Peerage Record – 16933

     Peggy (?) was born circa 1772 at Tahiti^G.¹ She was the daughter of Tippaoo (?) She married George Stewart in 1789 at Tahiti^G.¹ She died in 1791 at Tahiti^G.¹
     From 1789, her married name became Stewart.¹ Upon the capture and imprisonment of her husband (George Stewart) aboard the HMS Pandora, she brought their daughter to Captain Edwards, imploring the Captain to let them see Stewart. When he refused, she and her family and friends demonstrated by cutting themselves with knives and mourning. Finally, she was allowed to see him, and became so distressed that the crew had to pull her away and remove her forcibly from the ship. After his departure, she lived only a few months, and died of her grief.¹

     Maria Charlotte de la Ascencion Stewart was born in 1790 at Tahiti^G.¹ She was the daughter of George Stewart and Peggy (?)¹ She was baptised on 4 May 1815 at San Diego, California, U.S.A.^G.² She married, firstly, George Washington Eayrs, son of Moses Eayrs and Prudence Gray, before 1806 at Tahiti^G.¹ She married, secondly, Secundino Olivera on 19 October 1817 at Santa Barbara, California, U.S.A.^G.¹ She married, thirdly, George Rice circa 1834.¹ She died on 30 September 1871 at Santa Barbara, California, U.S.A.^G.¹
     Maria Charlotte de la Ascencion Stewart also went by the nick-name of Peggy.² From before 1806, her married name became Eayrs.¹ From 19 October 1817, her married name became Olivera.¹ From circa 1834, her married name became Rice.¹ As an orphaned child, she became rather a ‘pet’ in Tahiti. She was cared for by her elderly grandfather, a chief, and when the missionaries later arrived, they took charge of her. On his 2nd voyage, William Bligh noted, ‘A fine child of about 12 months old was brought to me today, the daughter of George Stewart, Midshipman on the Bounty. It was a very pretty creature, but had been so exposed to the sun as to be little fairer than an Otaheitian.’
Life in Tahiti in those years was very violent, and when George-Washington Eayrs invited young Maria to join him on his ship, she saw it as a chance to escape the bloodshed. For 4 years, they travelled the Pacific until Eayrs arrest. Maria and their family were put ashore in San Diego when Eayrs went to plead his case, from which he never returned.¹

     George Washington Eayrs was born in November 1775 at Lexington, Massachusetts, U.S.A.^G.² He was the son of Moses Eayrs and Prudence Gray.² He was baptised on 19 November 1775 at Lexington, Massachusetts, U.S.A.^G.² He married, firstly, Maria Charlotte de la Ascencion Stewart, daughter of George Stewart and Peggy (?), before 1806 at Tahiti^G.¹ He married, secondly, Mariana Velosco in 1818 at Guadalajara, Mexico^G.² He died circa May 1855.² He was buried on 18 May 1855 at Los Angeles Cemetery, Guadalajara, Mexico^G.²
     Between 1808 and 1809 he arrived in Tahiti on the frigate ‘Mercury’. He was engaged in the sea otter trade, but soon joined with Aleksandr Baranov in the lucrative contraband trade. He invited young Maria Stewart to join him on board his ship, and they sailed the Pacific for 4 years.¹ He was a ship’s captain.¹ On 2 June 1813 the Mercury was seized at Refugio Bay by the Spanish merhcant ship Flora, under a Captain Nicholas Noe who believed that the U.S and Spain were at war. He had been dealing goods to California, banned at the time by Mexico who reserved that trade to themselves. The family was
placed under house arrest until 3 Sep 1813, when Maria and the children were sent to San Diego while George returned to Mexico to plead his case.^3,2 He was nominated to be a a U.S.-Mexican commission determined that the Mexican Government should pay him $96,998 as compensaition in 1842.²

     Secundino Olivera was born on 1 July 1793 at San Gabriel, California, U.S.A.^G.¹ He married Maria Charlotte de la Ascencion Stewart, daughter of George Stewart and Peggy (?), on 19 October 1817 at Santa Barbara, California, U.S.A.^G.¹ He was buried on 11 December 1828 at Santa Barbara, California, U.S.A.^G.¹

     William Benjamin Domingo Foxen was born between 1798 and 1800 at Norwich, Norfolk, England^G.¹ He died on 19 February 1874 at Santa Barbara, California, U.S.A.^G.¹
     A dashing English sailor who, after his affair with Maria, married Eduarda
Osuna, the young stepdaughter of Tomas Oliviera.¹ He was Sailor.¹

     George Rice was born before 1818 at Massachusetts, U.S.A.^G.¹ He married Maria Charlotte de la Ascencion Stewart, daughter of George Stewart and Peggy (?), circa 1834.¹
     He was a native of Massachusetts who arrived in California via Honolulu in Hawaii.¹

     Maria de los Remedios Josefa Antonio Eayrs was born at sea in Morro Bay, California on 25 May 1813.^3,2 She was the daughter of George Washington Eayrs and Maria Charlotte de la Ascencion Stewart.¹ She married, firstly, James W. Burke before 1832 at California, U.S.A.^G.¹ She married, secondly, Isaac J. Sparks in 1836 at Santa Barbara, California, U.S.A.^G.¹ She died on 29 July 1893 at age 80 at San Luis Obispo, California, U.S.A.^G.¹
     From before 1832, her married name became Burke.¹ From 1836, her married name became Sparks.¹

     James W. Burke was born in 1799 at Ireland^G.¹ He married Maria de los Remedios Josefa Antonio Eayrs, daughter of George Washington Eayrs and Maria Charlotte de la Ascencion Stewart, before 1832 at California, U.S.A.^G.¹ He died in 1877.¹
     He was Sea Captain.¹

     Isaac J. Sparks was born between 1800 and 1804 at Bedoin, Maine, U.S.A.^G.¹ He married Maria de los Remedios Josefa Antonio Eayrs, daughter of George Washington Eayrs and Maria Charlotte de la Ascencion Stewart, in 1836 at Santa Barbara, California, U.S.A.^G.¹ He died on 16 June 1867 at San Luis Obispo, California, U.S.A.^G.¹

     Manuela Burke was born on 25 October 1831 at Santa Barbara, California, U.S.A.^G.¹ She was the daughter of James W. Burke and Maria de los Remedios Josefa Antonio Eayrs.¹ She married Albert Packard on 24 November 1847 at Santa Barbara, California, U.S.A.^G.¹ She died on 20 November 1901 at age 70 at Santa Barbara, California, U.S.A.^G.¹
     Her married name became Packard.¹