JOHN E. STEWART, for many years a leading and representative agriculturist of Mt. Pleasant township, now a resident of the borough of Washington, is a native of Allegheny county, born in Findley township, April 5, 1842. James Stewart, his great-grandfather, was born in Dauphin county, Penn., April 25, 1754, and August 25, 1779, there married Margaret McCowen, a native of the same county, born February 19, 1759. They settled near Clinton, in that township, their nearest neighbors at the time being -- to the north, seven miles distant, to the south, four and one-half miles. James Stewart took up a large tract of land, where he passed the remainder of his days, dying July 21, 1821, at the age of sixty-seven years; his wife had passed away July 5, 1816, at the age of fifty-seven years. They were the parents of children as follows: James, twice married, first to Elizabeth Dickson, afterward to Isabella Gladden; John (of whom mention is made further on); Richard, married to Mary Stewart; Thomas, twice married, first to Isabella Brown, afterward to Eleanor Cherry; Joseph, married to Mary Ewing; Margaret, married to Josiah Guy; Jane, married to Matthew McCoy; Eleanor, married to James Simpson, Ann, married to William Guy; Mary, married to Henry Cowan, most of whom lived and died in Allegheny county.
Of this family, John (grandfather of subject), born June 4, 1780, married Elizabeth Glass, and settled on the farm in Allegheny county, on which his son, James, and grandson, John E. (subject) were born. Here he died in 1846, aged sixty-six years, leaving a widow and six children, the former of whom was called from earth in October 1869, at the age of eighty years. Their children were: James, born July 11, 1809; Robert, born August 17, 1811; Margaret, born May 31, 1814; Jane, born November 15, 1816; John M., born Mary 21, 1819; and Elizabeth, born 1812. Of these, Robert died when a young man; Margaret married John Smiley, of Washington county, and is now a widow living in Burgettstown; Jane married Henry Aten, and is now a widow, with residence in Allegheny county; John M., a farmer, died July 3, 1881, in Allegheny county; Elizabeth married Thomas Armor, of Allegheny county, and died in July, 1890.
James Stewart grew to manhood on the old home farm, where he spent his entire life. On October 8, 1840, he was married to Miss Rachel P., daughter of Edward Cherry, of Washington county, and they became the parents of the following interesting family: John E. (subject); Sarah J., married to Samuel Aten, of Wyandot county, Ohio; Amanda E., married to George Jardine, and now living near Clinton, Allegheny county; Maggie E., injured by a fall when three years old, and permanently crippled in her lower limbs (she was born June 3, 1855, and died December 5, 1873); Rankin M., an agriculturist, living on the old home farm in Allegheny county; and Mattie A., unmarried, having her home with her brother Rankin M. The father died October 10, 1882, the mother on December 13, same year. Mr. Stewart was not an active politician, nevertheless held various local public offices of trust; a member of the Presbyterian Church, he was an elder in same, as were also nearly all the older members of the Stewart family. He was a prominent man in his township, and took an active interest in all local matters tending to the advancement and welfare of the community.
John E. Stewart remained at the parental home until he was twenty-nine years of age, and received a common-school education, necessarily somewhat limited, as being the eldest in the family he had to, early in life, commence in the farm work, assisting his father, who was severely injured in one foot, and had ill health for a few years. After his marriage in 1871 he removed to Mt Pleasant township, this county, and settled on a farm which he had purchased and which he still owns. Here they remained till November, 1891, when they moved into the borough of Washington, where they still make their home, having purchased a residence on West Main street. They have no children. Mr. Stewart is a Democrat, and while in Mt. Pleasant township, he served as school director, supervisor and justice of the peace; in 1890 he was elected county commissioner, resigning the office of justice of the peace after two years’ service. He and his wife are members of the Third Presbyterian Church of Washington. His farm, which is situated in the northern part of Mt. Pleasant township, comprises 140 acres of highly improved land, and is conceded to be one of the finest in the township.
On August 10, 1871, Mr. Stewart was married to Miss Jennie M. Stewart, who was born May 5, 1844, daughter of Joseph Stewart, also of Findley township, Allegheny Co., but the families are in no other way related. Prior to her marriage she had been a teacher in her native county. Her grandfather, Samuel Stewart, came from Dauphin county, Penn., to Allegheny county in an early day.
He was married in Dauphin county to Jane Patterson, who lived to be ninety-seven years of age, dying in the fall of 1867, her husband passing away in 1837. Their children were James, Robert, Hugh, Flora, Nancy, Margaret, William, Samuel, Joseph, and Uriah, of whom Joseph was the father of Mrs. John E. Stewart. He was born Mary 29, 1816, and married Hannah Glass, daughter of an early settler of Robinson township, Allegheny county, and they lived to celebrate their golden wedding October 3, 1889. They were the parents of children as follows: Samuel G., married to Harriet Stoddard; Jennie M. (Mrs. John E. Stewart); Olivia M., wife of Albert Aten, of Allegheny county; William J., married to Maggie Miller; john P., married to Lida Plummer; Joseph P., single (the last two named are partners in a mercantile business in Finleyville, Penn.); Sadie A., deceased at the age of about six years; Andrew D., living on the old home farm with his mother, and Albert E., a merchant in Hickman, Allegheny county. The father of this family died December 19, 1892, a member of the Presbyterian Church; in early manhood he had associated himself with the United Presbyterian Church. The old Stewart homestead where Mrs. Joseph Stewart and her son, Andrew D., now reside, is the original tract settled by the family many years ago, never having changed hands.
Text taken from page 554 of:
Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893).Transcribed July 1997 by Barbara Bower of Yorktown, VA as part of the Beers Project.
Published July 1997 on the Washington County, PA USGenWeb pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.[ [Back to Beers Table of Contents] [Back to Beers Project Page]