Marty and Karla Grant
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John Stewart (bef 1756-aft 1818) and Mary Kerr of North Carolina (Guilford, Rockingham) and SC (Pendleton)
[Stewart Home] - [Table of Contents] - John Stewart (bef 1756-aft 1818)
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I am not related to John Stewart as far as I can tell. However, he lived in Guilford Co., NC for a time as did my own ancestor also named John Stewart (1730/40-1830). There is no possibility this John and my John are one and the same person, as this one is much younger than mine.
There were records for several different John Stewarts in Guilford. Follow the link for more on the other Johns and my attempts to sort them out.
John Stewart was born before ca 1756, that is assuming he was at least 18 when he married in 1774.
John Stewart is a son of John Stewart Sr and Jean who lived on Benaja Creek (now in both Guilford and Rockingham County). This is proven by an 1818 power of attorney where John, then a resident of Pendleton Dist., SC, gave power of attorney to John Matlock in Rockingham to collect any money due him from his father’s estate, named as John Stewart late of Guilford, deceased. John Matlock was also a resident of Hogans Creek as was this John and wife Mary Kerr until the 1780s at least.
This John had land on Hogans Creek (now Rockingham County) until 1785. Another John, also with a wife named Mary, had land on Reedy Fork beginning in 1787. That John was a blacksmith. It’s entirely possible they are one and the same John and Mary, moving from Hogans Creek to Reedy Fork between 1785 and 1787. However, due to the distances, and the fact the other was always listed as “Blacksmith” on deeds, I suspect they are not the same people. I could easily be wrong though.
On 16 Mar 1774, John Steuart obtained a marriage bond in Guilford to marry Mary Carr. William Fleming was bondsman.
The reason I believe the above John and Mary are the ones on Hogans Creek vs the ones on Reedy Fork is that William Fleming, the bondsman, also had land on Hogans Creek. Bondsmen were usually close relatives, friends or neighbors.
On 6 Nov 1779, John Stewart entered land on Hogans Creek bordering Alexander Walker. It was surveyed 7 Aug 1783 with Benjamin Moore and Francis Hodge as chain carriers. The land was granted to John Stewart on 8 Nov 1784. (North Carolina Land Grants.)
Hogans Creek rises southeast of Reidsville and flows north easterly for several miles eventually crossing into Caswell County on its way to the Dan River near the Virginia border. There is another Hogans Creek in western Rockingham that flows northward also emptying into the Dan River. To confuse matters more, Troublesome Creek rises very near where the western Hogans Creek rises. Eastern Hogans Creek rises very near Little Troublesome Creek, thus making it rather difficult to know which one the Stewarts lived on. I suspect it’s the eastern one since that is near Benaja Creek where John’s father had land.
On 24 Aug 1785 John Stewart of Guilford County, made a deed to Joshua Wright for the 200 acres on Hogans Creek. This deed was signed by John and Mary Stewart. Witnesses were Wm Clark and Joseph Clark and William Clark. (Guilford Co., NC Deed Book 4, p. 88).
Rockingham County was formed in 1785 from northern Guilford taking in all of Hogans Creek.
Benaja Creek (Benaja is the modern spelling, Benajah the old spelling) rises in Rockingham County, flows southeasterly into Guilford, then turns northwesterly right back into Rockingham then into the Haw River. It’s not a very long stream. This is where John’s father, John Stewart Sr had two land grants and resided.
John Stewart (Sr) entered two tracts of land there in 1778, both granted to him on 22 Oct 1782. One was 300 acres, the other 640 acres. In 1784, John (Sr) deeded 307 acres to his “son” James Stewart for “one crown sterling” which is a very small price for land. In 1785, John (Sr) deeded 300 acres to John Jones (no relation stated) also for one crown sterling, suggesting Jones was a son-in-law.
That left John Sr with 333 acres, which he deeded to John Stewart Jr in 1787. However, John Jr didn’t get the “one crown” deal the others got. In fact, his deed was for 250 pounds, nor did the deed say anything about them being father and son. The deed:
On 24 Feb 1787, John Stewart Sr of Guilford, made a deed to John Stewart Jr of Rockingham for 250 pounds for 333 acres being part of an original grant that John Stewart Sr now lives on. Described as being on both sides of Bennajah Creek (sic). Mentions James Stewart’s corner, Bennett Comb’s corner. John Stewart signed the deed. His wife Jean did not, nor was she mentioned, so perhaps she had died by then. Witnesses were William Gibson and Francis Price. The deed was acknowledged in court (by John Sr) in Aug 1788. (Guilford Co., NC Deed Book 5, p. 19.)
