Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 5).djvu/721

Rh ernor of Missouri in 1357. and served for four years. during which time he was actiu- in found- ing the systeln of railroads that centres in that state. At the beginning of the civil war he ell— tered the National army. but failing health pre- vented him from serving and he sum] retired.

'''STEWART. Thomas McCants'''. lawyer. b. in Charleston. S. C.. 2-5 Dec" 1854. lle is of African descent. After his graduation at the ['niversity of South Carolina in 1S75 he practised law in Colum- bia. S. C.. and was professor of mathematics in the State agricultural college. (h‘angeburg. S. C. He entered the ministry in 1875‘. after studying at Princeton. In 15S? he became professor of belles- lettres and law in Liberia college. and spent a year on the west coast of Africa. serving also as general agent for industrial education in Liberia. In Janu- ary. 1836. he was admitted to the bar of New York city. Mr. Stewart has contributed to news- papers and magazines and is the author of “ Libe- ria. the .\merieo-At‘rican Republic " (New York. 18871: and " Peril of a (Great City" (lSBT).

'''STEWART. Virgil Adam'''. h. in Jackson 00., Ua.. 27 .lan.. iStJ'J. ln ISSIJ he became auluainted with John A. Murrell. who was the chief of an organization that existed throughout the south and southwest and made a practice of enticing negroes from their owners. with promise of free- dom. and then selling them in a distant part of the country. The members of the conspiracy recognized one another by signs. and dexterously concealed their identity. Their crimes included robbery and nmrder. Mr. Stewart succeeded in gaining full information concerning the plans. of the organization. which included an extended up- rising of the negroes. who were incited by promises of freedom to rebel and slay all the whites on the night of 25 Dec..1S3-"). Meanwhile the members of the conspiracy were to take advantage of the condition of affairs and plunder generally. A knowledge of this plot. which was divulged to Stewart. by Murrcll. led to the arrest of the latter, and his subsequent sentence to imprisonment for ten years. Afterthe conviction. Stewart published a pamphlet account of the atfair. under the title of "The Western Land l’irate" (1835). giving the names of the conspirators. This quickly disap- peared. statements were industrioust circulated that Stewart was a member of the halal. and efforts were made to murder him. See “ The Ilis- tory of Virgil A. Stewart and his Adventure in capturing and exposing the (treat “'estern Land Pirate and his- Gang " (New York. 1836).

'''STEWART. Walter'''. soldier. b. about 1756: (I. in Philadelphia, Pa.. 14 June, 1796. He espoused the American cause at the beginning of the Revo- lutionary war. raised a company for the 3d Penn- sylvania battalion. was commissioned captain. 6 Jan.. 1770'. and appointed aide-de—camp to Gen. Hates. 26 May. 1776. in which capacity he served until 17 June. 1777. when he was commissioned by the supreme executive council of Pennsylvania colonel of the state regiment of foot. He took command on 6 July. 1777. and led it at Brandy- wine and Germantown. By resolution of congress. 1:? Nov.. 1777. his regiment was annexed to the Continental army, becoming the 13th regiment of the Pennsylvania line. “n 17 Jan.. 1781. it was incorporated with the 2d Pennsylvania. under ('01. Stewart's command. He served with great credit throughout the war. retiring. 1 Jan.. 1783. with the brevet rank of lnrigadier—general. lie was said to be the handsomest man in the American army. He was afterward well known as a merchant of Philadelphia. and became major-general of the state militia. IIis full-length portrait is in Col. 'I‘rumbull's picture of the surrender of Cornwallis. till the left of the line of th. American oﬁiccrs.

'''STEWART. William'''. Canadian member of parliament. In. in Scotland in 180:}: d. in Toronto, 6 March, 1856. lie was educated privately. en- gaged in business as a merehant. and was one of the founders of the lumber trade in Canada. He was a member of the parliament of Canada for Bytown (now Httawa) and for the county of Rus- Sell. and framed the eulIers' bill and other impor- tant acts.—llis son. McLeod. lawyer. b. in Ottawa in 1-847. was graduated at Toronto university in IHGT. Ile studied law. was admitted to the bar in INTO. and established himself successfully in prac- tice at Ottawa. He was elected mayor of that city in INST. and was re—elected in 1885. Mr. Stewart is actively connected with many ﬁnancial and in- dustrial corporations. and is president of the Cana- da. Atlantic milway company. He is a Liberal- Conservative in polities and has rendered impor— tant services to his party. He was appointed a lieutenant in the governor-generals font-guards on the formation of that body.

'''STEWART. William Morris'''. senator. b. in Lyons. N. \'.. 1! Aug.. 1827. He entered Yale in 1843‘. and. although he was not graduated. his name was afterward enrolled among the members of the class of 1852. and he received the degree of A. M. in was. in 1850 he set out for California by the way of Panama aml engaged in mining in Nevada county. where he discovered the celebrated Eureka diggings. He disposed of his mining in- terests and began the study of law early in 1852. and was appointed district attorney in December of that year. and in 1854 became attorney-general and settled in San Francisco. Later he moved to Itownieville. (‘al.. where he devoted himself to the st mly and practice of the laws that relate to milling. ditch- and water—rights. and similar processes. In 1561) he moved to Virginia City. New. and was re- tained in almost every case of importance before the higher courts. To his efforts is mainly due the permanent settlement of the titles of nearly all the mines on the great Comstock lode. In lStil he was chosen a member of the territorial council. and in 1863 he was electEd a member of the Con- stitutional convention. Subsequently he was twice elected as a Republican to the U. S. senate. and served from 4 Dec.. 11:464. till 3 March. 1875. On his retirement he resumed the practice of his pro- fession on the Paciﬁc coast. where his great famil- iarity with mining law and mining litigation created a demand for his services. In 18H7 he was again elected to the U. S. senate for a full term. taking his seat on 4 March. He has published various addresses and speeches.

'''STICKNEY. John'''. musician. h. in Stonghton, Me. in 174-1; d. in South Hadley. Mass. in 1827. He was taught music while a boy. and subsequently settled in Hatﬁeld. where he gave lessons. Later he travelled extensively through the New England states. and acquired reputation as a teacher amt composer. but ﬁnally settled in South Hadley. where he continued his teaching. He published “ The Gentlemen and Ladies‘ Musical Companion " (Newburyport. 1774). a valuable collection of psalms and anthems, together with explanatory rules for learning to sing.

'''STILES. Ezra.''' clergyman and educator. h. in North Haven. Conn.. :29 Nov.. 1727: d. in New Haven. Conn.. 12 May. 1795. His ancestor. John. came from Bedfordshire. England. and settled in Windsor. Conn.. in 1635. and John’s grandson. Isaac, the father of Ezra. was graduated at Yale