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biography from Portrait & Biographical Album of Mahaska Co., Iowa, 1887
CHARLES EDGAR STEWARD, of the firm of Weeks & Steward, was born in Marietta, Ohio, Jan. 21, 1856, and is a son of George and Talitha M. (Dutton) Steward. (See their biography elsewhere.) He received a good commonschool education and began his mercantile career as clerk in a dry-goods store in Marietta. In 1873 he came to Oskaloosa, entered the employ of S. J. Dutton, then in the grocery trade, remaining with him two years, and then engaged with the Willard & Weeks Company, and officiated as salesman in that establishment for eight years. Succeeding this service he engaged with Lawrence, Dungan & Co., wholesale dry goods, Ottumwa, as traveling salesman, for eighteen months, and for one year represented Gross & Landers, cloak manufacturers, in a traveling connection. In the fall of 1885 he formed his present partnership with Mr. C. C. Weeks, and September 15, they opened to the public their handsome place of business, "The Magnet." They carry a fine stock of dry goods, notions, cloaks, etc., averaging in value abont $20,000, do a fine business, and employ from six to eight salesmen and salesladies. Mr. Steward is a member of the Uniformed Rank, Knights of Pythias. He is a young man of persistent energy and push, and is succeeding finely in his business ventures, having a very correct and thorough knowledge of the details of his business, and a pleasant, engaging way about him that not only captures trade but retains it. He is a prudent manager, and at once assumed a place in the front rank among our business men, and maintains it because of the ability that placed him there.
Portrait & Biographical Album of Mahaska Co., Iowa, 1887
Mahaska County, Iowa Genealogy