l7I7 upon land now owned by
John Horner, esq. In l726 he converted the
barley raised in the neighborhood into beer,
and also kept an " ordinary" in the little
stone building standing on the east side Of
the turnpike and near the run. James Nit
chell, esq, owned the land adjoining Gal
braith's and Stewards. He was land sur
veyor and also a justice Of the peace. He
was one OF the three who surveyed Spring
gets.bury Manor In 1872. South OF Mitchell's
and adjoining Stewards on the east was
Peter Allen, Indian trader, who settled
along NJ II. run in l7l6. This farm is now
owned by Mrs. James Myers. In the fall OF
1926 Rev. James Anderson settled in Done
gal and purchased the Allen farm, In the
year l727 he traded this farm for one owned
by William wilkins and given him by his
father, Robert. The western half OF Marietta
is built upon this land. Some curious COM
plications grew out of the Allen lands,
which ended In litigation in the courts which
lasted many years.
William wilkins died in 1884, and In the
following year Nathaniel Little (Lytle), who
owned few acres adjoining and was en-
ployed by wilkins, married his widow.
Wilkins left several children, and by her
second husband, Lytle, Mrs j.. had son,
John Lytle Lytle undertook to convey
this land to his son John by will in l!i3'
His widow also Joined a conveyance to her
son John. The wilkins children, who then
lived In Peters township, Cumberland
county, with their uncle, brought suit to re-
cover this land. Alter thirty years Of litiga-
llOn tney sucCbtutu, anu tltIl Ihll
was compelled to pay them.
The legislature enacted a law to enable
Lytle to convey to Mr.. Hershey in IIl
South of the Allen tract and extending to the
river, and between the Stewart land and
ChiCkies creek, Mr.. Gardner, OF New Jersey,
took up six hundred acres in Ills. Captain
Thomas Ewing, the father OF General James
Ewing, purchased this land in 1897, '3s and
80 These were the neighbors OF the Stew
arts.
GEORGE STEWART
When the county was organized in 1879
George Stewart WAS chosen a county COM
missioner, and in October, 1880, he was
elected TO the general assembly, and in 1872
he was again elected. BY common consent
the Donegal settlement was conceded one
member of assembly. At this last election
Andrew Galbraith, esq, was also candi-
date, and after one of the most exciting can
vases ever known in Provincial times he
was elected defeating John Wright, esq,
by three votes. The two other members tor
that wear were Samuel Blunston, esq, OF
Hemptield, and Thomas Edwards, esq, who
resided a mile north of the Blue Ball, in
Earl township.
When the legislature was in session George
Stewart died in January, 1888, in the prime
of manhood, leaving widow, Jean, and the
following named children l, John =
James 3, Elizabeth 1, Frances 3, Mary
After the death of his father, John took
out patent for three hundred aud seventy
five acres of land. The Stewart dwelling
stood near NJ. IL. run. John married Ann,
daughter of the Rev. James Anderson. In
l7iS he sold one hundred and fifty acres oil
the eastern part of his farm to David Cook,
who Is said to have also married into the
Stewart family. Cook conveyed to his son
James, who in 1856 sold to Jacob Neff, of
Hempteld, whose executors sold to Henry
Csssel, who married Catharine Netf, his
daughter. 1t is now owned by \. n. Cassel,
esq, the son of Henry.
John Stewart died in October, l7io, leaving
a widow, Ann, and the following children {:
!, George ,, suit; 3, Jean.
George came into possession of the re-
manning portion OF his fathers land, con
tanning two hundred and twenty acres. lu
l75S he married Margaret Harris, daughter
OF Thomas Harris, OF the I" Bear tavern" In
l7G0 he sold his farm to Mr.. Forty, who sold
it the following year to David Cook, who di-
vised it to his son David, who laid out the
lower half of the town of Marietta III 1905.
BECAME AN INDIAN FIGHTER.
After selling his farm he moved up to Tus
carors Valley, in the neighborhood of where
Capt. James Patterson and his Aunt Mary
Patterson settled, and became a conspicuous
Indian fighter during the Pontiac war in
1863. He was also appointed a justice OF the
peace for Cumberland county, and at the
commencement OF the Revolutionary war he
raised company of Rangers to protect the
TOulleT sttiltIs, huu WAS aIHoluleu q StD
lieutenant for Cumberland. The territory
embraced in his jurisdiction is now com
posed OF several counties. He was unceas-
ing in raising the various quotas of militia to
ill up the ranks of the army in the East and
the army in the Northern and Western parts
of Pennsylvania One OF his most arduous
duties was 10 gather supplies Tor the army.
TRACING A DISTINGUISHED FAMILY.
lie died in 1857. Many OF the most promi'
nent families in Juniata Valley became con
nected with the Stewart family. Ii. NJ
North, esq, one of the brightest ornament,
of the Lancaster bar, Is connected through
Stewart left the following children:
/. John, who married Ann Harris (proba-
| bly, his cousin), who had the following chill
| Tuscarora Valley; .. John, 8. Mary, WHIT
resided with their aunt, Mrs. McNair, o
| Pittsburg Pa. 4. Hannah, who married
| Samuel Mathers and moved to the West 3
| Thomas, who married Miss Campbell, O
| Alexandria, Pa, and had one daughter, VIII
| married William Kinsloe esq, a member O
| prominent family.
| IL. Thomas.
| III. A daughter, who married Mr.. Nc
Nair, OF Allegheny City.
The Rev. Robert Stewart, who was prime
| pal of the Newburg seminary, New York, 70
| many years, and now missionary in Asis
is great-grandson of George and Margare
Stewart.
He also has brother John, now a resider
OF Pittsburg.
Jean 5, John 2-George y, marie
| Stewart Rowan, who, in connection with IN