Levin* Stuart

*Presumed likely the father of Michael Stuart is this Levin Stuart, as he was an elder patriarch of the Nanticoke Hundred, Sussex Co., DE community in the federal period as had has least two wives with a set of children with each wife. Levin lived to nearly, or just over, 80 years of age, and leaves no will that this compiler can find. However, his ownership of Lots in the village of Concord, DE along with Michael and Peter Stuart make it extremely compelling that Levin Stuart is the probable father of at least those two individuals and possibly William (and maybe Joshua Stuart) as well. It also seems likely that he had daughters who married Hall and Huffington males. Levin Stuart's parentage are as yet unknown but he may descend from the Stuarts in Old Somerset and Worcester County, MD with a decent likelihood that it was William Stewart born before 1741.

**OLDER NOTES: There is a Peter Stewart in Wicomico and an Alexander Stewart in Nanticoke hundreds in the 1740 Somerset Tax List (before Worcester is formed). There is a William Stewart in 1759 Somerset Nanticoke.**

Levin Stuart/Stewart shows up in a variety of old Sussex land records as follows:

Dec 16 1800 Levin Stuart bought two lots in the Village of Concord commonly called Pine Grove Furnace at head of Deep Creek, Lots 7 and 8, from Robert and Nancy Boyce. (SxLR-X:97) On Apr 18 1801, Levin Stewart buys Lot 69 in Village of Concord in Broad Creek Hundred from Seth Griffith for $16.00 (SxLR-Y:196). On Jun 5 1801, Levin Stewart buys Lot 6 in Village of Concord for $20.00 from Thomas and Amelia Laws (SxLR-Y:196). Oct 11 1802, Levin serves as a witness for a land transaction between Kevin Batson, high sheriff, and Thomas Coulbourn. (SxLR-X22:55)

On Apr 30 1803, Levin is a witness to a land transaction between Seth and Nancy Griffith and Robert Boyce for parts of "Partnership" and "New Ireland". (SxLR-Y:227). On May 6 1803, he also witnesses a transaction between Robert and Nancy Boyce and William Anderson for land bounded on north by Village of Concord and bounds "Partnership" and "New Ireland". This record mentions a deed from Griffith and Hitch. (SxLR-Y:228) On Sep 24 1803, Levin Stewart witnesses a transaction between Levin and Nancy Lord and Seth Griffith for Lot 58 in the Village of Concord. (SxLR-Y:305). On Oct 17 1803, Levin Stewart witnessed a transaction of Bond of Indemnity for Mitchell Derickson, William D. Waples and Joames Gordon bound to Charles Cullen. (SxLR-Z:35) On Dec 27 1803, Levin Stewart and Jesse Green buy land "Rotterdam" (Cornelius Jackson Maryland patent which eventually became Jesse Wright land, deceased father of Betsy Martin) from Israel and Betsy Martin for $100.00. It contains 400 acres. (SxLR-Y:371).

On Aug 3 1807, Levin witnesses a transction between John Adams and Seth Griffith for part of tracts "Venture", "Nanticoke". (SxLR-AC26:238) [Note: Peter Stewart witnesses his first land transaction on Apr XX 1808 (SxLR-AC26:149). On Mar 7 1808, Levin Stuart witnesses transaction between Michael Stewart of Braod Creek and Eliza his wife and William Huffington Jr. of town of Middleford for 30 acres in Nanticoke Hundred, part of tract "Hap" and "Clear Brook." (SxLR-AC26:52) In 1811, Levin Stuart is witness to transaction between Jehu/Hannah Shockley and Thomas Brereton. (SxLR-AF29:327)

1803 Tax List for Broad Creek, Sussex Co., DE includes Levin Stuart for 1 house and lot in Concord and 1 negro boy, Michael Stuart for a house/lot in Concord and negro girl and, William Stuart for personal property.

Jonathan Stewart is the only person with the surname in Nanticoke Hundred, Sussex County in 1800. His household is listed as 01010-21000. This suggests he was a widower and aged 26-45 at the time (born 1755/1774). He has a possible son that is age 10-15 and born 1785/90.

In 1810, there are two John Stewarts living next to one another in 1810 Nanticoke so they could be Jonathan of 1800 and his son John/Jonathan in 1810. There are two more Stewarts in Nanticoke in 1810, William and Joshua. Joshua has a household consisting of 20110-12010 in 1810, suggesting he was age 26-45 at the time - born 1765/1784.

