William Stewart (1740/50-1832) and Lurany Lacefield of North Carolina (Rowan, Rutherford)

Marty and Karla Grant

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[Stewart Home] - [Table of Contents] - William Stewart (1740/50-1832)

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I am not related to John Stewart as far as I can prove. However, he *might* be a brother of my ancestor John Stewart (1730/40-1830). That is far from proven though.

William Stewart was born 1740/50 per his age on the 1830 census (80-89). This works with his earlier census records. He married in 1768, so if we assume he was at least 18 then, that means born ca 1750 or before which fits his 1830 census age range.

I don’t know where he was born, though Virginia or Pennsylvania seem the most likely places. His parents are unidentified.

There are four reasons I suspect William might be a brother of my John Stewart (1730/40):

1. John Stewart was bondsman for William’s 1768 marriage. This shows a close relationship between the two. However, it is entirely possible this is some other John Stewart and not mine.

2. Both moved to Rutherford Co., NC before 1790. This is also not conclusive because it’s entirely possible the John in Rutherford in 1790 isn’t mine. Also, they didn’t live in the same section of the county at the time.

3. They are age compatible to be brothers.

4. They both have Macon Co., NC connections. My John died in Macon in 1830. William never lived in Macon as far as is known, but his daughter Lurena moved there before 1840. That could be a coincidence of course. Many Rutherford residents moved to Macon. However, on the 1850 census, Lurena was two houses from my uncle Jacob Stewart, son of John (1730/40). That could be a coincidence, but if they were 1^st cousins, it makes more sense.

While none of the above is conclusive, it does make me very interested in William Stewart as a potential uncle. More evidence may come to light someday which proves or disproves the connection to my John.

On 7 Mar 1768 William Stewart obtained a marriage bond in Rowan Co., NC to marry “Uranah Lasefield.” Mark Armstrong and John Stewart were bondsmen. John signed with a mark.

Lurany Lacefield was born 1740/50 per her age on the 1830 census. “Lurany” is just one of several spellings for her name. I don’t know who her parents were. Hers was the only marriage I found for that surname in Rowan during that era.

I didn’t find any Lacefield records in Rowan, but I found a Lacewell. Could be it be the same family? From what little research I’ve done it is apparently the same family, sometimes listed as Lacefield, sometimes as Lacewell. It is notable that this same family also went to Rutherford County.

On 25 Jul 1765 William Lacewell and wife Mary Ann of Rowan Co., NC made a deed to Samuel Jones of the same place, for five shillings, 53 acres in the forks of the Yadkin River, south bank of the river about 200 yards above the Hanging Rock. William Lacewell and Mary Ann Lacewell both signed with marks. Witnesses were Samuel Bryan, Cornelius C. Howard and William Johnson. The above was the “lease.” The “Release” was the next day, 26 Jul 1765 for 80 pounds. Same witnesses and signatures. (Rowan Co., NC Deed Book 7, pp. 68-70.)

I didn’t find a record of the Lacewell’s acquiring the above land. Samuel Jones is of interest since one of William Stewart’s daughters married a Jones. It’s a very common name though, so might be a coincidence.

I couldn’t quite figure out where the above land is now. The “Forks of the Yadkin” is that entire region between the Yadkin River and the South Yadkin River. The South Yadkin is (east to west) in Davie County, Iredell, Alexander and Wilkes. The Yadkin is (east to west), Davie County, Yadkin and Wilkes, if we only include the counties between the two rivers. That doesn’t narrow it down very much. Samuel Bryan, who was one of the witnesses, had land grants in Rowan in the 1760s, including one on the south side of the Yadkin at Ellis Creek and another on the North Fork of Linville Creek, south of Yadkin River. According to the NC Gazetteer, Linville Creek rises in east Davie and flows NE into Yadkin River. I couldn’t find it on the maps. I wasn’t able to find Ellis Creek at all except one in Davidson County which isn’t on the south side of the Yadkin, so can’t be the same one. However, based on what little I could find, it would seem the Lacefield land was probably in present day Davie Co., NC.

On 21 Jul 1770, William Whaley of Craven Co., SC made a deed to William Stuart of Tryon Co., NC. For L34, he sold Stuart 285 acres on Rocky Allison’s Creek adjoining his own land, and Samuel Watson, Daniel Shaw, Simonton and Simril and the Indian line. The tract was granted 6 May 1769 to Whaley. William Whaley signed the deed. Witnesses were Thomas Neel, William Wilson, and Samuel Watson. (Tryon Co., NC Deeds recorded in Lincoln Co., NC Deed Book 1, pp. 311-312.)

