Amador
County
Biographies
DANIEL STEWART
No mercantile enterprise of Ione
antedates the establishment of the store of which Daniel Stewart was the
proprietor. Through long years he was an
active factor in the commercial interests in this place and had marked
influence on the business life of the city.
His efforts not only contributed to his individual prosperity, but were
of marked benefit to the community, for in this utilitarian age everything
depends upon progressive business enterprises.
As one of the pioneers, citizens and merchants of Amador County, Daniel
Stewart is certainly deserving of mention in this volume.
He came to California in 1850 and
was a native of Pennsylvania, his birth occurring in North Liberty, Mercer
County, on the 6th of January, 1824.
He was reared upon a farm and his educational privileges were very
meager, but his training at farm labor was not limited. He was eminently a self-made man, owing his
advancement to his own efforts. In
company with his father and brother he crossed the plains with ox teams in
1850. They made a safe journey, their
numbers being undecimated by the Indians and the cholera. After arriving at Sacramento Mr. Stewart of
this review proceeded to Ione and established the first store in that
town. The enterprise had a small
beginning, but owing to the business ability, firm determination and energy of
the owner, the trade constantly increased and the facilities were in
consequence enlarged. Owing to his generous
impulses and thorough reliability, Mr. Stewart made many friends and his
business prospered. In 1856 he and his
brother erected the first brick store in the town and since that time their
concern has been one of importance, the trade constantly growing. He had the unqualified confidence and
patronage of a large number of the best people in his portion of the state, and
not only did he win financial success, but he also
gained a character for upright dealing that was indeed enviable. Mr. Stewart was also an active Republican and
was frequently selected to act as a delegate of the party to the county and
state conventions. He also took a deep
interest in the educational affairs in Ione and for several years served as a
member of the school board. It was
largely through his instrumentality that the ten thousand dollar brick
schoolhouse which is now one of the creditable institutions of the town was
erected. He withheld his support from no
movement or measure which be believed would contribute to the public good along
social, intellectual, material or moral lines.
He was also one of the founders of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows
in Ione and became one of its charter members, and through his entire life was
one of its most ardent and helpful supporters.
He served in many of its offices, and to his labors has largely been
attributed the success of the lodge in this place. He was a member of the Veteran Odd Fellows
Society of San Francisco and was also a member of the Pioneer Society at
Jackson.
In 1848 Daniel Stewart married Miss
Caroline Forker, a native of Pennsylvania, and in 1853 he returned to the east
to get his family. Their eldest child,
J. F. Stewart, was born in the east, and with his wife and infant son Daniel
Stewart returned to Ione, where five other children were afterward added to the
family, namely: Harry; John C.; Willie;
Thomas, who died in infancy; and Eva, who is now the wife of W. A.
Bennetts. In 1866 the mother died and in
1868 Mr. Stewart was again married, his second union being with Talitha B.
Forker, a distant relative of his former wife.
Their union was blessed with two children, Walter and Agnes. This marriage also proved a harmonious one and
they lived happily together until the 27th of February, 1899, when
the honored pioneer settler, Daniel Stewart, was called to the home beyond, at
the age of seventy-five years. His death
was a great loss to his wife and children and was deeply mourned throughout the
entire county. His lodge and the people
in general gathered in large numbers to pay their last tribute of respect to
one whom they had long honored. His
extensive business and large property interests were left to his wife and
children, and on the 19th of February, 1900, the business was
incorporated under the firm name of D. Stewart & Company, with the
following officers: J. F. Stewart,
president; Mrs. Daniel Stewart, vice-president; J. C. Stewart, secretary; Harry
Stewart, treasurer; and W. A. Bennetts, manager.
The children were all educated in
Amador County and the family is one of marked prominence and the highest
respectability. They have one of the
finest homes in the town and their store is a leading mercantile establishment
of Amador County, in which they carry a large stock of general
merchandise. The sons are all men of
good business ability, energetic and enterprising, and their straightforward
course in life’s relations adds honor to the untarnished family record.
W. A. Bennetts, who is acting as the
manager of the store, is a native of England, born June 29, 1847. He was educated partly in his native land,
completing his course, however, after his immigration to the United States in
1866. He is a graduate of Heald’s
Commercial College at San Francisco, and immediately after his graduation he
became a resident of Amador County. For
a time he was engaged in clerking in Amador City and Sutter Creek. In 1874 he was united in marriage to Eva
Stewart, and he then became an assistant in her father’s store, where he has
since remained. His wise business policy
has contributed in no small degree to the successful conduct of the business. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Bennetts
have been born six children, -- five sons and one daughter. The latter is now a capable assistant in the
Ione post office.
Mr. Bennetts is a member of the
Masonic fraternity. His is twice past master and is now the master of the Ione
lodge, No. 80. He also belongs to the
Ancient Order of United Workmen. In
politics he is a Republican and on the establishment of the board of education
he was one of the first appointed to membership thereon. He was also his party’s nominee for the
office of representative and made a creditable race, but through a combination
of circumstances was defeated. He is a
thorough businessman, widely and favorably known in the county, and as manager
of the oldest store in Ione, has manifested marked ability.
In closing this record we cannot
refrain from mentioning in a brief manner some of the characteristics of Daniel
Stewart. He was an earnest, honest and
incorruptible man, with a frank, genial manner which won and retained
friendship, and in consequence his death was sincerely mourned by a large
number of appreciative friends and acquaintances, with whom his long public
service had placed him upon terms of intimacy.
We take pleasure in presenting the
few facts of the foregoing sketch that we were able to glean, because the
subject fully deserves this honorable mention and much more. Not only “line upon line and precept upon
precept” are needed, but also example upon example, properly to impress upon
the minds of most people the importance of all the excellencies
of character.
Transcribed by
Gerald Iaquinta.
Source:
“A Volume of Memoirs and Genealogy of Representative Citizens of Northern
California”, Pages 216-218. Chicago Standard Genealogical Publishing Co. 1901.
© 2010
Gerald Iaquinta.
Golden Nugget Library's Amador County Biographies