In the books' own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. The later printing (1914) is folded below the first. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
Born 1865
From Biographical review of Lee County, Iowa; (1905), Story of Lee County, Iowa; (1914)
GEORGE B. STEWART.
George Bourdillon Stewart, a leading attorney of Fort Madison, Iowa, was born in the City of Burlington June 16, 1865, the son of Rev. George Dillon Stewart and Emi! Stewart (Walker) Stewart. When about six years of age he removed with his parents to Omaha, Nebraska, where his father was pastor of the First Presbyterian church. At that place he first entered the public schools, and after his twelfth year continued his education in the public schools of Fort Madison, his father having removed to this city to assume the pastorate of the Union Presbyterian church, a position which he voluntarily resigned January 1, 1904, after a continuous pastorate of twenty-seven years. At the age of fourteen he entered the academy at Denmark, Lee county, the oldest incorporated institution of learning in Iowa, it having received its charter in 1843. After two years in that school he became a student at Lake Forest Academy, near Chicago, and later at Cheltenham Academy, near Philadelphia. In 1882 he matriculated in the University of Pennsylvania, and pursued a course of study until his health failed, in his junior year, and he was compelled to defer all educational projects for about one year. During this time, however, he was not idle, but acted as editor of the Fort Madison Plaindealer, one of the older Republican newspapers of the city.
Having decided to devote his life to the profession of law, Mr. Stewart entered the law school of the University of Michigan in 1886, and was graduated with the class of '88. Immediately after his graduation he associated himself in partnership with Sabert I\I. Casey, and together they continued in the practice of law in this city until the death of Mr. Casey in 1903. At the present time Mr. Stewart occupies a handsome suite of offices in the Lee County Savings Bank building, where he enjoys a large and lucrative general practice. His position in the profession is now one of prominence, and he ranks as one of the better known attorneys of southern Iowa. He acts as attorney for a number of large corporations, among others the Street Railway Company of Fort Madison and the Iowa Farming Tool Company. He was general attorney for the Chicago, Fort Madison & Des Moines Railway Company until the merging of that corporation with the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy system. In March. 1898, he was appointed by President McKinley as assistant United States Attorney for the Southern Iowa District, a position which he still holds. Necessarily, however, his principal activities are mainly local, and he has been connected in some capacity with all the important and celebrated law cases in Fort madison since he began practice in this city.
On June 25, 1889, Mr. Stewart was united in marriage at Fort Madison to Miss Adele Kretsinger, who is a native of Chicago and the daughter of W. H. and Marie (Ramsdell) Kretsinger. Mr. Kretsinger was a native of Herkimer county and Mrs. Kretsinger of Utica, New York, and they located in Fort Madison in 1870. Mr. Kretsinger was president of the Iowa Farming Tool Company, of this city. To Mr. and Mrs. Stewart has been born one son, Alan Kretsinger Stewart, born in Fort Madison May 11, 1896.
Mr. Stewart is a Republican, and considers that he holds membership in that party by birthright. His maternal grandfather. Joel C. W'alter, was a delegate to the Chicago convention of 1860 which nominated Abraham Lincoln for the presidency of the United States, and received from Mr. Lincoln appointment as collector of internal revenue for the Iowa district, a position which he held until after the accession of President Johnson. Not being i'n sympathy with the policies adopted by the latter, however, he was removed. Mr. Stewart cast his first ballot for Benjamin Harrison in 1888. While he has never aspired to public office, he has served his party a number of times as delegate to various conventions, and is an active and zealous worker in the ranks. Fraternally, he is a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.
In his religious connection, he was reared in the Presbyterian faith, and became a full communicant in January, 1904. He has intimate connection with the material interests of Fort Madison, both through his profession and by direct financial interest, being a director and stockholder of the Iowa Fanning Tool Company. He is recognized as a man of learning, integrity and great practical ability, and these qualities have won him success and the respect of all with whom he comes in contact.
As printed in Biographical review of Lee County, Iowa; (1905). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
GEORGE B. STEWART.
George B. Stewart, a law graduate of the University of Michigan of the class of 1888, has since engaged continuously in practice in Fort Madison and ranks with the eminent members of the profession in eastern Iowa, for his knowledge of legal principles is comprehensive and exact and he is seldom, if ever, at fault in their application.
Mr. Stewart was born June 16, 1865, a son of the Rev. George D. and Emily (Walker) Stewart, the latter a daughter of Dr. Joel
C. Walker, one of the honored pioneer residents of Fort Madison, who arrived in this city in 1835. He became active in holding public thought and action here and left the impress of his individuality upon the history of both city and state. He was chosen a delegate to the republican national convention in 1860 which nominated Abraham Lincoln, and during Lincoln's administration he was appointed revenue collector at Burlington, but continued to make his home in Fort iSLidison, of which city he was the first graduate physician. He also served as one of the early mayors of Fort Madison and was clerk of the court in territorial days. He lived in Fort Madison when Iowa was part of Michigan and later of Wisconsin. He lived to witness the organization of the territorial government and later the admission of the state into the Union. He was a native of Ohio and was a graduate of the Jefiferson Medical College of Philadelphia. He ranked with the most efficient representatives of the medical profession in his day, and his life was in many respects one of great service and usefulness to his community. The Stewart family is of Scotch descent, was founded in America in colonial days and was represented in the Revolutionary war.,
Rev. George D. Stewart, father of George B. Stewart, was born in Pennsylvania and became a minister of the Presbyterian church. In 1859 he removed westward to Iowa, settling at West Point, and at different times he had pastorates in Burlington and in Omaha. In 1877 he came to Fort Madison and was pastor of the Presbyterian church of this city for twenty-seven years, or for a longer period than any other minister who has served in this county. His influence was far-reaching and beneficial, for he was not denied the full harvest nor the aftermath of his labors. He was earnest and logical, was a man of broad sympathy and kindly spirit and his memory remains as a blessed benediction to all who knew him. He died in the year 1910 and is still survived by his widow. In their family were four children, of whom three were daughters.
George B. Stewart, the only son, has been a lifelong resident of this state and its public-school system afforded him his early educational opportunities. He afterward continued his studies in Lake Forest, Illinois, and pursued his more classical course in the University of Pennsylvania at Philadelphia. For the study of law he entered the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor and completed his course there with the class of 1888. Immediately afterward he came to Fort Madison and entered into partnership with S. M. Casey, with whom he remained in continuous connection until the death of his partner in 1903. Since that time Mr. Stewart has practiced alone, maintaining an enviable position as one of the foremost lawyers of the Iowa bar. In 1898 he was appointed assistant United States attorney for his district and filled that position for fourteen years, or until 191 2, when he resigned. He then devoted his entire time to the practice of law and now has a large and distinctively representative clientage. For many years he has been connected with the,most important litigated interests heard in the courts of his district and his ability in handling his cases is evidenced in the court reports, which indicate that he has won many verdict favorable to his clients.
On the 25th of June, 1889, Mr. Stewart was united in marriage to Miss Adele Kretsinger, of Fort Madison, and they became parents of two sons, but lost one in infancy. The other, Alan K., is in school. The religious faith of the family is that of the Presbyterian church, and Mr. Stewart belongs to the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks. His political indorsement is given to the men and measures of the Republican party, but outside of his profession, he has neither sought nor held office, preferring to concentrate his energies upon his law practice, in which he has advanced steadily, developing his ability and gaining that prominence which comes only through merit.
As printed in Story of Lee County, Iowa; (1914). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
The printed record stops around 1905. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.