JAMES STEWART - FACT OR FICTION
ANOTHER DUNAVERTY MYSTERY
A. I. B. Stewart.
"Cuthbert Bede" hid the identity of' the
Rev. Edward Bradley of Grantham, a Victorian clergyman who spent many summers
in Kintyre and published several very readable volumes of which "Glencreggan,
a Highland Home" (1861) and Argylls Highlands" published in 1906, long after
his death, are the best known.
In each he purports to tell in different terms the story
of the survival of Captain James Stewart of the Blackhall family, of the
massacre at Dunaverty, Southend, Kintyre, in the early summer of 1647. Quoting
Lord Teignmouth (Sketches of the Coasts and Islands of Scotland - 1836) he
says in Glencreggan "A fine young Highlander sprang from the rock to reach
a boat containing some of the fugitives when Argyll, conpassionating him
interceded with Leslie on his behalf. His name was Stuart (sic); he proved
grateful to his protector and became his first factor, for by this conquest
Argyll became possessed of Cantyre and divided it among the Campbells." Argyll,
of course, had finally got a title to Kintyre in 1607.
Although in "Glencreggan" the author correctly quoted
Sir James Turner, the narrator of the only surviving eye witness account,
to the effect that all the garrison "were put to the sword except one young
man McKoull, whose life I begged to be sent to France, he overlooks this
in "Argyll's Highlands" where he writes
"The one person who has been mentioned as having been
spared is said to have been James Stewart of the Blackhall family who, when
about to be put to death requested leave first to read his Bible. Stewart
of Ardvoirlich was an officer under Leslie and interceded for his life which
was granted and he lived to be the ancestor of many respectable families
in Cantyre."
It was certainly the case that several respectable Stewart
families in Kintyre claimed to be descended from the Blackhall family. The
most detailed ancestry is given in a handwritten note inserted in the pages
of Duncan Stewart's genealogy of the Stewarts, dealing with Blackhall in
the library of the Stewart Society. The note states "Burke's Landed Gentry
1843 under 'Galbraith' Daniel Galbraith who married in 1765 Margaret dau.
of Archibald Stewart (sic) of Askomilbeg, a grandson of James Stewart of
the Family of Stewart of Blackhall, an officer of Montrose's army and a devoted
Royalist who fled to Kintyre after the defeat at Philiphaugh in 1647. By
this marriage alone survive at present (1843) David Stewart Galbraith and
his brother Daniel who married Miss Macdonald of Scothouse, cousin german
to the late Glengarry."
There follows a short family tree in which the places
of the two Archibald Stewarts have obviously been transposed, as follows
1. James Stewart (details as above) -
2. Archibald Stewart, Esq., of Askomilbeg, m. Flora Macalister.
3. Archibald Stewart.
4. Margaret m. Daniel Galbraith in 1765.
The descendants of the Rev. Charles Stewart (1682-1765)
Minister of the Highland or Gaelic speaking Church in Campbeltown from 1708
till his death claimed that he was the son of an Archibald Stewart who in
turn was the son of Sir Archibald Stewart of Blackhall.
This is obviously inaccurate, at least on the basis of
the published genealogies.
The examination of the genealogy of David Stewart Galbraith
gives more definite results. He was a native of Killean Parish, Kintyre,
and was a writer or solicitor in Campbeltown, in the early part of the nineteenth
century and was known as "Factor Galbraith." He owned the four markland of
Drumore and the three markland of Ballegreggan in the immediate vicinity
of Campbeltown and also the estate of Machrihanish about five miles distant
but these were lost when he was sequestered in 1852. The marriage of the
parents of his mother Margaret Stewart is vouched by the tombstone erected
to them by her brother Archibald, Tacksman of Refleuch, which stands in Killean
Churchyard and reads as follows:
"In 1762 erected to the memory of Arch. Stewart, Tacksman of Uledale and
his wife Flora McAlister, daughter of Hector MacAlister Esq., of Askomilbeg
by their son Arch. Stewart, Tacksman of Riefleuch who died 1st May 1788 aged
80. David Stewart, his youngest son died 29th June 1815 aged 52."
This is more accurate than the 1843 handwritten note
above referred to, in that Askomilbeg was never a Stewart property, though
it did belong to Macalisters who obtained possession on the marriage of Archibald
Macalister to Finvella Boyle, granddaughter of Joyn Boyle of Ballochmartin,
to whom it had been feued by the Earl of Argyll in 1609 as a first step to
setting up the Burgh of Campbeltown. It remained in Macalister hands till
1745, though the titles do not show Hector as proprietor. Archibald, Tacksman
of Uledale, in Killean Parish, is also referred to in the Kintyre Presbytery
Minutes in 1755 as "an honest and discreetman" appointed with another to
view the manse and globe of Killean with a view to improvements.
The Gaibraith note states that Uledale's father was Archibald
Stewart without giving any further indication of his identity. While there
is no direct proof, I suggest that all the evidence points to Archibald Stewart,
Tacksman at different times of Tangie, Corputechan, The Drum and The Ballergies
- all farms on the West Coast of Kintyre as the father both of Archibald,
Tacksman of Uledale and of the Rev. Charles. This Archibald first appears
on the record in Kintyre in 1683 and survived there till at least 1712 when
he served with heads of leading families on a Justiciary Court Jury.