The above is in present day York Co., SC, so this is probably some other William Stewart.

I don’t know when William Stewart and family left Rowan County, but they were in Rutherford by 1780.

On 12 Sep 1780, William Stuart entered 200 acres in Rutherford Co., NC on the mountains and head of Brier Creek, waters of First Broad River. For some reason it wasn’t surveyed until 10 Mar 1798. William Frazer and John Jones were chain bearers. (North Carolina Land Grants).

I didn’t see an actual grant for the above until 1810. Brier Creek is in eastern Rutherford County near the present Cleveland County line. It is north east of Rutherfordton.

On the very same date, 12 Sep 1780, the same entry was made in Burke Co., NC. The entry taker referred the land to the surveyor for Rutherford County, suggesting the land as originally entered was mistakenly thought to be in Burke. Looking at a modern map of the headwaters of Brier Creek one could understand why it was thought to be in Burke County. The headwaters are entirely in Cleveland County now, but was then part of Rutherford, and right near the Burke border, which was probably ill defined in those days. The creek flows south, then turns southwesterly into Rutherford and remains in Rutherford flowing southerly for several miles until joining the First Broad River.

On 1 Aug 1783, William Stewart entered 640 acres in Burke on the East side of the French Broad River on both sides of Swannanoa River, including the mouth of said river. The survey was dated 29 Jul 1784 and is very dim and hard to read. I couldn’t make out the first chain bearer, but the second is Daniel Smith, I think. I don’t know if this land was granted to Stewart or not, nor if this is the same William Stewart. Unfortunately, Burke County deeds were destroyed during the Civil War so we can’t determine when or if he sold this land.

William Stewart is on the 1790 census in Rutherford Co., in the Fifth Company. All of the Lacefields in Rutherford are near him in that district. Margaret “Peggy” Stewart married a Mr. Jones before 1790. There were several near William Stewart.

1790 Census Rutherford Co., NC

Fifth Company

p. 134 John Jones 1-1-2-0-1 Line 23.

p. 134 John Jones Sr 2-5-7-0-1 Line 26.

p. 134 Isaac Jones 1-2-6-0-1 Line 27.

p. 134 Robert Jones 1-4-3-0-0 Line 28.

p. 134 Wm Steward 1-3-2-0-0 Line 29.

p. 135 Jno Lacefield 1-0-3-0-0 Line 9. 16 houses from William Stewart

p. 135 Ben Lacefield 1-2-3-0-0 Line 10.

p. 135 Dan Lacefield 1-3-3-0-0 Line 12.

p. 135 Nancy Simons 1-0-3-0-0 Line 13. (Lurena Stewart m. Joel Simonds)

p. 135 Moses Simons 1-1-1-0-0 Line 14. “”

p. 135 Wm Lacefield 1-0-1-0-0 Line 16.

For reference, John Stewart was in the 14^th Company, so not near any of the above.

William was the only Stewart in Rutherford for the 1800 census. It was alphabetical so I can’t determine neighbors. Daniel Lacefield (1755/74) was the only one of that surname remaining in Rutherford in 1800. Benjamin Lacefield was in Lincoln Co., KY by 1800, though I don’t know if same one from 1790 Rutherford. There was a William Lacefield in Barren Co., KY in 1800 and 1810.

1800 Census Rutherford Co., NC

p. 143 William Stewart 00101-01010-0-0

On 24 Nov 1809, William Stuart received a state land grant for 200 acres on the West Fork of Brier Creek. The land was entered 13 Jan 1807. (Rutherford Co., NC Deed Book 25, p. 148.)

I wonder if the above is the same land he entered in 1780? It was the same amount and on the same creek. There must have been some problem with the originally entry.

William was the only Stewart in Rutherford for the 1810 census. It was alphabetical so I can’t determine neighbors. William Lacewell (bef 1765) was in Rutherford in 1810.

Several of the Lacefields were in Barren Co., KY, including a John two houses from a Richard Stuart (1784/94). Could that be one of William Stewart’s unknown sons? More research might help answer that. There were several other Stewarts in that county in 1810. Daniel Lacewell was in Henderson Co., KY in 1810. Ezekiel Lacewell (bef 1765) was in Washington Co., KY. He was in Rutherford Co., NC in the 1780s, if the same one. Benjamin Lacewell (bef 1765) was also in Washington in 1810.

