Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1932-07-28
(This sketch is copied from History
of North Carolina, 1917.

culiarly exacting in its demands, Will
liam Henry Stewart, of Salisbury, pro-
prietor and publisher of The Carolina
Waterman, the oldest publication of
the state, IS successfully devoting his
thought and energy to making his pa
PEI bright, newsy, reliable, and, above
all. clean, nothing of worth being too
small to escape his attention, and no
topic SO large that he cannot handle
it with ability. Inheriting in no small
measure the brilliant intellect, cour-
ageous spirit and the ready command
of language that characterized his IA
Their, the late John Joseph Stewart,
himself a noted journalist, Mr.. Stew
art does his own thinking, and in his
criticisms spares no evil doer, instead
he "hews to the line, letting the chips
fall where they will" He is a native
born son of Rowan County, his birth
having occurred in Salisbury January
II, 1870.
His paternal grandfather, Alexander
Stewart, wa born and educated in
South Carolina. Subsequently moving
to Georgia, he lived for a time in New
ton County, but later bought land in
Troup County, o far from West
Point, and there on the farm which
he improved spent the remainder of
his years. The maiden name of his
wife was Salina Bruner. She was born
at Beaver Dam, Montgomery County,
Moth Carolina, being a lineal descend
ant, in the fifth generation of Jacob
Bruner, who emigrated from Germany
to America prior to the Revolutionary
war, the line of descent being thus
traced: Jacob, Heinrich, Henry, Hen
~ and Salina.
John Joseph Stewart was born Jan.
IS, 1887, in Newton County, Geor-
gia, near Covington, and there he
spent his boyhood days. At the age Of
seventeen years he came with his un-
Gle, J. ]. Bruner, publisher of The
Carolina Waterman, to Salisbury, the
uncle having been a visitor at the
Stewart home in Georgia, and for :
while after coming here attended the
city schools. Spending his leisure time
in the office and work rooms of The
Carolina Waterman, he became ia
miliar With h arr Preseryatiye and
acquired a taste for journalism. He
afterwards became a clerk in the book
store of ames Ennis, and later bought
out the interests of his employee.
While engaged in mercantile pursuits
he established a paper, the Banner, and
continued its publication until the
breaking out of the Civil war. En-
listing then in Company B, Forty
sixth Regiment, North Carolina
Troops, as first sergeant, and later was
twice promoted. With the exception
of a while in the hospital while re-
covering from wound inflicted by a
minnie ball, and a brief sick leave, he
was with his command in all Of its
marches, campaigns and battles until
the close of the conflict.
Returning then to Salisbury, John
Joseph Stewart continued to publish
the Banner as a daily, semi-weekly and
tri-weekly for a while, and also taught
school a few terms. About 1880 he
published The Examiner and in 1885
established the Salisbury Truth, a fam
lily and political newspaper. He kept
himself we'll informed on local and
national affairs, but did his own
thinking, and never did he hesitate to
publish the RESULTS of his mental &C
Invites, great names and exalted po-
sitions inspiring him with no dread.
He was of an intense nature, and a
master of strong, trenchment lang
uage, which he could use daringly and
most effectively. Although an invalid
during the latter part of his life, he
edited his paper until his death, June
20, 1896.
The maiden name Of the wife of
John Joseph Stewart was Clara Lois
Bruner. A daughter of John Joseph
and Mary (Kincaid) Bruner, she was
born in Salisbury, and there reared and
educated, with the addition of several
sessions at the Statesville Female COL
lege. Her maternal grandfather, Thorn
as Kincaid, Esq, married. Clarisa Bran
don, a daughter of Colonel James and
Esther (Horah) Brandon. Of the mar
riage of John ]. and Clara Lois Stew
art, ten children were born.
Having completed the of
study in the Salisbury schools, Will
liam>H. Stewart was employed in the
office of the Examiner, a weekly pa
per published in Salisbury by his ia
Their. Having in the year Of 1888 been
appointed messenger in the United
States Senate, he spent the following