Biography of A. L. Steward - Conway Co, AR

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Submitted by: Cathy Barnes <bbarnes@cswnet.com>
        Date: 21 Jun 1998
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
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SOURCE: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Western Arkansas.
Goodspeed Publishers, 1891.

page 116

A. L. Steward of Cleveland, one of the representative men of that
section, is engaged mainly in. the milling industry there. He has a
good steam grist, saw and planing mill and cotton gin, which he
conducts in addition to his farming operations, and is also proprietor
of the hotel at Cleveland. Since his residence in Conway County, which
dates from 1877, when he came here from Desha County, he has proven by
his industry and activity and his interest in all things to be for the
good of Cleveland; that he has the advancement of that place at heart.
He was married in 1873 while in Desha County to Mattie Todd, a native
of Tennessee, and they now have an interesting family of seven
children, who are named in order of birth: William L., Ella M.,
Alexander T., Claude, John, Eugene C., and Walter H. Our subject was
the son of James and Mary (Gardner) Steward, and was born in Tennessee
December 11, 1840. His parents were natives of North Carolina and
Virginia, respectively, and were the parents of a family of nine
children, of which our subject is the seventh. His father was a
mechanic by occupation. Both he and wife were members of the
Presbyterian Church. The family are of English and Irish descent. The
father died in Tennessee in 1859, and the mother in 1857. The subject
of this sketch received such educational advantages as that time
afforded in the common schools of Tennessee, and at the age of 15
years, began life for himself by engaging in farming, and followed
that till 1871, when he came to Arkansas and located in Desha County.
After two years he went to Jefferson County for one year, when he
returned to Desha County. He married there in 1873, as previously
stated, and followed farming then till 1877, when he permanently
located in this county. Mrs. Steward is a member of the Missionary
Baptist Church.