With the above deed, John Stewart Sr had no more land as far as I’m aware. However, just a few months later, he sold the same land again, this time to his son Samuel Stewart. How do we explain this? First the deed itself:
On 15 Nov 1787 John Stewart made a deed to Samuel Stewart for “one crown sterling” paid by “Samuel Stewart son of the sd John Stewart.” It being the “plantation the said John Stewart now lives on” granted to him 22 Oct 1782. It is 333 acres. The description mentions James Stewart’s corner, Bennett Comb’s corner and has the same metes and bounds as the prior deed, though not worded precisely the same, but clearly the same description. John Stewart signed. Again, Jane/Jean did not. Witnesses were James Stewart and John Jones, the two he had deed the rest of his property to earlier. This deed was proven in court by John Jones in Nov 1788. (Guilford Co., NC Deed Book 4, p. 367.)
What happened to John Stewart Jr’s possession of the 333 acres? Why did it go back to John Sr to be deeded again eight months later? Why did John Sr acknowledge the deed to John Jr in Aug 1788 court which was nearly a year after the second deed was made for the same land?
Is it possible the two deeds are for different tracts both 333 acres? That doesn’t seem too likely considering the descriptions. The most likely explanation is that a trade was made of some sort, and John Jr gave the land back to his father in exchange for forgiving a debt or in exchange for something else, and no actual deed was made for it.
There are two John Stewarts in Guilford in 1790 and one in Rockingham. The one in Rockingham is next to James Stewart, his brother.
1790 Census Guilford Co., NC
p. 494 John Stuart 1-1-5-0-0
p. 495 John Stuart 1-0-1-0-2
1790 Census Rockingham Co., NC
p. 537 John Stewart 1-0-1-0-2
p. 537 Jas Stewart 1-3-3-0-0
If John of 1790 Rockingham is John Jr who married Mary Kerr in 1774, why do they have such a small family? The household only seems to be himself and his wife with no children. It’s possible the Rockingham entry is John Sr instead, and John Jr is one of those in Guilford. I couldn’t tell by the neighbors of either of those if one might be John/Mary or not.
There is a John Stewart on the 1800 census in Rockingham, but it’s not the same John. That one lived in north western Rockingham County. Thus, John Stewart (Jr) and wife Mary Kerr were no longer in Rockingham by 1800.
There may not be any other records for John (Jr) in either Rockingham or Guilford until 1818 when he gave a power of attorney to John Matlock.
On 3 Jan 1818, John Stewart of Pendleton Dist., SC, to John Mattlock of Rockingham, power of attorney to collect any moneys due from the estate of John Stewart, deceased, late of Guilford Co., NC. Signed John Stewart, John Mattlock. Witnessed by J. Campbell and William Fennel. (Rockingham Co., NC Deed Book R, pp. 112-113.)
John Matlock had land on Pruets Fork of Hogans Creek, proving he was a former neighbor to John and Mary. He was listed in Rockingham in 1790 and 1810, but I didn’t find him in 1800. In 1810 he was next to Benjamin Moore, who was one of the chain carriers for John Stewart’s land grant in the 1780s. He was also a neighbor to the Clarks (see more on them below).
The 1818 deed proves several things. One, that John Stewart moved to Pendleton Dist., SC prior to 1818. Two, he is a son of John Stewart of Guilford, and three, he was the same John who had lived on Hogans Creek (since that’s where Matlock lived). However, since John Stewart Sr died ca 1796, why was this power of attorney filed over 20 years later? That’s hard to answer, but sometimes estates took a long time to settle.
When did John move to Pendleton Dist., SC? There is a William Stewart there in 1790, but no John. By 1800 there were several Stewarts there including three Johns.
1800 Census Pendleton Dist., SC
p. 11 John Stewart 40101-42010-0-0
p. 150 John Steward 01201-01101-0-0 * next to John below
p. 150 John Steward 20010-41010-0-0 * next to John above
p. 150 James Kerr 10010-41010-0-0 * next to John above
None of these are a good match with the John of 1790 Rockingham. I would assume that the two Johns listed side by side were father and son, but that’s not necessarily the case. It’s certainly interesting that a James Kerr was next door to the younger of the two Johns. Yet, somehow I don’t think this is the same John Stewart from Rockingham, but I could be wrong.
There is only one John in 1810 Pendleton. I can’t tell if he’s the same as any of the three from 1800. He’s not a perfect enumeration match with any of them. Does that mean those from 1800 had moved on, and this was a new one, perhaps John formerly of Rockingham? Could be.
