"Portrait & Biographical Record of the Willamette Valley Oregon."  Chicago:
Chapman Publishing Company, 1903. p. 1095.
 
JOSEPH W. STEWART

     In Lane county are to be found many thorough-going, keen-sighted business
men who have achieved success in life through their own tact, sound judgment,
and persistent determination. Prominent among this number is Joseph W. Stewart,
of Springfield, who, in his long and prosperous career, has accumulated a
sufficiency of this world's goods to enable him to pass his remaining years in
ease, surrounded by not only the comforts hut the luxuries of life. A man of
honest worth, ever ready to support all enterprises conducive to the best
interests of his town and county, he has gained in a marked degree the respect
and confidence of his fellow-men, and is held in high esteem in the community. A
son of the late Elias Stewart, he was born September 13, 1835, in Macoupin
county, Ill. His grandfather, Brison Stewart, was born and reared in Virginia,
but subsequently moved to Tennessee, thence to Illinois, and in 1839 settled in
Missouri, where he passed the remainder of his years. He was a tiller of the
soil, and as a pioneer assisted in breaking the land in three of the states
above mentioned. He enlisted as a soldier in the closing years of the war of
1812, but was never called into active service.
     The oldest of a family of eight children, six of whom grew to years of
maturity, Joseph W. Stewart received his early education in the district schools
of Missouri. Coming to Lane county in 1852, he assisted his father in the labors
incidental to life in a new and uncivilized region, remaining at home until
1862. Going then to the mines of Boise, Idaho, he met with success in his search
for the golden ore, returning home in 1863 with $1,200 in gold. For a few months
thereafter he was employed as a clerk in a store at Eugene. On November 5, 1863,
he moved to Springfield, Ore., where, in partnership with his brother, John
Stewart, and Mier Rosenblatt, he embarked in business as a general merchant. In
1865 Mr. Stewart and his brother bought out the interest of the remaining
partner of the firm and conducted a successful mercantile business until 1873,
when the partnership was dissolved. Taking the store, Mr. Stewart continued its
management alone until March 26, 1902, when he sold out to T. G. Chandler, and
has since lived retired from active pursuits.  Mr. Stewart has large property
interests to look after, owning considerable real estate, a large part of which
is in town lots. He has twenty-two acres in one body adjoining Eugene on the
southwest, which lie has named in honor of his father, the Elias Stewart
addition, twenty acres of it being platted. He is also owner of three blocks on
Cottage Hill, in Eugene, and in the city of Springfield has a fine residence,
two store buildings, and other property, including twelve city lots. He manages
his own real estate interests and conducts an extensive business besides in
loaning money.
     In 1864, near Eugene, Mr. Stewart married Julia Walker, who was born in
Greene county, Mo. She died August 16, 1874, aged twenty-seven years, leaving
two children, namely: Henry, who is telegraph operator and station agent for the
Southern Pacific Railway Company at Comstock; and Hattie, wife of A. 0. Wheeler,
an engineer, residing at Portland, Ore. On December 2, 1875, Mr. Stewart married
Elizabeth Evans, who was born in Baltimore, Md., but, being left an orphan when
young, came to Oregon, in 1874, to live with her brother. Mr. and Mrs. Stewart
have three children, namely: James E., a butcher in Springfield ; Mary Ethel,
wife of J. L. Clark, postmaster at Springfield; and Harry M., who is assistant
postmaster. Politically Mr. Stewart is a stanch supporter of the principles of
the Democratic party.  He has filled many positions of public trust and
responsibility, having been postmaster at Springfield for eight years, serving
through President Hayes' administration and during the first term of President
Cleveland; he was school director a number of years; was a member of the city
council several terms; and at the present time is serving most efficiently as
city treasurer.

     
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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in June 2010 by Diana Smith.  Submitter
has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.