Notes |
- Thomas Stewart, born about 1630, was no more outstanding in history than his brothers Robert and William, except that he married a Montgomery, a daughter of John of Croghan, and had a distinguished son, Col. William Stewart of Fort Stewart. Eventually the baronetcy came to this younger branch. Sir William in his will devised to his son Thomas the 1000-acre Fort Stewart estate in County Donegal, on the upper shore of Lough Swilly, and here Thomas lived in the house which his father had built and fortified in pristine days. He bore the title of captain, although his military activities are obscure. No inkling of the date of his death has been given, nor the names of his children other than 'William, save Rev. Samuel Stone, in his manuscript account of his Stewart line, said that, William Stewart of Baltylawn, County Donegal, married a daughter of Mr. Stewart of Fort Stewart. Among Thomas's children were: William c.1665; Nov. 25,1693, Mary Ann Hopkins; daughter M. c.1692, William Stewart of Ballylawn. (Source - Stewart Clam Magazine, Tome H, Volume 37, Number 7, January 1960)
Thomas was the youngest son of Sir William. The Civil Survey of 1654, Donegal County, Barony of Kilmacrenan, lists Thomas Stewart, Esqr, Scotts Protestant, Beseidger of Derry as the proprietor of Rameltan, Parish of Aghneish and of Carrocuilt, Gortcally, Kairne, Clounly, Glenmore, Glenbeg, Drumomaghan, and Downmore of Parish Tully, and in the Parish of Conwell, Ards, Brechy, Cornisk, and Buragh. In the Parish of Clandevadock, it lists Thomas Stewart, Esqr. to "claimeth the sd. lands of Will and Testamt. of his father Sr. Wm. Stewart, Scotts Protestant, a Beseidger of Derry:" the lands Carlan, Bellimcgown, Knockbreake, Carran, and Drumfield.
The Civil Survey describes the village of Rameltan with a Church and a burnt castle, and there is therein a "Bawne" called Fort Stewart and an old Abbey called Killidonnell. Within the Parish of Conwell is the "Towne called Litterkenny (sic) which hath a market every Friday and two faires in the yeare with a large dwelling stone house having a Bawne, a fair Church and a bridge at the end of the towne over the river Swilly."
The Census of 1659, Donegal, lists Thomas Stewart, Esqr. as the Tituladoes of Ramelton, Parish of Auchnich. Fort Stewart is located about seven miles Northeast of Letterkenny, County Donegal, and slightly Southeast of Ramelton. Letterkenny is about 25 miles Northeast of the town of Donegal. The estate manor house built by Sir William is in the Vale of Leanan just Southeast of Ramelton.
The term 'Titulado', which appears in early Irish census records, refers to the principal person or persons of standing in any locality; such a person could have been of either sex, a nobleman, baronet, gentleman, esquire, military officer, or adventurer. A Titulado may have been a land-owner, but did not necessarily own land.
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