The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-01-14

- r. D18WAHE DEAD
Oregon Pioassr-PuyaIiup Was Bstit
IN Isis Farm and Made Hiua Rich.
Tacoma. Jan. III. p. Stewart. vice
president Of the Puyallup Loan and Trust
Company. and vice president Of the Pa
ciflc National bank. OF this city. died
this morning at his home at Puyallup Of
apoplexy. aged 81. He was stricken SAT-
urday afternoon ON the street.
Puyaiiup. Jan. -Special.-For the
past year Mr.. Stewart had been prepar-
ing a short synopsis OF his life for his
boys. and following are a few extracts:
Born. September 20. 1885, al Croten
Delaware county. N. Y: graduated at the
Delaware Literary Institute when IS years
Of age: a year later taught school. and
on the 18th of April, 1856. left Crotch for
the West, never having been. prior TO
this. fifty miles from home On April 20
1856. left New York by steamer for Pana-
ma. arriving on the 18th: crossed the isth-
mus by rail and took the steamer Golden
Gate for San Francisco. arriving there
May 16, twenty-six days out from New
York. On May Is left San Francisco by
steamer for Oregon, arriving on the 2ith
at Portland. which then had a population
of 1000 Went by team to Corvallis by the
way Of Oregon City and Salem. where he
met his relatives and friends. This ended
the journey from Crotch 10 Corvallis,
occupying thirty-six days. Ten days
after arrival he commenced teaching
school ana taught the years OF 1856 and
1856. during the Indian war in Oregon
and Washington He taught until 1859.
and also acted as sheriff OF Benton
county. in which Corvallis IS situated.
On April %. 1860. he started on horseback
for the Sound country by the way OF
Portland. arriving on the seventh day in
Stei.acoom. He started Immediately for the
Puys lup valley. which contained only
three white persons. John Carson, Mart
Ball and Leach. the two latter being
now deceased. but Carson still lives on
the same place. He arrived the same day
at Carsom's fort. which is situated where
the Meridian street. Puyallup, bridge now
stands. He took a donation claim OF 100
acres where the present city of Puyallup
now stands. He then taught school at
Steilacoom and Spanaway. At the last
named school Miss Margaret Mcmillan.
later his wife. was a pupil. In the year
1862 he was elected probate judge. In
1868 j. v. Meeker took claim adjoining
Stewards He became county surveyor
and surveyed the township. In 1863 he
was appointed the postmaster in the VAL
ley. which office he held for eleven years
On December "a. 1863. he was married
In the same year he ran the telegraph
Office and was line repairer. He was
washed out In 1867. AT that time the mail
frcm Franklin. now Puyailup. was carried
to Seattle by C.. H. Hanford. now judge
of the United States district court. He
taught school next year at Sumner. and
the following spring and summer kept
books for the Old Tacoma MIL Company.
In the spring of 1871 ne planted one acre
of hops and raised 763 pounds for which
he received cents per pound. In 1856
he was elected TO the legislature. Mr..
Stewart expressed regret, soon before he
died that he would not be able to COM
plte his memories.
President Elwood Evans, OF the State
Historical Society. says: Hon. ]. +.
Stewart was one of the substantial men
of Pierce county, one of It's best citizens
in the best sense of the word. He has
served the people OF this county well and
faithfully as. probate judge. county COM
missioner and In the Washington terri
toriai legislature. He migrated 20 Pierce
county from Oregon shortly after the
Indian war. after 1t became safe to oc-
cupy claims in the Puyallup valley. first
serving his neighbors as postmaster OF
Franklin. He has been n successful
farmer. hop raisNr. merchant and banker:
In every situation. in every capacity he
gained the confidence of his neighbors,
and acted for the best interests OF the
community In which he lived He has
left burt few 10 follow that can be as USE
fnl. feel the shock OF his sudden demise
too severely tp express my feelings at
the deep loss his sudden denth has occa-
stoned to the state, county and commun-
uy"