Colonel Alexander J Stewart

1847 - 1918  (70 years)

• Name	Alexander J Stewart
  Title	Colonel
  Birth	3 Oct 1847	Delaware County, Iowa   [1]
  	from biography, see Notes
  Gender	Male
  Occupation	Minneapolis, MInnesota   [2]
  	VP Monarch Elevator Company
  Occupation	1893	Minneapolis, MInnesota   [3]
  	associated w/Frank H. Peavey, grain elevators
  Death	1 Feb 1918	Minneapolis, MInnesota   [4, 5]
  	notes from conversation with Doris Stewart in 1970s say he died from "complications"
  Burial	4 Feb 1918	Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesota   [6, 7]
  Person ID	I11	new CMW Septs
  Last Modified	5 Jul 2024

  
  

  Father	William Henry Stewart,   b. 1807, Donegal, Ireland d. 11 Mar 1865, Fillmore Village, Fillmore, Minnesota (Age 58 years)
  Relationship	natural
  Mother	Elizabeth Farrell,   b. 14 Apr 1818, Coagh, Tyrone, Ireland d. 15 Jan 1901, Fillmore Village, Fillmore, Minnesota (Age 82 years)
  Relationship	natural
  Marriage	26 Feb 1836	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania   [8, 9]
  	Kensington First Presbyterian Church Kensington First Presbyterian Church
  Family ID	F5	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Orcelia Azubah Pettit,   b. 1847, Yates, Orleans County, New York d. 8 Sep 1935 (Age 88 years)
  Marriage	1868	Minneapolis, MInnesota   [10]
  Children	+ 1. Frederick Alexander Stewart, Major,   b. 11 May 1879, Dexter, Minnesota d. 27 Mar 1922, Minneapolis, MInnesota (Age 42 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]
  Family ID	F4	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	5 Jul 2024

  
  

• Notes

  EXTRACTED FROM: History of Minneapolis, Gateway to the Northwest; Chicago-Minneapolis, The S J Clarke Publishing Co, 1923; Edited by: Rev. Marion Daniel Shutter, D.D., LL.D.; Volume I - Shutter (Historical); volume II - Biographical; volume III - Biographical   Vol II, pg 330-333     ALEXANDER STEWART. Year by year marks the growth of Minneapolis as a grain trade center and the focal point of the milling industry of America. The great broad prairies of the upper Mississippi valley, offering splendid opportunity for grain production, made the development of the milling industry a logical sequence. It remained, however, to men of keen sagacity and marked enterprise to recognize the conditions and opportunities of this section and to use the natural resources of the country in directing the trend of settlement and civilization. Among the number active in this great field of labor was Alexander Stewart of Minneapolis, who became identified not only with one of the most extensive grain elevator concerns in the northwest but with many corporations of similar character and almost equal in volume. He thus won his way to a place in the foremost ranks of the business men of Minnesota and the entire middle west. By birth, by training and preference he was a western man, imbued with the spirit of marked progress that has been the dominant factor in the upbuilding of this great division of the country. His birth occurred in Delaware county, Iowa, October 3, 1847, his father being William Stewart, a man of Scotch lineage, who became one of the pioneer residents of Delaware county, where he converted a tract of wild land into a highly developed farm, continuing actively in agricultural pursuits there until his death in 1865. His son, Alexander Stewart, bore his full share in the work of cultivating and improving this farm on the western frontier and at the same time made good use of the educational advantages offered by the public schools of the neighborhood. He was fifteen years of age when he left the farm to take a forward step in his business career by becoming identified with the purchase and shipment of grain. His previous experience had well qualified him to judge of the worth of farm products and success attended him in the venture. Naturally he drifted to Minneapolis, which was becoming more and more the grain trade center of the country, and here throughout the intervening period to the time of his demise he occupied a position of prominence and influence among the grain merchants of the country. In 1893 he became associated with the late Frank H. Peavey, the founder of the F. H. Peavey Grain & Elevator Company, and as vice president and general manager he long directed the interests of that mammoth corporation, one of the most extensive grain elevator concerns in the northwest, controlling a widely extended chain of country and terminal elevators. Nor were his efforts confined solely to this corporation, for he was also the vice president of the Monarch Elevator Company, of which Frank T. Heffelfinger is president. In 1891 he became a member of the Chicago Board of Trade and also was identified with the Minneapolis Chamber of Commerce, the Duluth Board of Trade and the Milwaukee Grain Exchange. He became one of the foremost figures in grain trade circles in the northwest, active in the direction of mammoth interests which promoted the growth and upbuilding of Minneapolis in notable measure. He seemed to control operations on the grain market with ease--as one manages a piece of well adjusted machinery. He studied all of the conditions affecting the grain market and was thus able to make most judicious purchases and profitable sales, while his powers ??f organization were also a vital element in the upbuilding of the great corporate interests with which he was associated. In 1868 Mr. Stewart was united in marriage to Miss Orcelia Pettit, a daughter of the late Charles Pettit, and they became parents of a son, Frederick Alexander, who passed away on the 27th of March, 1922. A sketch of him appears on another page of this work. Mr. Stewart always gave his political endorsement to the republican party from the time when age conferred upon him the right of franchise. He was a consistent follower of Masonic teachings, while both he and his wife were loyal members of the Presbyterian church. They maintained their residence at 3413 Park avenue, their home being most attractive not only by the evidences of wealth but by reason of the warmhearted hospitality that there prevailed and which is still cordially dispensed by Mrs. Stewart. The home ties were severed when on February 1, 1918, Alexander Stewart passed away, laying down the immense business burdens which he had carried and which had brought to him rich and generous returns as a reward of his close application, his thoroughness, his keen discrimination and reliable operations. It will be long before Alexander Stewart, grain merchant of princely holdings, will be forgotten, not only because of his notable success but also owing to his splendid personal characteristics.

