THE STUART FAMILY
The Stuarts are of Scotch origin. During the reign of James I, they removed to Ireland, where Archibald Stuart married Janet Brown, a sister of Rev. Jno. Brown, the ancestor of the Browns of Rockbridge and Louisiana. In 1727, A. Stuart emigrated to Pennsylvania, after the birth of two children, Thomas and Eleanor. In 1738, he removed to Augusta, and settled on Pratt's farm, near Waynesboro, where he died 1761. He left issue: 1. Thomas; 2. Eleanor; 3. Alexander; 4. Benjamin; all of whom left large families. Archibald Stuart was joined in Augusta some years after 1738 by two brothers, John and David, who came from Ireland, and both of whom married in Augusta and left descendants, the descendants of the one being the Stuarts of Ohio and Illinois, and of the other, the Stuarts of S. C.

Thomas Stuart, who was a man of mark, married Elizabeth Moore, and had issue nine children: 1. Jane, died unmarried.; 2. John, died s. p.; James, who removed to Tenn., married Miss Montgomery, and left descendants; 4. Thomas, U. S. A ; 5. Robert, married Miss Roland, of Botetourt; 6. Judy, died unmarried.; 7. Mary, married James Moffett, of Augusta, and they had issue ten children, viz: 1. John Moffett, who married Eliz. Tate; 2. Betsy, who married J. McClanahan; 3. Robert S., married H. Guthrie; 4. Thomas, died young; 5. Jane, married Dr. J. K. Moore; 6. Wm., married Jane Robertson; 7. Eleanor, married J. C. Moore; 8. Mary, married Alex. T. Barclay; 9. Thomas S., died unmarried.; 10. Julia, married W. H. Paxton. Julia, daughter of Thomas Stuart, married Capt. Wm. Lyle, and left issue: Elizabeth, who married Capt. Wm., Paxton, and they left five children.
Eleanor Stuart, daughter of the original emigrant, married Ed. Hall, who emigrated from Ireland to Augusta 1736, and they left issue: six sons and four daughters.
Major Alex. Stuart, second son was born in Pennsylvania, 1733. He was a man of uncommon intellect and energy, and patented large tracts of land in the western counties. He was Major during the Revolution in Col. Samuel McDowell's regiment, and commanded the regiment at the battle of Guilford, where he was dangerously wounded. He was an ardent friend of education, and contributed largely of his private means to the endowment of Liberty Hall Academy, now W. & L. University. Major Stuart married first Mary Patterson, of South river, Augusta co., by whom he left issue: 1. Judge Archibald Stuart, of Staunton; 2. Robert, of Rockbridge; and five daughters: Frances, Jane, Mary, Elizabeth, and Eleanor. He married secondly Mary Moore, by whom he left four children : James, Priscilla, Alexander and Benjamin. He married thirdly Anna Reid, whose maiden name was Miller, but left no issue by her at his death in his 90th year.
Judge Archibald Stuart was born 1757, was educated at Liberty Hall and William and Mary College. In 1781 he joined Gen. Greene's force in N. C. was appointed by him, and he took part in the battle of Guilford. After the war he studied law under the great Jefferson, and returned to Rockbridge. He was now elected under peculiarly flattering circumstances delegate to the Legislature from Botetourt, and after a service of three years, removed to Staunton. He rose so rapidly in popular esteem that he was elected in 1788 as the colleague of Zach. Johnston to represent the county in the Convention to ratify the Constitution of the U. S. In 1791 he m Eleanor Briscoe, d of Col. Gerard Briscoe, of Md. Shortly after this event, he was elected to the Senate of Va., and was subsequently chosen its President In 1799, he was elected Judge of the General Court of Va,, assigned to the Augusta district, and served until 1831. During his career he enjoyed the friendship of such men as Henry, Jefferson, Marshall, Madison, and Monroe.
Judge Stuart was distinguished as a land lawyer, and as a Judge, for his discriminating judgment, and enjoyed the confidence, respect and esteem of the eminent Bar which practiced at his Court, among whom were Chapman Johnson, Daniel Sheffey, John H. Peyton, B. O Baldwin, P. P. Barbour, W. C. Rives, and others. Judge Stuart was tall of stature and dignified in appearance, an able lawyer and upright judge. At his death, in 1832, he left four sons: 1. Thomas Jefferson ; 2. Archibald P.; 3. Gerard Briscoe; 4. Alex. H. H. Stuart Thomas J. married Martha Dabney, and left issue: Col. W, D. Stuart, a gallant and meritorious officer, killed in the battle of Gettysburg. Briscoe died unmarried. A. P. Stuart married Josephine Xaupi, by whom he left a large family, two of whom served in the C. S. A.