On Jul 26 1810, Michael Stuart purchased from Levin Stuart and his wife, Hester, all of Sussex, for $90, Lots 22, 23, 24 in Concord, DE (SxLR).

In 1820, there are four Stewart households in Nanticoke Hundred - William, Peter, Levin and Joshua. There are two in Broad Creek Hundred - Daniel, John and one in Northwest Fork - Jonathan. The Nanticoke Stewarts:

William: 111100-00001
Peter: 301110-11110 (born 1776-1794)
Levin: 520001-10110 (born bef 1775)
Joshua: 110010-00010

Note, since Joshua is age 26-45 in 1820, as he was in 1810, then this narrows his birth year to 1775/84. That places him as probably NOT the father to Peter Stuart born 1780/90. Levin Stuart, based upon this census, was born before 1775 (1760-70 if you use 1830 as the gauge) so could be father but he does not show in his own household prior to 1820 (he is in the 1803 Tax List for Broad Creek Hundred for a house and a lot in Concord, DE as is a Michael Stuart and William Stuart). For 1820, William and Peter are near Shiles households but the others are not too remote.

Levin Stuart was appointed Sheriff of Sussex County on Oct 29 1822.

In 1830, we have
Levin (Nanticoke): 0121000010000-1002010000000 (born 1760-70)
William (Nanticoke): 0011000100000-0002001000000 (born 1770-80)
Joshua (Nanticoke): 0001001000000-0000001000000 (born 1780-90)
John (Nanticoke): "free negro"
Peter (Broad Creek): 0111001000000-2101010000000 (born 1780-90)

Peter's household is nearest to the Shiles. The proximity of Peter Stuart to the Shiles originally compelled this compiler to conjecture that he was father of Mahala (Stuart) Shiles and husband to Mahala (?) who survives much longer than her husband before it was proven via land records. If this is the case, who is father to Peter? Peter was born 1780/90 according to the 1820/30 census records. Current conjecture is that Levin Stuart may be father to William, Joshua, Michael and Peter Suart, all of Nanticoke Hundred.

Let's now check 1840 where we have:
Joshua (Little Creek): 1000000010000-0000010000000 (born 1770-80)
Mahala (Broad Creek): 0000100000000-0010000100000 (born 1780-90)
William (Nanticoke): 0000000010000-0001000100000 (born 1770-80)
Joseph (Nanticoke): "free negro"
Levin (Nanticoke): 0001200001000-0300100000000 (born 1760-70)
John (Nanticoke): "free negro"
Haslett (Nanticoke): "free negro"
Caleb R. (Little Creek): 1000100000000-1100110000000 (born 1800-10)
1840 tells us bunches. Peter is gone but Mahala (a female head) shows up, plus the other male heads are all still living apparently, EXCEPT for Peter Stuart - very compelling evidence that Peter Stuart was husband to Mahala where he was born 1780-90 and died somewhere between 1831-39 and something that we subsequently proved via Delaware land records. From the 1840 census, we see Mahala is age 50-60 and 1850 tells us she is 60 years old, hence she was born c1790. The most likely father for Peter Stuart is Levin who was born in the 1760s and Levin may very well be father to William and Joshua Stuart as well. For Levin, we also know his new wife (Rebecca Jones) is age 20-30 (born 1810-1820).

More work to do in the probate and orphan's courts and, perhaps land records to get to the bottom of it all.

In 1850, we have the following Stuart heads in Subdivision 11 (Little Creek, Broad Creek) and Nanticoke:
Joseph (Sub 11): age 52, born 1798
Ann (Sub 11): age 45, born 1805
James (Sub 11): age 38, born 1812
Caleb R. (Sub 11): age 40, born 1810
John (Sub 11): age 33, born 1817 - with Mahala, age 60, born 1790
James D. (Sub 11): age 28, born 1822
George W. (Sub 11): age 32, born 1818 (next to James D.)

William, Joshua and Levin are all gone - either deceased or moved away with Levin, a very elderly man, in 1840, having probably passed on.

Levin* married Hester (?).

Levin* next married Rebecca Jones, daughter of Thomas Jones and Unknown, on 13 Dec 1836 in Sussex Co., DE. (Rebecca Jones was born about 1814 in Sussex Co., DE.)