David Heart

Notes:

Much documentation for the life of David Heart/Hart and Jean Mowat, compiled by Janet Wolfe, can be found here.

David married Jean Mowat before Oct 1615. Jean (daughter of John Mowat and Christian Stewart) died in May 1682. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Alternate birth: of Taughboyne (Monreagh), Donegal, Ireland
• Alternate death: 8 Jan 1688

Notes:

His gravestone at Taughboyne reads:

HIC IACET CORPUS M----- IOANNIS HART ILLUSTRISSO STEMMATE ORIUNDI PASTO[RIS] VIGILANTIS PIENTISS [PHI]LOSOPHI THEOLOGI EXIMII QUI CHRISTUM PRAEDICANDO ECCLES TABOYNENSI MAG CUM FR[UI] TU SUPRA 30 ANNOS SUDAVIT ED MULTA PROPT[ER] CRISTUM PASSUS TANDEM MATURAM ANIMAM DEO ED DIDIT AETAT 70 IAN 8 AN 1687

(Here lieth the body of Master John Hart of noble descent, a watchful pastor, a devout philosopher, a distinguished divine, who labored for over 30 years preaching Christ with much success in the church of Taughboyne, and after much suffering for Christ's sake at length gave up his ripened spirit to God on 8th January 1687 aged 70 years.)

Much documentation for the life of the Rev. John Heart/Hart, compiled by Janet Wolfe, can be found here.

It had long been noted that "David Heart of Rusland, William and Mr. John Heart, his sons" witnessed a charter by Mr. Patrick Grahame of Rothisholm, dated at Kirkwall (in the Orkney islands), 8 Feb 1638. (Calendar of the Laing Charters, citation details below, pp. 529-30.) But then:

Jan Wolfe, on soc.genealogy.medieval, 9 May 2017:

Document SC11/5/1644/11, held at the Orkney Archives, is the marriage agreement, dated 21 February 1644, for Margaret Heart, daughter of David Heart and Jean Mowat, and James Grahame. The NAS catalog description is here:

http://catalogue.nrscotland.gov.uk/nrsonlinecatalogue/details.aspx?reference=SC11/5/1644/11

I recently ordered an image of this document from the Orkney Archives.

The contract specifies that James Grahame's part of the agreement is to be done by the "advyse of the said Dauid Heart if he sall be on lyff And failyeing of him throw deceas be the advyse of the said [William] Heart his eldest sone and of Mr John Heart Minister his secund sone or ather of thame."

With this evidence, I think that we can now confidently identify the parents of John Heart as David Heart and Jean Mowat. Jean's mother, Christian Stewart, was a daughter of Earl Robert Stewart of Orkney, and Robert was a son of King James V of Scotland by Euphame Elphinstone.

John Heart, who received his M.A. at St. Andrews in May, 1637, was ordained at Crail on March 22, 1643.

Agnes Heart, daughter of John Heart and Agnes Baxter, married Robert Craighead. Their children include colonial immigrants Thomas Craighead, husband of Margaret Wallace, and Katherine Craighead, wife of William Homes. Thomas and William were both Presbyterian ministers. Thomas and Margaret lived in Freetown, Bristol County, Massachusetts, and then in Pennsylvania. Katherine and William lived in Chilmark, Dukes County, Massachusetts (on Martha's Vineyard) where William was the minister from the fall of 1715 until his death in 1746.

From "Fasti of the Irish Presbyterian Church" (citation details below):

HART, JOHN: b. Scotland; educ. St. Andrews; M.A. (St. And.) 1637; ord. at Crail, 22 March 1642/3; mar. 1644, Agnes Baxter; res. 1646; inst. Dunino, 30 Dec. 1646; res. 1650; inst. Dunkeld, 1650; joined the Protesters 1651, and was dep. 1652; inst. Hamilton (2nd charge), 23 Jan. 1653. In Oct. 1655, a Commissr. from Taughboyne appeared at the Syn. of Glasgow and Ayr with a call to Mr. Hart. Inst. Taughboyne (Monreagh) 1656. Recd. £150 a year as from 29 Sept. last, from the Protectorate on the petition of the inhabitants and report of Drs. Winter and Harrison, and Mr. Mather as to his piety, etc., and that he had been there near half a year and had a great charge of children (25 March 1656). Dep. for non-conformity, 1661, but continued to minister.