1810 Census Pendleton Dist., SC
p. 296 John Stewart 21001-20201-0-0
There was only one John in 1820 Pendleton.
1820 Census Pendleton Dist., SC
p. 82 John Stewart 010201-01101-?-?* *Slave and FCP columns not present.
This John in 1820 could very well be the same one there in 1810 as the enumeration are a decent match. Since John formerly of Rockingham was in Pendleton by 1818 for sure, this could be him. Unfortunately the census was alphabetical so we can’t determine who any of his neighbors were. They were in grouping though, and a John S. Carr was in his grouping, which may be significant, or just a coincidence.
Pendleton District was abolished in 1826 by being split into two new districts, Pickens in the north and Anderson in the south. It would appear the Stewart land was in Pickens District.
However, there were two John Stewarts in Anderson in 1830, but none in Pickens.
1830 Anderson Dist., SC
p. 107 John Stewart 0200010000000-1001000000000
p. 190 John Stewart 0000000001000-0000200010000
The second one would have to be the one in question. He is in his 70s, which puts his birth in the 1750s which works fine for John Jr of Guilford and Rockingham. Is it him though? I don’t think it is because I think he actually died before the 1830 census in Pickens, not Anderson.
There is an estate record in Pickens Dist., SC for a John Stewart dated 6 Oct 1830. This fits rather well. His widow was Polly, which is a common nickname for Mary, so this might be the same John we seek. John left 1,180 acres on 12 Mile River. To be divided between Josiah Stewart, John Garden [torn] and wife Patsey, Daniel Rigsby and wife Lidia, Clem Emery and wife Ann, Daniel Garret and wife Lavinia, Joseph Stuart, Alpha Stuart and John Stuart. And Polly Stuart widow and Allen Powel and wife Jane/Jincey, Green Stephen and wife Alpha, the children of the said John Stuart deceased.
I was able to locate more records on some of those heirs, enough to determine some approximate birth dates: Joseph born ca 1775/94, Jane born 1780/90, Lydia born ca 1784/94, Lavina born ca 1794/1800 and Alpha born 1804. Alpha and her husband are both buried at Old Stone Church in Pickens Co., SC. The rest of the family left the county and most died before 1850.
None of what I found in SC helps prove whether John (d 1830) and Mary are the same as John and Mary (Kerr) but there’s a reasonable chance they are one and the same.
Lacking any other records on John and Mary, we should turn to known associates for clues about potential relatives. Unfortunately, after studying the following names in Guilford/Rockingham, I found nothing else about John Stewart, except to narrow down his land was probably near the headwaters of Hogans Creek, thus not too far from Benaja where his father lived.
∙ Kerr, Mary’s maiden name.
∙ William Fleming (d 1793) bondsman in 1774
∙ Alexander Walker, neighbor in 1779/1783
∙ Benjamin Moore, chain bearer for 1783 survey.
∙ Francis Hodge, chain bearer for 1783 survey.
∙ Joshua Wright, who purchased the Stewart land in 1785.
∙ William, Joseph and William Clark who witnessed the 1785 deed.
John Stewart’s wife is Mary Carr / Kerr per their 1774 marriage bond.
There are siblings named Joseph Kerr (d 1784), John, William, Mary, James and Nathaniel Kerr (1741-1826) who were named as heirs in Joseph’s 1779 Will. His sister Mary was married to a Dougan at that time (1779), so not our Mary Kerr Stewart. This family resided in the southern part of Guilford that became Randolph County in 1779.
DB 1-78 1 Jan 1772 Nathaniel Kerr, Tanner of Guilford to Edward Sharp, Farmer, 300a Frazers Fork granted to Aaron Frazer 18 Jul 1760. W: John McGee, John Collier. Original grant describes it as SW side of Deep River about a mile above where the trading path crosses. Not sure where that is now.
DB 1-188 2 Nov 1772 Joseph & Jean Carr of Guilford to Jennings Thompson. Fork of Flat Creek of Deep River, 200a obtained from James Graves ... S: Joseph Carr (his mark), Jean Carr. W: William Searcy, Hodges Pearce.
Note: Flat Creek of Deep River is in Southeast Randolph County near the Chatham line.
Is Joseph the one who made the Will in 1779 naming only siblings as heirs? If so, that means his wife Jean died before then and they had no children. Otherwise, could Joseph and Jean be the parents of Joseph, John, et al, from Joseph’s 1779 Will?
