Steuart family

Last updated
Steuart
Clan member crest badge - Clan Stewart.svg
Steuart family crest
Current region Anne Arundel County, Maryland.
Earlier spellings Stewart, Stuart.
EtymologyStewards of Scotland
Place of origin Perthshire, Scotland
Members George H. Steuart (planter) (1700-1784)
George H. Steuart (militia general) (1790-1867)
George H. Steuart (brigadier general) (1828-1903)
Richard Sprigg Steuart (1797-1876)
Connected families Calvert family
Estate(s) Dodon, Old Steuart Hall

The Steuart family of Maryland was a prominent political family in the early history of Maryland. The Steuarts, of Scottish descent, have their origins in Perthshire, Scotland. The family grew wealthy in the early 18th century under the patronage of the Calvert family, proprietors of the colony of Maryland, but their wealth and status was much reduced during the American Revolution, and the American Civil War.

Contents

History

George Hume Steuart (1700–1784) was an Edinburgh-educated physician, who settled in Annapolis in the Province of Maryland in c1721, where he established a medical practice. [1] [2] He married there, and became a tobacco planter, and politician.

Politically, Steuart's interests were closely aligned with those of the Calvert family, proprietors of the colony of Maryland. [3] In 1742 Charles Calvert, 5th Baron Baltimore (1699–1751) sent his eldest but illegitimate son, Benedict Swingate Calvert, then aged around ten years old, [4] to Annapolis and placed him in Steuart's care. [5] Steuart evidently benefited from the Calvert family's patronage, as he later was appointed to a number of important Colonial offices.

However, as a wealthy landowner with estates in both Maryland and Scotland, Steuart was forced by the outbreak of the American Revolution to decide whether to remain loyal to the British Crown or to throw in his lot with the American rebels. Unable to remain neutral, in 1775 he sailed to Scotland, where he lived until his death in 1784. [6] His sons however remained in Maryland, loyal to the fledgling United States of America.

Steuart's grandson, Major General George H Steuart (1790–1867) was a United States general who fought during the War of 1812. His military career began in 1814 when, as a young captain, he raised a company of Maryland volunteers, the Washington Blues, leading them at the Battle of Bladensberg and the Battle of North Point, where he was wounded. [7] After the war he rose to become major general of the Maryland Militia. In 1861, at the start of the Civil War, Steuart left his home state of Maryland, which stayed in the Union, and joined the Confederacy, though at 71 he was too old for active service.

During the American Civil War Maryland remained loyal to the Union, but the Steuarts were substantial slaveholders and supported the Confederate States of America. On April 16, 1861 George H. "Maryland" Steuart, then an officer in the United States Army, resigned his commission as captain to join the Confederacy. [8] Much of the family's property was confiscated by the Federal government due to their supporting the Confederate Army. Old Steuart Hall was confiscated by the Union Army and Jarvis Hospital was erected on the estate, to care for Federal wounded. [9] The family's wealth and status never recovered.

A number of less-known Steuarts also joined the rebel states. Among them was the surgeon William Frederick Steuart. [10]

Family tree

Notable residences

Jarvis Hospital was built on the grounds of Maryland Square (visible bottom right) at the outbreak of the Civil War. Jarvis hospital.jpg
Jarvis Hospital was built on the grounds of Maryland Square (visible bottom right) at the outbreak of the Civil War.
Steuart Plantation house at Dodon, built c1800, burned down c1953. Dodon.jpg
Steuart Plantation house at Dodon, built c1800, burned down c1953.

The Steuarts built a number of homes in Maryland, none of which have survived intact. Among them were:

Racing

The Annapolis Subscription Plate won by George Hume Steuart's Dungannon. Annapolis subscription plate.jpg
The Annapolis Subscription Plate won by George Hume Steuart's Dungannon.

