Progressive Men of Iowa
1899

STUART, William, who is extensively engaged in the land business in the new town of Armstrong, Emmet county, has had an active life which has been crowned with success, especially in a business way.

He was born in the County Antrim, Ireland, near the town of Carrigallen. His father was Alexander Stuart and his mother was Margaret Ellis Stuart. He was of Scotch and she was of English descent. They were farmers, and emigrated to Canada, settling near Mitchell, Ontario, where their son William received his early education. Later he was sent to school in West Mokton, Ontario.

In 1879 William Stuart located in Grundy Center, Iowa, where he was engaged in the blacksmithing trade for several years. After he had accumulated about $700 he went into partnership with a brother in Fulton, 111., which he sold out in 1884 and engaged in the agricultural implement business for eight years, part of the time with E. H. Dodd as a partner. He then sold his interest in this business, and left Grundy Center, and formed a partnership with B. F. Robinson to start a bank in the prospective town of Armstrong, Emmet county.  They organized the Armstrong bank in 1892, with William Stuart as president and B. P. Robinson, cashier, erecting a substantial building of their own. Three years later he sold his interest in the bank to John Dows and has since been dealing extensively in land.

Mr. Stuart has served as mayor of Grundy Center, and chairman of the republican county committee and is at present a member of the committee, and is a member of the county board of supervisors. He has always been republican. He belongs to all the Masonic lodges, the Blue Lodge, and Chapter and Commandery, Mystic Shrine and Eastern Star. He is a member of the Methodist church. On the 26th of December, 1882, Mr. Stuart was married to Jennie Dunn. They have three children: Grace, Alta and Hazel.

Mr. Stuart is one of the substantial business men of northwestern Iowa, who has had a large part in the building up of the state and developing the country. In doing so he has achieved for himself a large measure of success, showing what the free institutions of America will do for a man who is willing to do for himself. He has, moreover, gained the confidence of the people among whom he lives to an unusual degree.

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