David Stewart from Something about the Stewarts

DAVID STEWART

from "Something about the Stewarts"

SOURCE: From the database of Mary Stewart Hicks. David Stewart was born in New York City about 1680 or shortly thereafter. He was the son of Dr. John Stewart and Elizabeth Alberti. Elizabeth was the daughter of Jan (John) Alberti and Elizabeth Scudder. It is not known how long he and his parents lived in New York. We do know that he and his Father, Dr. John Stewart, still lived in New York in 1686 when his father was a witness to a land transaction between Adam Wright & William Buckler.
This transaction was also witnessed by John Townsend & John Newman. John Townsend & Adam Wright were of the Townsend & Wright families that were also related to the Stewarts. Sometime before 1697 the family had moved to Monmouth Co., New Jersey, in the town of Shrewsbury. Shortly after the family arrived in Monmouth Co., his father (Dr. John Stewart) became the High Sheriff of the County. David was probably married (circa 1710) while he lived in New Jersey but the name of his wife is not know. Sometime after 1702, he and his father and their families moved to Sussex Co., Delaware, to the town of Lowe.

David's profession is generally thought to be a carpenter and he and his wife lived in Lowe, Delaware until his early death in 1719. It is generally presumed that his wife had died sometime before his death in 1719. He probably did not leave a Will because his estate was administered on February 25, 1718 by his brother John and no mention is made of a wife. John asked the court to grant him letters of administration on David's estate, which the court granted. The names of David's children are not shown in the records extant. A valuation of his estate was made on May 10, 1719 by John Hall & William Darter, a neighbor of his mother and stepfather, Thomas Davock. This valuation and inventory was presented to the Court on May 11, 1719 and is as follows:


DAVID STEWART'S INVENTORY

Sussex County, Delaware
Deed Book Q-16 p. 250
May the 10th 1719

Then an inventory made of all the goods chattells of David Stuart deceased which came to our hands and was brought before us by John Stuart administrator of the Estate of David Stuart

Item his wearing apparel 4 pounds 6 shillings 6 pence

Item. 2 dear skins 7 shillings

Item One old black hood 7 shillings

Item four knifes and a fork 2 shillings 6 pence

Item four long tooth combs & a parcel of needles 1 shilling 9 pence

Item 2 Testaments and three primers 7 shillings

Item a tobacco box, snuff box & a buckle 1 shilling 6 pence

Item a bonett 5 shillings

Item 5 pictures 2 shillings 2 pence

Item a Sword 2 shillings 6 pence

Item a Bed, bed cloaths & bedstead 4 pounds 10 shillings

Item a chest 7 shillings 6 pence
Item an old trunk, a dozen spools & four bottles 8 shillings

Item a grindstone 8 shillings

Item a horse bridle & saddle 5 pounds

Item a two year old mare 1 pound 15 shillings

Item a Tract of land 100 acres more or less 20 pounds---------------------

With the improvements

TOTAL 38 POUNDS 12 SHILLINGS 6 PENCE


William Darter and John Hall Witnessess
Registered the 16th of March 1719


The estate totaled 38 pounds. It is supposed that none of his children were adults when he died and they were probably raised by his brother, John, or their mother's family. He was probably buried in Sussex Co., Delaware.