  
  

• Sources

  [S532] Rev. Marion Daniel Shutter, History of Minneapolis, Gateway to the Northwest, (Name: SJ Clarke Publishing Company;), vol II, p 330-333 (Reliability: 3). His birth occurred in Delaware county, Iowa, October 3, 1847 [S21] Rev. Marion Daniel Shutter, History of Minneapolis, Gateway to the Northwest, (Name: SJ Clarke Publishing Company;), Vol II, pp 330-333 (Reliability: 3). Nor were his efforts confined solely to this corporation, for he was also the vice president of the Monarch Elevator Company, of which Frank T. Heffelfinger is president. [S21] Rev. Marion Daniel Shutter, History of Minneapolis, Gateway to the Northwest, (Name: SJ Clarke Publishing Company;), Vol II, pages 330-333 (Reliability: 3). In 1893 he became associated with the late Frank H. Peavey, the founder of the F. H. Peavey Grain & Elevator Company, and as vice president and general manager he long directed the interests of that mammoth corporation, one of the most extensive grain elevator concerns in the northwest, controlling a widely extended chain of country and terminal elevators. [S21] Rev. Marion Daniel Shutter, History of Minneapolis, Gateway to the Northwest, (Name: SJ Clarke Publishing Company;), Vol II, pp 330-333 (Reliability: 3). . The home ties were severed when on February 1, 1918, Alexander Stewart passed away, . . . [S246] Minnesota Deaths and Burials, 1835-1990, (Name: FamilySearch;), https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FDS5-56X (Reliability: 3). Name: Alexander Stewart Sex: Male Age: 70 Death Date: 1 Feb 1918 Death Place: Minnesota, United States Birth Year (est): 1848 Marital Status: Married Father's Name: Wm. Stewart Mother's Name: Elizabeth Farrell Mother's Birthplace: Scotland[sic] Spouse's Name: Stewart page: 10 Reference (Certificate #): 22477 Cemetery: Lakewood Cem Note: Birth: Elizabeth/Farrell [S246] Minnesota Deaths and Burials, 1835-1990, (Name: FamilySearch;), https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FDS5-56F (Reliability: 3). Wm. Stewart in the record of Alexander Stewart [note this collection is now Minnesota, Death Records and Certificates, 1900-1955, and no longer shows the burial information). Name: Alexander Stewart Event: Burail Event Date: 4 Feb 1918 Event Place: Miinnesota, United States Gender: Male Age: 70 Marital Status: Married Birth year (est): 1848 Death Date: 1 Feb 1918 Death Place: Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesota Cemetery: Lakewood Cem Father's Name: Wm. Stewart Mother's Name: Elizabeth Farrell Mother's Birthplace: Scotland [S394] Find a Grave I, (Name: FindaGrave.com;), memorial 137532947 (Reliability: 3). Alexander Stewart Birth: 1847 Death: 7 Feb 1918 Hennepin County, Minnesota, USA Burial: Lakewood Cemetery Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota, USA Plot: Sect 22 Lot 68 grave 2 record added: 20 Oct 2014 [S72] Find a Grave, (Name: MyHeritage;), memorial 101680391 (Reliability: 3). Aged Lady's Death Mrs Elizabeth Stewart, of Fillmore Passed away Tuesday The venerable mother of George Stewart of Wykoff, passed away at the home of her son. W.J. Stewart of Fillmore, Tuesday morning, Jan 15 at 10:30. The deceased had not enjoyed good health for years and her death was due to the simple wearing out of the vital organs. Elizizabeth Farrel was born in Ireland almost 83 years ago as she was 82 year and nine months of age at the time of her death. She came to America with her parents when about 14 years of age, locating in Philadelphia. When about 18 old she was united in marriage to William Stewart. Shortly after their marriage Mr and Mrs Stewart came west, locating for a time at Galena, Ill from there they removed to Colsberg, Iowa where they resided for 10 year; until 1856 when they came to Minnesota locating on a farm 1 ½ miles East of Fillmore Village. Mrs Stewart was the mother of 12 children besides one adopted son. The husband crossed the dark river several years ago and laid to rest. Those living are W J Stewart of Fillmore, George Stewart, of Wycoff, Alex Stewart, of Minneapolis, Mrs. Mary Schriner of Madison S.D. , Mrs Rebecca Durfey, Wife of D W Durfey of Fountain Township and the adopted son Charles Stewart of Saxton N. D. The Funeral services were held at the M. E Church in Fillmore today, (Thursday) at 1 o'clock PM, . Reveran Healy, the Pastor officiating. The remains were laid to rest beside those of her husband & Children in the Fillmore Cemetery. Coming to Minnesota as she did in the Pioneer days , the deceased had a larger circle of acquaintances who will remember with the kindliest of feeling and respect and they join the Messenger in extending sympathy to the bereaved relatives. [S235] U.S., Presbyterian Church Records, 1701-1970, (Name: Ancestry.com;), Accession Number: Vault BX9211.P49125 K42v.2 (Reliability: 3). Feb 26th Mr William Stewart & Miss Elizabeth Farrel 1.50 [S21] Rev. Marion Daniel Shutter, History of Minneapolis, Gateway to the Northwest, (Name: SJ Clarke Publishing Company;), Vol II, pp 330-333 (Reliability: 3). In 1868 Mr. Stewart was united in marriage to Miss Orcelia Pettit, a daughter of the late Charles Pettit, and they became parents of a son, Frederick Alexander, who passed away on the 27th of March, 1922.