Monday, October 25, 2010

Jesse Stewart, Baptist Preacher - part 2

See more on Jesse Stewart here.

Jesse Stewart of Putnam county, Tennessee
 Biography, Signature and Bible Pages


Jesse Stewart Signature
From an affidavit signed 11 Oct 1832 for John Rany's Revolutionary War Pension Application.

The following copies of a family record from a Bible belonging to Jesse Stewart were sent to me years ago by J.T. Stewart.  (He did not send a copy of the title page or publication information of the Bible and this is the best copy I have.)

Jesse Stewart Bible Pages 1 & 2

Jesse Stewart Bible Pages 3 & 4

Transcription of Bible pages:
Pages 1 & 2
Jesse Stewart was borne July the 5th - 1790
Jemimah Stewart was borne November the 18th - 1795
Janey Stewart was borne Febuary the 26th - 1813
Preston Stewart was borne July the 12th 1815
Harrison Stewart was born May the 7th - 1817
Hirum Stewart was born March the 30th 1819
Enon Stewart was born May the 6th - 1821
Ceburn Stewart was born February the 10th 1823
Pages 3 & 4
Asa Stewart was born February the 19th 1825
Anthony Stewart was born January the 21 - 1827
Ervincy Stewart was born October the 22th 1829
Levashure Stewart was born October the 17th 1831
Almirminda Stewart was born January the 14th in 1834
Jemimah Stewart was born January the 19th 1836
Mary Stewart was born Febuary the 21st 1838
Ceburn Stewart was borne Febuary the tenth 10 1823
?Not sure why Ceburn is listed twice in the bible record?


The following story was also sent to me by the author, J T Stewart of Watertown, Tennessee.

Chronological Data Pertaining to Jesse Stewart 
by J. T. Stewart

Jesse Stewart came to Overton County with his father Joseph Stewart from Jefferson County, TN about 1800. He was about 10 years old at the time. By 1820, he was married and head of a family according to the 1820 Overton County census. In July 1824, Jesse Stewart bought 55 acres of land in White County on Calfkiller River from Thomas Ussery. In July 1826, he sold this 55 acres of land to Jeptha West. It is not certain that he resided on this land.

Richard F. Cook’s survey book shows that 75 acres of land on Bear Creek was surveyed for Jesse Stewart on 18 Feb 1831. The chain carriers were Richard Harris and Preston Stewart. This land was partly in Jackson and partly in Overton counties, which later became Putnam County. An affidavit dated 11 October 1832, signed by Jesse Stewart submitted in connection with John Raney’s Revolutionary War Pension application gives Jesse Stewart’s place of residence as County of White. (John Raney was his brother-in-law.) But, in census records of 1830 and 1840 Jesse Stewart was enumerated in Overton County. (White County marriage records show that Jesse’s son, Enon, was married to Sarina Cordle on 4 January 1845.)

Census records show that in 1850, Jesse Stewart was in Todd County, Kentucky with wife, Jemima, and children, Asa, Ervina, Lavisha, Almarinda, Jemima, Mary and Sarah. In 1852, Jesse Stewart along with sons, Enon, Asa and Lavasha, bought 450 acres of land in Muhlenberg County, Kentucky on Long Creek. But by 1860, Jesse was back in Putnam County again with wife, Jemima (age 64) and children, Jemima Jr. 24 and Mary 22. This was in the Double Springs community and he was shown living next door to Preston and Jane Stewart. (Preston was his oldest son.)

But, sometime after 1860 at about the time of the Civil War, he supposedly went back to Kentucky again. (This comes from J.H. Grime’s “History of Middle Tennesse Baptists”, p. 277.) Circumstantial evidence indicates that both Jesse and Jemima died in Kentucky about 1864. The two girls, Jemima (Jr.) and Mary, evidently went to live with their aunt and uncle, Sarah (West) Davis and Jacob Davis. Todd County, Kentucky marriage records show that Jemima (Jr.) Stewart was married to Francis M. Seger at the home of Jacob Davis on 11 December 1864.

Jesse Stewart was a Baptist preacher and he was involved in some of the early controversies of the church. He was probably ordained by the Roaring River Baptist Church of Overton County, of which he was a member in the early 1800’s and he was in these associations: Stockton’s Valley, Freedom Association of Kentucky, Salem Association, with Putnam County as a center, and later Johnson Association. According to Spencer’s “History of Kentucky Baptists” Jesse Stewart was excluded from Stockton’s Valley Association in 1843, after which he became affiliated with Freedom Association.

See previous post about Elder Jesse Stewart here.

Never Too Old To Learn

Sally Carr Brown

Sally Carr Brown is a fourth great-grandmother on my Baldwin Family line.  

Grandma Sally set a wonderful example of living life fully until the end.  According to a notation made in her daughter's bible, Sally learned to read late in life -- when she was 76 years old!  She proved that one is never too old to learn!  

"Sally Brown lerned to read in hir 76th yeare"

Sally was married to John Brown.  They lived in Putnam county, Tennessee.  Two of their daughters, Jane and Sarah, married brothers, Preston and Harrison Stewart, repectively.   We descend through her daughter, Sarah Brown who married Harrison Stewart.


The above copy is from the family bible of Preston and Nancy Jane Stewart.  I love the added information about Sally and Jane learning to read.  Transcript below:

"John Brown was borne 1790
Deceast this life 1858
Salley Brown was borne 1792
Deceast this life Aug 25 1868
Salley Brown lerned to read in hir 76th yeare.
Jane Stewart lerned to read when
she was about 40 years of age.
She read the new testament through
10 times & the olde scriptures
through 5 times."

Family Bible of Preston and Jane Stewart of Jackson County, Tennessee

Years ago, J.T. Stewart of Tennessee, sent me copies of the Family Bible of Preston and Nancy Jane Stewart.  (Preston Stewart was the oldest son of Rev. Jesse Stewart of Putnam County, Tennessee.)  Back then, the copies we used were not high quality scans but regular xerox copies - some of the copies seemed to be copy of a copy.  But, even if they are not the greatest copy, I thought it best to share them. The bible was printed in 1878.  The first page of the family record shown is the births, then deaths, marriages and a page with information about Jane's parents, John and Sally Brown. 






The page below has information concerning Jane Brown Stewart's parents, John and Sally Carr Brown.


For a transcript of above page, go here.