Duntanlich Stewarts
~ A Royal Connection of the 'Illegitimate Ilk' ~

In these pages, I'm going to share what I've found on the history
of my STEWART family of BLAIR ATHOLL Perthshire Scotland.

My branch of this family (which is related to the Stewarts of DUNTANLICH),
emigrated to Esquesing Township in Halton County Ontario Canada in July 1818.


The STEWARTS take their surname from the hereditary office of
STEWARD of SCOTLAND,
granted to their ancestor Walter fitz ALAN
by King DAVID the Saint (1124-1153).

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

ALAN Seneschal Dapifer of Dol (died: 1050)

ALAN, "Dapifer" was probably the father of Alan "Dapifer" at Dol, in Brittany,
who was a witness in 1086; Flaald; and Rhiwallon, a monk.

FLAALD fitz ALAN, Seneschal of Dol, the second son of ALAN "Dapifer",
occurs as "Float filius Alani dapiferi" at the dedication of Monmouth Priory 1101.

He is also mentioned as brother of Alan, the other "Dapifer."
He became hereditary Steward of Dol in Brittany
when his own elder brother perished in the First Crusade in 1097.

He left a son ALAN fitz FLAALD, Sheriff of Shropshire

ALAN fitz FLAALD, Sheriff of Shropshire and founder of Sporle Priory.

He married Avelina de HESDIN, daughter of Ernulf de HESDIN, and had three sons -
(1) Simon (Jordan) fitz Alan, Dapifer of Dol
(2) William fitz Alan, ancestor of the fitz Alans, Earls of Arundel;
(3) and WALTER fitz ALAN, First High Steward.

WALTER fitz ALAN Dapifer ~ First High Steward

WALTER fitz ALAN, the third son, accompanied King David I to Scotland,
and was appointed HIGH STEWARD.

He was founder of Paisley Abbey, and he married Eschyna de LOUDONAIS,
widow of Robert de Croc and daughter of Thomas de Londonais/Loudoniis.

He died 1177, leaving two sons, ALAN, and Simon and daughter Avelina.
(Avelina married DUNCAN, Earl of Carrick ~~
they were the grandparents of Princess Marjorie BRUCE, daughter of Robert the Bruce)

ALAN, the elder son, succeeded as SECOND HIGH STEWARD.
He married Alesta de MAR, daughter of MORGUND, Earl of Mar.
On his death, 1204, he left two sons, David and WALTER , Third High Steward.

WALTER STEWART, the younger son, succeeded as THIRD HIGH STEWARD,
and adopted the name of his office as his surname.
He died in 1246.
Walter married Beatrix de ANGUS,
daughter of GILCHRIST, 4th Earl of Angus & Princess MARJORIE of Scotland.

Walter & Beatrix had 7 children, 3 of which were sons:
(1) Alexander, his successor as Fourth High Steward.
(2) John, killed at Damietta 1249.
(3) Walter, 1st Earl of Menteth.

ALEXANDER, FOURTH HIGH STEWARD, was born in 1214 and died 1283.
He commanded the right wing of the Scots army at the battle of Largs, 1263.
He married Jean MACRORY,
daughter of SEUMAS mac ANGUS, Lord of BUTE, of the old royal house of the Isles.
(The old name Seumas = James)

Alexander & Jean had 3 children:

(1) James, his successor as Fifth High Steward.
(2) Sir John Stewart of Bonkyl, slain fighting for Sir William Wallace in 1297.
(3) Elizabeth Stewart.

JAMES, FIFTH HIGH STEWARD was born about 1243 and died Jul 16 1309.
The Stewart Society says he married Egidia de BURGH,
daughter of Walter de BURGH Lord of Connaught, Earl of Ulster
and either Egidia de LACI or Avelina FITZJOHN.

James & wife had:

(1) Andrew ( died before his father)
(2) WALTER, his successor as Sixth High Steward.
(3) Sir John, killed at Dundalk 1318.
(4) Sir James of Durisdeer, died without issue.
(5) Egidia Stewart (married Sir Alexander de MENZIES).

WALTER, SIXTH HIGH STEWARD was born in 1292.
He died April 9 1326 in Bathgate Castle in West Lothian Scotland.


He commanded part of the Scottish Army at Bannockburn in 1314.
In 1315 he married Lady Marjorie BRUCE,
daughter of King ROBERT I (the Bruce) & Isobel DE MAR.

Isabel was a descendant of William the Conqueror & Matilda of Flanders
as well as Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine.

(Robert the Bruce was the victor at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314)

By her he had a son:
(1) ROBERT, who succeeded to the throne of Scotland as King ROBERT II.