On a visit to Dublin in the winter of 1662/3 some of those engaged in Blood's Plot applied to Mr. Hart for his concurrence. When examined later as to his complicity he incautiously dropped a word that brought trouble to Mr. Thos. Boyd, M.P. for Bangor. In vindicating himself he said that when the plot was revealed to him he expressed his abhorrence, as Mr. Boyd in Dublin knew. This led to Mr. Boyd's arrest and subsequent expulsion from the House of Commons. Hart seems to have been liberated on bail to appear when called upon. Excommunicated and imprisoned in Lifford, 1664-70, for disobeying a summons, issued by Robt. Leslie, Bp. of Raphoe, to appear before his court. Fined 20 and imprisoned 8 months for his connexion with a Fast (17 Feb. 1681), appointed by Laggan Presby.

Died 8 Jan. 1687, aged 70; int. at Taughboyne.

John married Agnes Baxter on 2 Apr 1644 in Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland. Agnes (daughter of William Baxter and Catharine Downie) was born before 15 Feb 1619; was christened on 15 Feb 1619 in Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland; died before 21 May 1689; was buried on 21 May 1689 in Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Agnes married Rev. Robert Craighead about 1668. Robert was born about 1633; died on 22 Aug 1711 in Londonderry, Londonderry, Ireland. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

One of TWK's twelve proven "gateway ancestors." He arrived, with his sister Katherine (also an ancestor of TWK), at Boston in October 1714, on the Thomas and Jane out of Londonderry, William Wilson, master.

M.A., University of Edinburgh, 28 Jul 1691.

From The Craighead Family, citation details below:

Thomas was educated in Scotland as a physician, and married the daughter of a Scotch laird. After practicing medicine for a time, he became much depressed in spirits, and his wife inquiring the cause, he informed her that his conscience upbraided him for not preaching the Gospel. She at once assured him, that she would not stand in the way of what he considered his duty. Accordingly, he soon after abandoned the practice of medicine, studied divinity, and was a pastor for several years in Ireland, principally at Donegal. In consequence, however, of the oppressions endured by the Presbyterians of that countiy from the government and from the Established Church, and their past experience giving them but little hope of any permanent relief, large numbers of the people determined to emigrate to America.

Among these emigrants was Thomas Craighead, who came to New England in 1715, accompanied by Rev. William Homes, who was married to Mr. Craighead's sister Catharine. Mr. Homes settled at Martha's Vineyard, and is buried with his wife, at Chilmark. Their eldest son Robert was a sea-captain, resided in Boston, and married Mary, a sister of Benjamin Franklin.

The first public mention made of Thomas Craighead in this country is by Cotton Mather, who speaks of him as preaching at Freetown, which was about forty miles south of Boston, and urges the people to do all in their power to have him settle among them. He appears to have been a relative of Mr. Hathaway, of that town, and probably had gone there in the first instance at that gentleman's invitation. Mather writing to a friend entreats the people "to give a demonstration of the wisdom that is from above," by encouraging Mr. Craighead in his work, and says, "That he was a man of an excellent spirit, and a great blessing to the plantation; a man of singular piety, meekness, humility, and industry in the work of God. All that are acquainted with him have a precious esteem of him, and if he should be driven from among you, it would be such a damage, yea, such a ruin, as is not without horror to be thought of."

The efforts made for his settlement in Freetown were unsuccessful, for we find a notice in President Stiles's papers of his coming "to the Jerseys" in the spring of 1723. Whether he came direct from this town, or preached in other places in New England previous to his removal, we cannot now determine. On page one hundred and ninety-five of the New England Historical Register we have an extract from the diary of Jeremiah Bumstead, which refers to a meeting held in the Old South Church, Boston, June 19th, 1722, at which Mr. Craighead officiated. In the year 1724 (January 28th) he became a member of New Castle Presbytery, which at that period included portions of Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Delaware, and is spoken of in the minutes as having "lately come from New England." He received a call from White Clay Creek, Delaware, in February of the same year, and accepted it on the condition that he should have the privilege of preaching every third Sabbath at Brandywine. He was installed September 22d, 1724, and continued his ministry with this people for a period of seven years. According to the Records of the Presbyterian Church, 1706-1788, he was Moderator of the Synod in 1726, and was present at the formal adoption of the Westminster Confession and Catechisms, as also of the Explanation of the Adopting Act.

