James E. Stewart, M. D.—In the premature death of Dr. James E. Stewart, which occurred on Oct. 14, 1906, not only did the people of central Kansas meet with a great loss, but the science of medicine and surgery lost one of its ablest representatives. Dr. Stewart loved his profession, especially surgery, and he rapidly rose until he became one of the best surgeons of his day. He was a Virginian, born in Bedford county, March 19, 1859, a son of Robert and Angeline (Arrington) Stewart, both of whom were descended from prominent old Southern families. This branch of the Stewart family was established in America by Dr. Stewart's great-grandfather, who belonged to the Stewart clan of Scotland. He emigrated from Scotland at an early day and located at Beaufort, S. C., where he spent the remainder of his days and was laid to rest. His son, Rev. James Stewart, the grandfather of the Doctor, was a pioneer minister of the Methodist church in Virginia, and for sixty years was a member of the Baltimore conference. In 1881 he came to Kansas and located in Rice county, where he lived to the advanced age of ninety-five years, and died at the home of his son, Robert.

Robert Stewart was born and reared on the old plantation in Bedford county, Virginia, and lived there for years. He owned extensive land interests and slaves, and in common with the other property owners of the southern states, he lost heavily by the Civil war. In 1881, accompanied by his wife and seven children, he removed to Rice county, Kansas, where he took up a tract of land and soon became one of the honored and representative farmers of the locality. In politics he was a stanch Democrat, and like other members of the Stewart family, a member of the Methodist church.

James E. Stewart spent his early youth on the Virginia plantation, and received his preliminary education in the common schools. While still young he determined to become a physician and began the study of medicine under the direction of Dr. E. W. Sale, a well known practitioner of Stewartville, Va. After two years of study the young man entered the Hospital Medical College, of Louisville, Ky., but remained only one term, as he left to accompany his family to Kansas. Soon after locating in the new western home he began to study in the office of Dr. P. P. Truehart, of Sterling, Kansas, and then, returned East to the University of Maryland, spending one term in that institution before again entering the Hospital Medical College at Louisville, where he graduated with the class of 1883. Six months later he opened an office at Alden, Rice county, where he practiced for eight years before settling in Hutchinson. There, in partnership with his brother, he established the Stewart Hospital, at Hutchinson, which was owned by them until Feb. 1, 1906, when a corporation was formed by the brothers, and stock was sold to many of the leading physicians of the city. A fine new hospital was erected, with appointments and accommodations equal to similar institutions west of the Mississippi river. They have accommodations for about fifty patients.

On March 7, 1894, Dr. Stewart married Lillian Young, daughter of John W. and Eliza A. (Furgeson) Young, and two children were born to them, Helen and William Y.