George H. Steuart (1700–1785), founder of the Steuart family in Maryland, was an enthusiastic horse breeder, and he instigated the Annapolis Subscription Plate, the name given both to the first recorded formal horse race in colonial Maryland and to the silver trophy awarded to the winner of the race. It is the second oldest known horse racing trophy in America. [20] The race was held in 1743 and was won by Steuart's horse, Dungannon. [21]

Modern Legacy

The unusual spelling of "Steuart" was widespread in the 18th century ("Steuart", "Stewart" and "Stuart" being essentially interchangeable), but has since mainly fallen into disuse. However, Steuart's numerous North American descendants have retained the archaic spelling.

A silver replica of the original Annapolis Subscription Plate was commissioned in 1955 by the Maryland Jockey Club. The "Dungannon Bowl" is a perpetual trophy presented to the winner of annual Dixie Stakes, the oldest stakes race run in Maryland and the Mid-Atlantic states. [22]

A stone obelisk at Dodon marks the burial place of Richard Sprigg Steuart and a number of other family members. Brigadier General George H. Steuart and his father Major General George H. Steuart are both buried beneath a family obelisk at Green Mount Cemetery, Baltimore, [23] and The Steuart Hill area of Baltimore recalls the family's long association with the city. [24]

See also

Notes

  1. Papenfeuse, p.773
  2. American Swedish 1973, Edited by Leif Sjoberg, at p.69 Retrieved Jan 15 2010
  3. George H Stewart at Stewarts of Balquhidder webpage Retrieved Jan 15 2010
  4. Yentsch, Anne E, p.260, A Chesapeake Family and their Slaves: a Study in Historical Archaeology, Cambridge University Press (1994) Retrieved Jan 2010
  5. Eby, Jerrilynn, p.76, Laying the Hoe: a Century of Iron Manufacturing in Stafford County, Virginia, Vol 1, Heritage Books (2007). Retrieved Jan 19 2010
  6. Nelker, p.118
  7. Richardson, p.228
  8. Cullum, George Washington, p.226, Biographical Register of the Officers and Graduates of the U.S. Military Retrieved Jan 16 2010
  9. Nelker, p.120
  10. Hanson, George A., p.267, Old Kent: The Eastern Shore of Maryland Retrieved January 2012
  11. William Steuart at politicalgraveyard.com Retrieved Jan 19 2010
  12. Muller, Charles Geoffrey, p. 196, The darkest day: the Washington-Baltimore campaign during the war of 1812, Lippincott, (1963) Retrieved Jan 19 2010
  13. Quinan, John Russel, p.163, Medical Annals of Baltimore from 1608 to 1880, Baltimore (1884)
  14. Nelker, p.67
  15. Quinan, John Russel, p.163, Medical Annals of Baltimore from 1608 to 1880, Baltimore (1884)
  16. Nelker, p150
  17. Lossing, Benson John, p.605, Pictorial History of the Civil War in the United States of America, Volume 3 Retrieved Feb 6 2010
  18. Rice, p.290
  19. "About us". Dodon Farm. 2 March 2016. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016.
  20. History of Maryland Jockey Club Archived 2011-05-25 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved Jan 21 2010
  21. Official History of the Maryland Jockey Club Retrieved February 18, 2010
  22. 126th Preakness Stakes Souvenir Magazine, May 19, 2001, article titled, "It All Began Here, In Annapolis..." page 95-96
  23. Greenmount Cemetery website Retrieved Jan 13 2010
  24. Steuart, William Calvert, Article in Sunday Sun Magazine, "The Steuart Hill Area's Colorful Past", Baltimore, February 10, 1963

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spring Grove Hospital Center</span> Hospital in Maryland, United States

Spring Grove Hospital Center, formerly known as Spring Grove State Hospital, is a psychiatric hospital located in the Baltimore, Maryland, suburb of Catonsville.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George H. Steuart (brigadier general)</span> Confederate Army general

George Hume Steuart was a planter in Maryland and an American military officer; he served thirteen years in the United States Army before resigning his commission at the start of the American Civil War. He joined the Confederacy and rose to the rank of brigadier general in the Army of Northern Virginia. Nicknamed "Maryland" to avoid verbal confusion with Virginia cavalryman J.E.B. Stuart, Steuart unsuccessfully promoted the secession of Maryland before and during the conflict. He began the war as a captain of the 1st Maryland Infantry, CSA, and was promoted to colonel after the First Battle of Manassas.

