ALEXANDER STUART
Page 185

Mr. Stuart for near forty years has been a substantial, well to do citizen of Mason county, his home having been here permanently since his first arrival. He was born in county Derry, Ireland, and a model representative of that nationality to whom our country is indebted, to them and their descendants for some of the best minds it has ever afforded in church or State affairs. The date of his birth was in 1815; emigrated to America in 1835, and settled in Mason county in 1837. During his residence here he has most of the time been engaged in a mercantile and grain business. He run the steamer "Navigator" in 1837. The first boat up the Illinois river was the "Utility," in 1826. He married Miss Gardiner, in 1846, a member of one of the old families of this county. She died in 1856. Mr. Stuart is a large property owner, and has ever been prominently identified with the interests of his home and community, especially in public improvements, which have always been advanced by his co-operation and his money. He was elected justice of the peace in 1843 to 1847, and nearly always a member of the town board since the incorporation of Havana, and was the first town treasurer, and is justice of the peace at the present time. In school and township offices he has had a large share of service. The decisions rendered by him in the capacity of justice of the peace have been models of impartiality and of fairness, worthy the imitation of others of more pretense. Many interesting incidents in the early history of this part of the county could be given in this connection, did space permit, which it does not. Upright, honest and reliable in all the relations of life, is the most candid record we can make of the character of our subject.

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