James Stewart & Janet McGregor


James STEWART was born Oct 4 1787 at Borenich Farm
on the north shore of Loch Tummel
in the parish of Blair Atholl in Perthshire Scotland.

He was the son of John STEWART & Christian DOUGLAS,
who had been married Nov 26 1776
at Lick Lodge Dull Perthshire, on the south side of Loch Tummel.

James and his several siblings were all christened at Borenich Farm, Blair Atholl:
1) Christian chr Sep 5 1777
2) Elspeth chr Feb 5 1780
3) Alexander chr Oct 13 1782,
4) Duncan chr Jan 18 1785
* 5) James chr Oct 7 1787
6) John chr Feb 23 1790
7) Neil chr Jul 6 1792

This STEWART family lived north of Loch Tummel at Borenich,
which was very close to Croftcarnoch.
Borenich, meaning 'a house in the ferns',
was a community which flourished until the early years of the 19th century
and by 1900, most of the settlements had been deserted and eventually disappeared.

For the most part, these STEWARTs were farmers.

In the summer of 1818,
my GR GR grandfather, James STEWART,
left hearth and home to emigrate to Upper Canada,
carrying with him a letter of introduction.

He received a crown grant of 100 acres in Esquesing Township in Halton County.
He had become the neighbour of John STEWART,
known as the 'father' of the Scotch Block and his wife Margaret LAMOND.

John & Margaret had received a crown grant of 200 acres in Esquesing
after they arrived in Upper Canada in 1817.
In 1830 they built their home, known as 'Craiglea'
which was the first house built in Esquesing Township, other than a log cabin !

About 1820, James married their daughter Elizabeth
who had been born in 1802 in Fortingall Perthshire Scotland.
(Elizabeth was descended from the same STEWART branch as James)

He eventually owned 700 acres and operated his own sawmill on the property.

James & Elizabeth had several children:
1) Alexander born abt 1824
2) John born abt 1826

3) Robert born Mar 10 1828,
married Anne McGREGOR abt 1876.
Anne was the daughter of Lachlan McGREGOR & Elizabeth BELL.

Robert & Anne had 2 sons:
Edward McLean
Robert Douglas STEWART

4) Margaret Elizabeth born abt 1830,
married James LAIDLAW who died before 1865.

5) James born abt 1832,
married the Sister of Anne McGREGOR.

6) Christina Ann (Christy) born abt 1838,
married Mr. MICHIE (possibly William) and had at least 1 child, Elizabeth.
Elizabeth STEWART died in 1841 in Esquesing Township.


Two of James & Elizabeth's children,
Robert and James,
ran away when their mother died
and lived for a time with their maternal grandparents.

As John & Margaret had 2 sons who were prominent Toronto builders,
Robert was sent there to live with them and to learn the trade.

James & Janet had only 2 children, both born in Esquesing Twp:

1) Janet born 1849,
married Dougald McKECHNIE abt 1868.

Dougald, a farmer, had been born abt 1844 in Ontario,
the son of Gilbert & Jessie McKECHNIE.
They had 7 children.
Janet died Jun 20 1906 in Esquesing Township.

2) Mary born 1851,
married William SNOW abt 1882.

William, a farmer, had been born abt 1848 in England.
He died Feb 2 1891 in Esquesing.
Their only child, Mary Ellen was born in 1883.
She died at age 20 on Dec 10 1903.

Sometime in the 1850s, James built a 'brick house'
which boasted Georgian architecture in its gracious interior.
(quote from Milton Ontario newspaper in Feb 1974)

In the 1861 CENSUS,
James STEWART age 68, is listed as yeoman, living with his wife Janet 49,
along with their daughters Janet 12 and Mary 9 (born in Canada).
James employed at least 2 people ~
Susan Beaton, 34 (born in Canada) and John Addison, 21 (born in Scotland).

James' estate was to be shared between his wife Janet and daughters Janet and Mary
as well as a few 'gifts' to his grown children
from his first marriage to Elizabeth STEWART.

James died Apr 19 1865 in Esquesing Township
and is buried there in Boston Presbyterian Church Cemetary.

Below is the inscription from James' tombstone ~

In the 1881 CENSUS,
James' widow Janet aged 67,
is shown living with her daughter Mary SNOW, 30 and her husband William, 33.
Also living with them was Janet Stewart McKECHNIE's son,
my grandfather, James Stewart McKECHNIE age 12.

Janet McGregor STEWART died in 1890 in Esquesing Township
and is buried next to her husband in Boston Presbyterian Church Cemetary.

~ James & Janet (McGregor) STEWART were my GR GR grandparents ~

James was descended from the Stewarts of Blair Atholl and Duntanlich, Perthshire Scotland,
thereby having Royal Connections of the 'illegitimate ilk'....



Return to My McKechnie Direct Ancestor Line
Return to My Stewart Direct Ancestor Line

My Related STEWART ~ McKECHNIE Pages:

John Stewart & Christian Douglas ~ Parents of James
A Real, Genuine Canadian Christmas Tree ~ story by GR grandson of James
A Pioneer's Trek Westward ~ story about the life & times of Grandson of James
James Stewart ~ 1861 Agricultural Census
Dougald McKechnie ~ 1861 Agricultural Census
Janet Stewart McKechnie ~ Daughter of James
W Gilbert McKechnie: Blind Missionary ~ Grandson of James

~ * ~ * ~

Blair Atholl ~ early home of my Highland STEWART ancestors
Highland Strath Vignettes ~ Life & Times of the Highlander
Stewarts of Duntanlich ~ A Royal Connection of the 'Illegitimate Ilk'
Lady Marjorie Bruce ~ A Princess of Scotland & Daughter of Robert the Bruce

GEOCITIES