James Holiday Stewart, Marion trustee and Williamson County treasurer, was born on December 28, 1827 in the Northern Precinct of Williamson County, Illinois, the son of James S. Stewart (1773-1834) and Rachel Salina Roberts (1787-1875). They lived just south of Corinth in Northern Precinct.
The first settlers along the ridge south of Corinth were the Stewarts, whose land extended almost to the county line: James Stewart, the father, born in Pennsylvania; John Roberts Stewart; James Holiday Stewart and Thomas Rice Stewart, the three sons. Rachel Selina Roberts’ parents were John Roberts and Mary Winchester; she was aunt of the county’s first legislator Thomas Roberts. The latter once owned the land including the old deer lick that was just south of Corinth at Bank Lick Creek.
The parents, James and Rachel, had 9 children: Mary Winchester Stewart, born 1810 in Huntington County, Pennsylvania; Margaret Morrow Stewart, born 1812 in Huntington County; John Roberts Stewart was born 1814, Sumner county, Tennessee; Irene Catherine Stewart, born 1816 in Sumner County; Thomas Rice Stewart, born 1818 in Sumner County; Stephen Rufus Stewart, born 1822 in Franklin County, Illinois; Nancy Amelia Stewart was born 1825 in Franklin County; James Holiday Stewart, born 1827 in Franklin County; Sidney Selina Stewart was born 1831, in Franklin County. Williamson County was part of Franklin County until 1839.
After James Stewart Sr. died in 1834, Rachel later moved to Marion and started a hotel. In the 1850 census, our subject, 22 year old James H. Stewart was listed as the hotel keeper. The head of the household was his mother, Rachel S. Stewart, aged 60. James’ sister, Sidney S., was also living in the hotel.
On March 13, 1851, James H. Stewart and Margaret Consley Louden were married in Williamson County. Margaret was the daughter of Thomas Louden (1795-1850) and Sara Tyner (1795). She and James H. had 4 children over the next 10 years: Leonard, Mary W., George and Sarah Lucretia Stewart who was born in 1851, but died in 1855.
In 1860 James H. was 32 and Margaret was 25. He was a carpenter with real estate valued at $500 and personal property valued at $250. Children living at home were; Leonard, Mary W., and George. Only the two oldest had attended school within the year, George was too young. Everybody in the family had been born in Illinois.
When the city of Marion finally got chartered on February 16, 1865, James H. Stewart was elected as a trustee for the City of Marion under Mayor Archibald T. Benson on the first city board. This City Board adopted and approved the first code of ordinances for the government of the Town of Marion on May 15, 1865.
The couple had a son named Walter who was born and died in the year 1868. Through the 1870’s, James and Margaret had three more children: Dewitt, John R. and Charles. Dewitt, who was born in February of 1873 died in August of 1874.
By the 1880 census the family had left Marion and returned to farming and rural living in his native Northern Precinct of the county. At that time, they had six children at home: Milliard L., 27; George H., 21; Thomas, 14; Olive, 10; John, 8; and Charles, 2. A 14 year old orphan, Ida Benjamin, was living with the family. According to Goodspeed’s History of the county, “He owns 120 acres northeast of Marion, which are devoted to stock and cereals, and is well improved and finely situated.”
Also in 1880, James served on a committee of Old Williamson County Settlers the same year. This group consisted of the early pioneers or their children who got together occasionally to hold a reunion. The following year, in 1881, James was on a committee of the Masonic lodge A.F. & A.M.
James served as Williamson County treasurer from 1886 to 1890.
In the 1900 census James and Margaret had been married 49 years. He was a farmer. Only two children were still at home; Olive, 30, and Charles, 22. Of these children, Charles died in January of the following year at the age of 23.
James Holiday Stewart died on April 21, 1902 in Corinth, Illinois. He was a Republican, a Mason, and he and his wife were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Margaret died on November 8, 1908. Both were buried at the Corinth Zion Methodist Church Cemetery where most of their children are also located.
Notes on the Children:
Sarah Lucretia Stewart was born in 1851 and died 1855.
Milliard L. Stewart was born 1853. He married Hester Pate Feb 27, 1884.
Mary W. Stewart Carter was born July 22, 1856 and died Jan. 3, 1916. She married Henry T. Carter Sep 9, 1879. They had children; Gertrude, Walter, George, and Amy Carter.
George House Stewart was born 1859 and died Mar 2, 1932. He married Laura Alsup Dec. 11, 1887. They had Nelly and Clark Stewart.
Jane C. Stewart Strike was born Oct. 7, 1860 and died in 1942 in Orange County, Fl. She married John S. Strike July 7, 1878. They had James Matthew and Flora Jane Strike. They moved to Orange County, Florida in the 1920’s.
Thomas Louden Stewart was born Sept. 29, 1865 and died Nov 9, 1923. He married Florence Armenta Dewoody July 24, 1888. They had eight children. In 1920 they were in Pueblo, Colorado.
Walter Stewart was born and died in 1868.
Olive Stewart Milligan was born Sept. 17, 1870 and died March 9, 1930 in Johnston City, Illinois. She married Charles M. Milligan. They had Charles Whittier Milligan.
John R. Stewart was born in 1871 and died on Oct. 27, 1958. He married Elizabeth “Bettie” J. Fiveash (1877 – 1976) on Feb. 22, 1900; they had one child, Adolph Stewart (1902 – 1903).
Dewitt Stewart was born Feb. 11, 1873 and died Aug. 25, 1874.
Charles Worth Stewart was born in 1878 and died on Jan. 21, 1901 at the age of 23.
(Sources; Federal Census Records; Pioneer Folks and Places; Goodspeed’s History of the county;compiled by Colleen Norman)