DB 1-203 16 Nov 1772 John Bryan and wife Anna to Nathaniel Kerr both of Guilford ... 200a. S: John Bryan, Anna Bryan (her mark). W: John Collier, Edward? Sharp.
DB 1-225 4 Mar 1773 Jennings Thompson and wife Elizabeth to Joseph Carr. North side of Deep River, 200a Flat Creek. S: Jennings Thompson (his mark), Elizabeth Thompson (her mark). W: William Searcy Senr, William Searcy Junr.
Randolph County formed in 1779 from the southern third of Guilford, taking most of the Kerr family into the new county.
A 1779 tax list for Randolph shows John, Joseph, Nathaniel and Robert Kerr.
In Guilford, there is David Kerr (c1719-1804) and wife Catherine. He left a Will in 1802 and she left one in 1807. Between them they prove out their family rather well. They did have a daughter named Mary, but she was married to Ralph Gorrell, not John Stewart.
David Kerr had land on South Buffalo and elsewhere. South Buffalo is eastern Greensboro today. It flows northeasterly joining North Buffalo to become just Buffalo Creek, then continues northeasterly until emptying into the Reedy Fork.
David Kerr is interesting despite not being Mary Kerr Stewart’s father. He had two grandchildren, both by daughter Mary Kerr Gorrell, who married Stewarts. Nancy Agnes Gorrell married John Stewart in 1803, and Euphemia Stewart married David Gorrell in 1802, both children of Finley Stewart.
David Kerr also had a son named William Kerr who was associated with William Fleming (see below).
1790 Census Guilford Co., NC
p. 493 David Kerr 1-3-2-0-0
p. 497 William Kerr 1-1-3-0-0 next to David Sen
p. 497 David Kerr Sen 1-0-1-0-5 next to William Kerr
1790 Census Randolph Co., NC
p. 290 Robert Car 1-3-6-0-0
p. 290 Joseph Car 2-3-2-1-5
p. 293 Thomas Carr 1-2-2-0-0
p. 293 Joshua Carr 1-3-2-0-0
p. 293 Joseph Carr 1-4-2-0-0
p. 315 Nathaniel Karr 1-1-4-0-0
1790 Census Rockingham Co., NC
-None.
I should point out that David Kerr (Sr) and wife and some of their children are buried at Alamance Presbyterian Church Cemetery. Nathaniel Kerr (1741-1826) brother of Joseph of Randolph County is also buried there. Coincidence? Or are the two sets of Kerrs related?
Unfortunately I didn’t find anything to prove which of these two Kerr families Mary Kerr Stewart belongs to. Perhaps neither one.
William Fleming was the bondsman for John Stewart and Mary Kerr’s 1774 marriage.
On 5 Sep 1772, William Flemming obtained a marriage bond in Guilford to marry Agnes Starrett. John Blair was bondsman.
Her surname leaps out at me, for Starrett is a variation of Stewart, though not a typical misspelling. Is this a coincidence? There was a Starratt / Starrett family in the area.
On 22 Feb 1779, William Fleming entered land on both sides of Hogans Creek of Dan River on Charles Bruce’s line. It was surveyed 12 Mar 1780. Edward Cottrell and Reuben Feagin were chain carriers. The land was granted on 22 Oct 1782.
This undoubtedly means that William Fleming was a neighbor to John Stewart at that time.
1790 Census Rockingham Co., NC
p. 530 William Fleming 2-3-3-0-0
No Stewart or Starrats were near them in 1790.
William Fleming obtained another grant of land on “Upper Hogans” Creek on 9 Jul 1794, which unfortunately was after he died. He entered the land on 22 Jan 1793, describing it as 300 acres adjoining his own land and Charles Bruce. The survey was dated 23 Jan 1793 and included Alexander Russell and Joseph Flemming as chain carriers.
William Fleming made his Will on 9 Apr 1793 in Rockingham Co., NC naming wife Agnes and several children. He was a blacksmith apparently. He mentioned land in Davidson County (Tennessee), and also a bond from William Kerr of Guilford. He named his wife Agnes and friend Thomas Henderson as executors. Signed by William Fleming, witnessed by John Burns, James Buchanan and Alexander Russel.
The William Kerr mentioned is probably David’s son.
1800 Census Rockingham Co., NC
p. 629 Agnes Fleming 01100-00101-0-4
She wasn’t near any Stewarts or other names I recognized as being associated.
I don’t know if any of the information I found on the Flemings is helpful, except the association with William Kerr, which may suggest that Mary Stewart Kerr is related to that set of Kerrs.