KING ROBERT II was born Mar 2 1316 in Paisley Renfrew Scotland.
He was declared heir to the throne of Scotland in 1318,
created Earl of Atholl in 1342, and Earl of Strathearn in 1358.
He succeeded to throne in 1371 on the death of his uncle, King David II.
He died in 1390 at Dundonald Castle in Ayrshire.

The King married, first on Nov 22 1347 to Elizabeth MURE,
daughter of Sir Adam MURE of Rowallan & JoAnna Danzielstour CUNNIGHAM.

King Robert II & Elizabeth had 9 children, 4 of which were sons:

(1) John, who succeeded as King Robert III, King of Scotland.
(2) Walter, who married Isabella Countess of Fife, and died without issue about 1362.
(3) Robert, Duke of Albany.
(4) Alexander, Earl of Buchan.

SIR ALEXANDER STEWART, fourth son of King Robert II.
Alexander Stewart was recognised as EARL OF BUCHAN on July 22 1382.
He was known as "The Wolf of Badenoch".
He married Euphemia, Countess of Ross but died without legitimate issue July 24 1394.

Lochindorb Caslte, stronghold of the Wolf of Badenoch

The 'Wolf' left several natural sons from his lengthy alliance with Margaret de ATHEYN(E):

1) Alexander, Earl of Mar.
2) Sir Andrew.
3) Duncan.
4) Sir JAMES , Ancestor of Atholl, etc......
5) Walter, Ancestor of Belladrum, etc.....
6) Robert.

Sir JAMES STEWART of Garth, born abt 1377 in Dundonald Ayr to
ALEXANDER , Prince of Scotland and Earl of Buchan and
his longtime mistress, Margaret de ATHEYN(E).

JAMES was ancestor of the Stewarts of Atholl, Balnakeily
Bonskeid, Cammoch, Castle Stewart, Chesfield, Clunie, Derculich,
Drumchary, Drumchuine, Dundee, Duntanlich, Easter Kinnaird,
Edradynate, Fincastle, Forthergill, Foss, Garth, Grainnich, Inchgarth,
Innersianie, Killiechassie, Kinnakile, Kynachin, Ladywall, Polcack,
Rotmell, St. Fort, Shiergiass, Tillinyrish, Tulloch, Urrard, Wester Cluny.

He married Janet MENZIES (b abt 1379),
the daughter & heiress of
Alexander de MENZIES0 of Fothergill & Jean de ATHOLIA.

John Gorm STEWART of Fothergill & Garth.
Born abt 1405. He was killed on Midsummer Day in 1443.

John STEWART of Garth, Fothergill, Drumcharry, etc.
Died at Garth Castle on Dec 10 1475.
He married Marion/Mariot ~ They were the parents of:

* (1) Neil Gointe STEWART ~ his descendants became proprietors of Duntanlich about 1600
and had some claim to Drumcharry as well.
(2) Alexander STEWART, 1st Earl of Bonskeid.
He received a charter of the lands of Bonskeid on Dec 31 1474 from his father.
He died in 1501.
(3) Maud STEWART married Thomas STEWART, 2nd Laird of Grantully.


* Neil Gointe STEWART, Laird of Garth, married Elizabeth STEWART,
daughter of Alexander STEWART, Laird of Grantully & Margaret HAY of Tulliebodie.
(She was also the sister of Thomas STEWART, 2nd Laird of Grantully,
who married her husband Neil's sister Maud!!)

Neil & Elizabeth had 2 sons:

(1) Donald STEWART of Duntanlich who married Marie STEWART of Garth & Drumcharry.
(Marie was the daughter of
Donald's brother Neil Roy STEWART & Mariota McQUEEN)

(2) Neil Roy STEWART who married (1st) Lady Christian STEWART,
daughter of the 1st Earl of ATHOLL.
Christian died childless in 1538.

Neil Roy married (2nd) Mariota McQUEEN.
Neil Roy & Mariota had 2 children:
(1) John STEWART who drowned in 1577

(2) Marie STEWART of Garth who became Neil Roy's heiress after her brother's death.
Marie married her uncle, Donald STEWART who had a tack of Drumcharry.
He died in 1630.

James STEWART of Duntanlich, who seems to have had 2 children:

(1) William STEWART of Duntanlich (1602 on Jury, Chrons) & Drumcharry in 1609.
On June 6 1648, he married Christian ROBERTSON,
daughter of Donald ROBERTSON of Kincraigie.
(2) Margaret STEWART m Alexander Fergusson in Ballyoukan)

William bought the feu of Drumcharry and left this to his son Patrick.
He left Duntanlich to his son John, who converted a tack of the estate to a feu.


