Mary Dinwiddie

MARY DINWOODIE (aka MARY DINWIDDIES)

Mary Dinwiddie, here treated, is the daughter of Robert Dinwiddie of Germiston and his wife, Elizabeth Cumming. She was born before 15 December 1695, the date upon which her baptism was registered at Glasgow in Lanarkshire, Scotland. [National Records of Scotland, Glasgow Baptisms, reference OPR.644/1/7]

The Question of Identity

An inscription on a memorial stone in Paxton Presbyterian Churchyard at Harrisburg in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, in the United States of America, informs us that a lady named Mary Stewart is buried there. The inscription reads as follows: “In memory of Mary Stewart who departed this life April 30th 1772 aged 65 years”. Because she is buried in a plot belonging to Andrew Stewart, the creator of her Find A Grave entry has calculated that Mary Stewart is the same person as Mary Dinwiddie, the wife of Andrew Stewart. The creator also states that: “Mary Dinwiddie was born in Glasgow, Lanark, Scotland to Lord Robert Dinwiddie and Elizabeth Cumming” but he does not offer and evidence whatsoever to support his assertion Find A Grave: Mary Dinwiddie Stewart

It is possible that the man referred to above as Lord Robert Dinwiddie is Robert Dinwiddie of Germiston He was not a Lord of Parliament but he did marry a lady named Elizabeth Cumming Elizabeth Dinwiddie and they did have a daughter named Mary. She was born before 15 December 1695, the date upon which her baptism was registered at Glasgow in Lanarkshire, Scotland [Glasgow Baptisms]

If we follow the Find A Grave evidence cited above, then it seems reasonable to suppose that Mary Stewart, might have been born during the twelve month period which began on 28 April 1706 and ended on 30 April 1707. In this regard it might be considered prudent to allow some margin for error in this calculation in order to take account of the possibility that the stonemason made a mistake with the date of her death, or the possibility that his informant was uncertain of Mrs. Stewart's age, but it would surely be considered unreasonable to conclude that the the lady buried in the Presbyterian Churchyard at Harrisburg is the same person as the child who was baptised at Glasgow on 15 December 1695.

Conflicting Genealogy

There is some uncertainty about the subsequent history of Mary Dinwiddie, here treated. According to Electric Scotland, Mary Dinwiddie, the daughter of Robert Dinwiddie of Germiston, and his wife, Elizabeth Cumming, married the Reverend J. Stewart. Electric Scotland

Louise Pecquet du Bellet, on the other hand, says that the Laird of Germiston's daughter, who, according to her, was born in 1707 and died on 30 April 1772, married Andrew Stuart and became the mother of the Reverend John Stuart. Some Prominent Virginia Families: p. 601

Running contrary to both of the above mentioned claims, A. H. Young has suggested that Andrew Stuart's wife was the daughter of the Governor of Virginia. A. H. Young, The Revd. John Stuart, D.D., U.E.L., of Kingston, U.C., and his Family: A Genealogical Study (Whig Press, Kingston), page 8

Conclusion

It is difficult or impossible to say which, if any, of the the above assertions is correct, It does appear to be the case, though, that the Reverend J. Stewart is not the same person as the Reverend John Stuart (1740-1811), although, only coincidentally it would seem, John Stuart is reported to be the son of Andrew Stuart, and his wife, Mary Dinwiddie. St. Alban the Martyr Memorial Church: Memorial Tile for the Reverend John Stuart

Death

A death record has not been identified for the Laird of Germiston's daughter Mary. It should perhaps be said, however, that she is not mentioned in the last will and testament of her brother Robert, that is Robert Dinwiddie of Airdrie, late Governor of the Colony of Virginia. He drew up his will at London in England on 2 May 1769, and it seems possible, therefore, that his sister Mary was dead before this date. Moreover, neither does his will make mention of her putative husbands, that is the Reverend J. Stewart, or Andrew Stewart, or of any Stewart offspring. [Lothrop Withington, Virginia Gleanings in England (Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc.), pp. 303-04]

GEDCOM Source

@R300473034@ Ancestry Family Trees Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com. Original data: Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members. Ancestry Family Tree http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=40323802&pid...