The Stewart Families of Washington County, Iowa

Frank Stewart, who has been connected with manufacturing lines since 1900, is now president of the.-Vmerican Pearl Button Company, in which connection he is developing one of the important productive industries of Washington. Constantly watchful of opportunities, he is extending his business along well defined lines of trade and the success which he is now enjoying is well merited. He is one of Washington's native sons and a representative of one of the oldest families of this part of the state. He comes of Virginia ancestry in the paternal line, his grandfather being John Stewart, a native of the Old Dominion, where he followed agricultural pursuits until his life's labors were ended in death.

William G. Stewart, the father, was born in Virginia, was reared to farm life and took up that pursuit as a means of providing for his own support after he attained his majority\. A mental review of the natural resources of the country and the opportunities afforded in different sections led him to the belief that he would have better advantages in Iowa than elsewhere and, coming to this county, he purchased land in Washington township. With characteristic energy he began the development of a farm and in course of time placed three hundred acres of land under a high state of improvement. The fields were richly cultivated and in due course of time brought forth abundant harvests. He married Hannah Patterson, a native of Maryland and the daughter of Charles Patterson, who was born in Scotland and on crossing the Atlantic trxik up his above in Maryland. On driving in Iowa during the pioneer epoch of the history of this state he lived for a time in Burlington, after which he removed to Washington and subsequently to Keokuk county. There he died when nearly ninety years of age His family numbered a son and two daughters: John; Jane, the wife of William Thomas: and Hannah, who became Mrs. Stewart. Mrs. Patterson long survived her husband. William G. Stewart died on the home farm in Washington township in 1864 at the age of forty-four years. Four decades had passed ere his wife passed away, her death occurring in 1905. In early life she was a member of the Methodist church and later she and her husband became members of the United Brethren church. Their good qualities of heart and mind drew to them the friendly regard of all with whom they were associated and they are yet remembered among the valued pioneer residents of this part of the state. Their family included six sons and two daughters: John G.: Charles N.; William S.: Lovina E.. the wife of Fred Giesler. of Muscatine. Iowa; Frank; Lloyd, deceased: Hannah M.. the wife of J. A. (just, of W'washington; and George W.

Frank Stewart was reared in Washington county on the old home farm until he had attained his majority. He early became familiar with the work of the fields and aided more and more largely in the cultivation thereof as his years and strength increased. He was a pupil in the district schcKils and also in the W'washington select school conducted by Professor Wilson, while later he pursued a course in a commercial college at Muscatine, Iowa. He then went into business in that city as a dealer in hats and men's furnishing goods, in which line he continued for eight or nine years, after which he returned to Washington and joined his brother George W. in the conduct of a hardware and implement business which they carried on for twelve or thirteen years. In 1896. however, Mr. Stewart sold his interest to his brother and about 1900 entered the manufacturing lines, making wagon bo.xes and shoveling boards. He is still the treasurer of the Washington Manufacturing Company which turns out those products. In IQ02 he extended his efforts into other fields, establishing a button manufacturing business at Muscatine.

lllSrkU< ( W ASIIlXiri'OX COL'XTY 175 at the same time maintaining his wagon box manufacturing plant in Washington. In if)o8 he established the headquarters of his button manufacturing plant in washington and moved his principal works here. Eighty to one hundred operators are employed in the home factory. They sell their goods to jobbers and manufacturers and the enterprise is today one of the most important productive concerns of the city, its trade constantly increasing because of the excellence of the output and the reliability of the house.

For fifteen years Mr. Stewart has been vice president of the Citizens Saving. Bank of Washington; is a stockholder of the Wayland Savings Bank of Wayland, Iowa; and a member of the firm of Giesler & Company, manufacturers of wagon hardware at Muscatine.

In October, 1877, - Stewart was married in Muscatine, Iowa, to Miss Nettie Washburne, a native of that city and the daughter of David and Anna (Holmes") Washburne. who were natives of New York. Mr. and Mrs. Stewart now have a daughter, Marian V. Mrs. Stewart is a member of the Presbyterian church and presides with gracious hospitality over their pleasant home.

