Stewarts of Virginia
ORIGIN OF OUR LINE OF STEWARTS
Our family's oral tradition has been that our family came from Wales, yet this is very doubtful unless the family knew the early story of Banquo's son, Fleance, who escaped into Wales or perhaps the FitzAlan family who was given land that is now in Shropshire by the former William, the Conqueror, when he became King of England. True, the family was affiliated with many early Virginia families who had Welsh roots or with Quaker families who had been forced into Wales due to religious persecutions. It is most likely that our family of STEWARDS/STEWARTS descends from the progeny of the families in Cambridge, Suffolk, and Norfolk as outlined in the previous chapters.
The two best possibilities are either a William or a Charles Steward, who were into America in the 1630s. Perhaps these were the two brothers, separated, who never found each other, as told by my grandfather as part of our oral tradition?
William Steward, who was 21 years of age when he departed from Gravesend, England, bound for St. Christopher's of Barbadoes, West Indies, a British colony often referred to as "Little England," could be our first ancestor. On board ship with him in 1635 were a John Pierce and a John Hilliard, who were either friends or relatives. The Pierce and Hilliard families remained allied with our Stewarts for over 200 years, even into Georgia, Alabama, and Louisiana. (Hotten, IMMIGRANTS . . . AND PERSONS OF QUALITY)
An even stronger possibility is the CHARLES STEWARD who was brought to America in the 1630s by Edward Osborne and affiliated with Christopher Branch, all of Henrico County, Virginia. Our ancestor, CHARLES STEWARD, (b. @1695) appears in Charles City County around the time of his marriage to Ann Pace, daughter of Richard(4) Pace and Rebecca _________? (Poythress) If Poythress, we are related to Pocahontas. Charles Steward was a man rich in land holdings, which would indicate a large inheritance from a rich father or mother. He could, indeed, be the fourth generation of Stewards into Virginia. Henrico County was the county to the north of Charles City, which adjoins Brunswick and Surry Counties, where the family of Charles and Ann Pace Steward has been found.
Back
Email: gpgpubl@icok.net
