Robert Stuart of Norwalk, Connecticut

STEWART, or STEWARD, oft. STUART,

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      ALEXANDER, Charlestown, shipwright, by w. Hannah, named with children James, and John in the will, Jan. 1669, of her grandfather Richard Prichard of Charlestown of which I suppose James d. young, but both probably born in another town; had at Charlestown Hannah, Samuel, and Margaret, all, with John, baptized 9 May 1675, the mother having died on 21 Aug. preceding. To Charlestown he had come from another town, not known as I conjecture, from that baptism when he was not a church member and removed to Marlborough, there married 22 May 1688, Deborah, widow of Daniel Farrabas, or Farrowbush, daughter of John Bediat, the first, of Sudbury. But a very diligent inquiry, A.H. Ward, Esquire, calls her his third wife, yet I know not the second. He had by Deborah a daughter, and died 6 Apr 1731, his wife having died ten or more, probably eleven, years preceding.

 

      DANIEL, Barnstable, was there before 1666, as Mr. Hamblin says, and probably had children for I find many in a third generation, but know nothing of the second.

 

      DUNCAN, Newbury, shipwright, perhaps brother of Alexander, had Martha, b. 4 Apr. 1659; Charles, 5 June 1661; James, 8 Oct 1664; Henry, 1 May 1669; removed to Rowley, had three more, and died 1717, aged, as Coffin says, probably from exaggerated tradition, 100.

 

      JAMES, Plymouth, came in the Fortune 1621, probably without wife or children as he has, in the division of lands 1624, only a single share. And we may well suppose he had soon died or removed, as in the division of cattle, 1627, his name is not found among the 156, composing the total population.

 

      JAMES, Middlebury, Long Island, 1656.

 

      JAMES, Weymouth, by wife Ann had Susanna, b. 23 May 1669; James, 26 June 1672; and Ann, 22 Jan. 1675; possibly others earlier.

 

      JAMES, Norwalk 1687, eldest son of Robert, was Ensign in 1713.

 

      JAMES, Newbury, son of Duncan, by wife Elizabeth had James, b. 29 July 1688; and Charles, 10 Jan 1690.

 

      JOHN, Springfield, perhaps as early as 1650, married Sarah, daughter of the first John Stiles; swore allegiance , and died 21 Apr. 1690. His widow married next year John Sackett of Northampton.

 

      JOHN, Newbury, perhaps son of Alexander, by wife Elizabeth had Elizabeth, b. 11 Dec 1680, and his wife died in few days; after which perhaps he removed to Rowley.

 

      JOHN, Norwalk, 1708, son of Robert.

 

      JOSEPH, Salisbury, by wife Mary had Joseph, b. 19 Dec. 1667.

 

      RICHARD, by Farmer is mentioned as of artillery company 1652, but to me the existence is shadowy.

 

      ROBERT, Norwalk, moved in from Milford, where he had not been long, buying estate in Norwalk 1660, married 12 June 1661, Bethia, daughter of Thomas Rumball of Stratford, had James, b. 19 Mar. 1662; Abigail, Aug. 1666; John, 18 Mar. 1668; Deborah, May 1669, Elizabeth, Sept. 1671; and Phebe, Feb 1673/4; and was living 1687. From him descends the late learned theological professor, Moses Stuart, although the degrees are less sure.

 

      WILLIAM, Lynn, died 18 Mar 1664, and his widow Sarah returned inventory 29 June following.

A captain Stewart is named by Sewall, in his diary, as dying early in August, 1693.

Of the great historic name, the clan of Stuart, were Austin, Charles, Neil, and Robert, prisoners of war from the sad field of 3 Sept. 1651, at Worcester, Cromwell’s crowning mercy, sent to Boston, where they arrived 13 May 1652, to be sold, but not to perpetual servitude as John Cotton gently suggests to Oliver. I can feel no doubt that the great majority, between three quarters and nine tenths, died of scurvy or broken heart; and not one in fifty of these young men left progeny.