Mr. Stewart belongs to the Knights of Pythias fraternity and gives his political allegiance to the republican party. His fellow townsmen, recognizing his worth and ability, have frequently called him to office and he has been most loyal to the trust reposed in him. He was a member of the city council for several years and takes a most active interest in matters of public progress. For about six years he served as a member of the school board and the cause of education finds in him a stalwart champion. He is justly accounted one of the representative business men of this part of the state, recognizing and improving his opportunities and carefully executing well defined and carefully formulated plans. In the legitimate lines of commerce he has won his success and has reached a creditable position in commercial and manufacturing circles.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

CHARLES W. STEWART.

Charles W. Stewart, a prominent and well known farmer and stock-raiser of Cedar township, was born in an old log cabin that stood on the site now occupied by the Elm Grove cemetery in Washington county, Iowa, his natal day being November 2" 1866. His parents were John G. and Alary L. (Bradford) Stewart. The father, whose birth occurred in Maryland, December 28. 1842. came to Iowa in 1844, locating in Seventy-Six township, Washington county, where he lived for two years on a tract of land which he had entered from the government. On disposing of the property he bought some land that is now included in Vashington township, adjoining the city of W'washington, on which he remained for several years and subsequently purchased what was known as the Clemmons Grove farm in Franklin township, which he cultivated for twenty-one Aears. He w'as quite prominent in public affairs, serving as county treasurer for a period of four years, from 1894 to 1898, as school director for twelve years and as assessor for nine years. He was also a member of the County Fair Association for a number of years and was widely recognized as a most substantial, progressive and public-spirited citizen of the county. His demise, which occurred November 12, 1907, came not only as a deep bereavement to the members of his immediate family but also to the many friends that his upright, honorable dealings had won him. His wife, whose birth occurred in Switzerland county, Indiana, December 22, 1844. was one of a family of four children and in 1846 was brought to Iowa by her parents, who lived to attain the venerable age of eisfhtv-five years. She was called to her final rest on the

7th of December, 1901. By her marriage to John G. Stewart she became the mother of two children, namely: Charles W., of this review; and Mary Corinne, the wife of R. G. Cherry, of Wellman, Iowa.

Charles W. Stewart supplemented his preliminary education by a college course and remained at home until he had attained the age of twenty-two years. During the succeeding four years he followed farming in Arkansas and on returning to this county he was engaged in agricultural pursuits on a farm south of Washington for ten years. On disposing of that property he purchased one hundred and twenty acres of land on sections 18 and 19, Cedar township, where he has since resided, the place being known as the Cedardale Farm. He makes a specialty of raising Galloway cattle and Suffolk and Belgium horses for breeding purposes, having a number of fine specimens always on hand for sale. He is a good business men. sagacious and far-sighted, and through the careful direction of his efforts is meeting with gratifying success in both his farming and stock-raising interests.

On the nth of February, 1897, Mr. Stewart was united in marriage to Miss Bessie Wagner, whose birth occurred in Washington county, December 19, 1877, her parents being Knight and Rosie E. (Caldwell) Wagner, the former a native of Perrv county, Pennsylvania, and the latter of Greene county, Ohio. The father, who was torn November 12. 1845. first made his way to Illinois but subsequently came to this county, both he and his wife still making their home in Marion township. Their family numbered the following children, as follows: Mrs. Stewart: Fred, a resident of Washington county; Howard and Lester, both at home; Eveline, the wife of Roy Davison, of this county; Gertrude M., also at home; and one who died in infancy. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Stewart have been born three children: Ella R., whose natal day was November 24. 1899; Nellie Marie, whose birth occurred July 8, 1905; and Lavera L.. born September 21. 1907.

