Mourning Burford (Floyd) Stewart (abt. 1768 - 1847)

Born about 1768 in Amherst County, Virginia

Ancestors

Wife of John Stewart — married 13 Apr 1784 in Amherst County, Virginia, USA

Descendants

Died 5 Apr 1847 at about age 79 in Oglethorpe County, Georgia, USA

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Biography

Daughter of James John Floyd and Matilda Burford Floyd and Wife of Brigadier General John Stewart.

Matilda Burford married John Floyd in 1768 at the age of fourteen. She died in childbirth in 1769. Her daughter, (Mourning Burford) was raised by her sister, Virginia.

Two years after the death of Matilda, John Floyd returned to Amherst, VA where he had an affair with Virginia. The affair resulted in one child, John Floyd Burford, born 24 October 1771.

Since John Floyd left about 1772 for Kentucky and later went on to captain his privateer, the Phoenix, and to his subsequent capture and imprisonment, he may not have known for some years that Virginia had been pregnant with a son.

This boy was raised as John Floyd Burford, later adopting his well-known father's name as his last name. The basis for these speculations come from the Stewart Clan papers. Also, letters from John Burford Floyd's son note his father as a brother to Mourning.

Mourning was so named for her mother's death at her birth. Her father was the famous Kentucky pioneer and Indian fighter, Col. John Floyd, her mother Matilda Burford of Amherst County, Va. Her brother John Floyd was a congressman and governor of Va. Mourning and her husband General John Stewart raised a large family at Cherry Hill, including two children buried at Oak Hill, Sarah Stevens and her sister Permelia.

"Mourning was named in memory of her mother Matilda who died in childbirth, leaving the infant Mourning. She was raised by her mother's relatives, generally believed to be the Burfords, as Daniel Burford signed her marriage release as her guardian. In addition, Brenda Hester has found an Amherst County record (see notes under John Stewart) in which she is identified as Mourning Burford (Floyd), at a time when she was already married to John. So I believe she was called Mourning Burford Floyd, preserving her parent's name as her middle name". Source: https://www.geni.com/people/Mourning-Stewart

Burial: Stevens Family Cemetery, Oglethorpe County, Georgia.

Family

Parents: John Floyd 1750–1783 Mary Matilda Burford Floyd 1753–1769

Spouse: John Stewart 1760–1829

Half Siblings: John Burford Floyd 1771–1838 George Rogers Clark Floyd 1779–1823 William Preston Floyd 1779–1783 John Floyd 1783–1837

Children: Matilda Stewart Phinizy 1795–1836 Sarah Floyd Stewart Stevens 1798–1827 Permelia Stewart Perkins 1799–1879 Ann Stewart Smith 1802–1884

Daniel Burford (grandfather)

Will of Daniel Burford^[1]
Written: 1 May 1787
Probated: 2 July 1787
Legatees:
daughter Virginia Taylor (250 acres), her natural son Floyd Burford, and all her children
granddaughter Mourning Burford Stewart
sons John and Daniel
daughter Milly Crews
daughter Frances Goodwin
daughter Elizabeth Goodwin
Executors: sons John and Daniel and John Stewart.
Witnesses: John Crews, Abel and Noel Blankenship

Sources

1. ↑ Davis, Bailey Fulton. 1998. The wills of Amherst County, Virginia, 1761-1865. Easley, S.C.: Southern Historical Press.

• Virginia Compiled Marriages, 1660-1800 (for Mourning Floyd, at Ancestry.com)
• 1830 US Census: Capt Beasleys District, Oglethorpe County, Georgia (Morning Stewart)
• 1840 US Census: District 232, Oglethorpe County, Georgia (Mourning Stewart)
• American Revolutionary War Rejected Pensions (Mourning Stewart, widow of General John Stewart, at Ancestry.com)
• Georgia Wills & Probate Records, 1742-1992 (for Mourning Stewart, at Ancestry.com)
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/5200048/mourning-burford-stewart: accessed 01 February 2023), memorial page for Mourning Burford Floyd Stewart (1769–1847), Find a Grave Memorial ID 5200048, citing Stevens Family Cemetery, Oglethorpe County, Georgia, USA; Maintained by 47117651 (contributor 47117651).
• North America, Family Histories, 1500-2000 (various entries for Mourning Floyd, at Ancestry.com)
• Ancestry.com Profile for Mourning Burford Floyd (1769 - 1847)

See also: