Register entry 257 - J.J. Stewart - Member of the 1887 Eastern Media Tour
Visited the Bell Farm on Oct. 5, 1887. During the autumn of 1887, a group of 11 Eastern Canadian newspaper representatives undertook a cross-Canada excursion to inspect and report on agricultural activities throughout the Dominion, including daily attendance at local agricultural fairs, and, at Indian Head, a visit to the famous Bell Farm. For an unknown reason, two of the visitors – William Weld and Professor William Saunders, did not sign, and hence their entries are included in Album 600 – Other Bell Farm Visitors – 1882-2006.
John James Stewart (1844-1907) was the president and managing editor of the "Halifax Herald", which he helped found in 1875 as the "Morning Herald".
It appears that he was a member of the Masonic Lodge as early as 1866, and served as Secretary in 1871. He was also a member of various other organizations.
Before becoming a newspaper editor and publisher, Stewart taught at the Amherst Academy and then studied law. He was admitted to the Nova Scotia bar in 1874.
From 1880 until 1907 he regularly served as a Councillor of the Nova Scotia Historical Society, and served on its library board and publications committee in 1899.
Also in 1880, he married Catherine Olivia MacKay of Halifax.
Stewart helped found the Acadia Loan Corporation and the People’s Bank of Halifax. The latter was eventually acquired by the Bank of Montreal in 1905.
Politically, J.J. Stewart was an avowed Conservative; yet he regularly criticized both the provincial and federal Conservative Parties and some of its members. In 1890 and 1901 he ran unsuccessfully for a seat in the Nova Scotia Legislative Assembly.
He died in 1907 as a result of burns suffered from fire in his house.
SOURCES:
http://www.ourroots.ca/page.aspx?id=3605271&qryID=5f027435-2f35-431e-a7a0-4d22a9edede5
Photo of Stewart and newspaper history - http://archive.org/stream/canadianmagazine12torouoft#page/336/mode/2up
Biography - "The Handwritten Newspapers Project: The True Templar (NS, 1866); https://handwrittennews.com/2011/07/30/the-true-templar-ns-1866/
Various publications and records for J.J. Stewart at Dalhousie University - http://www.library.dal.ca/DUASC/Collections/Stewart/
J.J. Stewart - brief biography: http://nshdpi.ca/is/hist/nshistory00.html
Masonic Lodge membership - J.J. Stewart, Halifax, secretary, 1871: "Geography and history of the county of Digby",by Isaiah W. Wilson, 1900, p. 212 - https://cdm22007.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p22007coll8/id/1082295
"Collections of the Nova Scotia Historical Society for the Years 1896-1898", Vol X, p. ix.
"Dictionary of Canadian Biography": http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio.php?id_nbr=7086
RESEARCH BY:
Michelle Cabana, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan; and Frank Korvemaker, Regina, Sask.