HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY                      169

with Mr. Rogers, while he enlisted as a soldier of the United States
army in the war with Mexico in 1847. He was honorably discharged
the following year and returned to Indiana, after which he engaged in
teaching school. Later he located in Turner, Indiana, in the blacksmith’s
business and subsequently carried on a shop at Williamstown and also
in Staunton, where he died on the 12th of October, 1871. In politics he
was a Union Democrat. In pioneer days he was a resident of Clay
county and belonged to that class of representative men who in the faith-
ful performance of each day’s duties ably upheld the best interests of the
community and promoted its general progress and improvement.
    William D. Stewart in his boyhood days assisted his father in the
blacksmith shop and was early taught the value of industry and energy
as factors in active business life, In the winter months he attended school
and in his youth he worked to some extent in coal mines, being thus en-
gaged until April, 1883, when he entered the employ of Webster & Van
Cleave, proprietors of a general mercantile establishment at Staunton.
He was with that house for two years and in 1885 engaged in business on
his own account, opening a meat market in Staunton, which he conducted
successfully for about four years, when in 1889 he removed to Brazil
and opened a grocery store. Here he has carried on business contin-
uously since and in 1905 be built one of the first store buildings located
in Brazil with cement floor throughout. He has a neat and tastefully
arranged store, carrying a large and well selected line of staple and fancy
groceries and as the years have passed has enjoyed a constantly increas-
ing trade, which has come to him in recognition of his straightforward
dealing, his earnest desire to please his patrons and his reasonable prices.
    On the 13th of October, 1875, Mr. Stewart was united in marriage
to Miss Juretta B. Kirk, who was born in Brazil, Indiana, May 19,
1854, a daughter of William and Sarah (Myers) Kirk. Her father was
born in Louisville, Kentucky, in 1816 and died in 1883, while his wife,
a native of Orange county, Indiana, born in 1816, passed away in 1897.
They were married in Clay county, this state, in 1836. The father came
to Indiana in 1832 when fifteen years of age, driving across the country
with teams from the old home in Kentucky to Orange county, Indiana.
He made the trip in company with his parents and in 1836 he became a
resident of Clay county, where he built a log cabin in the midst of the
wilderness upon the present site of the town of Staunton. He aided in
the pioneer development of that locality and subsequently removed to
the site of Brazil. There he built a log house in the midst of the green
woods, for the district was then an unbroken wilderness, giving no evi-
dence of the influences of progress and civilization. He assisted in clear-
ing away the timber and lived at that place until 1852, when he removed
to Bridgeton, where he worked at the cooper’s trade for James Mulli-
gan, for about three years. He then returned to his first location in Clay
county and in 1862 removed to Sullivan, Illinois, where he worked at
the cooper’s trade until 1866. In that year he again came to Clay county
and spent his last days in Staunton. In politics he was a Democrat and
both he and his wife were members of the Christian church. The family
numbered nine children, including Mrs. Stewart.
    Unto Mr. and Mrs. Stewart have been born five children: Frances
Annie, the wife of Monroe Williams; Sarah Catherine, the wife of Ben-
jamin Cheek; Ralph William J.; Ray Austin; and Elizabeth La Vern.
    In politics Mr. Stewart was a stalwart Democrat for many years,