The History of the Yakima Valley, Washington, Comprising Yakima, Kittitas and
Benton Counties, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1919, Volume II, page 900 

FRANK R. STEWART.

Frank R. Stewart, energetic, ambitious and determined, is now the owner of one
of the finest ranches in the Yakima valley and his life record should serve as
an inspiration to others, showing what may be accomplished through individual
effort and perseverance intelligently guided. Mr. Stewart was born in Dekalb
county, Illinois, August 26, 1862, a son of George and Elizabeth (Terpening)
Stewart. The father was born in Scotland in 1818 and was a son of James Stewart,
who brought his family to the United States in 1822, settling in New York, where
he purchased land from the Oneida Indians. This land is still in possession of
the family. The grandfather afterward made his way westward to Illinois in the
'50s and died at Belvidere, that state. George Stewart also went to Illinois at
the same time and settled in Dekalb county. He served with the rank of captain
in the Mexican war, organizing a company for duty at the front and remaining
with his command for two years. Again his patriotic spirit was aroused to the
point of military activity when in 1861 the south attempted to overthrow the
union and he organized the Fifteenth Illinois Cavalry, of which he remained
captain for six years. He did reconstruction work over the south after the war
and passed away at Shreveport, Louisiana, in 1875, where he engaged in clearing
the Red river for the government. He had taken his family to the south and he
there died of swamp fever. He was a very prominent and influential man, active
in public affairs and at all times a most loyal and progressive citizen. During
the period of the Civil war he was captured and incarcerated in Andersonville
prison but escaped after thirty days. In Masonry he attained the thirty-second
degree of the Scottish Rite and was always a worthy exemplar of the craft. In
early manhood he wedded Elizabeth Terpening, who was born in Herkimer county,
New York, and was a descendant of General Herkimer, while her father was Lucas
Terpening, a pioneer of the Empire state, who enlarged the New York and Eric
canal. After the death of her husband Mrs. Stewart with her family removed to
McLean county, Illinois, where they purchased a farm and the children were
reared upon that place. Mrs. Stewart passed away at Danville, Illinois, in
February, 1893. By her marriage she had become the mother of five children: A.
G., a prominent farmer residing at Genoa, Illinois; J. L., a well known
agriculturist who makes his home at Hinckley, Illinois; May, the wife of Charles
Meyers, of Forrest, Illinois; Frank R., of this review; and Sue, a teacher of
Bellingham.

Frank R. Stewart acquired a public school education and through the period of
his youth engaged in farming for his mother upon the homestead in McLean county.
Illinois. At the age of twenty-eight years he purchased a farm in Vermilion
county, Illinois, and later he removed to Ford county and subsequently to Bootie
county. He next went to Daviess county, Indiana, and in each of these places was
the owner of a fine farm. The year 1903 witnessed his arrival in Yakima county,
Washington, at which time he purchased ninety-six acres of land near Outlook
and, adding to the property, is now the owner of one hundred and fifty-six
acres, all of which is under a high state of cultivation. He built a beautiful
residence and tine barns upon his place and has equipped it with every accessory
and convenience of the model farm of the twentieth century. he raises grain,
corn and hay and he handles full-blooded Percheron horses and registered
Guernsey cattle of the milking strain and has a fine dairy. In fact his is one
of the best ranches in the Yakima valley and the owner is recognized as one of
the most energetic, farsighted and successful agriculturists of his portion of
the state.

On the 5th of February. 1891, Mr. Stewart was married to Miss Lottie I. Crouch,
who was born in Fairbury, Livingston county, Illinois, a daughter of Richard and
Johanna Crouch and the youngest of a family of eleven children, one of whom has
passed away. Her father was born in New Hampshire in 1818 and died May 16, 1904,
while her mother, who was a native of Pennsylvania, passed away in 1887. They
were pioneer residents of Illinois, where they were identified with farming. Mr.
and Mrs. Stewart have become the parents of eleven children: George, who is
deceased; Hattie, who is the wife of Floyd Howard, occupying a ranch near her
father and who has a daughter, Ruth; Howard, who has passed away; Jessie, a
teacher by profession; Bessie, twin sister of Jessie, who is deceased; Edward,
who enlisted in the united States army in June, 1918, and is now with the Marine
Corps in France; Walter; Harry; Margaret; Pearl; and Louise.

Mr. Stewart is well known in Masonic circles, belonging to the lodge and chapter
at Sunnyside, and he is also a member of the Yakima lodge of Elks. His wife has
membership in the Methodist church. His political allegiance is given to the
republican party, and while he has never been an office seeker, he is regarded
as one of the progressive and valued citizens of his community. He had an uncle,
Henry L. Terpening, who served for eight years in the Illinois state
legislature, working the entire time to get a bill passed to tax mortgages. The
same spirit of fidelity to what he believes to be right has ever characterized
Frank R. Stewart of this review -- a citizen in whom his fellow townsmen
manifest unqualified confidence. His sterling worth has been attested by all
with whom he has been associated and his work has constituted an example for
progressive development in his section of the state. He is indeed one of the
prominent ranchers of Yakima county and his labors have shown what can be
accomplished along various lines. He is now devoting much attention to the
cultivation of sugar beets and in other ways he has illustrated on his own place
the possibilities for the development of various crops. He has his house and
barns lighted by electricity and everything is thoroughly modern upon his place.
He well deserves mention as a prominent rancher and one who at all times
commands the good will and trust of his fellowmen.

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Submitted to the Washington Bios Project in January 2008 by Jeffrey L. Elmer.
Submitter has no additional information about the subject of this article.