Gerard B. Stuart was never married. He has served as J. P. and in the Legislature, and is a man of ability and great purity of character.
A. H H. Stuart m Frances, eldest d of Gen. B. G. Baldwin, and they have living issue: one son, Archibald G , and five daughters: 1. Fanny Peyton, m Prof. J. M. P. Atkinson; 2. Mary, who married Dr. Hunter McGuire; 3. Susan Baldwin, married Rev. R. A. Gibson; 4. Margaret, married A. F. Robertson.
Robert Stuart, the second son of Maj. Alex. Stuart, married Elizabeth McClung, by whom he left numerous offspring. Frances Stuart married Lyle, by whom she left one daughter, Isabella, who married John McDowell, of Staunton, and one son, who died unmarried.
Jane Stuart married Alex. Walker, of Rockbridge, and they left five children, who removed to West Va. and Indiana. Mary P. Stuart married Alex. Hall, of Augusta, and they left issue: Elizabeth died unmarried. Eleanor married Thos. Walker; they removed to Monroe county, and left a large family.
James Stuart, eldest son of Maj. S. by his second wife, married Miss Stockton, of Pittsylvania, and left issue Priscilla Stuart married Benj. Hall, and removed to Missouri.
Judge Alex. Stuart, youngest son of Maj S., married first Ann Dabney, and left issue: two children, Hon. Arch. Stuart, of Patrick, and a daughter, Ann. He married secondly Mary Gassaway; no issue. He married thirdly Jane, a sister of Chapman Johnson. He was a man of fine talents and genial temper, and was greatly regretted at his death, which occurred in Staunton in 1832.
Hon. Arch. Stuart, of Patrick, was an officer in the war of 1812, a distinguished lawyer and eloquent orator. He married Elizabeth Pannill,by whom he left issue; 1. Ann, married J. N. Pierce, of Wythe; 2 Bettinia, married Kev. N. Chevalier; 3. Mary T., married Dr. Headin, of Floyd; 4. David P., died unmarried.; 5. Wm. A., married Mary, d, of Dale Carter, by whom he had several children. Mrs. S. died in 1862, and W. A. Stuart married Mrs. Alex. S. Brown, by whom he has a large family. 6. John D. Stuart, M. D., married Anne E. Kent, and has five children. 7. James E. B. Stuart graduated at West Point 1854, and was commissioned second lieutenant of cavalry; wounded in battle with Cheyenne Indians, 1858; was at capture of John Brown in 1859; promoted i860 to captaincy in United States Army; in 1861 resigned and joined Confederate side, and was made Lieut-Col. 1st Va. Cavalry, and rose rapidly to be Major-General, and was placed in command of all the cavalry of the army of Northern Va. Enjoyed the friendship and confidence of Lee, Jackson, and J. E. Johnston, and won the devotion of his men.This enterprising and distinguished officer the Murat of the Confederacy, was killed at the age of 29, May, 1864, at the battle of Yellow Tavern. He was the youngest Major-General since the days of Napoleon. He was the idol of the army and of the people of Va, He married Flora, daughter of Gen. Philip St. George Cooke, U. S. A., by whom he left two children: 1. J. E. B., and 2. Virginia. 8. Columbia, married Peter W. Hairston and they have issue. 9. Virginia, died unmarried. 10. Victoria, married N. A. Boyden, of N. C. Annie D. married first W. L. McDowell; second, Judge Ewell Brown
Dr. Chapman J. Stuart married Margaret, daughter of Judge B. G. Baldwin, and they left issue, one daughter, Mary J, who married Capt. W. L. Clark. Benjamin Stuart married and left three sons and one daughter by his first wife By his second, Miss Henderson, he left two children; one died early ; the other, Mary, married Samuel H. Steele. John married Miss Coalter, and removed to Illinois, where their children now live
Nancy married John Alexander, and had seven children, namely : 1. Andrew, married Susan Hunter; 2 Archibald, died young; 3. James, married Miss Sheiry; 4. Eleanor, married Robt. M. White; 5. Martha, married Jos. Scott, M. D.; 6. Dr. Cyrus Alexander, who married Sarah, daughter of John McCue; 7. Catharine, married W. Hunter.

---

Copyright © Genealogy Trails