Wellington County, Ontario GenWeb - Pioneer

Wellington County, Ontario GenWeb - Pioneer - STEWART, Robert

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Pioneer - STEWART, Robert

Biographical Sketches of
Early Settlers of Wellington County

Information from: Historical Atlas of the County of Wellington, Ontario.
Toronto: Historical Atlas Publishing Co., 1906

STEWART, Robert , is the second son of the late James and Elizabeth Stewart. James Stewart was b. Blair Athol, Perthshire, Scot. and d. about the age of 87. He came to Canada about 1821. His wife was Elizabeth Stuart, who came with her family to Canada about 1819.

Robert, was b. in the Scotch Block, Esquesing Tp. Co. Halton, in 1828, where he lived until the age of 17. He then went to Toronto where he acquired that knowledge of his business which has since made him proprietor of one of the largest and best planing mills and sash and door factories in Western Ontario. Mr. Stewart first came to Guelph at the time of the November fairs in 1853. In Oct., 1854, he set. permanently in Guelph and established a lumber business on the site where St. James' Church now stands. There was no competition nearer than Galt, and in his early days, when there were no railways, lumber was teamed in from Puslinch and Flamboro. In those days the demand for lumber was limited and the supply unlimited. At the present time the conditions are reversed, and his supplies are purchased from Muskoka and Parry Sound, and imported from the United States. The firm has two lumber yards, one located on the corner of Cardigan and Norwich Sts. and a large yard opposite Goldie's mill. The two yards cover over one acre of ground, and the stock carried will aggregate over one million five hundred thousand feet. Their planing mill in Upper Wyndham Street is the largest in Western Ontario, being a brick and stone block three stories in height, containing all the modern improvements and appliances for their business. Until 1904 the business was under the name of Robert Stewart , and since that time it has been Robert Stewart Limited, in partnership with his sons, Edward McLean and Robert Douglas. Mr. Stewart is the oldest manufacturer, and the oldest business man living in Guelph. There is not one man in business now, who was in it at the time he came. He has never held municipal office, but has been an active worker for the Liberal party. In religion he is a Presbyterian. He m. Annie, dau. of Lachlan McGregor, of Eramosa Township.

From: Historical Atlas of the County of Wellington, Ontario. Toronto:Historical Atlas Publishing Co., 1906