Stuart, Dr. James

  • Biography information from UELAC Loyalist Directory and Find a GRAVE profile:
    • Dr. James Stuart (born on February 17, 1711, in Inverness, Scotland) was a Surgeon’s mate, King Royal Regiment of New York under Sir John Johnson during trhe American Revolution.
    • Dr. James Stuart (1711-1804) married Jean Grant (1732-1796) in Scotland in about 1752-53, and they lived in Scotland and had six children there as follows: (1) John Roy Stuart, b. 1753 – d. Unknown; (2) Elspet Stuart, b. 1757 – d. Unknown; (3) Mary Stuart, b. 1759 – d. 1843, (4) George Stuart, b. 1763 – d. Unknown, (5) Henry Stuart, b. 1766 – d. 1837, and (6) Gilbert Stuart, b. 1769 – d. Unknown. In 1774, the family, along with George J. Grant, moved from Scotland to Colonial New York and settled in New Stamford near Utsayantha Lake near the present day town of Jefferson, New York. In Colonial New York, Dr. James Stuart bought a large farm and continued to practice medicine as well as farming.
    • When the American Revolution broke out, Dr. James Stuart allied himself with the Loyalists and enlisted in the King’s Royal Regiment of New York as a surgeon’s mate in 1777. Dr. Stuart played a key role in the Battle of Oriskany in 1777, by providing his farm as a gathering place for muster for the Loyalist Ulster County Militia troops under the command of Capt. Lake de Witt of Col. Johannes Snyder’s Regiment of the Loyalist Ulster County Militia. Dr. Stuart served in the 84th. Regiment, the King’s Royal Regiment of New York. After the Battle of Oriskany, Dr. James Stuart, his wife, and his family found it wise to relocate from Colonial New York to Stormont County, Ontario (Osnabruck). Dr. Stuart was given a land grant of 900 acres along the St. Lawrence River near Cornwall, Ontario, by King George III for his military service to the British Crown. Dr. Stuart resettled his family on this land grant and became a farmer and town doctor for Cornwall, Ontario. He died in Cornwall, Ontario in 1804.
    • It is recorded that Dr. James Stuart served a total of 14 years for the British as Surgeons Mate, first during the Seven Years War in the 42nd Regiment and then with the KRRNY from 1777 to 1783 (see pg. 317 ‘The History and Master Rolls of the KRRNY revised Edition by Cruikshank & Watt, 2006) James enlisted with the 42nd Regiment of Foot in 1766 and served as a surgeon’ mate until his emigration to America in 1774.
  • United Empire Loyalist listed in Loyalist Directory: https://uelac.ca/loyalist-directory/detail/?wpda_search_column_id=8219
  • Find A Grave: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/100915735/james-stuart