Chapter Three

CAPTAIN JOHN STEWART

Of all the people who have lived in Mount Stewart, by far the most controversial, and, at the same time, influential in this Province’s affairs, has been Captain John Stewart, the village’s founder. This chapter is devoted to the life of that remarkable individual.

In mid-November of the year 1775, Stewart, then a youth of six— teen or thereabouts, arrived on the Island on board the immigrant ship “Elizabeth,” which had foun-dered on a sand bar at the entrance to Mal- peque Bay. His father, Judge Peter Stewart, had recently been appointed Chief Justice of the colony and had arrived to take up his new duties. Prior to his appointment, he had worked as a clerk in the Court of Session at Edinburgh and had then gone to Campbellton, Argyleshire, where he engaged in the herring fishery in which he failed. Along with his older sons, John and Charles, his second wife, Sarah Hamilton Stewart, and their young and numerous family, he had joined the “Elizabeth” party at Cork, Ireland. As a result of the ensuing shipwreck, the family lost almost all its possessions; however, the future was not hopeless. Colonel Robert Stewart, Peter’s brother—in—law, resided at Malpeque, and the family was able to winter at his home. The oath of office as Chief Justice was ad- ministered to Peter Stewart in the summer of 1776. His appointment to His Majesty’s Council followed.

John Stewart did not remain under the parental roof for long. In- deed, by 1784, we are told, he had married and had been living separate from his father between five and six years. Incidental references indicate that he at first lived in Charlottetown; however, as noted in the previous chapter, he had purchased a large property on the south of the Hills- borough as early as 1789. There on a rising stretch of ground overlooking the river and slightly forward from the house presently owned by the MacEachern family, he built his home, Mount Stewart. It is from this estate that the present Village of Mount Stewart takes its name. Pre- cisely when he began to live there is not known. We do know that the Census of 1798 lists Captain John Stewart as a resident of Lot 37.

The arrival of the Stewart family on the Island coincided with the outbreak of the American Revolution. Despite his youth, John Ste- wart obtained a commission as a lieutenant in a military corps which was to be raised in the colony for purposes of defense. In 1779 a regiment of Hessians was stationed here during the winter, and Stewart was appointed acting commissary. When the corps was disbanded, he procured a lieu— tenant’s half pay. His rank was raised to captain in 1794.

Being landowners, the Stewarts were naturally very sensitive to any move on the part of government to interfere with the proprietory interest. Such a move was contemplated in 17 73 when the Assembly passed an Act authorizing Governor Patterson to sell some of the estates on which the Quit rents were in arrears. When, in November 1781, nine whole and five half lots were actually sold and when the Stewarts were excluded from the division of spoils which followed, the family ranged its forces against Patterson. The combatants clashed head on during the election proceedings of March, 1784.

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