Amos Stewart, a prominent farmer and stockman of Rock Creek township, is a Civil war veteran and Butler county pioneer. Mr. Stewart was born near Greencastle, Ind., February 10, 1840, and is a son of James and Dicy (Wright) Stewart, the father a native of Kentucky, and the mother of North Carolina, both of whom migrated to Indiana with their respective parents when children. The Stewart family remained in Indiana until 1849, when they migrated to Washington county, Iowa. The father conducted a farm there and also operated a sawmill. In 1857 the family moved to Appanoose county, Iowa, remaining there until 1882, when they removed to Kansas.

On August 12, 1861, Amos Stewart enlisted in answer to the President's call for volunteers to defend the Union. The Iowa quota was filled by the time he was recruited and he was mustered into the United States service as a member of Company D, Fifth Kansas regiment, and was later transferred to Company B, of the same regiment. This regiment saw service along the troublesome border in Kansas, Missouri and Arkansas, and were principally engaged in fighting guerillas. Mr. Stewart's term of enlistment expired in February, 1864, after he had served three years, and he immediately re-enlistd[sic] in the same company for a period of four years. He served until after the close of the war, receiving his honorable discharge on August 21, 1865, after serving four years and nine days. He saw much hard service of a dangerous and disagreeable character known as "guerilla warfare," where military rules and usages were disregarded and frequently no quarter was shown. To be captured invariably meant death.

At the close of the war Mr. Stewart returned to Appanoose county, Iowa, and in October, 1866, he was married to Miss Mary Linton, a native of Ohio, and a daughter of L. L. and Rachel (Moore) Linton, natives of Ohio. Mr. Stewart and his wife began life on a farm in Iowa, where they remained until July, 1870, when they came to Kansas and settled in Butler county, which has since been their home. To Mr. and Mrs. Stewart have been born the following children: Alice R. married

A. G. Huffman, Lamar, Neb.; J. P., resides on the home place; Louis R., farmer, Rock Creek township; Rachel N., died at the age of one year, and one child, born in Iowa, died in infancy. Mrs. Stewart departed this life on July 4, 1909.

Mr. Stewart is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, and is a member of the Church of Christ, Little Walnut Chapel. He has been a life-long Republican and is a firm believer in the policies and principles of that party. Since coming to Butler county, Mr. Stewart has accumulated a competency, and is one of the well-to-do farmers of Rock Creek township, being the owner of one of the fine farms in Butler county. Mr. Stewart has always done his duty conscientiously and well, whether on the field of battle or in the quiet walks of every day life.

Previous | Main Page | Biography Index | Next

Pages 863-864,