George Hume Steuart, (1700–1784) was a Scottish physician, tobacco planter, and Loyalist politician in colonial Maryland. Born in Perthshire, Steuart emigrated to Maryland in around 1721, where he benefited from proprietarial patronage and was appointed to a number of colonial offices, eventually becoming a wealthy landowner with estates in both Maryland and Scotland, and serving two terms as mayor of Annapolis. However, he was forced by the outbreak of the American Revolution to decide whether to remain loyal to the Crown or to throw in his lot with the American rebels. In 1775 Steuart sailed to Scotland, deciding at age 75 that "he could not turn rebel in his old age". He remained there until his death in 1784.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dodon (farm)</span> Mansion in Maryland, United States

Dodon, is a 550-acre (2.2 km2) farm and former forced-labor tobacco plantation in Maryland, located near the South River about 10 miles (16 km) south west of Annapolis. Purchased in 1747 by the planter and politician Dr George H. Steuart, it remains the home of Steuart's descendants to this day. Steuart grew wealthy during the colonial era thanks to proprietarial patronage and the forced labor of enslaved people, but his family's prosperity and status was much reduced by the American Revolution and later by the American Civil War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard Sprigg Steuart</span>

Richard Sprigg Steuart (1797–1876) was a Maryland physician and an early pioneer of the treatment of mental illness. In 1838 he inherited four contiguous farms, totalling approximately 1900 acres as well as 150 slaves.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George H. Steuart (militia general)</span>

George Hume Steuart (1790–1867) was a United States general who fought during the War of 1812, and later joined the Confederate States of America during the Civil War. His military career began in 1814 when, as a captain, he raised a company of Maryland volunteers, leading them at both the Battle of Bladensberg and the Battle of North Point, where he was wounded. After the war he rose to become major general and commander-in-chief of the First Light Division, Maryland Militia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Annapolis Subscription Plate</span> First recorded formal horse race in Maryland, US

The Annapolis Subscription Plate is the name given both to the first recorded formal horse race in colonial Maryland and to the silver trophy awarded to the winner of the race. It is the second oldest known horse racing trophy in America.

Dungannon,, was a thoroughbred racehorse owned by the tobacco planter and horse breeder George Hume Steuart (1700–1784), who imported the horse from England to race against his rival, Charles Carroll of Annapolis (1703–1783). Dungannon won the Annapolis Subscription Plate, in May 1743, the first recorded formal horse race in colonial Maryland, and the second oldest in North America.

The Parole Hunt Club was a half-mile race track in Parole, Maryland, dedicated to horse racing, including pacers and trotters, on land now known as Riva Road. Until its redevelopment as a shopping center in the late 1950s the club was the location of the first recorded formal horse race in Maryland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Steuart Hume</span> American physician and landowner

George Steuart Hume, also known as George Home, was a Maryland physician and landowner who emigrated to Scotland before the American Revolutionary War. Born George Hume Steuart in Maryland, he left for Scotland in 1758, where he studied medicine, changing his name to his maternal name of Hume in order to inherit his family's substantial Scottish estates.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Benedict Swingate Calvert</span> American politician and judge (1722-1788)

