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Johanna ‘Hannah’ (Kirk) Stewart - Origins?

Started by Erica Howton on Sunday, January 9, 2022
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Erica Howton C
1/9/2022 at 6:17 PM

How a girl “from Wales” marry a Virginia man?

See https://media.geni.com/p13/84/0e/45/09/5344485ff837453c/2ddd8734-a773-40b0-9965-ec69317a7c58_original.jpg?hash=7033bcd9a3a578a00d3eb60689a9b2c14ac7c74899464d0aee9bd39cf7682ac6.1729839599 which explains he was native and not an immigrant.

Was she really alienated from family? Was there a travel record?

https://media.geni.com/p13/d7/b4/a5/cb/53444838d20849c1/charles_stewart_and_hannah_kirk_original.jpg?hash=0058d5d08c2de8cab45119e547ed82c4f5f8fd592673c95598332e711eab8337.1729839599
Erica Howton C
1/9/2022 at 6:18 PM

From Gayle Stewart Wilson

Here is the gist of FamilySearch records: Hannah was christened 21 May 1732 in Newborough, Staffordshire, England, born to Edward Kirk, b:4 May 1703-? and Mary Lakin (1702-1784). Edward's father was Walter Kirk, who died in 1720, married to Mary unknown.

Mary Lakin's parents were Thomas Lakin b:1720 and Mary Bateman b:1670. Thomas Lakin's parents were Christopher Lakin and Elizabeth unknown.
Erica Howton C
1/9/2022 at 6:28 PM

How is a girl from Wales daughter of a Pennsylvania man?

William Kirk

It is however a good landing place for a Welsh family.
Erica Howton C
1/9/2022 at 6:30 PM

How is she the daughter of a woman who died in Scotland?

Janet Rorison
Erica Howton C
1/9/2022 at 6:32 PM

Biography

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Kirk-366

Johanna "Hannah" Kirk was born about 1732 either in England, Wales or the Colony of Virginia to unknown parents. She married Charles Stewart. [1]

In 1790, she and Charles are living in Cumberland County, North Carolina (NC), USA. In addition to the two of them, there is 1 male under 16, presumably their youngest son James, and 1 slave living with them. [2] In 1800, Hannah and Charles, both 45+, are living in Hillsborough in Wake County, NC along with 1 male 26-44, presumably their youngest son James, and 1 slave. [3]

Hannah passed away on 1 Jan 1823 in Wake County, NC. She is presumably buried in the Stewart Burial Ground in Kennebec in Wake County, NC along with her husband. There are no grave markers. [4] [5]

Children of Johanna "Hannah" Kirk and Charles Stewart:

Charles Stewart Jr.
Joseph Stewart
George Stewart
James Stewart
Johanna "Hannah" KIRK was born about 1732 in Virginia,

She passed away 01 Jan 1823 in Kennebec, Wake, North Carolina, United States.

Gayle Stewart Wilson PRO
1/9/2022 at 6:50 PM

From genealogy.com 2007: In the 1930s or early 1940s, Tom Stewart wrote a handwritten narrative about Charles Stewart and Hannah Kirk. The original is in the possession of his grandson, and was photocopied in the 1970s by researcher Ann McLamb of Erwin, NC.Tom Stewart wrote that Charles Stewart was from Scotland, and his wife Hannah Kirk came from Wales (spelled "Whales" in the narrative).He wrote that they sailed in a "50 foot sailboat" to Virginia and settled in Isle of Wight County, Virginia.Charles Stewart was allegedly a "cattleman," and was indentured to a man named "Mr. Spotsford" (probably a reference to Virginia Governor Alexander Spotswood (d. 1740)). The Tom Stewart narrative does not specifically indicate where or when Charles and Hannah were married, but it is inferred that they were probably married before their arrival in America.

Another source of oral family tradition were the stories related by Mrs. Mary (Stewart) Hough (d. 1992) of Coats, NC.I personally interviewed Mrs. Hough on two occasions before her death.Mrs. Hough was the daughter of Charles Robert Stewart and Mary Reardon, granddaughter of Joseph Ary Stewart and Sarah Jane Truelove, great-granddaughter of Jacob Stewart and Cynthia Card, and great-great granddaughter of Joseph Stewart and wife Elizabeth Matthews.The traditions she knew were handed down to her by her father and grandfather.Mrs. Hough maintained that Hannah Kirk had come to North Carolina from Wales and was living near Cross Creek (now Fayetteville) with her sister and her brother-in-law.Hannah was allegedly very unruly and difficult (Mary Hough used the term "mean", meaning unladylike), so much so that her family members made arrangements to send her back to the British Isles.According to Mrs. Hough, Charles Stewart married Hannah Kirk to prevent her return to her homeland.Thus, in the oral tradition related by Mrs. Hough, Charles and Hannah would have been married in Cumberland County.
Erica Howton C
1/9/2022 at 6:58 PM

However, apparently DNA studies suggest that husband Charles Stewart was from Virginia, how did he sail her from Wales? :)

The 2nd story sounds more likely, but Staffordshire Is not Wales. What ties the England family to her in Virginia?
Erica Howton C
1/9/2022 at 7:02 PM

By the way, I recently read a revelation about a “family tradition” (unrelated family, but probably a similar time frame). “7 brothers immigrated to Virginia …”

It was actuality 4 brothers and 3 nephews migrating from Virginia to North Carolina.

I wonder if “Whales” is actually in, say, Pennsylvania.

Gayle Stewart Wilson PRO
1/9/2022 at 7:20 PM

FamilySearch.org church records for Hannah Kirk, with links to church records for father's and mother's families:
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NYK7-H8M
Erica Howton C
1/9/2022 at 8:09 PM

So how is the girl in England the same person as the woman in North Carolina? You mentioned sister and brother in law - who were they?

She was hooked to wrong parents on Geni, I disconnected, but I’m not at all convinced of the Staffordshire link.

Gayle Stewart Wilson PRO
1/9/2022 at 8:59 PM

I'm not convinced either.
The only family I know of for Hannah is her marriage to Charles Stewart and the children born to them. I don't have any information for how Hannah got to VA or NC from the UK.
Erica Howton C
1/9/2022 at 10:50 PM

Unfortunately, that’s the case for most immigrants at this time, and even more so for women.

Gayle Stewart Wilson PRO
1/10/2022 at 9:44 AM

Thank you so, so much for looking into Hannah's family. I really appreciate it.

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