Matthew Stewart Clan Newsletter Matthew Stewart, Born March 20,1720 Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland Died January 26,1808 Mecklenburg County, North Carolina Buried Philadelphia Presbyterian Church, Mint Hill, North Carolina P rovid ed by the Ma tthe w S te wa rt Cla n R e uni on P la nni ng Commi ttee Clan Reunion Program Highlights Celebrating our Heritage 1930 Clan Reunion Pic Article: Rice Cemetery Reunion Registration Hotel Registration Can You Identify Contact Information Places to see and visit Charlotte / Mint Hill Area Captain Matthew Stewart Burial Site Rice Cemetery Mint Hill, NC Billy Graham Memorial 4330 Westmont Drive Charlotte, NC 28217 (704) 401-3200 Dr. Graham is a descendant of Matthew Mint Hill Historical Society PO Box 23203 7601 Matthews Mint Hill Rd Mint Hill, NC 28227 704-573-0726 Opening Ceremony Army Color Guard Fall 2014 Matthew Stewart Clan Reunion Saturday, July 25, 2015, 9:00 am Philadelphia Presbyterian Church 11501 Bain School Road Mint Hill, North Carolina 28227 Reunion Registration due by June 1, 2015 Clan Reunion Program Highlights Catherine Luna McKeever Formerly of the Metropolitan Opera, New York City Volume 1, Issue 3 A Social Gathering - Meet and Greet will be held Friday evening, 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm, July 24, 2015 at the Holiday Inn Express, 9420 East Independence Blvd., Matthews, NC 28105. Keynote Speaker: Dr. Rev. Charles Stewart, Fort Worth, Texas Speaker: Patricia Poland, Monroe, North Carolina Divided Group Sessions Lunch Open Session Door Prizes Group Picture Photography Session Clan Business Meeting (Election of Officers. Decide on next Clan Reunion Date)
Page 2 Matthew Stewart Clan Newsletter Matthew Stewart Clan Reunion July 25, 2015 Philadelphia Presbyterian Church 11501 Bain School Road Mint Hill, North Carolina 28227 Celebrating Our Heritage Records show that the first Matthew Stewart Clan Reunion was held in 1925. Plans began immediately for the second Clan Reunion to be held in 1927. Letters were sent to descendants of Matthew asking for donations for cost of moving Matthew s remains from the old Philadelphia Church yard to the current location and to construct a monument made of granite. August 18, 1927, the second Matthew Stewart Clan Reunion was held and the unveiling of the monument took place. It is said to have been more than 200 descendants in attendances with six states represented. August 1930, the third reunion took place with more than 200 descendants in attendance. Plans were made at this reunion to hold its next Clan meeting in the summer of 1932. However, due to the depression and economic conditions, the Clan meeting was not held in 1932. July 1936, Plummer Stewart, Clan President called a meeting of the descendants of Matthew Stewart Clan to have notices sent out to have their next Clan Reunion on July 10, 1937. Minutes of this reunion were recorded by Mrs. Mattie Hotchkiss Stewart. (Interesting Note: Mrs. Mattie Stewart s great grand-daughter is serving on the committee for our upcoming July 25, 2015 Matthew Stewart Clan Reunion.) Just as Reunions past, the primary goal is to reconnect our extended family, celebrate our heritage and honor those hearty, adventurous and resourceful ancestors that preceded us. Another exciting opportunity we have with this 21 st century Reunion is to take advantage of harnessing current technology to establish a collective repository for our extensive family s history so that future generations may more-easily learn of their roots, related stories and facts once they become curious and interested. One of the opportunities we ll have at the Reunion will be to explore feasible options for developing a repository for family history and records. We need and want your ideas along with stories and information to complete the collage of our family s heritage. Matthew Stewart, Neptune Beach, Florida Picture copied from display in Philadelphia Presbyterian Church Historical Room, Mint Hill, NC
Page 3 Matthew Stewart Clan Newsletter Cemetery at the Second Site of Philadelphia Presbyterian Church Circa 1780 Originally Called Clear Creek Presbyterian AKA Rice Cemetery & Hartt Cemetery Mint Hill NC 28227 Mecklenburg County First Burial Grounds for Captain Matthew Stewart Cemetery History For 46 years, from 1780-1826, the second building of Philadelphia Presbyterian Church was located along the north wall of this cemetery on Matthews-Mint Hill Road until the church moved in 1826 to its third and current site at 11501 Bain School Road, Mint Hill, Mecklenburg County, NC. This cemetery was one of the two original burial sites for the church which was founded in 1770. The first site was Rocky Spring Meeting House Burial Ground is located on Brief Road. Details are provided below on Rocky Spring. It is believed that both cemeteries contain the graves of revolutionary war soldiers. The Cemetery at the Second Site is enclosed with a wall of stacked stones, with the site of the second church building located outside the north wall. On the outside of the south wall is a burial place for servants of church members. These graves are