Memorable Manitobans: Arthur Stewart (1854-1913)

Arthur Stewart Click to enlarge

Businessman.

Born at Belfast, Ireland on 11 July 1854, son of Robert Stewart and Jane Arthur, he received his education in Belfast and came to Canada with his parents in 1867, settling in Ottawa. He was married twice: first in 1878 to Annie Munroe, daughter of Alexander Munroe, a prominent Selkirk pioneer. She died in 1895, leaving two sons and two daughters. In 1896 he married Octavia Seager of Toronto, and they were the parents of one son.

Stewart entered the federal civil service in 1872. He came to Winnipeg in 1873 as paymaster in the North West Mounted Police. In 1875 he was promoted to commissary purchasing agent. In 1877 he purchased land at Sunnyside where he farmed until 1882, returning to Winnipeg to accept the position of chief accountant for Penrose and Rocan, butchers. In 1884 he was appointed treasurer of Selkirk county and from 1885 to 1887 served as treasurer of the eastern district board. In March 1877, he founded the Permanent Mortgage and Trust Company, which was eventually merged into the National Trust Company. He retired as manager of the Company on 1 January 1913, but retained his place on the board of directors.

Among his other activities he was one of the founders and charter members of the Carleton Club; the secretary, treasurer, and principal shareholder of the Elmwood Cemetery Company, which he founded in 1901; president of the Canadian Metal Shutter Company of Winnipeg; president of the Crossing Lumber Company of Minaki, Ontario; and president of the Arts Publication Company of Winnipeg; a member and past master of St. John’s Lodge, No. 4, AF & AM, and a member of the Winnipeg Country Club. He lived at 67 Harvard Avenue from 1907 to 1912, in a home designed by local architects Alexander D. Melville and William N. Melville.

He died tragically at his Selkirk residence on 2 August 1913 and was buried in the Elmwood Cemetery.

Sources:

A History of Manitoba: Its Resources and People by Prof. George Bryce, Toronto: The Canadian History Company, 1906.

The Story of Manitoba by F. H. Schofield, Winnipeg: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1913.

“Tragic death of Arthur Stewart,” Manitoba Free Press, 4 August 1913.

Pioneers and Early Citizens of Manitoba, Winnipeg: Manitoba Library Association, 1971.

Crescentwood: A History by R. R. Rostecki, Crescentwood Home Owners Association, 1993.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 22 April 2020

Memorable Manitobans This is a collection of noteworthy Manitobans from the past, compiled by the Manitoba Historical Society. We acknowledge that the collection contains both reputable and disreputable people. All are worth remembering as a lesson to future generations. Search the collection by word or phrase, name, place, occupation or other text: Custom Search Browse surnames beginning with: A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | Y | Z Browse deaths occurring in: 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 Send corrections and additions to this page to the Memorable Manitobans Administrator at biographies@mhs.mb.ca Criteria for Memorable Manitobans | Suggest a Memorable Manitoban | Firsts | Acknowledgements Help us keep history alive!