Benedict Swingate Calvert was a planter, politician and a Loyalist in Maryland during the American Revolution. He was the son of Charles Calvert, 5th Baron Baltimore, the third Proprietor Governor of Maryland (1699–1751). His mother's identity is not known, though one source speculates that she was Melusina von der Schulenburg, Countess of Walsingham. As he was illegitimate, he was not able to inherit his father's title or estates, which passed instead to his half brother Frederick Calvert, 6th Baron Baltimore (1731–1771). Benedict Calvert spent most of his life as a politician, judge and planter in Maryland, though Frederick, by contrast, never visited the colony. Calvert became wealthy through proprietarial patronage and became an important colonial official, but he would lose his offices and his political power, though not his land and wealth, during the American Revolution.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jarvis Hospital</span> Hospital in Maryland, United States

Jarvis U.S. General Hospital was a military hospital founded in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1861, at the beginning of the American Civil War, for the care of wounded Federal soldiers. The hospital was built on the grounds of Maryland Square, the former residence of the Steuart family, which had been confiscated by the Federal government at the outbreak of war. The hospital closed at the end of the war.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Washington Blues</span> Military unit

The Washington Blues were a company of Maryland Volunteers which saw action during the Battle of Bladensburg and the Battle of North Point, during the War of 1812.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maryland Square</span> Mansion in Maryland, United States

"Maryland Square", later known as "Steuart Hall", was a mansion owned by the Steuart family from 1795 to 1861, located on the western outskirts of Baltimore, Maryland, at the present-day junction of West Baltimore and Monroe streets. In the first year of the American Civil War, the property was confiscated by the United States Federal Government as its owner, George H. Steuart, a former United States Army officer, had resigned his commission to fight in the Confederate Army, in the Army of Northern Virginia as a brigadier general.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maryland Line (CSA)</span>

The Maryland Line in the Army of the Confederate States of America was made up of volunteers from Maryland who, despite their home state remaining in the Union, fought for the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War. Of approximately 25,000 Marylanders who volunteered, most fought in the Army of Northern Virginia, and it was not until late in 1863 that a Maryland Line in the CSA was formally created. However, by this late stage in the war, few men wished to leave the units they had fought alongside for more than two years, and the exiles' dream of an independent Maryland Line in the Confederate army would never be fully realized.

Like other border states, Maryland found herself in a difficult position at the start of the American Civil War, with loyalties divided between North and South. Although Maryland herself remained in the Union, Maryland militia units fought on both sides of the Civil War. Many militia members travelled south at the start of the war, crossing the Potomac River to join the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elizabeth Calvert</span> Heiress in colonial Maryland (1731–1788)

Elizabeth Calvert (1731–1788) was the daughter of Maryland Governor Captain Charles Calvert and Rebecca Gerard, and a wealthy heiress in colonial Maryland. Her parents died when she was young, leaving her their substantial fortune. In 1748, aged 17, she married her cousin Benedict Swingate Calvert, a Loyalist politician and planter and the illegitimate son of Charles Calvert, 5th Baron Baltimore. Benedict's connections to the ruling Calvert family allowed him to benefit from considerable proprietarial patronage, until the American Revolution saw the overthrow of British rule and the end of Calvert power in Maryland. Benedict and Elizabeth had to pay triple taxes after the war's end but, unlike many loyalists, their lands and fortune remained unconfiscated.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Steuart (Mayor of Baltimore)</span> American mayor (1780–1839)

William Steuart was a stone mason in colonial Maryland, and Mayor of Baltimore from 1831 to 1832. He was a lieutenant colonel in the United States Army during the War of 1812, and saw service during the Battle of Baltimore, where he commanded the 38th United States Infantry foot regiment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Frederick Steuart</span>

William Frederick Steuart (1816–1889) was a Maryland-born medical doctor who served in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. He was a surgeon in the 3rd North Carolina Infantry Regiment, a unit that formed part of the brigade commanded by his cousin, General George H. Steuart. After the war he returned to Maryland and served as resident physician at the Maryland Hospital for the Insane, an institution founded largely thanks to the efforts of another cousin, Richard Sprigg Steuart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Steuart (planter)</span> American planter (1754–1839)

William Steuart was a wealthy planter in colonial Maryland. He inherited the estate of Dodon in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, from his father, planter and politician George H. Steuart.

References