Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens
Lawrence County Pennsylvania 1897
[p. 651] a model farmer and one of the most progressive men, of North Beaver township, was ushered into this world Oct. 13, 1832, at a point in Liberty township, Trumbull Co., Ohio. He was a son of Robert and Rebecca (McClellan) Stewart.
Robert Stewart, the father, spent his earlier days in Huntingdon Co, Pa., where he was born. He later removed to the then far west and carried on farming in Illinois and Ohio; accumulating means he purchased the Poland Mills of Poland, Ohio which he conducted with success until retirement from active business. He then settled at Brookfield, Ohio, where he died, aged eighty-four years. His faithful wife reached about the same age. Their children were: John E., now a well-known physician; Mary K.; William A.; Jane; Robert M.; Rebecca E.; Cephas M.; James F.; Allan G.; Ellen Amanda; and Sarah L.
James F. Stewart received a good education and took a course in dentistry; this profession he followed with success for several years, practicing at points mainly in Illinois and Ohio. About this time there began to be wonderful developments in the photographers' art. Mr. Stewart, always drawn by anything of a technical nature, became interested in and finally entered this profession. During the late war he spent all of his time in photographic work, making a specialty of military pictures; thousands of photographs, that are preserved and cherished to-day of husbands, sons and sweethearts who never came back from the war, were the handiwork of Mr. Stewart. Many of these pictures, it is safe to say, are more prized by their owners than their weight in gold.
In 1865 Mr. Stewart had saved from his efforts a comfortable sum, with which he came to North Beaver township and bought the Marshall tract of seventy-five acres; this land was almost entirely covered with forest and second-growth timber. He began to clear his property, and from time to time added more land until he is to-day the owner of 127 acres of as fine soil as the sun shines on. It is all under a high state of cultivation, and is managed according to the best modern agricultural methods. In 1891 Mr. Stewart put up a new and spacious barn, fitted up with all the conveniences and improvements a practical mind could suggest; in 1893 a large and handsome residence was erected. The orchards on his place are worthy of note and comprise apple, plum and peach trees, together with many other fruits, all in full bearing. Such neatness and painstaking care is employed here that a stranger coming in sight of Mr. Stewart's abode would think he was approaching some summer resort, where the landscape architect had been allowed full sway. It has been a principle of Mr Stewart's to do well whatever he laid his hands to. The beautiful estate of which he is the master proves that he has lived up to his ideal. His farm is well-stocked and he maintains a choice dairy of his own, although he is a patron of and a stockholder in the creamery. A portion of his estate, which is underlaid with limestone, he leases to the Bessemer Limestone Co., whose property adjoins his.
James F. Stewart wedded Miss M. Jane Marshall, daughter of James Marshall of North Beaver township. Though three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Stewart but one survives, C. Allan, who at the present writing is a student at Canfield College in the State of Ohio. Of the two who died, James was taken when an infant and Frank F. at the age of twenty-one years.
Mr. Stewart in politics is a Republican. He spends a great amount of time and energy in caring for his estate, yet withal he is a man of affairs. He finds time to keep abreast of modern thought and advancement. Very little which is new escapes his keen observation. He is wide-awake to the interests of the township, State and Nation. He is a member of the Westfield Presbyterian Church, and an upright, consistent, reliable citizen.
Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens Lawrence County Pennsylvania
Biographical Publishing Company, Buffalo, N.Y., 1897
Previous Biography | Table of Contents | Next Biography
Explanation/Caution | Lawrence Co. Maps | Lawrence Co. Histories
Updated: 27 Jul 2001