My Genealogy Hound

Samuel Steward, of the firm of Steward Bros., general merchants, was born in Lancaster in 1842, and is the fifth of nine children born to William and Melissa (Dickerson) Steward, natives of Massachusetts, born in 1786, and of Kentucky, born in 1817, respectively. The father was taken to New York by his parents when two years old, and during the War of 1812 served in Gen. Scott’s division in a New York regiment. He was wounded at the battle of Chippewa. Two years after the war he married Phoebe Dean, who died in Indianapolis, Ind., in 1830, where they have lived some time. In 1834 Mr. Steward married the mother of our subject. In 1835 he came to Crawford County, and built the first shanty and sold the first goods where Van Buren now stands. The next spring he moved on Frog Bayou, just south of the present site of Lancaster, at which time there were but two settlements above him and but a few between there and Van Buren. There he erected a saw and grist-mill, which he operated until his death, and which was the first mill in the county. He was one of the men who helped the progress of the neighborhood materially by his enterprise, business ability and labor. He built several mills and cleared a number of farms, besides being a successful mechanic and trader. His father, John Steward, came to America from Scotland prior to the Revolution, and was a mill-wright and mechanic. He spent his latter days in New York. Being reared during the pioneer days of Crawford County our subject received but little education during his youth. At the age of eighteen he joined Company I, Third Arkansas Infantry, Confederate Army, enlisting as a private under Capt. J. T. Steward, but soon becoming third lieutenant upon the reorganization of the company. In 1862 the Fourth Arkansas and Fifth Missouri companies united and formed the Ninth Missouri Infantry, in which he served as first lieutenant. After September, 1862, he held the office of captain of Company I during the remainder of his service. He was in the battles at Oak Hill, Mo., at Pea Ridge, Prairie Grove and other minor skirmishes in Missouri, Arkansas and Louisiana. He surrendered at Camden, Ark., May 28, 1865, four years from the date of his enlistment. After spending two years in Texas he returned home in 1867, and, purchasing the old homestead, has since lived upon the place of his birth. July 18, 1863, he married Elizabeth J., daughter of G. W. and Ellen F. Marshall, formerly of Alabama, where Mrs. Steward was born. Mr. Marshall died in 1873, but the mother is still living. Mrs. Steward came to this county in 1858, and since July, 1859, has been a member of the Missionary Baptist Church. She is the mother of seven children, five of whom are living and have received a good education. Mr. Steward has 236 acres of land, which he has himself improved, having been exclusively engaged in farming and milling until 1882. He then sold goods one year on the farm, and in 1883, with his brother John, established a general store at Lancaster. They carry a well-selected stock of goods, valued at $5,000, and their annual sales amount to about $10,000. Mr. Steward is a Democrat, and cast his first presidential vote for Douglas in 1860. Since 1884 he has been the postmaster of Lancaster.