1810 Census Rutherford Co., NC

p. 441 William Stewart 00011-00101-0-0

William and his son William Jr are both listed twice on the 1820 census (as are many other people in Rutherford for some reason). Both entries for William (Sr) were the same, but the younger William’s entries were slightly different. In both cases Senr and Junr are listed side by side. The census is not alphabetical.

1820 Census Rutherford Co., NC

p. 380 William Stuard Senr 000001-00001-0-0

p. 380 William Stuard Junr 100010-21010-0-0

p. 391 William Steward Senr 000001-00001-0-0

p. 392 William Steward Junr 100010-40010-0-0

Both William and his son William Jr are listed on the 1830 census, the only Stewarts in the county at the time.

1830 Census Rutherford Co., NC

p. ileg. William Stuart 0120001000000-2121001000000

p. 467 William Stuart 0000000000100-0000000000100

William Stewart made his Will on 6 Dec 1831 in Rutherford. He named:

Wife Lurena (executor).

son William (executor).

Peggy Jones (No relationship stated).

Lurena Simons (No relationship stated).

Grand daughter Peggy Stewart.

He signed with a mark.

Witnesses were Sary Stewart (signed with a mark) and Robert Johnson.

The Will was proven in January 1832 court meaning he had died by then.

I don’t know when Lurany Lacefield Stewart died. Someone her age (90-99) was with her daughter Lurena Simonds on the 1840 census in Macon Co., NC. That could be her unless it’s Joel Simonds’s mother instead.

Whether that’s her in 1840 or not, she was certainly dead by 1850.

Children

William Stewart only mentioned three children in his Will of 1832 and two of them are presumed children as he didn’t explicitly state their relationship to him.

However, if we look at his census records we see that he had other children as well. Did they all die without heirs before 1832? Or were they just left out for some reason?

1. William Stewart (Jr) (1780/84-1838). Home in 1790 under 16 (1774/90). Home in 1800 age 16-25 (1774/84). Home in 1810 age 26-44 (1765/84). Married Elizabeth Deviney in 1811. Listed on 1820 census next to father. Listed on 1830 census in Rutherford. Made his own Will on 13 Mar 1838 and mentioned children but only listed one by name, John. John A. H. Jones was one of the witnesses. William died soon after. His widow Elizabeth was on the 1840 and 1850 census in Rutherford and died sometime after 1850.

2. Son (1774/1790) - home in 1790 under 16 (1774/90). Gone by 1800. I don’t know who this is.

3. Son (1774/1790) - home in 1790 under 16 (1774/90). Gone by 1800. I don’t know who this is.

4. Lurana / Lurany / Lurena Stewart (c1785). Home in 1790, no ages (bef 1790). Home in 1800 age 10-15 (1784/90). Home in 1810 age 16-25 (1784/94), married before 1820 to Joel Simonds. They are in Rutherford for the 1820 census. They moved to Macon by 1830 and are listed there that year and in 1840. In 1850 she is two houses from Jacob Stewart (c1775) son of my ancestor John Stewart (1730/40).

5. Peggy Jones was named in William’s 1831 Will, but no relationship was stated. It’s assumed she was his daughter. Going by census analysis it seems likely that Margaret “Peggy” Stewart was already married before 1790 as she doesn’t seem to be with her parents then or in 1800, 1810, etc. She was likely born ca 1769-1775. See the 1790 census entry for William Stewart above to see several Jones households near him. Any of those could be Peggy’s husband. There were two Johns, and Isaac and a Robert Jones. John was a chain bearer for William Stewart’s 1780 survey. Neither Robert or Isaac were still in Rutherford by 1800. There were five John Jones listings. John A. H. Jones was one of the witnesses to William Stewart Jr’s 1838 Will. Could that be Peggy’s husband?

6. Grandchild Peggy Stewart. She was named in William’s 1831 Will. The assumption is that she was William Jr’s child. Other researchers have her as born 1815 and married to John Hunt. They moved to Missouri.

7. Sarah / Sary / Sally Stewart. She witnessed William Sr’s 1831 Will as “Sary” though was listed as “Sally” when she acknowledged the Will in court. Who was she? She would have to be at least 14 to legally witness a document like a Will. That means she was born ca 1817 or prior. That works if she was a child of William Jr who married in 1811. That’s where I’ve placed her, pending other evidence.

For Family Group Sheet and other notes see my database pages for William Stewart and Lurany Lacefield.

Revised: May 30, 2024

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