Margaret McWhirter (1841-1914)

Margaret McWhirter was born 21 September 1841 in County Tyrone, Ireland to Thomas McWhirter (1800-1867) and Eliza Jane Beatty (1800-?). She emigrated to the United States with her family sometime between 1841 and 1850. County Tyrone is located in Northern Ireland.

County Map of Ireland
(Tyrone County highlighted in yellow)

 

Sperrin Mountains, County Tyrone, Ireland
(Photo by Edmond J.)

When I began researching my McWhirter ancestors in Vermont back in 1993, one of the first people I came across was my 2nd great grand aunt, Margaret McWhirter (1841-1914).  Although I didn’t know how she was related to me,  I knew that she was. With so few people in Vermont with the last name McWhirter at that time, my theory was that they all had to be related somehow. As it turns out, I was right.

I first found Margaret on the 1850 U.S. Federal Census living with the William Simpson family in Burlington, Chittenden, Vermont. Also enumerated with this family was the Robert Clifford family.  In 2011 I discovered that Robert Clifford‘s (1821-1891) wife Agnes, was Maggie’s older sister,  Agnes McWhirter (1827-1898).

1850 U.S. Federal Census for Burlington, Chittenden, Vermont
(Taken: 29 August 1850)

She married Archibald Stewart (1837-1926) on 26 July 1865 in Middlebury, Addison, Vermont. Place of birth given for Margaret was Tyrone County, Ireland.  This record was the first time I’d ever seen reference to where the McWhirter family might have originated in Ireland.

Marriage Record for Margaret McWhirter & Archibald Stewart
26 July 1865

To this union were born seven children: Mary J. Stewart (1866-?), Charles H. Stewart (1867-1893), Elizabeth Stewart (1869-1934), Lillian Stewart (1876-1939), Margaret “Maggie” Stewart (1878-1937), Gertrude Stewart (1881-1965) and Archibald Stewart Jr. (1883-1955).

In  1880, the Archibald Stewart family was living in Winfield, Cowley, Kansas where Archibald was employed as a stone mason.

1880 U.S. Federal Census for Winfield, Cowley, Kansas
(Taken: 2 June 1880)

In 1900 Census for Rutland, Rutland, Vermont, Margaret McWhirter Stewart is listed as married and as head of the household. Living with her at the time were her children, Margaret, Gertrude and Archibald Jr., as well as her daughter Elizabeth and son-in-law Edgar Beardsley (1867-1940), and granddaughter Marguerite Beardsley (1898-1977). Her husband, Archibald Stewart Sr. was not in residence.

1900 U.S. Federal Census for Rutland, Rutland, Vermont
(Taken: 9 June 1900)

The following newspaper article appeared in the St. Albans Daily Messenger on 30 November 1903 regarding Archibald. It is not  clear what “home” is being referred to, but I’m guessing it was a care facility for Civil War Veterans.

St. Albans (Vermont) Daily Messenger, Date: 30 November 1903
{Newspaper Article courtesy of Charles Thomas)

Margaret McWhirter Stewart died 8 August 1914 in Rutland, Rutland, Vermont,  from heart disease.

Death Certificate for Margaret McWhirter Stewart
8 August 1914

Margaret McWhirter Stewart Obituary
From the Middlebury Register, Middlebury, Vermont, 14 Aug 1914, p4.
(Obituary courtesy of Charles Thomas)

Margaret’s  husband, Archibald Stewart, passed away 30 January 1926 in Rutland, Rutland, Vermont.  The following obituary appeared in the Rutland (Vermont) Daily Herald on 1 February 1926.

Funeral services for Archibald Stewart, 89, who died Saturday morning at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Frank (Lillian) Pierce, 80 Church street, will be held at 3:30 o’clock this afternoon at Trinity Episcopal church.
Mr. Stewart is survived by five daughters, Mrs. Charles (Mary) Chappel of Salt Lake City, Utah, Deaconess Gertrude Stewart of Changsha, China, Mrs. Frank (Lillian) Pierce, Mrs. E.S. (Elizabeth) Beardsley and Mrs. Phillip (Margaret) Start of this city and by one son, Archibald Stewart, Jr., of New York. He also leaves eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Mr. Stewart was born in Roxham, Quebec, Canada, January 22, 1837 and received his education there. He was a member of Roberts Post, Grand Army of the Republic, Mt. Anthony lodge, F. and A.M., of Bennington and Trinity church. He served in company G, fifth Vermont volunteers during the Civil war.

Both Margaret and her husband Archibald are buried in Evergreen Cemetery, Rutland, Rutland, Vermont.

Margaret McWhirter (Spelled MacWhirter on gravestone) & Archibald Stewart Gravestone
Evergreen Cemetery, Rutland, Rutland, Vermont
(Photo Courtesy of Jen Snoots)