Portrait and Biographical Album of Fulton County,
Illinois: containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of
prominent and representative citizens of the county: together with
portraits and biographies of all the presidents of the United States,
and governors of the state; Biographical Pub. Co., Chicago, IL; 1890;
page 567-568; Transcribed by Margaret Rose Whitehurst
James M. Stewart, of Lewistown, County Treasurer of Fulton
County, is one of its most able and valued civic officials. He is
extensively identified with the leading interests of this part of the
State as a lumber merchant and as a stock-raiser, the proprietor of one
of the best managed and finest farms in Cass Township. He took
part in the late Civil War, and his fine military record reflects
credit on the soldiery of Illinois who bore arms in that great conflict.
Mr. Stewart was born in Alexandria, Licking Co., Ohio, September
15, 1844. His father, Richard Steward, was born in Fauquier
County, Va., a son of Charles Stewart, who, so far as known, was a
native of the same State, coming of a Scotch family that early settled
in the Old Dominion. The grandfather of our subject removed to
Ohio from Virginia about 1834 and was a pioneer of Licking County,
where his remaining days were passed. His son Richard was reared
in Virginia, and went to Ohio at the same time as his father. He
had learned the trade of a carpenter and joiner in his native State,
and engaged in it in his new home. In 1851 he went to California
by way of the Isthmus of Panama, and there he tried mining, but
ill-health prevented his following that pursuit, and he returned to
Ohio after a little more than a year’s absence. He then gave his
attention to farming, renting land at first, and then buying a farm,
and actively engaging in the work of caring it on until he came to this
State in 1865. He bought a farm in Cass Township, this county
after his arrival, and in the comfortable home that he established
thereon his useful life was brought to a close May 18, 1879.
The mother of our subject is now a welcome inmate of his
home. Her maiden name was Philena Twining, and she was born in
Licking County, Ohio, October 15, 1821. Her parents were Hiram
and Lovey (Pease) Twining, natives respectively of Massachusetts and
Maine, and pioneers of Licking County. Three of the five children
born of her marriage are now living: Austin W., who resides at
Jacksonville; our subject; Annie, who married William H. Failing and
now resides in Furnas County, Neb.
James M. Stewart was fourteen years old when his parents moved
to Morrow County, and there he grew to man’ estate, gleaning his
education in the public schools of Ohio. He assisted his father
in his farm labors, and remained with his parents until, at the
youthful age of seventeen years, he enlisted in the defense of the
Starts and Strips, becoming a member of Company E, One Hundred and
Twenty-first Ohio Infantry, August 26, 1862, and serving until after
the close of the war, receiving his discharge papers June 18,
1865. He was in Steadman’s Brigade at the battle of Chickamauga,
and after that fought at Missionary Ridge, and did brave service in the
principal engagements with the enemy during Sherman’s Atlanta campaign,
and assisted the capture of that city, and was active in the battle of
Jonesboro. After that contest he was detailed as officer’s clerk
in the inspector’s department at Division headquarters, accompanied the
command to the sea, and on through the Carolinas and Richmond to
Washington, where he took part in the grand parade that signalized the
advent of peace, and thus closed his experiences of the hard ships and
privations of a soldier’s life in that most terrible war.
In January, 1866, Mr. Stewart came to Fulton County, and was
engaged in farming with his father in Cass Township until the latter’s
death, when he bought the farm from the other heirs, and continued to
operate it with good financial success until 1882. In that year
he entered upon his career as a public official, and rented his farm
and moved into the city. He still retains possession of the farm,
which contains three hundred acres of well-improved land supplied with
substantial buildings, good farming machinery, and everything necessary
for the profitable prosecution of agriculture. He superintends
the management of the place, which is admirably adapted to
stock-raising purposes, to which he devotes it largely, being
extensively engaged in that branch. He is also prosperously
carrying on the lumber business with Mr. McDowell, with whom he formed
a partnership in 1889, and they have here a large, well-equipped yard,
and already have built up a good trade.
Mr. and Mrs. Stewart, who were married in 1877, have established
here one of the many cozy, pleasant homes for which Lewistown is noted,
and their abode is the center of a gracious hospitality, which attracts
to it a wide circle of friends and acquaintances, as the social
standing of our subject and his amiable wife is among the best people
of the city. Mrs. Stewart was born in Delaware County, Ohio, and
is a daughter of William and Rhoda Stenbeck, her maiden name having
been Frances Stenbeck.
Mr. Stewart is a gentleman of much force and decision of
character, prompt in action and ready of recourse, and possessing fine
business talents. These marked traits have brought him
prominently before the public in tow of the most important official
capacities in the county. In 18812 he was elected Sheriff of the
county, and served in that capacity with distinction four years, his
invincible courage, tact and cool judgment eminently qualifying him for
the position. In 1886 he was elected County Treasurer, and is
conducting the finances of the county with rare skill and to the
perfect satisfaction of all concerned without regard to party. In
politics his sentiments are in harmony with the principles of the
Republican party. Socially, he is connected with Kenneth Lodge,
No. 146, K. of P.; and with Lewistown Post, M. W. A.; and he is a
member of Thomas Layton Post, No. 121, G. A. R.