In his political views Mr. Stewart is a republican and is at present serving as a member of the school board. Fraternally he is connected with the Knights of Pythias Lodge. No. 386. and also with the American Yeomen. Both he and his wife are faithful and devoted members of the Methodist Episcopal church and their many excellent traits of heart and mind under them to all with whom they come in contact. Mr. Stewart is a native son of the county and a worth representative of one of its pioneer families. His interest in public affairs is deep and sincere and is manifest in substantial coo)eration which lu has given to ]plans and measures for the public good.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

FRED L. STEWART.

Among the substantial business enterprises of Washington is the plumbing and heating establishment of Fred L. Stewart, who along modern and progressive lines is conducting his interests, meeting with well merited success which has come as the legitimate sequence of his indefatigable and intelligently directed effort. Washington numbers him among her native sons, for his birth here occurred January 6. 1873.

222 lllSTnRN ol- W Al 1 1\(;T( COL'XTV

The Stewart family, as the name indicates, is of Scotch Hneage and the American ancestors, coming from Edinburgh, Scotland, settled in different parts of the state of Wirginia. There were six brothers, James. Benjamin, Perry, Thomas, Jeremiah and Richard, and they were said to have had one sister, Ann Stewart. William George Stewart, the grandfather of Ired L. Stewart, was born in Virginia, December 5, 1819, and on the 28th of July, 1841, he married Hannah Patterson, of Allegany county, Maryland, who was born October 30. 1822. They became the parents of eight children: John Gilpin, born December 28, 1842: Charles Nelson, April 22, 1845: William Sylvester. December 11, 1847; Louvinia Elizabeth, Julv 24, 1850: Franklin Stewart. August 5, 1853: Lloyd Stewart, September 13. 1855; George Whitefield, March 20, 1857: and Hannah Martha, July 3, 1858. '

The father, William G. Stewart, died July 16, 1864. His brother, John Gilpin Stewart, Sr., of Washington, Iowa, wrote a history of the Stewart family in January, ujoo, while in his eighty-seventh vear and the record covers a period of one hundred and twenty years. John Gilpin Stewart was born in Hampshire county, Viriginia, May 18, 1818, and was a minister in the United Brethren church, preaching at different times in X'virginia, Maryland and Iowa, his ministry covering a period of twenty-five years. He came to Washington county in October, 1853, or about nine years after the arrival of William G. Stewart, who came in Xovember, 1844. Since that time the family has figured prominently in connection with the material progress and substantial upbuilding of this part of the state.

William Sylvester Stewart, father of Fred L. Stewart, was born in this county, was reared amid the wild scenes and environments of frontier life and took up farming as a means of livelihood. In addition to tilHng the soil he also engaged in feeding and shipping stock, in which he met with excellent success. He died in Washington, April 14, 1901, and is still survived by his widow. He belonged to the I/nited Brethren church, with which the family have long been connected, and his life was at all times honorable and upright, winning him the esteem and confidence of the entire comnuuiity. He met with creditable success in business and was regarded as one of the most thorough and best posted stockmen ever connected with live-stock interests in Washington. He married Henrietta Clinton, also a native of this county and a daughter of George Clinton, who wa of Scotch- Irisli descent and.settled in thi county at a very early day. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Stewart were Fred L.. of this review; Belle F.. the wife of H. A. Mont.gomery: W. G. and Helen L., at home.

