Identity area
Type of entity
Authorized form of name
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Description area
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History
Thomas Alexander Stewart was born in Ireland and worked for the firm of Robert Reid and Son, which manufactured linen, cotton and silk. When the company ran into financial trouble, and eventual bankruptcy, Thomas and his wife, Frances Browne Stewart (1794-1872), emigrated to Canada with their children and Thomas' brother-in-law and former business partner, Robert Reid and his family. The party of 27 set sail from Belfast Lough on June 1, 1822. Seven weeks were spent on the ship before reaching Quebec. From Quebec they travelled to Kingston, and then on to York, where Stewart and Reid were each granted 1200 acres, provided they settled in an unsurveyed township. Douro Township in Peterborough County was suggested as a promising region. On September 9, 1822, Stewart and Reid travelled to the area with surveyor Richard Birdsall, and each chose land on the Otonabee River. Thomas Stewart became a prominent and influential citizen in the area and died in 1847 from typhoid fever. Extensive biographical information on the Stewart family, plus friends, neighbours, and associates, may be found in accession [02-001]:https://www.trentu.ca/library/archives/02-001