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biography from Portrait & Biographical Album of Mahaska Co., Iowa, 1887
GEORGE STEWARD, a retired merchant of Oskaloosa, was born in York County, Pa., Feb. 23, 1828, and is a son of Charles and Catherine (Hyer) Steward. Charles Steward was born in Pennsylvania, and was a plasterer and brickmason by trade. His father emigrated from Ireland, and was of a wealthy family, bringing with him to this country considerable capital, and engaged very largely in the construction of public works and buildings. He built the bridge across the Susquehanna River at Harrisburg, and frequently employed in his various enterprises as many as 200 mechanics at a time. Financial reverses came, and his family was left in very limited circumstances, so much so that Charles was bound out to learn the carpenter's trade, but, instead, was put to work on a farm. He ran away from his employer because he did not teach him the trade, and afterward learned the business of plastering and brick-laying, and followed it for a number of years. Later on in life he settled in Wisconsin on a farm, and afterward in Minnesota, where he located a claim on Government land, and while at work harrowing one day with a yoke of young steers, they ran away. He ran ahead of them to cheek their flight, when they drew the harrow over him, and he died from the effects of the wounds received, about the year 1856. His wife died when the subject of this sketch was quite small. Of the three children born to them, our subject is the only one living. George Steward's education was received in the common schools, and he paid his own tuition by doing chores for his teacher. In early life he worked in factories for several years, followed the business of boating twelve years, and operated a ferry at Marietta, Ohio, across the Muskingum River. He came west in the spring of 1873, located at Oskaloosa, and served as clerk for seven years for his brother-in-law, S. J. Dutton. He then opened a grocery store in partnership with William M. Dutton, under the firm name and style of Steward & Co. This association continued about three years, when Mr. Dutton disposed of his interest to Henry I. Little, and shortly after the entire business was purchased by his two sons. The business is now conducted by one of the sons and Robert L. Turner, under the firm name of Steward & Turner. Mr. Steward was married in Marietta, Ohio, July 23, 1852, to Talitha M. Dutton, a native of Ohio, and a daughter of James Dutton. By this marriage them have been six children, four now living, as follows: Harley J., a minister in Newport, Ky.; Charles E., of the firm of Weeks & Steward, dealers in dry-goods at Oskaloosa; William W., a grocer at Oskaloosa, and present City Treasurer; he is also a member and general manager of the clothing-house of W. W. Steward & Co; Carrie J., at Newport, Ky. The deceased children were George W. and George E. The mother of these children died in Oskaloosa. Mr. Steward was again married, in Oskaloosa, July 23, 1885, to Mrs. Anna Craft. Mr. and Mm. Steward are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. A man may possess many excellent traits of character, but the crowning glory of his life is a consistent Christian profession, and a daily walk and conversation that gives evidence of this to the world, and this can be truly said of the subject of this sketch.
Portrait & Biographical Album of Mahaska Co., Iowa, 1887
Mahaska County, Iowa Genealogy