My Genealogy Hound

STEWART, CYRUS, farmer; P. O. Payson; the thirteenth child of William and Nancy (Marston) Stewart; was born in Payson in July, 1849; was educated in the village and at Camp Point. In December, 1869, he married Margret H. Smith, born in Frederick county, Va., in October, 1849. Have five children: Guy, Leon, John, Burg, and Clide. Mr. Stewart makes a specialty of raising thoroughbred Cotswold sheep; takes great interest in the Adams County Agricultural Society, and is one of its directors. His father, William Stewart, was born near Belfast, Ireland, Oct. 29, 1802. He enjoyed superior educational advantages up to his fifteenth year, though he had to walk four miles to school. He evinced a love for mathematics and navigation; was apprenticed on board a merchantman which sailed between Europe and the United States. He became second mate, soon after which, the vessel was captured by pirates. He narrowly escaped with his life and abandoned the sea. He married Nancy Marston, in Maine, in May, 1823. In 1836 they came to Payson township. When back on a business trip, he brought a pint of apple seed from New York, which he planted, and started the first nursery in that part of the county. He took great pains to cultivate choice varieties of fruit trees and ornamental shrubbery, and many of the beautiful door-yards of Adams county are living monuments of his enterprise and good taste. They had fourteen children; thirteen still living. He died Dec. 13, 1857. He and wife were zealous members of the Baptist church. She owns the homestead of 295 acres, worth $70 per acre.