Patrick Stewart - early Immigrant, Civil War Veteran, kin to Bridget (Stewart) Hastings

Since I knew my ancestor Bridget was a Stewart (from her children's baptismal records, among others), and that she and several of her children were god parents (sponsors) to Patrick Stewart's children, I had always assumed they were kin, most likely siblings. Their proximity in Lexington further strengthened that assumption. I'm now more convinced in that I did have a Stewart descendant tested for autosomal DNA and there is a match into the Hastings line. Might be a more distant relationship, 1st cousins for instance, but age wise seems pretty likely as brother/sister.

What is interesting about Patrick is that he was in America many years before Bridget and her family arrived. It may have been the draw for them to end up in Lafayette County, Missouri, right in the middle of the U.S.. Tracing him back took quite a few years, and a French translator to identify his route. The story out of a descendant of Patrick's oldest child is that he (Charles) was born in the New York Harbor in 1842. I've not been able to find that ship, nor broadening it to other ports, but at least the time frame is established. Patrick's first wife died in Iowa in July of 1850 and he remarried, in... Montreal! (June 1850) That's where the translation came in. He had to provide the details that his first wife did pass, and he was able to re-marry in the Catholic Church, which he did to Ann McCaffrey (a dozen different ways I've seen that spelled). By 1855 he was resettled in Lexington as the children of his 2nd wife have baptisms starting at that date. As noted in an earlier blog 1855 was also the year that Bridget and 3 of her children traveled to New Orleans. So some time between the 1851 of his marriage, the 1851 census of Bridget in Liverpool, and 1855 these families reunited in Lexington. We can't be certain that Michael Hastings didn't head out first, hearing of opportunities in America and call for Patrick Stewart to join him, or the other way around, but they were in communication. Speaking of communication, if you have not taken a look at The Boston Pilot database, you should. I found it online for searching. Here's the description:

From 1831 through 1921, the Boston Pilot newspaper printed a "Missing Friends" column with advertisements from people looking for "lost" friends and relatives who had emigrated from Ireland to the United States. This collection of 31,711 records is available here as a searchable online database. http://infowanted.bc.edu/

I have found a few references back to families in Lexington looking for kin. Here's an example:
Thomas Halloran mentioned in the Boston paper in 1870's as "from Westport, County, Mayo, Ireland and living in Lexington, Missouri"

Patrick Stewart joined up with the Union Army, along with his son, Charles and nephew Thomas Hastings.

From USGENWEB Kansas Web Site 9/18/1999

FIRST REGIMENT KANSAS VOLUNTEERS---INFANTRY: COMPANY E.

*if a person is listed more than once, they were promoted*

Sergeants 

· Charles Stewert, Lexington, MO.Dis. for disability, Lagrange, Tenn., Nov. 26, 1862 

Corporals  

· Charles Stewart, Lexington MO 

Privates 

· Charles Stewart, Leavenworth 

ADDITIONAL ENLISTMENTS---COMPANY E.

· Thomas Hastings, Leavenworth 

· Patrick Stewart, Kansas City, MO 

RE- ENLISTED VETERANS, COMPANY E.

Privates 

· Thomas Hastings, Leavenworth

You'll note his son Charles (the one that was to have been born upon arrival in America in the harbor) rose through the ranks. Although Charles, born on American soil didn't need it, Patrick and Thomas, by joining the Army was eligible for citizenship.

"Special consideration was given to veterans. An 1862 law allowed honorably discharged Army veterans of any war to petition for naturalization -- without previously having filed a declaration of intent -- after only one year of residence in the United States"

This is a wonderful picture of Charles Stewart's family for the most part, a very matronly bunch:

Would be wonderful to collect more photos like this of Irish from Lafayette County.

Patrick was honorably discharged, having suffered a wound in the back during his service. Note the reference to his birth location to County Mayo ("Myo") in Ireland, another tie-in to the two families:

Patrick's youngest son from his first marriage, Mark, also joined up as a very young man of 15 as a Musician, but in a Missouri regiment. He was in for the duration. It must have been a traumatic experience for such a young man. 

------

Mark's military record:

Mark Stewart, Musician, Co. B, 28 Reg't Missouri Infantry

Age - 15 years

Appears on

Company Muster-in Roll

dated - St. Louis Co. Mo., Sept 8, 1862

Muster-in date Sept 8, 1862

Joined for duty and enrolled:

When July 30, 186*

where Lexington

Period 3 years

WBeck copyist

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Mark Stewart

Priv, Co F, 10 Reg't Calvary

Appears on Co. Muster-out Roll, dated

Nashville, Tenn, June 22, 1865

Muster-out date June 22, 1865

Last paid to Oct 31, 1864

Clothing acount:

Last settled: Aug 31, 1864; drawn since $ 56 42/100

Due U.S. for arms, equipments, &c., $ 19 61/100

Bounty paid $ 25; due $ 75

Remarks: Stop for one Colt's Army Revolver,

one Sabre Knot

N.M. Jackson, copyist

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Patrick was in the 1883 Pensioner's Roll, the 1890 Veterans Census, and after he passed in 1892, his wife received a Widow's Pension.

He has been the only Irish kin that I've found that had a will:

(My transcription) FHL Film 0955930

Lafayette County, Missouri Probate Court Vol F-H

          Last Will and Testament of Patrick Stewart, Deceased,

          Know all men by these presents that I, Patrick

          Stewart of Lexington in the County of Lafayette

          State of Missouri in feeble health but of sound

          and disposing mind do hereby make publish and

          declare this to be my last will and testament.

First: It is my wish that all my debts be paid.

Second: I give each of my children Thomas, Charles, Bridget,

          and Mary Ann the sum of one dollar.

Third: I desire to be buried decently and have a suitable

          monument erected over my grave.

Fourth: All the rest of my property real and personal

         I give and bequeath to my wife Ann Stewart

         whom I also herby appoint as the sole executrix

         of this my last Will and request that no bond

         be required of her as such executrix. Witness my hand

         and seal this 4th day of May 1892

         Attest                                           Patrick Stewart (his Mark)

         U. G. Phetzing

         

         Signed sealed published and declared as his last

         will in our presence and we at his request in

         his presence and in the presence of each other

         have signed our names here to as witnesses May 4th 1892

                                                                    U. G. Phetzing 

                                                                    Katie Murphy

The online papers at ...
http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/newspapers/?state=Missouri&ethnicity=&language=
were just a few issues shy of finding an obituary for Patrick Stewart. Was hoping to glean a bit more about him. Maybe one of those issues will pop up as "found" in the future!

We can hope...