Alexander Walker had land on Hogans Creek. He was listed as a neighbor on John Stewart’s 1784 land grant. I found that Walker received a grant of 340 acres on both sides of Hogans Creek on 14 Oct 1783, entered 6 Nov 1778. The survey by William Clark, dated 2 Jun 1779 included Sellevent Pearson and John Hog as chain carriers.
1790 Census Rockingham Co., NC
p. 533 Alexander Walker 1-1-5-0-0
He was not too far from Joseph and William Clark, names associated with the Hogans Creek area and John Stewart. Peter Oneal was next to Walker in 1790. See the Clark section for why that’s of interest.
1800 Census Rockingham Co., NC
p. 672 Alex. Walker 00010-00100-0-0 near William and John Walker.
This Alexander in 1800 seems too young to be the same one from 1790 and earlier.
Benjamin Moore was a chain bearer for the 1783 survey for John Stewart’s land grant on Hogans Creek. Chain Carriers (or Bearers) assisted the surveyor by literally carrying the chains used to measure distances. They were almost always friends, neighbors or relatives of the person whose claim was being surveyed, thus persons of interest, genealogical speaking.
Benjamin Moore had land on the south side of Pruett’s Fork of Hogans Creek.
1790 Census Rockingham Co., NC
p. 526 Benjamin Moore 1-5-3-0-2
He wasn’t near any names I recognized.
1800 Census Rockingham Co., NC
p. 643 Benjamin Moore 31211-11101-0-0
p. 664 Benjamin Moore 22111-10201-0-0 Near Daniel Allen (See Clark section below)
On the 1810 census Benjamin Moore was next to John Matlock, who John Stewart gave power of attorney to in 1818.
Francis Hodge was a chain bearer for the 1783 survey for John Stewart’s land grant on Hogans Creek. Chain Carriers (or Bearers) assisted the surveyor by literally carrying the chains used to measure distances. They were almost always friends, neighbors or relatives of the person whose claim was being surveyed, thus persons of interest, genealogical speaking.
I found no deeds or land grants for Francis Hodge in Guilford or Rockingham County.
1790 Census Rockingham Co., NC
p. 527 Francis Hodge 1-2-2-0-0
He was five houses from Stewart Dimond, connection to the Stewarts unknown.
I didn’t find Francis Hodge on the 1800 census. There was one in Mecklenburg Co., NC that year, but that Francis Hodge was in Mecklenburg in 1790 also, so not the same one from Rockingham.
Joshua Wright purchased the John and Mary Stewart land on Hogans Creek in 1785 and received a grant adjoining it in 1788. In that grant, the neighbors were Alexander Walker, John Hodges, Brumfield Ridley, Esq.
Joshua died before 1790 leaving widow Ester (Esther), who married a Pruet prior to 1795. In the division of Wright’s lands, Ester received 200 acres of land on Little Troublesome Creek and Hogans Creek “including the cross roads.”
Since the land described above was one tract on both Little Troublesome Creek and Hogans, that means we can narrow down its location. It is somewhere in the vicinity south east of Reidsville, near the small community of Williamsburg.
William, Joseph and William Clark witnessed the 1785 deed where John and Mary Stewart sold their land to Joshua Wright.
William Clark Sr is father of Joseph and William Jr. He made his Will on 27 Sep 1784 in Guilford (filed in Rockingham), naming:
daughter Elizabeth and her husband Peter Oneal
son Joseph
daughter Rebecca and husband John Pritchet
son Isaac
son William
Signed by William Clark, witnessed by Robert Williams, Nathaniel Williams, Ann Williams and Nathaniel Williams Junr.
I found Joseph Clark and William Clark Jr near each other on the 1790 census in Rockingham. They were not too far from Alexander Walker (see above) on the 1790 census.
Deeds for to the Clarks on Hogans Creek mention Allens Branch, neighbors Daniel Allen, Joshua Allen, Peter Oneal, Samuel Watts, John Mattocks, Nathaniel Williams and others. This may help narrow down where the Stewart land was on that very long creek.
1790 Census Rockingham Co., NC
p. 532 Joseph Clark 1-0-1-0-3
p. 532 William Clark Junr 3-0-3-0-4 (two houses from Joseph)
I didn’t find Joseph or William on the 1800 census in Rockingham.
If the John who died in 1830 Pickens Dist., SC is this same John, then he and Mary had nine proven children, plus one more likely son (Cyrus) who died before his father.
For Family Group Sheet and other notes see my database pages for John Stewart and Mary Kerr
Revised: May 24, 2024
Copyright © 1996-2024 Marvin A. Grant, Jr. All Rights Reserved.
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