Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-12-18
Veteran Financier
Continued from Page one)

his s9th birthday anniversary. John
Altman Stewart Insisted that he had
not retired, but merely was acting
upon the advice Of his physician.
For several years previous to that
time he had gone by automo' lie
three times each week from his home
at Morristonw, N. j., to attend to his
duties as chairman of the board OF
the United States Trust Company.
He was suffering no physical all
ments at the time and the discon-
tinuance of the trips to his office was
suggested by his physician as
means of conservin~ his strength.
Emphasizing his declaration that he
had not retired, Mr.. Stewart con-
tinued to go through a regular daily
routine almost to the time OF his
death, keeping in touch with the af-
fairs of his office and with the gen.
eral news of the world by reading
two newspapers daily.
The fact that Mr.. Stewart had
been making regular trips to his Of
flee when nearing the cent+-y mark
had been generally overlooked, ex-
cept by his close associates, until
1921 attention was called to 1t by
John D. Rockefeller when he was re-
ceiving congratulations on his own
birthday anniversary that year. The
oil king, declining to regard his own
case as out Of the ordinary or re-
markable, said: 81 have a friend 81
years old, who, living in Morristown,
goes to his bank three times week"
He refused to divulge the name, but
later 1t was learned that Mr.. Stewart
was the friend to whom he referred,
and 1t also was discovered that MIR.
Rockefeller was in error by two
years regarding his friends age. Mr..
Stewart was the oldest active finan-
cier in Wall Street, and perhaps In
the country. He contended there was
no secret about the good health he
had enjoyed so many years and at
tributed it to abstemious habits since
his youth. He had not used tobacco
in any form since he was 20. Il be-
llieve that is one of the reasons l
have kept my health" he declared.
"The only rule have Is moderation
in everything. Eating too much Is
Just as bad as drinking too much. /
do not live differently from other peo-
pie, but eat and drink carefully
Mr.. Stewart often recalled with APP
parent pleasure the intimate friend
ship he enjoyed with many presidents
of the United States. Born during the
administration of James Monroe, he
would recall the first president he saw
was Andrew Jackson on an occasion
when the president delivered an adj
dress at the City hall in New York.
From Jackson's time he had seen
nearly all the presidents and was per-
sonally acquainted with most of them.
He was one of Lincoln's close advis-
ers during the Civil War, and entered
the service of his country in 1864 as
assistant treasurer of the United
States, Afterward he took part in
the councils of leading financiers and
participated in plans to fund the ma
tional debt. He came to the govern
ment's aid again in 1884 during the
second administration of Grover Cleve-
land, at time when the country's gold
reserve was dangerously near deple-
ton. He was influential in obtaining
the resumption of specie payments,
and took leading part in financing
the needs of the government. Presi-
dent Cleveland in his book 'Presiden-
tial Problems" said of him: He
rendered NOSE useful and patriotic
service in making this and the pre-
vious offer of bonds successful"
Mr.. Stewart was born in New York
August 81, 1922, the son of John and
Mary Altman Stewart. His father was
a native of the Island of Lewis. one of
the Hebrides group, and his mother
was born in New York. A brother
Rear Admiral Edwin Stewart, born in
1884, was for many years paymaster
general of the navy. Graduated from
Columbia University in 1910, John A.
Stewart at the time of his death was
the oldest living graduate of that in
stitution. For several years after
graduation he engaged in civil engi-
neering and had been a clerk in the
board of education in New York and
actuary of the United States Life In
surance Company.
In 1853 Mr.. Stewart organized and
became secretary of the United
States Trust Company, with which
he remained until his death. He was
made president of the company in
1865 and retained that office until
1902, when he resigned to become
chairman of the board of trustees.
He was the last survivor of the orr
ginal board of trustees, which includ-
ed Peter Cooper, John Jacob Aston,
Joseph Lawrence. John j. Phelps,
John J. Cisco, William E. Dodge,
Royal Phelps and William Fl. Macy.