HISTORY: Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia, Chapter 7, Andrew Stewart, Dauphin County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Bookwalter Copyright 2007. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/dauphin/ http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/dauphin/runk/runk-bios.htm _______________________________________________________________ Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of Dauphin County, Containing Sketches of Representative Citizens, and Many of the Early Scotch-Irish and German Settlers. Chambersburg, Pa.: J. M. Runk & Company, 1896, pages 145-146. _______________________________________________________________ STEWART OF PAXTANG. In the graveyard at Paxtang church are the following tombstone inscriptions: In | memory of | Andrew Stewart | who departed | this life March | the 31st 1774 | Aged 75 years. In | memory of | Mary Stewart | who departed | this life April | 30th 1772 | aged 65 years. Andrew Stewart and Mary his wife came from Scotland prior to 1740. Owing to the destruction of the assessment lists immediately subsequent to the formation of Lancaster county, of which the townships of Paxtang, Derry and Hanover were an integral part upon its organization, it is very difficult to ascertain the precise year when the early settlers located here. Of the family of Stewart there were at least three distinct heads. The name is indifferently spelled Stuart and Stewart, but rarely Stewart in the old records. The origin of the patronymic - Stewart - is from ward, to guard, to care for. The first syllable ste is of doubtful origin, but is supposed to mean a place, a corner, a quarter. Stuart, Stewart and Steward have all the same origin, although those who use the Stuart claim to have bluer blood in their veins, which, of course, is a fallacy. The u was substituted for the w because of their being no w in the French alphabet, the Stewarts having retired to France, or perhaps during the reign of Queen Mary Stuart, the French courtiers having introduced or persisted in the French mode of spelling the name Stuart. Andrew Stewart was a Covenanter of the most rigid faith, and the earliest Presbyterian ministers in America, the Rev. John Cuthbertson, frequently tarried at his house while on his missionary tours. In his diary, under date of 20th of August, 1751, he notes 146 HISTORICAL REVIEW the baptism of Eliza (Elizabeth), daughter of Andrew Stewart. On the organization of the Covenanter church at Paxtang, Mr. Stewart and his wife became members. But little is known of this hardy pioneer, save that in his day and generation he was ever loyal to the "Solemn League and Covenant." Of the family of Andrew Stewart, his eldest son John, born in Paxtang, on the 24th of February, 1740, was educated for the ministry. While in England he was ordained in the Established Church, returned to Pennsylvania, where he was received with aught but favor by his strict old Covenanter father. He went as a missionary among the Indians in the Mohawk valley, and made a translation of the New Testament in the Mohawk language. Refusing allegiance to the colonies, in 1781 he went to Canada, where he became chaplain to a provincial regiment, and subsequently as a missionary traveled through the upper province of Canada, where he labored with energy and success. In 1786 he settled at Kingston, and for some time previous to his death was chaplain to the Legislative Council. He died on the 15th of August, 1811. Of the children of the Rev. John Stewart, or Stuart, as our Canadian friends prefer to write it, we have been able to glean the following data, hoping, however, that some member of the Literary and Historical Society of Quebec will furnish us with fuller, if not more accurate information. James Stewart, the eldest son, was born at Fort Hunter, N. Y., March 2, 1780, became an eminent Canadian jurist and chief justice of Lower Canada. He was called to the bar in 1801; appointed solicitor general, 1805-9; attorney general, 1822-32; chief justice, 1838-53. He was created a baronet in 1840, and died at Quebec July 14, 1853. His son, Sir Charles Stuart, now resides in England during the summer season, and in Italy during the winter. The second son, Andrew, was also a distinguished jurist and solicitor general of Lower Canada - decidedly one of the most talented men of Canada - many years president of the Literary and Historical Society of Quebec; was born at Kingston, U. C., in 1786, and died at Quebec, February 21, 1840. He was the author of a number of valuable historical works. A son of Andrew Stuart is at present a judge - a gentleman of ability and ardent mind. George O'Kill Stuart, another son, became an arch deacon. He married a daughter of Gen. John Brooks, a soldier of the Revolution and governor of Massachusetts from 1816 to 1823. His son, of the same name, is judge of the Vice Admirality Court at Quebec. John Stewart, sheriff of Leeds and Greenville, who resided at Brockville, on the British side of the St. Lawrence, was also a son of the Rev. John first named. We have given the foregoing to show the connection between the Stewarts of Paxtang and those of Canada. The other children of Andrew Stewart, the pioneer, were James, Mary, Elizabeth, previously named, who died May 1, 1773, aged twenty-three years; Charles, Andrew and Eleanor. Of none of these do we know the history save that of Eleanor, the others probably removing from this locality after the death of their father and mother. Eleanor married Richard DeYarmond, second son of James and Mary DeYarmond. She was born May 4, 1753, and died February 19, 1830. Her husband, born in Hanover, September 1, 1743, died November 17, 1802. They are both interred in the old Hanover church graveyard. Their children were: James, born October 2, 1782, died January 7, 1812; Mary, born in 1784, who married James McCreight, Jr.; Eleanor, born in 1788; Andrew Stewart, born in 1791, and Margaret, born March 1, 1793; died May 6, 1824.