US Congressman, Businessman. He attended schools in Pennsylvania before moving to Illinois with his parents in 1838. Steward was a successful farmer and landowner, and also became involved in several business enterprises, including banking and the manufacture of farm machinery. In the early 1850s he founded the town of Plano as part of an arrangement to have the Chicago Burlington & Quincy Railroad transport his farm products and machines. He was a main financial backer of the Marsh Brothers, who invented the harvester as an improvement to McCormick's reaper, which was originally manufactured in Plano, and the town adopted the slogan "Birthplace of the Harvester, Home of the Reaper." Steward also studied law and attained admission to the bar in 1860, but did not practice. In 1876 he was the unsuccessful Democratic and Greenback party nominee for Governor. In 1890 he was elected to the US House of Representatives and served one term, 1891 to 1893. Steward was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1892 and for election to the US House in 1894, afterwards returning to his farming and business interests. The Plano home, "The Homestead," is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is operated as a bed and breakfast.
US Congressman, Businessman. He attended schools in Pennsylvania before moving to Illinois with his parents in 1838. Steward was a successful farmer and landowner, and also became involved in several business enterprises, including banking and the manufacture of farm machinery. In the early 1850s he founded the town of Plano as part of an arrangement to have the Chicago Burlington & Quincy Railroad transport his farm products and machines. He was a main financial backer of the Marsh Brothers, who invented the harvester as an improvement to McCormick's reaper, which was originally manufactured in Plano, and the town adopted the slogan "Birthplace of the Harvester, Home of the Reaper." Steward also studied law and attained admission to the bar in 1860, but did not practice. In 1876 he was the unsuccessful Democratic and Greenback party nominee for Governor. In 1890 he was elected to the US House of Representatives and served one term, 1891 to 1893. Steward was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1892 and for election to the US House in 1894, afterwards returning to his farming and business interests. The Plano home, "The Homestead," is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is operated as a bed and breakfast.
Bio by: Bill McKern
Family Members
Siblings
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See more Steward memorials in:
Records on Ancestry
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