Genealogy Data Page 7 (Notes Pages)

Note: It is stated by Douglas of Glenbervied in his "Historical and Genealogical Tree of the Royal Family of Scotland and name of Stewart", 1750, that William 'was the son of Archibald Stewart, 3rd laird of Fintallocka, who died around 1506 and whose family descended from Sir William Stewart, 2nd of Galries, Early of Galloway."

(Source, Burkes Peerage and Baronetage) (NOTE: The date 1506 is incorrect either by transcription typo or an error by Burke.)

Sir William Stewart and his brother Robert had served many years in foreign wars under Count Mansfield and the Kings of Denmark and Sweden, and had risen to commands of regiments. (Source, Stewart Clan Magazine.)

The Ulster Plantation, name given to the plantation of English and Scottish settlers in the northern Irish province of Ulster, begun in 1607 during the reign of James I. The opportunity to do this occurred when the Irish Earls of Tyrone and Tyrconnel, heads of the two great tribes of Ulster, fled the country. The British government then confiscated their lands. Over a half a million acres were given to English and Scottish settlers. The consequences of the Ulster plantation can hardly be exaggerated since they have been the direct cause of nearly four hundred years of often bloody Irish/Anglo-Irish feuding which continues today.
(Source, Encarta Encyclopedia.)

In 1600, Ulster was synonymous with wilderness and untamed Gaelicsim; separated by nature and geography, least inhabited, least developed economically, least urbanized. Less than two percent of the population of Ireland was of Scots or English descent; but by early 1700s the proportion had soared to 27 (Source - Modern Ireland 1600-1700, by R. f. Foster)

"William Stewart came to the Laggan in County Donegal, Ireland about 1608 as Captain of a Scottish regiment that was sent to protect the English and Scottish settlers who came there at the time of the Plantation." (Source, Heber Rankin).

"The Right Honorable Sir William Stewart, 1st Baronet of Newtownstewart, County Tyron and Ramelton, County of Donegal, went over to Ireland in 1608 as Captain commanding a company of Scottish troops sent to serve in that County." (Source, Register of the Privy council of Scotland, June 21, 1608, Burkes Peerage and Baronetage; Irish Times, November, 1940)

"William Stewart, 1st Baronet of Ramelton, started out as Captain William Stewart of Whithorn. He was granted lands under the Plantation scheme as a 'Servitor' (i.e. persons in the Government service) rather than an 'Undertaker' (who had to be residents by Sept. 1610 and to have fulfilled their conditions of settlement by Easter, 1613.) in reward for his military service in Ireland under King James I of England. He was granted 'Gortavagie' by James and also received 'Ramelton' which had originally been granted to Sir Richard Hansard. Shortly thereafter he also took over the lands in County Tyrone of James Haig, which eventually became known as 'Newtownstewart', and later still land in Clogher Barony; also in County Tyrone, which he renamed Mount Stewart and which is now know as Fivemiletown. He married Frances Newcomen and was knighted in 1613. He was made a Baronet of Ramelton in May 2, 1623 and died in 1646." (Source, Mary Stewart Kyritsis)

(NOTE: Whithorn is located on Wigtown Bay and south of Wigtown and Newton-Stewart in Wigtownshire, west Scotland.)

He was vested by Letters Patent with a proportion of 1000 acres along the western shore of the upper part of Lough Swilly, Co., Donegal. On it Stewart constructed a fortified dwelling known as "Fort Stewart"which became the residence of his youngest son, Thomas Stewart, and the later descendants 'till the year 1780 when Sir Annelsey Stewart, 6th Baronet, who became head of the family in 1769, acquired a more commodious and modern type of residence know as "Brookehill" within a mile or two of the old fortified house.

Sir William Stewart of Fort Stewart

The surname Stewart has been associated with Ramelton for over 400 years. The founder of the dynasty, Sir William, came to Ireland during the C17 Ulster plantation, which followed the "Flight of the Earls" in 1607. This grand plan of settlement had two facets ? the territorial arrangement of settlers and the conditions of acceptance it prescribed for grantees.
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Fort Stewart House RameltonThere were to be three types of owners: English and Scottish "undertakers" (so called because of the conditions they undertook to fulfil), servitors, (military officers and government officials), and Irish grantees. Each county was divided into administrative units called baronies. In these areas allocated to undertakers, it was decided that there must be no native Irish residents. Conditions stipulated that each undertaker erect within a given period a stronghold, or bawn on his estate, and import settlers at the rate of 24, 000 men per 1,000 acres. In June 1608, Captain William Stewart was dispatched by the government to Ireland in command of 100 foot soldiers. Originally from Wigtownshire, Stewart was a soldier of fortune who had served under the kings of Sweden and Denmark before arriving in Ireland. In recognition of his military service to King James 1, he received 1,000 acres of land at Ramelton in 1610. This was part of the forfeited estates of Aodh Dubh O'Donnell. Sir William immediately set about fulfilling the conditions laid down for the establishment of a self-sufficient colony.
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1611 he had built a bawn of lime and stone, called Fort Stewart., sited on the shores of Lough Swilly. By 1619 he had built a castle and bawn and erected a village and church at "Rathmelton". The castle was burned during the rebellion of 1641, and there are no extant ruins today. Such were Sir William's achievements, that he was granted considerable estates in Donegal and Tyrone. In 1623 he was made a baronet and given the title "Sir". In 1641 the elder branch of Sir William's descendants were ennobled with the title of Viscount Mountjoy and Earls of Blessington. The title remained in the family until 1761. The Stewart family was to remain a very influential one in Ramelton over the next 300 years. Sir William's descendants continued as landowners and entrepreneurs of industry.