Mr. Craighead removed to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, in 1733, and September 3d of the same year, united with Donegal Presbytery, when a call was placed in his hands from the Church at Pequea. This he accepted, and was installed pastor October 31st, Rev. Mr. Anderson presiding. The Presbytery in its minutes always speaks of him as "Father Craighead," either out of respect and veneration for his years, or from a special affection for him. That he was respected for his talents and learning, and loved for his genial spirit and piety, there are abundant proofs. He was very active in planting and building up churches in the region. "His preaching was remarkably fervent, and often attended with revivals. His theology was strictly conformed to the Westminster Confession, for which he displayed a special attachment, and which he was the first to subscribe, both in New Castle and Donegal Presbyteries."

While pastor at Pequea, in the spring of 1736, the session of the Church complained to the Presbytery because Mr. Craighead debarred his wife from the communion table. The matter was fully considered during its next session, and as there were no hopes of settling the difficulty, Presbytery in September judged it expedient to dissolve the pastoral relation. At the same meeting Mr. Craighead was appointed by the Presbytery to supply "the people of the Conodoguinet," by which was meant the congregation whose place of worship was at Meeting House Springs, from one to two miles northwest of Carlisle, in Cumberland County. After fulfilling this appointment, and a subsequent one at Hopewell, he received a call from the latter people, which he desired to accept; but as there were difficulties respecting "the boundaries" between this congregation and that of Pennsborough, action in the case was delayed. He, in the meantime, supplied the church at Hopewell, whose place of meeting was at "the Big Spring," now Newville.

The same difficulty which had interfered with his usefulness in his last charge followed him to Hopewell, and was again fully considered at two successive meetings of Presbytery. Both Mr. Craighead and his wife appeared before that body. The former finally consented that the session should allow his wife to come to the Lord's table; and the latter stated that "she had nothing to complain of against her husband except this single act, and that he had uniformly treated her with kindness." By this means the trouble was amicably settled--a trouble which probably arose from there being two families in the same house; for the Presbytery, in consenting to withdraw all action in the case, instructed him that "his son John and family must no longer continue to live with him."

Presbytery declaring itself satisfied with this settlement of the domestic
difficulty, and the boundary between the congregations of Pennsborough and Hopewell being fixed, the latter renewed their call, which was accepted, Nov. 16th, 1737. The installation was ordered to take place "at some convenient time before the next stated meeting," and occurred October, 1738, his son, Rev. Alexander Craighead, conducting the services on the occasion.

Mr. Craighead's pastorate at Newville, however, was of only a short duration. He was now far advanced in life, though his earnestness and power remained unabated. A descendant of his (Mr. Thomas Craighead, formerly of Whitehill, Pa.) states, that under his impassioned sermons not infrequently his audience would be melted to tears, and the emotions of his hearers became so intense that they were unwilling to disperse at the proper time. On one of these occasions, near the close of April, 1739, he became exhausted, and hastened to pronounce the benediction; and waving his hand he exclaimed, "Farewell! farewell!" and sank down and expired in the pulpit. His remains are said to have been placed under the corner-stone of the present house of worship at Newville.

Family/Spouse: Margaret Wallace. Margaret (daughter of Michael Wallace and Barbara Cunningham) was born about 1664; died in 1738 in White Clay Creek, New Castle, Delaware; was buried in White Clay Creek, New Castle, Delaware. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Alternate birth: Abt 1672

Notes:

One of TWK's twelve proven "gateway ancestors." She arrived, with her brother Thomas (also an ancestor of TWK), at Boston in October 1714, on the Thomas and Jane out of Londonderry, William Wilson, master.

There are several places in Ireland called Donaghmore, Donoughmore, or Domhnach Mór -- the latter is simply Irish for "big church." Notwithstanding some online sources that give her birthplace as Donoughmore in county Cork, she was clearly born in Donoughmore in county Donegal, where her father was the Presbyterian minister from 1658 to 1688.

Katherine married Rev. William Homes on 26 Sep 1693 in Londonderry, Londonderry, Ireland. William (son of John Homes) was born about 1663 in Donaghmore, Donegal, Ireland; died on 20 Jun 1746 in Chilmark, Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts; was buried in Chilmark, Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]