Friday, November 1, 2013

Daniel Isaac Stewart

#18
***Michael John Stewart's great great grandfather***

This ancestor of Michael John Stewart has me baffled.  Does he really have two "wives" (who were sisters) at the same time??? Apparently, yes, he did!

When looking at one or two or even three or more records, it is easy to not see certain oddities.  I will attempt to show all the records here for consideration together.

If Daniel did indeed have two wives, this would be the only case I am aware of for a man in Ontario, or Canada for that matter, who had no connections to any Mormon, Muslim, or other culture which allowed polygamy, to have two wives who clearly knew about each other and the situation!

Daniel Isaac Stewart was born 13 May 1844 in St. Davids, Ontario, Canada.

Daniel Isaac Stewart was the son of Richard Enoch Stewart and Mary Ann Leavitt

In the 1851 census we find Daniel with his parents Richard Enoch Stewart and Mary Ann Leavit.  Also in the household is his brother Joseph W Stewart.

1851 census
So far I have not located Daniel in the 1861 or 1871 census.

It is possible that he is the Isaac D listed in the 1871 census in Humberstone.  If so this is yet another wife (Bertha) and child (Martha A). I was unable to find a marriage record of Isaac D to Bertha or birth record for the child.


1871 Census, Humberstone, Ontario, Canada


I have also not been able to located a marriage record for Daniel.

On 14 Aug 1876 Daniel and Elizabeth Grubb have a daughter, Mary Emma.

14 Aug 1876 birth registration, Stamford

On 27 Jan 1878 in Stamford, Daniel and Elizabeth (Crumbs is what is listed on the birth record) have a daughter.
1878 birth registration, Stamford

Then, on 18 Mar 1880, Daniel and Elizabeth Grubb have a son, William Stewart

1880 birth registration, Stamford


The 1881 census is very faint but shows Daniel living in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, with wife Elizabeth, daughters Mary E (5) and Ellen (3) and Ellen Grubb (19).

This didn't strike me as odd in any way, it is common enough for an unmarried young woman to live with her married sister. William Stewart, who should have been about age 1 isnt listed with the family, so perhaps he died young, but I was unable to find a death record.

Next, on 10 Jun 1881 in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada Daniel and Elizabeth have a son, Joseph William Stewart


Now, things start to get interesting.....because on 2 Oct 1881 in Hamilton, Daniel and Ellen Grubb have a son, Daniel Stewart.  This is only 4 months after the birth of Joseph William Stewart.  Therefore, Ellen and Elizabeth would have been pregnant at the same time.  And living together in Hamilton, with Daniel.  Later Daniel will marry in the Manitoulin District of Ontario, where William Grubb dies.  He lists his parents as Daniel Stewart and Helen Grub.  This helps establish that Ellen and Helen were the same woman.

2 Oct 1881 birth registration, Hamilton, Ontario
Then on 22 Feb 1884, Daniel and Elizabeth have a son Samuel Stewart.

22 Feb 1884 birth registration, Welland County, Ontario, Canada
Apparently in Oct 1884 Ellen Grubb has a son George Stewart.  I was unable to locate this birth record, but havent done a page by page search yet. This George later appears as a son in the 1911 census.

On 10 Jul 1885 Daniel and Elizabeth have a daughter Rebecca Keziah Stewart.  I was unable to located this birth record either, but again, haven't done a page by page search yet.

On the 24th Mar 1886 in Stamford, Ontario, Daniel and Ellen have a son James Stewart


On 10 Jun 1887 Daniel and Elizabeth have a son, William Stewart. (This furthers my belief that the first William Stewart, born in 1880 had died young.)

1887 birth registration, Ontario

Also, likely in 1887 Daniel and I think likely Ellen have a daughter Margaret.  I have not found a birth or any further record of her, but she is living with the family in the 1901 census (Elizabeth as the mother) and in the 1911 Census (with Helen as the mother)

On 22 Nov 1888 in Stamford, Ontario, Daniel and Elizabeth have a daughter Sarah Alica Stewart.

1888 birth registration
On 22 Mar 1890 Daniel and Elizabeth have a son, Richard Enoch Stewart.

22 Mar 1890 birth registration

And just a few weeks later, on 25 Jun 1890 Daniel and Ellen/Helen have a son Ernest Edward Stewart.



In 1891 Daniel is living with wife Elizabeth and children Mary, Ellen, Joseph, Samuel, Rebecca, William, Sarah, and Richard.  Ellen Grubb is living with them, age 30

1891 Census of Canada
Their son Joseph appears to be living with his grandfather William Grubb, elsewhere in Ontario, in the Algoma District.  (Later Joseph will marry in Algoma District, listing his parents as Daniel Stewart and Elizabeth Grubb, and birthplace as Hamilton.  Ellen's son Daniel is also living with William Grubb in Algoma.
This (as well as other evidence) shows that Ellen and Elizabeth were sisters, both daughters of William Grubb.

