Stewart Family

The Stewart Family 

We now come to one of the soldiers of the STEWART family, Absalon N. STEWART, another son of John C. and Sarah McCartney STEWART who was born in Symmes Township on 21 Nov. 1825. He married Elizabeth M. Handley on 24 Jan. 1850. She was been born in Monroe County in what is now West Virginia, on  3 Dec. 1831. Her parents were Samuel and Elizabeth Barger Handley.

Mr. and Mrs. STEWART already had several children at the outbreak of the Civil War and as the government is seldom anxious to enlist men with families, Mr. STEWART did not immediately enter the conflict. However, as the war dragged on, many such men became impatient, apparently to join the army and hasten the return of peace by winning a quick victory, and the government naturally became less particular, and so, in September 1864, Mr. STEWART joined the army and became a member of the 173rd Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry as a private. He served throughout the remainder of the war and was discharged after about one year in the service. Returning home, he resumed his work as a farmer in Symmes Township.

In addition to his military service, Absalom N. STEWART, served his countrymen in a number of local civil offices, such as Township Trustee and Clerk. Mr. and Mrs. STEWART had the following children: [all born before the Civil War]

1. Mary E.
2. Emanuel T.
3. Myra J.
4. Lavina H.
5. Julia M.

Middleton H. STEWART was another of this family who became a soldier and served through a large part of the Civil War, seeing much hard service. He was also a son of John C. and Sarah McCartney STEWART and was born in Symmes Township on April 25, 1837. His education and early training appear to have been as limited as those of other frontier or pioneer youths, but that did not appear to limit his ability as a citizen and public servant. On Sept. 7, 1856, he married Mary C. Nida, born in Aid Township, Lawrence County, Ohio, on Dec. 29, 1835.

As his brother mentioned, Middleton H. STEWART was the father of several children when the Civil War broke out. Still, he managed to enlist in the Federal Army as early as Oct. 30, 1861. He became a member of Company H, 6th Ohio Volunteer Cavalry, unlike many of the “Union boys” of southern Ohio, who served under Sherman in the west or Sheridan. Mr. STEWART became a member of the Army of the Potomac, as that portion of the Federal Army was called, which operated east and so long in the vicinity of the Potomac River.

Arriving at the front in time to participate in the disastrous to the Federals at least. STEWART participated in most of the heaviest fighting in the east, according to accounts of his army service now before us. While it is certainly not particularly profitable to indulge in any arguments as to which battles of the Civil War were most important, most terrible, or had the most important results, it does appear reasonable to conclude that the Battles of Antietam, Chancellorsville, and Gettysburg were certainly three near the head of the list.

In contrast, it appears that most of the supposed authorities on such matters classify Gettysburg as the turning point, if not the decisive battle, of the conflict. Anyway when we note that Mr. STEWART participated in all three of these major battles, in addition to Bull Run and many of those in General Grant’s immediate army, we must acknowledge the conclusion that his army record was not mediocre. At the close of the war, he also returned to his Symmes County [Township-mjmk] home.

Mrs. STEWART was the daughter of Jacob and Unice Caldwell Nida. Mr. and Mrs. Middleton H. STEWART were the parents of the following children:

1. Albert
2. Isadore
3. Allison
4. Malissa
5. Minnie
6. Hannah
7. Sarah

Their farm was situated near the village of Waterloo, which became their post office address.

Stewart Family of Lawrence County, Ohio – Part Two

Oliver P. STEWART, another son of John C. and Sarah McCartney STEWART, was born in Symmes Twp, according to available data, Jaon n. 22, 1834. His career was quite similar to those of his brothers, except that, so far as we have been able to learn to date, he did not participate directly, i.e., as a soldier in the Civil War.

He married Elizabeth A. Barnhouse on Feb. 4, 1864. She had been born in Scioto County, Ohio, on Oct. 26, 1845. Her parents were Joseph and Susan Bennett Barnhouse. They became the parents of the following children:

1. William T.
2. Florence L.
3. Lorena F.

Although Oliver P. STEWART was essentially a farmer, he also held the responsible office of Treasurer of the Township for several years. His farm was located near his post office and the village of Waterloo.

One more of this remarkable family is on our list for consideration now. We say rather a remarkable family because, while none of its members became president or held other high national or state office so far as we have discovered, there have been probably few other families established first in a virtual wilderness that have produced so many members not only successful in their particular vocation but also soldiers of bravery and ability as well as officials in local offices of responsibility and trust. This time, we turn to a feminine member of the family. And this also brings to mind her husband, who is worthy of consideration on his behalf.

Leuanna STEWART was the daughter of John C. and Sarah McCartney STEWART and was born in Symmes Township on July 1, 1827. Pioneer girls usually had even less opportunity for study and social pleasures than boys, but many of them no doubt found fully compensating pleasures in becoming capable wives and mothers. Leuanna STEWART appears to have been in that class. On March 2, 1848, she married Providence M. ROBINSON, a young man recently entering Symmes Township as a school teacher.

Providence M. ROBINSON was the son of William G. Robinson, one of the first officers of Lawrence County. It may be that Providence Robinson was attracted to Symmes Township about 1820. If this is correct, he must have remained there but a short time, for we find him listed as the first Recorder of Lawrence County when the county was organized in 1817 and also serving as Sheriff in, or about 1824, when his son, Providence M. Robinson was born. Thus he must have made a short stay as one of the first settlers of Symmes Township sometime between those dates 1817 and 1824-and this would agree satisfactorily with the date given as that of the first settlement in Symmes Township in 1820.

The biography of William G. ROBINSON, therefore belongs more properly perhaps to the history of Fayette Township than to any other in the County, since as an early county officer, he naturally had to spend much of his time at Burlington, then the County Seat. Some time ago, his granddaughter, Mr. W.D. Hambleton, of near Ironton, informed us that she had evidence that he first resided near Haskellville, now Athalia, in Rome Township. Thus we have another example of how some of these pioneers moved about and how their history may be considered a part of the history of several communities, towns, or townships, and frequently counties and states.

But to return to Providence M. Robinson, father of Mrs. Hambleton. According to Hardesty’s record, he was born in Fayette Township on Dec. 5, 1824. This agrees with information furnished by Mrs. Hambleton to the effect that her father was born in 1824 in the stone building in Burlington, which served as the county jail and the home of the sheriff, while his father was serving as County Sheriff.

Providence M. Robinson, thus apparently by both heredity and environment, was more fortunate than the average pioneer boy. Even at that early date, Burlington offered some educational advantages, and young Robinson must have taken advantage of them, for we find that in 1845, he entered Symmes Township as a school teacher.