In 1693, described as "in Drum" he acted as cautioner
in a Bond for good behaviour by John McNeill, Tacksman of Lochorodale who,
along with many other dependants of Argyll, were asked on the occasion of
his forfeiture by the Crown in 1681 to give such security. In 1693, described
as "in Tangie" he got a Tack of Corputechan and was made leading elder of
the Killean congregation. In 1709 he is described as "in Ballergiemore" and
took a tack of the farms now known as the Drum and Ballergies. In the same
year a son Patrick Stewart, took a tack of the half merkland of Strathmolloch
and Archibald and Robert Stewart described as sons of John Stewart in
Ballergiebeg took a tack of half of the three merkland of Putachantuy in
Killean Parish. I suspect that John may be an error here for "Archibald"
as there is no trace of a contemporary John in that farm. In 1692 in a return
of Fencible men he is shown as Tacksman of the Drum and the two Ballergies.
The Rev. Charles appears to have been a local man. He
is mentioned in the Kintyre Presbytery Minutes of 23rd June 1706 as Master
Charles Stewart and was given a subject on which to address the Presbytery,
namely "De existentia Dei num possit demonstrari invicte adversus Atheos."
He apparently succeeded because he was licensed in 1708 and ordained in his
one and only charge, the Highland Kirk in Campbeltown in 1709. The names
given to his sons are of interest. His oldest son was Archibald who was a
surgeon and died young. It would be in accordance with tradition if he were
called after his paternal grandfather, who I have suggested was the Tacksman
of the Drum. His second son was Peter, who could have been called after his
uncle Patrick, the Tacksman of Strathmolloch. If I am right in thinking 'John'
a mistake for 'Archibald' then Robert, the third son, could have been called
after his uncle in Putachantuy, while Archibald, the co-tenant of that farm
could well have been the eventual Tacksman of Uledale who fathered Archibald,
Refluch, in 1708, according to the tombstone already mentioned. None of Charles'
four sons was named John after the maternal grandfather, John Campbell of
Kildalloig, but his fourth son, Dugald, may have honoured an uncle, the Rev.
Dugald Campbell, Minister of Southend, Kintyre.
In 1681 the Earl of Argyll had been condemned to
death and forfeited. The administration of the Kintyre Estates was emtrusted
to John Boyle of Kelburn, father of the first Earl of Glasgow. Correspondence
between A. Stewart, Ardgowan, presumably Sir Archibald Stewart, First Baronet
of Ardgowan and Blackhall, and Boyle of Kelburn survives and in a letter
dated 22nd August 1685 Ardgowan introduces the bearer "a friend and relation
of his uncle the Lord Polmais' and asks Boyle to help about the business
of his father's lands in Kintyre. The reference to Lord Polmais is tantalising.
There was no peer with that title and it can only refer to John Murray, Laird
of Touchadam and Polmaise. So far as I know, they had no Kintyre property
and I see no marriage connection of a sister with a Stewart to give a Stewart
nephew in Kintyre, though one may well have existed.
Of course Stewart Hall was also known as Wester Polmaise
and Anne Stewart, sister of the 2nd and 3rd Baronets of Ardgowan and Blackhall
married her cousin Archibald Stewart of Stewart Hall, Solicitor General in
1720 and the second son of Archibald Steward, the first Baronet, but even
Walter would be at least a generation too young. There certainly was a Stewart
Hall connection in Kintyre in thefirst half of the nineteenth century.
Even if Archibald, Tacksman of the Drum is accepted as
the father of Archibald, Uledale, and the Rev. Charles, there is not a thread
to connect him with James, the alleged Dunaverty survivor, nor indeed is
there any real evidence of James' very existence.
As already mentioned, Sir James Turner, the only eye
witness whose evidence survives, says the only survivor of the garrison was
one McCoull. Be was a real life character, McDougall of Dunolly, and he is
on record as having subsequently raised an action of damages arising out
of the heppenings at Dunaverty.
There was no James Stewart, Factor of the Kintyre Estates
after 1647. One James Stewart, probably of Ascog in Bute was factor for Lord
Kintyre and for Lord Lorne from 1626 to 1636 and in 1636 received a sasine
of the three merkland of Eskamulmoir for service and a yearly rent of 6/8d.
He had probably died by 1651/52 as the rental for that year shows the lands
of Acharoy (Southend) "possesst be James Stewart's dochter during My Lord's
pleasure freely."
Incidentally, in 1665, the Earl leased Askamulmore to
Captain John Stewart for behalf and in name of James Stewart has brother
out of the affection he has and bears to them. The lease was to Captain John
for his life and after his decease to James for his life. It was subject
to an existing tack to James Brown, the occupier.
The only other contemporary namesake I have found
in local records is a James Stewart who was appointed an elder in Killean
Kirk in 1657, and who witnessed instruments in 1658. He is not further
designed.
As far as I have been able to trace, there was not strangely
enough perhaps, a Captain James Stewart in the Royalist Army.
Finally, and perhaps most important of all, is the fact
that no James Stewart of the Blackhall family who was in the prime of manhood
in 1647 is shown in the published genealogies. This of course is not conclusive,
as not all children are named in each generation.
I hope that someone else may take up this puzzle and
in due course confirm the belief of David Stewart Galbraith and the Revd
Charles Stewart of their Blackhall and thus Royal Ancestry.
No 16 Autumn 1984
Page 2: Military Echoes - Second World War Aircraft Crashes
Page 3: Franciscan Converts in Kintyre - Part 2
Page 4: Presbytery Minute: 14 July 1697 // Genealogical Queries
Page 5: Kintyre Lifeboats
Page 6: Tides in the Waters of Moyle
Page 7: James Watt at Campbeltown - Part 2
Page 8: By Hill and Shore - Part 2
Page 9: The White Heather