Ramelton in the C18 and C19

Once a thriving port and important industrial, commercial and administrative centre, Ramelton is today a small C18th/C19th town. Following the Flight of the Earls in 1607, the town of Ramelton and 1000 acres were granted to Sir William Stewart, who built nearby Fort Stewart At Ramelton, Sir William immediately set about building a new castle (burnt c 1650), a church and 45 houses. The church, now in ruins, incorporated a stone from the friary at Aughnish, which was dismantled in 1662. Other stones from the friary can be found at the entrance to St Paul's Church.Originally centred at the castle, during the C17th, the town grew westwards along Castle Street and up Back Lane to the Manse and Tullyaughnish old church. During the C18th and C19th, this westward expansion continued to a point suitable for crossing the Lennon river. This expansion added Bridge St., Church St., The Mall and Shore Road. A settlement also formed at Bridgend. In the late C19, there were further developments at Chapel Rd., the Town hall, the Quay and additional warehouses. Today the town has largely retained its compact character and a number of elements contribute to the appearance of the townscape.

The Mall gives Ramelton a distinctive quality, quite unlike many small Irish towns who characteristically seem to have turned their backs to a river. This sheltered riverside promenade was set out in the late C18th and is flanked by a terrace of town houses, whose overall architectural character is vernacular Georgian with smooth rendered facades and subdued coulours. Most of these properties are still in use as a mix of residential and commercial uses. By 1837, Lewis found Ramelton to consist of three streets and 341 houses and to be admirably adapted to manufactures of all description. The Ordnance Survey memoirs of 1835 record "Good slates are bought from Dooish Hill in the Laggan across Lough Swilly, timber from Norway and America and lime from Oughterlin". The fact that in 1835, 1,000 tons of timber and 100 tons of slates were imported indicates the extent of building carried on in Ramelton at that time. Ramelton is fortunate in having a dedicated action group of people who are determined to preserve the historic character of the town. The Georgian houses have been continuously occupied, by and large, and every effort is being made to protect the unspoilt and pleasant atmosphere of this exceptionally pretty town.

RAMELTON, a market and post-town, in the parish of AUGHNISH, barony of KILMACRENAN, county of DONEGAL, and province of ULSTER, 19 miles (N. N. W.) from Lifford, and 123 1/2 (N. W. by N.) from Dublin; containing 1783 inhabitants. Sir Wm. Stewart, Knt., who was much in favour with Jas. I., became an undertaker for the plantation of escheated lands, of which he obtained a grant or patent of 1000 acres in this vicinity, and was created a baronet of Ireland in 1623. At the time of Pynnar's Survey he had built a strong bawn here, 80 feet square and 16 feet high, with four flankers and a strong and handsome castle; and contiguous to these he had built the town, then containing 45 houses, inhabited by 57 British families; he had also nearly completed the erection of a church: the place was then considered well situated for military defence. The town stands on the river Lenon, which here empties itself into Lough Swilly, and is navigable for small vessels: it consists of three streets, containing 341 houses, and is admirably adapted for manufactures of every description. Here are extensive corn-mills, a brewery, bleach-green, and linen manufactory, and a considerable quantity of linen is made by hand in the vicinity. A market for provisions is held on Tuesday, and on Thursday and Saturday for com; and fairs are held on the Tuesday next after May 20th, Nov. 15th, and on the Tuesday after Dec. 11th. A chief constabulary police force is stationed in the town, and petty sessions are held on alternate Thursdays. There is a small salmon fishery, producing about Ł500 annually; the fish are considered to be in season throughout the year, and are mostly exported to England. In the town are the parochial church, meeting-houses for Presbyterians in connection with the Synod of Ulster (of the first class) and for Methodists, a small fever hospital, and a dispensary. A loan fund has been established; also a ladies' society and a shop for the sale of clothes at reduced prices to the poor. The parochial and Presbyterian schools, noticed in the article on Aughnish, are also in the town. On the shore of Lough Swilly is Fort Stewart, the residence of Sir Jas. Stewart, Bart., surrounded by an extensive and well planted demesne; and at a short distance to the north-east is Fort Stewart Castle, erected by Sir Wm. Stewart. the original patentee of the surrounding lands. Pearls of considerable value are occasionally found in the river Lenon.

1st Bt of Ramelton

Source: (Name)
Title: GEDCOM File : ~ATF1.ged
Note: ABBR GEDCOM File : ~ATF1.ged
Data:
Text: 4 DEC 2002

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