My Genealogy Hound

J. CLARK STUART, a well known farmer and fruit grower of Cumberland county, located near Shippensburg, was born near Carlisle, Pa., and comes of Scotch-Irish ancestry. He is a grandson of the late Judge John Stuart of Cumberland county, who was born there in pioneer times, and spent all his life there. He married Miss Barbara Stein.

John Stuart, father of J. Clark, was born in Carlisle in 1821, and died in 1875. He was a successful business man, and became widely and favorably known in Cumberland county. He married Miss Elizabeth Searight, daughter of Francis and Anna (Clark) Searight, who came of an old and much respected family.

J. Clark Stuart was born near Carlisle, Pa. After receiving his primary education in the public schools of his native county he attended the Fayetteville Academy, Franklin county, and State College, Pa. After leaving college he engaged in farming near Mt. Holly, having had careful training in that vocation. In 1867 he removed to his present home, near Shippensburg, Pa., where he is engaged in agriculture and fruit growing. He is an intelligent man, and takes an active interest in all that pertains to the welfare of the community, where he is recognized as a public-spirited citizen. His services have been solicited for various positions of trust in the county and township in which he resides. His political sympathy is with the Democratic party. His only sister, Mrs. Anna Fleagy, lives in Harrisburg.

On Feb. 14, 1867, Mr. Stuart was married to Miss Helen J. McCune only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Robert S. McCune, of Middle Spring, Pa. Mrs. Helen Stuart was born in the beautiful country home in which she still resides. She was educated at Harrisburg, Pa., in Mrs. LeConte’s Ladies Seminary, completing a course of study at Sunnyside Seminary, Newburg, Pa., and graduating with the highest honors of her class. She is a fine musician, and was organist of the Middle Spring Presbyterian Church for thirty-four years. She has one brother, Eugene McCune, Esq., of Chicago, Ill. Mrs. Stuart is of Scotch-Irish ancestry, her people being among the first settlers of that part of Cumberland county. Her great-grandfather was an officer of rank in the war of the Revolution. Her parents, Robert Sterrett and Jane (McCormick) McCune, were both born in Cumberland county. Mr. McCune in his early years was engaged in mercantile pursuits in Cincinnati, Ohio, but most of his long life was spent in the improvement and management of his estate, leading the life of a retired country gentleman. He was a ruling elder in the Middle Spring Church, both he and his wife being active in every good work. Much of their ample means was devoted to objects of charity and benevolence. Their useful lives will long be remembered in the community in which they lived. Their married life extended over a period of fifty-four years. They died in 1874, dying within a few weeks of each other.

Mr. and Mrs. J. Clark Stuart have two sons: (1) Robert McCune Stuart is a commercial traveler; he married Miss Caroline B. Simpson, youngest daughter of the late Col. Simpson, of Constantine, Mich., and they have one child, Robert McCune Simpson Stuart. Their home is in Washington, D. C. (2) John Howard Stuart is a graduate of the Cumberland Valley State Normal School, class of 1901, and has held the position of principal in the Johnstown (Pa.) Schools for the past twelve years.