arranged in neat rows, most unmarked, but some marked with field stones. Originally these graves outside the wall would likely have been marked with pine slabs, however only one remains and is preserved in the church's historical room. Over 200 graves in the servant section are currently marked with field stones and many others are clearly seen as depressions in the periwinkle. Many are marked with temporary white crosses. This Servant Section outside the south wall is believed to be one of the largest remaining the old slave cemeteries in Mecklenburg County. Although it is thought the cemetery dates to 1780 when the church was built, the oldest marked grave found to date is that of Tunis Hood who died in 1797. The cemetery is located at 6400 Matthews-Mint Hill Road at Phyllis Lane in Mecklenburg County, Mint Hill, NC - Provided by Philadelphia Presbyterian Church Website
Captain Matthew Stewart Clan Reunion Page 4 August 21,1930 Matthew Stewart Clan Reunion Group Picture Dr. James Stewart of Flowood, MS has identified his grandfather, Arthur Talmadge Stewart, SR in the following picture. He is the gentleman on the front row, to the left holding his hat in front of him. Arthur traveled from his farm just outside of White Plains, Greene County, Georgia to Philadelphia Presbyterian Church, Mint Hill, North Carolina to attend the Reunion. Anyone who can identify others in the picture, please email me at gsrts@knology.net. John Stewart, Co-chairman, Matthew Stewart Clan Reunion Committee for 2015 Arthur Talmadge Stewart, SR pictured in later years. Information and Pictures provided by Dr. James Stewart, Flowood, MS
Matthew Stewart Clan Reunion Event Registration Form Saturday, July 25, 2015, 9:00 am Philadelphia Presbyterian Church 11501 Bain School Road Mint Hill, North Carolina Registration Fees: Due by June 1, 2015 $35 Single. Husband & Wife $55. Children in same household attending with parents $15 each On-site Registration, 7:30 am - 8:30 am. On-site Fees: Single $50 ; H&W $70 Last First Names of Others Attending with You: Spouse: Children & Ages: Street Address: City: State: Zip: Contact Telephone Number: E-mail Address: Fees: Husband and Wife $55.00. Number of Children: X $15.00 = $ Registration Fee Amount Enclosed: $.00 Please make Check payable to Matthew Stewart Clan Reunion Please mail completed Registration Form and Check to: Check #: Matthew Stewart Clan Reunion P.O. Box 373 Evans, Georgia 30809 RSVP: gsrts@knology.net or 706-550-3297
Captain Matthew Stewart Clan Reunion Page 6 Hotel Information (Each of these two hotels have a limited number of rooms. It is recommended to make your reservation early.) Special reunion room rates have been arranged with two hotels that were recommended as being closest to Philadelphia Presbyterian Church, Mint Hill, NC Holiday Inn Express and Suites 9420 East Independence Blvd. Matthews, NC 28105 Telephone: 704-443-3100 Group Room Rate: $89.00 per night Quality Inn Hotel and Suites 13470 East Independence Blvd. Matthews, NC 28105 Telephone: 704-821-9800 Group Room Rate: $69.00 per night When calling, please use the telephone number listed above for the hotel. Please let the desk clerk know that you will be attending the Matthew Stewart Clan Reunion. Should you have a problem making your reservation, please call John Stewart, 706-550-3298. Directions: Hotels and Philadelphia Church. MapQuest on the Internet offers excellent driving directions. These directions may be printed from your computer.
Family Group Record. Please share your family data. This will help you and others to piece together Stewart Born Family History Pl research, now and generations to come. Married Please mail Playour completed sheets to John Stewart, P.O. Box 373, Evans, c GA 30809. Tele: 706-550-3297) We are working with the Mint Hill Historical Society, a ce (two blocks from Matthew s e burial place) for a repository of Matthew Stewart records. The records would be available Died to you and others Pl researching Captain Matthew Stewart. Spouse Please make additional copies of form as needed. Husband: a c e Other Spouses Born Place Buried Place Died Place Married Place Father Mother Notes / Sources Wife: Other Spouses Born Place Buried Place Died Place Married Place Father Mother Notes / Sources Children Submitted by: (Name & Address) Date: Phone:
Capta i n Matt hew S tewar t C la n Re un io n News le tte r Fall Is sue 2 01 4 Primary Business Address: 516 Old Evans Road Evans, Georgia 30809-3658 Website www.captainmatthewstewart.com E-mail: gsrts@knology.net captmatts@comcast.net July 2015 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 MARK THE DATE JULY 25, 2015 We re On The Web Google: Captain Matthew Stewart Clan Reunion Do you know which of Matthew s daughters, Billy Graham descends from? Can you identify this father (center) and his four sons? Hint: They come down off Matthew s son, Henry. Can you identify these three cousins (deceased). Hint: They come down off Matthew s son William. Do you have photos that you would like to share? If so, please send copies via email, gsrts@knology.net, or via mail to - John Stewart, PO Box 373, Evans, GA 30809