1891 Census of Canada, Algoma District
On 12 Jan 1892 Daniel and Elizabeth have a daughter Bessy Jane Stewart (by my calculations this is their 10th child, with 5 more that were Daniel and Ellen's!!!)

12 Jan 1892 birth registration
On 25 Apr 1893 Daniel and Elizabeth have a daughter Myrtle Maude Stewart.

1893 birth registration.
I find it interesting to note that on the page, this is the only one where the mothers married name is added after the maiden name....Also, I note that F A Hutt was the official for several of the births....

On 20 Dec 1896, Daniel and Elizabeth have a daughter Alice Grace Stewart.

On 17 Nov 1899 Daniel and Elizabeth have a daughter Janet

1899 birth registration
As she doesnt appear to be a twin, I think this Janet later became known as Irene Gladys.  I also noticed that again, the only mother who has the married name added on the page is Elizabeth.

Apparently in 1898 Daniel and Ellen have a daughter, Wilhelmina Stewart.  She appears with Ellen in the 1911 census, but I find no other record for her.

In 1901 Daniel is living with wife Elizabeth and children James, Rebecca, Margaret, Sarah, William, Earnest, Myrtle M, Alice, Irene and "Dom" (Domestic) Ellen Grubb.



In 1911 Daniel is living with wife Helen, and children George, James, Margaret, Earnest, Wilhemina.

1911 Census of Canada
The family directly above is the family of wife Elizabeth.  The children are (I think) Rebecca, Carrie????, William, Richard, Martha (is that Myrtle??), Alice, Irene maybe?, Mary ??? age 18, and out of order for age, no idea...., Naomia, Timothy

1911 census, page 1
1911 census, page 2
Daniel Isaac Stewart died 3 Feb 1914.

Daniel Isaac Stewart was died 3 Feb 1914. Daniel was buried at Drummond Hill Cemetery

DANIEL STEWART
Date of Burial:2/5/1914
Location
Cemetery:Drummond Hill
Section: 03
Plot:0270
Grave:1S

1921 census Elizabeth
1921 census Helen
Elizabeth died 23 Nov 1930. 

Two transcriptions of articles that ran at the time of her death: 

""November 27, 1930. Elizabeth Stewart One of the oldest residents of Niagara Falls passed away at her home, 2046 Dunn Street on Sunday in the person of Mrs. Elizabeth Stewart, widow of the late Daniel Stewart, aged seventy six years. Mrs. Stewart was born in Scotland and came here as a girl. Her husband predeceased her seventeen years ago. Surviving are two sons and seven daughters. Mrs H. H. Hawley, Langton, Ontario; Mrs. Nellie Jelfs of Calgary, Alberta; Mrs. Dennis O'Grady of Niagara Falls, New York; Mrs Frank Stewart, this city; Miss Sarah at home and Misses Alice and Irene of Niagara Falls, New York; Joseph of this city and Samuel of Calgary; one sister, Mrs. Helen Stewart of this city. The deceased was very well known here and had a wide circle of friends. The funeral announcement will be made later

"To the Grave --- Mrs. Elizabeth Stewart Largely attended funeral service for the late Mrs. Elizabeth Stewart were held yesterday afternoon at two o'clock at her late home, 2046 Dunn Street. Rev. Percival Mayes officiated and the interment was made at Drummond Hill Cemetery. The pallbearers were James Stewart, Carl Stewart, Ernest Stewart, George Stewart, Guy L Johnson and Bert Hughes. There were a great many flowers."

Elizabeth was buried at Drummond Hill Cemetery.

"ELIZABETH STEWART
Date of Burial:11/27/1930
Location
Cemetery:Drummond Hill
Section: 03
Plot:0270
Grave:2S

Helen died 9 Oct 1934.

"HELEN STEWART
Date of Burial:10/11/1934
Location
Cemetery:Drummond Hill
Section: 03
Plot:0269
Grave:1S"

Notice that there Daniel and Elizabeth are plot 270 and Helen is plot 269.

I'm going to look into whether any of them left a will.

Autosomal DNA testing:

My children's father Michael John Stewart is a direct descendant and has tested at 23andme.

I would be interested in hearing from other descendants of who have tested autosomal DNA at 23andme or FTDNA.

Since Michael John Stewart is a descendant of Elizabeth Grubb, I'd especially love to see the comparisons with descendants of Ellen Grubb.....

If you haven't tested yet, but would like to know more, you can read my post about autosomal testing for genealogy HERE

Comments??  Anyone have anything to add to all that?

1 comment:

  1. I researched the Stewart family a few years ago (my mother was a Stewart) and found the same names as listed on Wikitree by George Morstadt, except I had one more name: Mabel Beatrice, daughter of Daniel and Helen.

    Baptism: Mabel Beatrice/ Helen Grubb/Labourer/Falls view/June 25, 1893/July 5, 1896/Bull/NR
    All Saint's Anglican Church Baptisms Register B, 1887-1901, Niagara Falls, Welland Co., OGS, 1993, p. 25

    Myrna Perry

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