My Genealogy Hound

James M. Stewart, of the representative firm of Stewart & Taylor, abstract, loan and general insurance agents of Forrest City, was born at Collierville, in Shelby County, Tenn., in 1842. In 1859 he came to Arkansas, locating at the old county seat of Madison, in St. Francis County, where for two years he was engaged as clerk and book-keeper by an establishment at that point. When the war between the States was declared he went to Kentucky to join the cavalry service, but the delicate condition of his health caused him to be rejected, much to his chagrin. Giving his supplies to a companion who had been more fortunate in being accepted, he returned to Arkansas and joined the Fifth Arkansas (Hart’s) Regiment as a private of Company A; he was afterward adjutant of his regiment, and at the close of the war was commanding Company A, in the Trans-Mississippi Department. He served for four years, and participated in all the principal engagements of the State. When peace had been declared Mr. Stewart accepted a position of trust with a firm at Memphis, Tenn., where he remained until 1868, leaving at that time to return to St. Francis County to fill a position as clerk and book-keeper. In 1879 he was elected clerk of the circuit court, in which capacity he served for four consecutive terms, in a manner eliciting the satisfaction and admiration of all concerned. Mr. Stewart then ceased to be an aspirant for office, and at that time was more popular with the people of the county than he had ever been before. By this prudent and all-wise step he still remains one of the most esteemed and influential men in the community. Soon after leaving the clerk’s office he, in company with Mr. Taylor, formed the present real-estate firm, which is one of the most widely known and substantial establishments of this branch of business in this section of the State, they owning over 10,000 acres of valuable land. In societies Mr. Stewart is identified with the F. & A. M., K T., K. of H. and K & L. of H. Washington G. and Sarah W. (Griggs) Stewart, his parents, were natives of South Carolina and Tennessee, respectively, he being the fourth of a family of nine children born to their union. Washington Stewart was a millwright by trade, and enjoyed an extensive business in Tennessee and Mississippi. He executed a greater part of the work on the plank road out of Memphis, Tenn., through Mississippi, on Big Creek Plank Road, and many other public highways. He was a man of prominence and influence, and was one of the first mayors of Madison, the old county seat of St. Francis County. He died in 1868. J. M. Stewart was married, in 1866, to Miss Ollie E. Colson, of Paducah, Ky., and by her became the father of three children: James H., Elbert and Mary E. Mr. Stewart, besides his other interests, is a stockholder in and one of the incorporators of the Forrest City Hotel Company. He was elected secretary of that company at its organization, serving as such until forced by ill health to vacate in the winter of 1888. He is also a stockholder in and one of the original incorporators of the Bank of Eastern Arkansas, located at Forrest City. A member of the city council of the town of Forrest City and chairman of the finance committee, he was also twice elected a member of the school board of the special school district of Forrest City, and as such took an active interest in educational affairs. He served as Master of the Masonic Lodge here several terms and was Grand Marshal of the Grand Lodge of this State, also Dictator of the Lodge of K. of H. at same place, several consecutive terms.