Martha Ann (McCullough) Stewart (1816 - 1909)

Born 16 Apr 1816 in County Monaghan, Ireland

Wife of William Alford — married 19 Jan 1830 in Guelph, Wellington, Ontario, Canada

Wife of John Windecker Stewart — married 14 Jul 1852 in Oshtemo, Kalamazoo, Michigan

Descendants

Died 19 Apr 1909 at age 93 in Almena Township, Van Buren, Michigan, United States

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Biography

Said to be born in Monaghan County, Ireland, in the town of Tallyvanis, 12 miles from Nemey. However, none of these places appear to exist today. She died at her daughter Helen's home--Martha's old home-- in Kalamazoo County.

There is no such place as Tallyvanis. But there is a townland T[a]ullaghaloyst in the parish of Currin, Kelleevan, Aghabog, Barony of Dartrey in County Monaghan. These parishes were united in the 20th century. The noted townland would have been in what was Currin in the extreme south bordering County Cavan. There have been many changes in names in this area over the centuries.

Martha was 13 years old upon her marriage to William! She was only 33 when he died. She lived another 60 years! Martha had 14 children with William Alford, and two more with her second husband. Many of the children died young, most often of diptheria.

DEATH COMES TO AGED RESIDENT OF ALAMO MRS. MARTHA ALFORD STEWART WAS 93 YEARS OLD WHEN SHE PASSED AWAY

Mrs. Martha Alford Stewart died April 19th at the residence of her daughter, Mrs. C. C. Gunn, of Mattawan. Mrs. Stewart was born in Ireland, April 16, 1816, the daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Patrick McCullough. She came to Canada with her parents in 1828. Two years later she was married to William Alford an American soldier and in 1838 with her husband she came west, locating in Alamo where they underwent all the hardships of pioneer life. To them were born fourteen children, seven of whom reached their majority. In 1849 her husband died and three years later she was married to John W. Stewart, a man of strong religious character and well known throughout Kalamazoo county whom she survived twenty-one years.

A daughter living only a few months blessed this union. Mrs. Stewart lived on the farm which was bought from the government until 1860 when she sold it and bought a farm in Oshtemo. She was the last of the old pioneers of Alamo. She began to lose her eyesight as well as her hearing three years ago. And as she had not been able to walk without aid for eight years life was only enjoyed by knowing that she was with her loved ones and tenderly cared for. Her mind was clear and she could repeat many poems, some of which she learned in childhood days. She is survived by four children, Mrs. Abbe Lewis, Fife Lake, Mich.; Mrs. Anna Phillips and William Alford of Texas, and Mrs. C. C. Gunn of Mattawan.

The funeral services were held at West Oshtemo church and were conducted by Rev. I. Bates of Paw Paw and Rev. Henry Boynton of Oshtemo. The pallbearers were six of her grandchildren, William Lewis of Oshtemo; William Gunn of Watervliet; George Gunn of Oshtemo; Wallace Lewis of Grand Rapids; Clyde Alford of Texas, and Irwin Gunn of Mattawan. The interment was in the Northeast Alamo cemetery, beside the husband of her youth and close to all of her children with the exception of one, George Alford, who has slept in a soldier's grave in the sunny south for more than 40 years.

Mrs. Stewart is survived by ninety-six descendants, four children, twenty-two grandchildren, fifty-eight great grandchildren and twelve great-great-grandchildren, making five generations.

Sources

"United States Census, 1860", Oshtemo, Kalamazoo, Michigan^[1]

"United States Census, 1870," Oshtemo, Kalamazoo, Michigan^[2]

"United States Census, 1880," Oshtemo, Kalamazoo, Michigan^[3]

"United States Census, 1900," Texas township, Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States^[4]

Buried in Green Bower Cemetery, Alamo, Kalamazoo County, Michigan, USA, Plot: Section 3, Row 4, Position 1^[5]