Estate Mount Stewart

Mount Stewart is estate 8-9 in St. Croix’s Northside A Quarter. Based on appearances on historic maps, the windmill was likely built in the late 18th century and was decommissioned before 1856. Field reconnaissance failed to locate ruins identifiable as a windmill.

Mount Stewart, like many other estates in the highlands of Northside A quarter, showed relatively late settlement. The first appearance of sugar machinery is an animal mill in estate 8 on the second printing of the Beck maps, likely from information in the mid-1750s.

While the animal mill on the second Beck printing also appears in estate 8 on the annotated versions of that map, the 1766 annotated map includes a hand-drawn animal mill in estate 9, a feature repeated on Zöllner’s manuscript copy of Beck. A windmill appears on the 1799 Oxholm map at Mt. Steward while a decommissioned windmill tower appears on the 1856 Parsons map.

The only indication on the 20th-century topographic maps is a mill in ruins on the 1920 map. McGuire geographic dictionary of the Virgin Islands (p.132) indicates a Mill, Estatehouse, and orchard in valley 750 yards southwest of hill, assertions not supported by the topographic map. Evidence of this mill has not yet been found in the field.

The annotated and manuscript copies of the Beck map consistently attribute ownership of both estates 8 and 9 to Robert Stewart, indicating the genesis of the name Mount Stewart in honor of the original proprietor according to McGuire. By 1790, ownership transitioned to Robert Thompson.

Historic Maps of Mount Stewart

Snippet of the U.S. Geological Service topographic map of 1982 featuring Northside A quarter estates # 8-9, currently named Mount Stewart.
The 1982 USGS topographic map shows no ruins at Mount Stewart.
Snippet of the U.S. Geological Service topographic map of 1958 featuring Northside A quarter estates # 8-9, currently named Mount Stewart.
The 1958 USGS topographic map shows no ruins at Mount Stewart.
Snippet of the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey topographic map of 1920 featuring Northside A Quarter estates # 8-9, currently named Mount Stewart.
The 1920 USCGS topographic map shows a Mill in Ruins at Mt. Stewart.
Snippet of the Danish Atlantic Islands Association map of 1907 featuring Northside A Quarter estates # 8-9, currently named Mount Stewart.
The 1907 map indicates a windmill at Mt. Stewart.
Snippet of the Parsons map of 1856 featuring Northside A Quarter estates # 8-9, currently named Mount Stewart.
Parsons’ 1856 map depicts a decommissioned windmill tower at Mt. Stewart.
Snippet of the Oxholm map of 1799 featuring Northside A quarter estates # 8-9, currently named Mount Stewart.
Oxholm’s 1799 map shows at windmill with a structure to the north at Mt. Stewart.
Snippets of the Mühlenfels map of 1790 & the Janssen map of 1791 featuring Northside A Quarter estates # 8-9, currently named Mount Stewart.
The 1790 & 1791 manuscript maps after Beck by Mühlenfels & Janssen, respectively, attribute ownership to Robert Thompson.
Snippet of the Küffner map of 1767 featuring Northside A Quarter estates # 8-9, currently named Mount Stewart.
Küffner’s 1767 manuscript copy of Beck’s map depicts a settlement in the area of Mount Stewart.
Snippets of all 5 annotated Beck maps plus the 2 manuscript copies made from 1766 to 1770 featuring Northside A Quarter estates # 8-9, currently named Mount Stewart.
The annotated maps based on the second printing of the Beck map along with the unsigned manuscript copy retain the animal mill in estate 8. The 1766 annotated and Zöllner manuscript copy of Beck both place the animal mill in estate 9. All of these maps attribute ownership to Robert Steward or Stuart except the 1770 annotated copy, which attributes ownership to Robert Stewart’s heirs. These notations suggest the basis for the name Mount Stewart.
Snippets of both Beck maps printed in 1754 & circa 1757 featuring Northside A Quarter estates # 8-9, currently named Mount Stewart.
The first printing of the Beck map shows now sugar machinery, but the second printing shows an animal mill in estate 8.
Snippet of the Cronenberg and von Jaegersberg map of 1750 featuring Northside A Quarter estates # 8-9, currently named Mount Stewart.
The 1750 map indicates no cultivation and attributes no ownership.
Snippet of the Lapointe map of 1671 featuring Northside A Quarter estates # 8-9, currently named Mount Stewart.
During the French period, no settlement is indicated near Mount Stewart.