VIII Branch - The Glentarken Stewarts

Mid Glen Tarken looking south towards Loch Earn
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Glentarken
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This branch is introduced in Stewarts of the South as follows:

[The] Glentarken Stewarts at Lochearnside [are] a bastard race [from] far back. 

This is the only hint we have to the early origins of this family of Stewarts.  They descend from an unknown, and possibly even unrecorded, natural son of a Stewart of Glenbuckie.  As Patrick Stewart, 2nd of Glenbuckie, is reputed to have had eleven illegitimate sons, it seems likely that this branch descends from one of those illegitimate sons.  However, there is no way of knowing how this branch connects.

According to the description above, this family resided in Glentarken.  However, none of the 18th century descendants listed in Stewarts of the South are shown as residing in Glentarken.  Also, Comrie parish records have been searched for any Stewart births in Glentarken.  There are two Stewart households in Glentarken in the late 18th century.  They are:

As the births of these families overlap we are clearly looking at two different households, rather than two marriages for the same John Stewart.  The first family is claimed by the Stewarts of Dalveich Line 7 to be their ancestor.  The second family has three sons which is a close match to John shown in 1 Line below, except his sons were said to be minors ca. 1815, so these births are too early. 

There are no records of any other male Stewarts residing in Glentarken.  Also, 2-Line below is said to descend from the Stewarts in Glentarken and they are shown living in Auchnahard and elsewhere throughout the 18th century. Thus, we must conclude that it was the ancestors of this family who resided in Glentarken prior to the beginning of the 18th century.  By the time of the households recorded below it appears that this family had completely vacated Glentarken.

The only problem with this explanation is that the senior line of this family is Walter Stewart below who was likely born in the early 18th century and whose ancestors were "tacksmen of [the] Kirkton [of] Balquhidder for a long time" according to Stewarts of the South.  If so, then it's hard to figure out when, if at all, this family ever lived in Glen Tarken.  It must be considered that the author of Stewarts of the South may have been in error in connecting this family to Glen Tarken.

1 line - In Lianach, Immervoulin and Strathyre Village

Lianach of Glenbuckie (not named, but shown by the red circle), Strathyre and Immervoulin
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The first line of descendants of the Stewarts allegedly in Glentarken are described in Stewarts of the South as follows:

Walter Stewart, late tacksman of Lianoch [of] Glenbuckie [who was] called Valtair Chlachain. His progenitors were tacksmen of [the] Kirkton [of] Balquhidder for a long time, but lost it by some crook at law.  This man left two sons:

1. 1 James Stewart, [a] tenant [in] Innirvulin [in] Strathyre [in] Balquhidder [on] Buchanan of Cambusmor's estate.  [He has] five sons, [and pays] rent [of] �50.  [His sons are:]
   1. 1 Walter, a marble cutter in Glasgow, [who has] no sons (He may have had daughters.)
   2. 2 Robert, [who is] at home with his father
   3. 3 Duncan, a smith at Aberfoil.  [He has]
      1. one son a minor
   4. 4 & 5 John & James minors
2. 2 son, John Stewart, brother to James.  [He] died in Strathyre [and] left four sons [who are] minors.  This John died at Nineveh of Strathyre, a village erected by the late Mr Buchanan of Cambusmore -- a place as bad as Nineveh of Old.

This family was headed by Walter Stewart who resided at Lianach of Glenbuckie and whose ancestors are described as having resided for "a long time" at the Kirkton of Balquhidder.  Walter's sons resided at the Village of Strathyre.  The village was built in 1750 by Buchanan of Cambusmore in Kilmadock parish as part of an 18th century housing scheme to try to move Highland crofters down out of the hills and into small villages.  Lochearnhead, just at the north end of Strathyre was built with the same intentions as was Callander village to the south.  In its earliest days the Village of Strathyre was nicknamed "Nineveh" after the biblical town of the same name due to the large number of inns located there.

At present we have been unable to reconcile the description of this family above with parish, census and burial records, so we are unable to present an accounting of this family at this time.

2 line - in Auchnahard

The Former Settlement of Auchnahard (now submerged)

Auchnahard Farm (now submerged)
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"Hillside from Sron Achaidh na h-Airde" (Auchnahard)
This picture shows the farmlands that would have belonged to Auchnahard.  The residence itself (now submerged) would have been located just off the shoreline on the upper left.
� Copyright Chris Wimbush and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

The second line of descent from the Stewarts allegedly in Glentarken is described in Stewarts of the South as follows:

James Stewart, [a] tacksman [in] Auchnahard [in] Glenfinglas.  [He] left four sons

1. 1 son Alexander Stewart, [a] shepherd [at] Inverchearnaig [in the] Braes of Balquhidder, [which is] a part of the ancient estate of Macgregor of Glencearnaig, [but] now [belongs to] the Earl of Murray.  [He holds] a copartner lease of the Stewarts or Bans of Glenfinglas.  [He] has five sons: Duncan, James, Robert, David, and John
   1. Duncan (of whom no description is given)
   2. 2 James is a Shepherd in Gleneilg
   3. Robert a servant man to Mr Robert Steward [in] Auchnahard [in] Glenfinglas
   4. 3 John is shepherd to Duncan Stewart [in] Duart [in] Glenfinglas at the farm of Duilatur [in] Port [of Menteith] parish
   5. 5 David [is] with John Stewart [in] Stroin [on] Lochcathrineside
2. 2 son David Stewart [is a] Lotter [in] Auchraw [on] Lochearnside [on] Breadalbane's estate.  [He is] brother to [the] foresaid Alexander.  [David] has four sons [who are] minors
3. 3 son Robert Stewart, [is a] shepherd to one Mr Fergusson [in] Glenfearnate [on the] Duke of Atholl's estate [in] Kirk Michael's parish [in] Perthshire.  [He has] two sons.
4. 4 James Stewart, [who is] brother to the above.  [He is a] tacksman of Greenhill [in] Dollar parish [in] Clackmannanshire.  [He has] six daughters and no son, which is a pity as a better heart was never tempered in fire.

This finishes [the] Glentarkin Stewarts.

At present we have been unable to reconcile the description of this family above with parish, census and burial records, so we are unable to present an accounting of this family at this time.

Research Leads

John STEWART and Mary BUCHANAN in Ruscachan, m. 2 AUG 1778 in Balquhidder and 6 AUG 1778 in Kincardine (John in Ruskachan in Balquhidder and Mary from Kincardine), and 15 APR 1780 in Balquhidder (both in Ruskachan in Balquhidder).  (It is strange that this marriage was reregistered two years after its original occurrence.  The reason is unknown, unless perhaps the original marriage contract was unable to be fulfilled.)

1. James STEWART, bap. 12 JUL 1781 in Ruskachan

2. John STEWART, bap. 13 JUN 1783 in Ruskachan

3. Robert STEWART, bap. 20 FEB 1785 in Ruskachan, (d. 29 OCT 1848 according to member submitted LDS entry, same entry shows his birth in Callander parish.  Another LDS entry shows his birth in Perth.)

4. David STEWART, bap. 30 AUG 1787 in Ruskachan

5. James STEWART, bap. 19 APR 1789 in Ruschan

6. Janet STEWART, bap. 31 JUL 1791 and 10 AUG 1791 in Ruscachan (double entered)

7. Alexander STEWART, bap. 3 MAR 1793 in Ruscachan

8. Mary STEWART, bap. 24 MAY 1795 in Ruscachan

9. Katherine STEWART, bap. 22 JUL 1797 in East Ruscachan