John STEWART of Duntanlich bought feu in 1612.
John had 2 brothers ~
(1) Patrick of Drumcharry in 1613 m Isabella Fleming of Moness
(2) Alexander


John STEWART, son of William, married and had a son named after him ~
(there 'may' be another generation here between this John and the next,
but otherwise, the descent is accurate)


John STEWART of Croftcarnoch in Borenich near Blair Atholl Perthshire
married Christian STEWART on Nov 1721 in Dull Perthshire.
Their son ALEXANDER was christened on Nov 4 1722 in Bailintepail Blair Atholl.

John & Christian had 3 daughters:
Katherine chr 1727
Grissel (Grace) chr 1728
Christian chr 1729

Alexander STEWART married Christian STEWART on Mar 24 1740 in Balchastle Blair Atholl.

ALEXANDER of DUNTANLICH is described as
an "officer in the Atholl Brigade"
in the rebel army in the 1745 Rising.

Alexander & Christian's children were:
(1) Duncan 1747
* (2) John 1750
(3) Alexander 1752
(4) Neil 1755
(5) James 1760

John STEWART (1750) married Christian Douglas on Nov 1776 in Lick Dull Perthshire.

John & Christian's children were:
(1) Christian 1777
(2) Elspeth 1780
(3) Alexander 1782
(4) Duncan 1785
* (5) James 1787
(6) John 1790
(7) Neil 1792

James STEWART emigrated to Ontario Canada in July 1818.



In Ontario, James lived next door to John STEWART & Margaret LAMOND.
John Stewart was the 'father of the Scotch Block' in ESQUESING Township Halton County.
Eventually, James married their daughter Elizabeth abt 1820-21.

While James was descended from John STEWART of Duntanlich,
son of William STEWART & Christian ROBERTSON,
Elizabeth was descended from their son Patrick STEWART of Drumcharry
who married Isabella Fleming in 1648.
As a result of this connection,
James & Elizabeth were both descended from the same STEWART line.

James & Elizabeth's children were:

(1 ) James
(2) Robert ~ married Ann McGregor, daughter of Lachlan of Eramosa Twp Ontario.
(3) Christina Ann ~ married William MICHIE
(4) John ~ (died young & buried beside his mother Elizabeth)
(5) Margaret Elizabeth ~ married James LAIDLAW.
(6) Alexander

After Elizabeth's death in 1841, James married Janet McGREGOR abt 1848.

Their children were:

*(1) Janet b 1849 (see below)
(2) Mary b 1851 married William Snow and died in 1936.

James died in 1865 in Esquesing Township Halton Ontario and left a will.
Janet McGregor STEWART died in 1890 in Esquesing Township.
Most of the family is buried in Boston Presbyterian Church Cemetary, Esquesing.

Janet STEWART married Dougald McKECHNIE abt 1866-68 in Esquesing Township Ontario.
Dougald was the son of Gilbert & Jessie McKECHNIE.

Janet & Dougald McKECHNIE's children were:

* (1) James STEWART b 1869 ~ my grandfather,
married Arabella JAMIESON in Red Deer Alberta

(2) William Gilbert b 1870 ~ went to Knox College in Toronto Ontario
and became a Presbyterian minister,
known affectionately as the Blind Missionary of Alberta.

(3) Mary E b Oct 5 1871
(4) John b 1873 ~ died at age 19 of influenza
(5) Euphemia b Nov 11 1875 ~ married Harry STIPE
(6) Anne b 1877 ~ married Mr CAMPBELL
(7) Elizabeth Jane b 1880 ~ died at age 1 and 1/2 yrs.

My grandfather, James Stewart McKECHNIE born 1869.

In the 1871 Census, Dougald was listed as a farmer in Esquesing Township.

Unfortunately and sadly for his family,
Dougald contracted consumption (tuberculosis)
and suffered for 2 long years
before succumbing to this awful disease on Christmas Eve in 1880.

While his widow Janet and his young children were still mourning the passing of Dougald,
little 'Lizzie' (Elizabeth), age 1 1/2 years old,
died in Nov 1881 after suffering 'convulsions' for 1 day.

The family must have been devastated by these two deaths
which would have totally changed the fabric of the little family.

* LINKS *

John Gorm Stewart ~ Grandson of Robert the Bruce
Neil Gointe Stewart ~ Laird of Garth Castle
Blair Atholl ~ Home of my Highland Scottish Stewarts
Lady Marjorie Bruce ~ Princess of Scotland & Daughter of Robert the Bruce
Menzies of Fothergill ~ Descent from Sir Robert de Meyners
Donnaichaidh ~ Robertson of Lude & Kincraigie Lineage
Stirling of Glenesk ~ Descent from Sir Alexander de Strivelyn

ALL Medieval Graphics on the above Pages are FREELY provided by:


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