Who was Alexander Steward of New Kent, Virginia?

Catherine Gauldin
Apr 27
4 min read

Alexander Steward

I have a couple of sources that give information about a man named Alexander Steward, who may have been the father of Anne Steward who married John Gaulding of New Kent, Virginia, but neither of them give sources. The first was from Nancy Nash, whom I corresponded with in about 2000.

“This tree gives the following information: The John Gaulding (b. 1680 d 173? in New Kent, Virginia is not the same John "of New Kent" m Anne Stuart (b. 1685 in Henrico, Va and died 1735 in New Kent, Virginia). The source gives the parents of Anne as Alexander Stuart and Elizabeth. Their son was John Gaulding (1709-1773) m Elizabeth Geers (1710-1774) and he married Elizabeth Geers, the daughter of Francis Geers (b. in Norfolk, Virginia, USA and died in Amelia, Virginia, USA) and Elizabeth Stuart (born in Henrico, Virginia, USA and died in Amelia, Virginia, USA. THE PARENTS OF FRANCIS GEERS ARE GIVEN AS THOMAS GEERS AND WIFE JUDITH and ELIZABETH IS ALSO LISTED AS THE DAUGHTER OF ALEXANDER STUART AND ELIZABETH. Source: Nancy Nash of North Tazewell, Virginia.”

This was published in The Gaulden, Gauldin, Gaulding Family History, A Seven Hundred Year Study, Vol 1 (1)

“Notes for ANNE STUART: Information regarding Anne Stuart, married John Goldinge, comes from Dr. Charles H. Goldinge's book: "Anne (Stuart) who married John Goldinge, was born about 1680 (my guess). She died Oct. 27, 1735 in New Kent Co. Virginia. Some have indicated that Anne's maiden name was Stuart, but it is not confirmed. An Alexander Stuart was in the area, and that could account for one of her son's being named Alexander. In Dec. 1752, Anne's son Alexander died and a James Stuart was given custody of one of his children. Perhaps James Stuart was Anne's brother, thus the court ruled in favor of the great uncle (James Stuart) rather than the uncle (John Goldinge II)."

There are no records that still exist to prove that this is true. There is no direct record of an Alexander Stewart (or Steward) that appears in surviving New Kent County, Virginia documents for 1752, but there is circumstantial evidence of Stewarts in adjacent counties—particularly Hanover and King William—active in that period. (2)

1. Documentary context - New Kent County record loss: Nearly all pre‑1865 county records were destroyed by fire (first in 1787, again during the Civil War).  This means that any Stewart or Steward entries for 1752 would survive only in church registers or neighboring county archives. (3)

2. St. Peter’s Parish Register (1680–1787): The extant register, published by the Colonial Dames of America, lists baptisms, marriages, and burials for New Kent and early Hanover families.  While it includes several Stewarts and Stewards, no Alexander Stewart is recorded among the entries for the 1740s–1750s. (3)

3. Hanover County continuity: After 1704, St. Paul’s Parish (Hanover) was carved from St. Peter’s. Stewart families documented there—such as James Stewart (vestryman, 1720s–1730s) and William Stewart (tithable, 1740s)—represent the same surname cluster that had earlier appeared in New Kent. An Alexander could plausibly belong to this Hanover branch, but no baptism or land patent under that name is preserved.

📜 Surrounding counties and possible references

1. King William County: Surviving land patents (Virginia Land Office Grants, Book 31, 1752–1753) include Stewarts but not an Alexander.

2. King and Queen County: Parish and militia rolls list Stewarts sporadically in the 1740s–1750s; again, none named Alexander.

3. Hanover County: The vestry book of St. Paul’s Parish (1706–1786) mentions Stewarts through mid‑century, but Alexander does not appear among communicants or tithables.

If Alexander Stewart was in New Kent County or a surrounding county, he would probably have been there in the late 1600’s. There is no surviving primary record proving that an Alexander Stewart lived in New Kent County, Virginia in the late 1600s — but there is strong circumstantial evidence that a Stewart man (possibly named Alexander) was present in the region during that period. Because New Kent’s records were almost entirely destroyed, the absence of a name in surviving documents does not mean the person was not there.

Below is a structured, evidence‑based explanation grounded in what can be verified today.

✅ What the surviving records show -Because New Kent County suffered catastrophic record loss (fires in 1787 and 1865), almost no 17th‑century county records survive. The only substantial surviving source is:

1. St. Peter’s Parish Register (1680–1787) — the only continuous record for New Kent families.

2. This register does contain Stewarts/Stewards, but no entry for an Alexander Stewart appears in the surviving pages.

This means:

We cannot confirm an Alexander Stewart in New Kent through parish entries.

We also cannot rule him out, because the majority of New Kent’s civil records (land, probate, court, tithables) are gone.

📍 Surrounding counties (late 1600s)

New Kent was the “mother county” for several later counties. Many families who lived in New Kent before 1700 appear in:

· King & Queen County (formed 1691)

· King William County (formed 1702)

· Hanover County (formed 1720)

These counties also suffered record loss, but Stewart families do appear in these areas in the early 1700s, especially in St. Paul’s Parish, Hanover, which was originally part of New Kent. However, no surviving 17th‑century record in these counties names an Alexander Stewart. Again, this is due to record destruction, not evidence of absence.

🧭 Genealogical inference (not a primary record) - Although no document names an Alexander Stewart in New Kent in the late 1600s, several compiled genealogies (secondary sources) identify an Alexander Stuart as the father of Anne Stewart who married John Gaulding. These compilations are based on:

1. Naming patterns (Anne and John named a son Alexander Gaulding)

2. The 1752 guardianship case where James Stewart was appointed guardian to Anne’s grandson — suggesting James was Anne’s brother

3. Stewart presence in the New Kent/Hanover parish system from 1680 onward. These are indirect clues, not primary evidence.

🧾 Conclusion - No primary record proves an Alexander Stewart lived in New Kent or surrounding counties in the late 1600s. But genealogical reconstruction strongly suggests that a Stewart man — possibly named Alexander — was present in the region and was the father of Anne Stewart.