Stewart, William A.

STEWART

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 7/2/2021 at 21:01:12

History of Warren County, Iowa from Its Earliest Settlement to 1908, by Rev. W. C. Martin, Clarke Publishing Co., Chicago, Illinois, 1908, p.759

WILLIAM A. STEWART
A well developed and highly improved farm of two hundred acres, sit­uated on section 18, White Breast Township, is the property of W. A. Stewart, who has spent almost his entire life in Warren County. He was born in Col­umbia County, Ohio, January 1, 1851 and is one of a family of five sons and six daughters, whose parents were Joseph and Mary (Applegate) Stewart. Mr. Stewart was a carpenter by trade and worked both as a carpenter and farmer in the Buckeye state. In 1858 he made his way to this state, settling in Marion County, where he made his home for two or three years, when he located on a farm near Summerset in Warren County. There he opened up and improved a farm and reared his family. Both the parents are now deceased, the father passing away in the spring of 1907, while his wife died several years previously
W. A. Stewart was a lad of nine years at the time of the parent’s removal from the Buckeye state to Iowa. He acquired his education in the common schools and assisted in the operation of the home farm until he reached years of maturity, when, attracted by the reports of the west, he made his way to Cripple Creek, Colorado, where he remained for five years. He then made his way to the Black Hills of South Dakota, working in the mills of Deadwood from 1877 until 1883. He then made his way to his old home in Iowa travel­ing from Deadwood to Pierre by stage. Upon his return to Warren County he purchased eighty acres of his present farm and from time to time as his finan­cial resources increased he has added to his landed possessions until he today is the owner of two hundred acres, situated on section 18, White Breast Township. He has made this a valuable property through the improvements he has here made in the way of buildings and fences and he has also placed the land under a high state of cultivation. In addition to carrying on general farming he also raises some stock, making a specialty of horses and cattle, this branch of his business bringing to him a good financial return.
Mr. Stewart established a home of his own by his marriage on the 9th of March 1886, to Miss Jennie Hemphill, a daughter of S. C. Hemphill, whose sketch appears elsewhere in this work. Their home has been blessed with two daughters: Ethel E., a young lady at home and Lena Effie. They also lost a daughter, Maud, who died in infancy.
Politically Mr. Stewart is a Republican but has never been active as an officeseeker, preferring to do his duty as a private citizen. With the exception of the few years spent in the west he has lived in this state for almost a half century and during that time has witnessed many changes that have here occurred. He can remember being in Des Moines prior to the entrance of railroads in that city and in many other districts marked changes have taken place. He has, however, not only been a witness but has contributed in substantial measure to the work that has been carried forward until today this section of the state takes rank with the older districts of the east.