William Stewart (abt. 1744 - abt. 1820)

Born about 1744 in Virginia

Died about 1820 at about age 76 in Mecklenburg, Virginia, United States

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Biography

William Stewart is a part of US Black heritage.

William ("Sonkey") Stewart, born say 1744, was married to Nancy Stewart ("of Mecklenburg"), daughter of Dr. Thomas Stewart, by 18 May 1808 when Doctor Stewart left her a slave woman named Daus [Dinwiddie County Chancery Orders 1832-52, 13].

William was taxable in Mecklenburg County, Virginia, on a slave named Dorman in 1782, taxable on 12 head of cattle and 2 horses in 1783 (called William Stewart, Jr., adjacent to William Stewart), called a shoemaker in 1785 when he was taxable on slaves Daws and Len, taxable on slaves Daws, Len and Jenny in 1786 and 1787, taxable on slave Daws in 1789, and taxable with his son Jordan and slave Daws in 1790 and 1791. His son Jordan Stewart and Robert Cole were taxable in his household in 1792. He was taxable on slaves Daws, Fan and Len in 1795 and 1796 but taxable on only his own tithe from 1797 until 1802 when he was taxable on his son William [PPTL, 1782-1805, frames 13, 27, 101, 125, 178, 276, 329, 383, 451, 558, 622, 645, 743, 880, 902].

He purchased 50 acres in Mecklenburg County adjoining the land of Doctor Thomas Stewart from James Stewart, Jr., and wife Ritter on 12 September 1796. And he purchased 162 acres on Sandy Creek adjoining Wilson's line from Thomas and Mildred Stewart of Dinwiddie County for £60 on 10 November 1799 [DB 9:153; 10:267].

He was called a shoemaker on 10 June 1799 when he sued James Stewart, blacksmith, for a debt of £3 due by account [Orders 1798-1801, 192].

He was taxable in Mecklenburg County on 242 acres in 1804 [DB 16:272]. He sold 60 acres adjoining Frederick Ivey's land on 21 August 1815 [DB 16:212].

He died intestate in Mecklenburg County before 7 December 1820 when the coroner viewed his body. His estate included a slave named Nelson who was valued at $500. The administrator of his estate sold 144 acres of his land and sold 41 acres to (his son-in-law) Thomas Spence. His estate was settled in 1821, and a Mecklenburg County chancery suit gives many details of his descendants [WB 9:163; 10:243; DB 19:33; Chancery suit 1872-008, LVA]. William and Nancy's children were:

1. Jordan, born say 1770, taxable in his father's Mecklenburg County household in 1790 [PPTL, 1782-1805, frame 329], head of a Chatham County, North Carolina household of 8 "other free" in 1810 [NC:193] and 9 "free colored" in Wake County in 1830. He appeared in Wake County court on 24 May 1849 at the age of 95 and applied for a pension for his services in the Revolution. He stated that he was born in Dinwiddie County, moved to Mecklenburg County, Virginia, where he joined the militia at the age of 26 years on 4 February 1780 and served for 7 months. He was marched to within 20 or 30 miles of Guilford Court House where he met his father William Stewart, a soldier who was returning with a great many others after the Battle of Guilford Court House. He lived in Wake County since the war [NARA, R.10160, M804, roll 2291, frame 715 of 945]. He called himself a "free man of Colour" when he wrote a letter on 31 July 1857 from Wake County to support his claim as an heir to the estate of Dr. Thomas Stewart. He wrote that he was born in Dinwiddie County and lived there with his parents William and Nancy Stewart (who were also born in the county) until he was about twelve or fifteen years of age when they moved to Mecklenburg County, Virginia. He and his sister Elizabeth were born in Dinwiddie County and his other siblings were born in Mecklenburg County. He married the daughter of Richard Evans and lived in Mecklenburg County until he was about thirty six [Dinwiddie County chancery file 1857-004]. He was counted as a 112-year-old "Mulatto" shoemaker in the Wake County household of Joel Stewart in 1860.
2. Griffin, never married and died intestate in Mecklenburg County about 1831 [Dinwiddie chancery file 1857-004].
3. Peter, lived in Richmond, never married and died in Nashville, Tennessee.
4. Rebecca, born say 1775, married Anthony Chavous, 10 September 1792 Mecklenburg County bond.
5. William, born about 1785, over the age of 16 when he was taxable in his father's Mecklenburg County household in 1802 and 1803, called son of William when he was taxable in his own household in 1804 [PPTL, 1782-1805, frames 902, 982, 1007].
6. Charles, born about 1787, over the age of 16 when he was taxable in his father's Mecklenburg County household in 1806 [PPTL, 1806-28, frame 17]. He married Sabra Elam, 14 March 1808 Mecklenburg County bond, Frederick Ivey surety. He registered in Mecklenburg County on 16 September 1814: born free, & raised in the County of Mecklenburg...of a yellow Complection and good Stature, he is five feet nine inches high, about Twenty Seven years old [Free Person of Color, no.8, p.5] and was head of a Mecklenburg County household of 6 "free colored" in 1820. His bond was mentioned in the account of his father's estate [WB 10:243]. He died about 1830 and left a widow and four children: Margaret, William, Joel, and Thomas Stuart [Mecklenburg County chancery suit, 1872-008, LVA].
7. Nancy, born about 1788, married Thomas Spence, called Thomas Spain when they married, 14 September 1801 Mecklenburg County bond, Frederick Ivy surety. Thomas Spence registered in Mecklenburg on 20 October 1828: a man of yellow complexion, six feet high, about fifty five years of age, was born of a free woman in the County of Ameila. Nancy registered the same day: yellow complexion, about forty five years of age, born of a free woman in the county of Dinwiddie [Free Person of Color no.54, p.41]. Thomas was head of a Mecklenburg County household of 5 "free colored" in 1820. He may have been a descendant of John Spence, a "Mulatto man" who was freed from further service by the 23 May 1720 Northumberland County will of Elizabeth Banks, proved 20 July 1720, which was put into effect by her executor the following day on 21 July [RB 1718-26, 127-8, 148].
8. Hannah, born about 1790, a 60-year-old "Black" woman counted in the 1850 Mecklenburg County census [VA:138]. She was still living on her parents land in February 1858.
9. Dicey, born about 1790, married Mat Stuart, and they were living in Granville County, North Carolina, when the 1856 chancery suit was filed in Dinwiddie County [Chancery suit 1857-004]. Dicy was a 60-year-old "Black" woman living in Granville County in 1850.
10. Elizabeth, lived on her parents land and died in December 1853. She never married but left five children: Susan, Viney, Cresa, Sally Mayo, and Franky Stuart. James and Priscilla Stewart charged Susanna with stealing 16 yards of cloth from their home in Mecklenburg County on 1 August 1811. Susanna's sister Cresy testified that Susanna "striped" herself, went down James and Priscilla's chimney, rolled away a mortar in the fire place, and cut out the cloth [Orders 1811-13, 14].

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Sources

1. ↑ FREE AFRICAN AMERICANS IN COLONIAL VIRGINIA, NORTH CAROLINA, AND SOUTH CAROLINA by Paul Heinegg https://freeafricanamericans.com/Virginia-NC.htm