John Wistar Simpson Stewart

John W. Stewart (1846-1914) was born in Laurens County and won a college scholarship to the Arsenal in Columbia, SC and reported there on Jan 1 1863. However, in a few months, the institution was closed for 17 years. He then enlisted as a Private with Lieutenant Patrick in Company B, Battalion State Cadets, South Carolina Local Defense Troops in Charleston, SC. He served on Post Duty on James Island near Charleston.
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From the "House of Clark":

John Wistar Simpson Stewart was the second child of Katharine Carson Hitch and Rev. Clark Berry Stewart, founders of the House of Clark. He was born in 1846 in the Sandy Springs community in lower Laurens County. He was five years old when his parents moved to the Fountain Inn area.

As a young man, Wistar married Margaret Louise Anderson, daughter of Rachel Stennis and James Anderson of the Fairview community. Lou (as she was called) was a great-granddaughter of John and Peggy McDill Peden, who immigrated to the Fairview community from County Antrim, Ireland. Wistar and Lou settled in the Fairview community and had a family of three children: Leila, Catherine Rachel and Anderson Hitch Stewart. Not long after the birth of their third child, Lou developed symptoms of "consumption" (tuberculosis) and died a lingering death in spite of the best medical attention her family could procure.

After Lou's death Wistar and his three young children moved in with his parents for a time, and a few years later he married Nancy Williams. Wistar and Nancy lived in the Fairview community for the remainder of their lives, in later years living at the old Clark Berry Stewart homeplace. Wistar and both his wives are buried at Fair-view Presbyterian Church.

At the time of his death in 1914, Wistar was the second Chief of the Walter Stewart Clan. A memorial read at the next Stewart reunion gave this description of his life (probably written by his younger cousin, 373 Walt Stewart, secretary).

John Wistar Simpson Stewart was the first son of Rev. Clark B. & Katharine C. (Hitch) Stewart, born at the old Hitch home in Laurens Co., on Dec. 24, 1846. Named for his father's devoted friend Dr. John Wistar Simpson of Laurens. He also received his early training in Laurens Co. Some years later his father bought a farm 3 miles south of Fairview Church in Greenville Co. So the most of our noble man's life was spent in Greenville Co. around old Fairview Church Community. After he was old enough to attend college his father sent him to Williamston, S.C. - winning a scholarship to the Arsenal in Columbia, S.C. he reported there on Jan. 1st 1863, at the age of 17. In a few months the cruel fate of War closed this institution for 17 years. He, like many young men of his age, had to lay down a much coveted education and take up the fight to defend his country during the last strenuous months of the Confederate War. For 6 months he was on Post Duty on James Island. After the close of the War he came home and taught school for a few months. Then he took up farming and also surveying, for his main life work. In both lines of occupation his equal was hard to find, as a surveyor he was noted for his honesty and accuracy. Farm after farm in Laurens and Greenville Counties, were surveyed out by Squire Stewart, as he was called by so many friends.

There were other lines of publick works that he carried on that was of great assistance to his neighbors & friends. He was a merchant for several years, he thrashed their grain, a little later he operated a grist-mill, saw-mill, and cotton-gin. He was big hearted & broadminded, ever ready to help a friend of which he had many .... He was a member of Fairview Presbyterian Church and for several years filled the office of deacon.

J. Wistar Stewart had a splendid record of service in the county, both as a private citizen and in official capacities. He was magistrate of Fairview township for several years, and was a leader in all public affairs that would be for the betterment of his county and State. After his health failed so that he had to give up active farm work he spent many pleasant hours reading and writing. And he enjoyed having his friends visit him and take a meal with him, for he was a good provider and all the good things that were placed on that table came from his own farm except the coffee, rice, sugar, and salt and he had two of the best cooks in the country, Miss Nancy, his wife and Cathie, his daughter.

A few years before his work was finished on this earth, he decided to introduce and organize a Stewart Reunion for he was proud of his name Stewart, so he went to work, selected a committee who agreed with his ideas, he wrote out the constitution and by laws of this Walter Stewart Clan, and was made sub chief of the House of Clark Berry Stewart, for he richly deserved the honor. He spent many pleasant and tireless hours day and night for weeks until all plans were completed for this reunion and was the noble sub chief of this House till his death on Dec. 19, 1914.

John married Margaret Louise Anderson, daughter of James Anderson and Rachel Stennis, on 10 Dec 1874.¹ (Margaret Louise Anderson died in 1881.)

John next married Nancy A. Williams in 1882.¹