James A. STUART, b. 1831
James A. Stuart, living on section 4, White
Oak township, owns and controls a valuable
farm of one hundred and eighty-five acres and
is classed with the representative and prosperous
farmers of his community. He has been a
resident of this county since 1852, and is therefore
one of its pioneer settlers, having for more
than a half century witnessed its growth and
aided in its development, neglecting no duty
of citizenship. He is a native of Ohio, his birth
having occurred in Logan county, November
20, 1831. His father, James Stuart, was also
born and reared in Ohio and was there married
to Miss Elizabeth Hanger, a native of Virginia,
and a daughter of John Hanger, who was likewise
born in the Old Dominion, settling in Logan
county, Ohio, at an early day. James
Stuart, Sr., was a son of Thomas Stuart, a
pioneer of the Buckeye state, dating his residence
from the early days when the Indians
constituted a large part of its population. In
Logan county James Stuart, Sr., followed the
occupation of farming and reared his family of
ten children. He lived to the age of sixty-six
years, while his wife passed away at the age of
seventy-five years. In his business he prospered
as the years went by and built one of the
fine homes of his adopted state.
James A. Stuart was the eldest son of his father's family, and was
reared upon the old home
farm, attending the common schools, while in
the summer months he assisted in the work of
the fields, early becoming familiar with all the
duties and labors that fall to the lot of the
agriculturist. When he was twenty years of
age he came to Iowa and bought land, and the
next year he took up his abode upon this property. He first invested in one
hundred and
sixty acres of land, which now constitutes the
old homestead farm.
Mr. Stuart was married in Logan county,
Ohio, in July, 1852, to Miss Hawley,
but they were soon separated by death, Mrs.
Stuart passing away on the 25th of April, 1853.
On coming to Iowa Mr. Stuart began to farm
and improve his property and built thereon a
cabin home. In the second year thereafter, in
the spring of 1854, he was married to Miss
Mary Jane Harris, a native of Keokuk county,
Iowa, and unto them have been born six children, of whom three are living, the eldest
being Elizabeth, the widow of Arthur Goodspeed,
who died March 15, 1906; Cora, of Oskaloosa;
and Emma, the wife of L. S. Gable, of White
Oak township. The mother of these children
passed away and Mr. Stuart was afterward
married again, at which time Mary Feaster
became his wife. She is a native of
Iowa and a daughter of Hezekiah Feaster,
who was born in Indiana. This union was
blessed with three children, but two died in
infancy, Lewis being the only one now surviving.
Since the death of his third wife Mr.
Stuart has made his home with his son Lewis,
who lives upon the old home farm.
On coming to this county, Mr. Stuart resolutely began the work of developing
and improving the property and from time to time he
bought more land until he owned two hundred
and eighty acres all of which is well improved
and valuable. He also built a good two-story
house in 1870, has good barns upon his place
and substantial outbuildings, and altogether the
farm is a valuable one equipped with modern
equipments. He has deeded to his son Lewis
ninety-five acres of the old homestead, and he
makes his home with this son. Lewis Stuart
was married February 27, 1896, to Miss Stella
Moore, a native of Mahaska county, Iowa, and
a daughter of Harvey Moore, of White Oak
township. They have one child, Eva.
Mr. Stuart is one of the oldest and most
prominent farmers and residents of White
Oak township. He is now in his seventy-fifth
year and has led a life of activity and usefulness, in which his earnest
labor has been
crowned with prosperity. He is a Master
Mason, belonging to the blue lodge at Rose Hill and
politically he has been a lifelong republican. He
espoused the cause of the party when it was
somewhat unpopular to do so, and he cast his
first presidential ballot for John C. Fremont,
since which time he has supported each presidential nominee at the head of the
ticket. He
was for two years on the county board of
commissioners, now called the board of supervisors,
but he has never sought nor cared for office,
preferring to give his time and attention to his
business interests. Great changes have occurred
since he came to this county, pioneer
conditions have given way before an advancing
civilization. The little cabin home has been replaced
by a substantial farm residence, crude
machinery of the early days has been supplanted by
the improved farm implements of the present
and in all the work of progress Mr. Stuart has
been interested and has kept in touch with the
trend of modern events.
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from Past and Present of Mahaska County, Iowa by Manoah Hedge
The S. J. Clarke Publishing Co. 1906
Past and Present of Mahaska County, Iowa
Mahaska County, Iowa Genealogy
Iowa Genealogy
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