Fred ]. Stewart has always remained a resident of Washington, being reared on his father's farm, where he early became familiar w-ith the duties and labors that fall to the lot of the agriculturist. He attended the public schools and, making successive progress was graduated from the higji school with the class of 1890. He then worked for four years in the hardware store of his father's brothers, Frank and George Stewart, who conducted their enterprise under the firm style of Stewart Brothers. He afterward spent two years on the farm cultivating the home place, and in the spring of 1896 he purchased an implement business, to which he added a stock of lianlvvarc. In 1904 Iksold out and for two years gave his attention to the land eniiiiralion business, but in 1908 opened his plumbing and heating establishment and in this connection has secured a liberal patronage, conducting an extensive business in this line. He also looks after his farming ])roi)erty. comprising three hundred and twenty acres of rich land, of which one hundred and sixty acres lies in Washington county and the remaining one Inindred and sixty acres in Louisa county. In addition to this his landed interests comprise one hundred and sixty acres in Canada and one hundred and sixty acre in Kansas. He also owns one-third interest in the West Chester store owned by the mercantile firm operating under the name of the McFarland Company; is the owner of a store at Columbus Junction:.and is,1 stockholder in the Washington county National Bank. While yet a young man he is capable of managing atYairs of great breadth, and his keen sagacity and undaunted enterprise have carried him into important commercial and financial relations.

On the 15th of November. 1893. Mr..Stewart was married to Miss Nellie Paris, a native of Morning.Sun. Iowa, where her parents, Isaiah P. and Frances Jane I IVown ) Paris, were also born. Their family numbered two children, the younger being Roy H. Paris. Mr. and Mrs. Stewart also have a daughter and son. Hazel and George. The parents are members of the Second L'nited Presbyterian church and Mr. Stewart gives his political allegiance to the republican party. On its ticket he was elected councilman for the fourth ward, but while he is interested in matters of public progress he does not seek political preferment for himself. However, he is never remiss in the duties of citizenship but on the contrary cooperates in many movements for the general good, and his business affairs have at all times been of a nature that have advanced public prosperity as well as individual success.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

HON. JOSEPH WARREN STEWART.

The salient points in the life record of the Hon. Joseph Warren Stewart are such as have gained for him the respect and good will of his fellow townsmen. He has made a most creditable public record, including service m the thirty-second general assembly and he is even more widely known as one of the most prominent and successful stock buyers of the west His is the record of a strenuous life — the record of a strong individuality, sure of itself, stable in purpose, quick in perception, swift in decision and energetic and persistent in action.

Mr. Stewart was born in Dearborn county, Indiana, September 6, 1846, and is a son of Archibald K. and Mary Ann (Lawrence) Stewart. The father, a native of Beaver county, Pennsylvania, was born March 23, 1820, and when fifteen years of age accompanied his parents on their removal to Dearborn county, Indiana, his parents traveling westward by boat, while Archibald K. Stewart drove across the country with a four-horse team, taking with him a portion of the household effects. He attained his majority in Dearborn county and was there married to Miss Mary Ann Lawrence, who was a native of that county. They began their domestic life in that locality, where they continued to reside until 1856. In 1852, 1854 and again in 1855, however, Mr. Stewart had made trips to Iowa and on the first occasion purchased two hundred and forty acres of wild and unimproved land five miles east of the city of Washington in Washington county.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

J. M. STEWART.

J. M. Stewart, who owns and operates a fine farm in Oregon township, Washington county, Iowa, also devotes much of his time and attention to stock raising, handling only the highest grades of blooded stock. He was born in Oregon township, November 3, 1858, a son of J. M. and Susanna (Mason) Stewart. The former was a native of Pennsylvania and removed to Dearborn county Indiana, when it was but sparsely settled, clearing a farm for himself where he resided until 1848. In that year he removed to Oregon township, Washington county, Iowa, where he remained until about twelve years ago. His entire life was devoted to farming. His wife was born in Indiana, where she was reared and married, her death occurring in this county in 1903.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

John Stewart, of Jackson township, was born on the Catawba Indian reservation in South Carolina, July 2, 1809, and was one of thirteen children, but he was not the unlucky one, for he was a money maker. He wedded Matilda McCullough in 1824. She had been born at sea. They had ten children, all hustlers and not one a quitter, only one of whom was born in this county after their settlement in 1857. In 1865 he married Emma Ferguson and she bore eight children. In the south Mr. Stewart was naturally a democrat and voted for General Jackson, but up here his political views changed to republican. He was a first class citizen.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.