Researching Alexander Stewart

Stewart was born in Lisburn, Ulster, Ireland, and abandoned his original aspirations of becoming a Presbyterian minister to go to New York City in 1823. He spent a short time teaching before returning to Ireland to receive the money his grandfather had left him, purchase some Belfast linens and laces, and return to New York to open a store.

Stewart had extraordinary skill in business, and by 1848 he had built a large marble-fronted store on Broadway between Chambers Street and Reade Street, which was devoted to the wholesale branch of his business. In 1862 he built a new store covering an entire city block between Broadway and Fourth Avenue and between 9th and 10th streets. It was eight stories tall and attracted the wonder and business of upscale New York. Trainloads of wealthy customers from outlying cities came to shop.

Stewart made most of his money through wholesaling and especially New York City real estate. He opened branches of the company in other parts of the world and owned several mills and factories. He had an annual income of US$1,843,637 in 1863 (equivalent to $ million in ). His business success is estimated to have made him one of the twenty wealthiest people in history as of 2007, with a fortune equivalent to approximately US$90 billion in 2012.

Born in Fredericton in the colony of New Brunswick (now in Canada, but a British colony at the time), Stewart moved to Wausau, Wisconsin, where he became involved in the lumber industry. Stewart was elected as a Republican to the Fifty-fourth, Fifty-fifth, and Fifty-sixth Congresses (March 4, 1895 – March 3, 1901). He represented Wisconsin's 9th congressional district. He did not run for reelection to the Fifty-seventh Congress.

He was a prominent person in the early days of Wausau and Stewart Avenue, one of the main roads in Wausau, is named in his honor.

Stewart died at his home in Washington, D.C. on May 24, 1912, and was buried in the Pine Grove Cemetery in Wausau.

He was born in Halifax, the son of James Stewart and Elizabeth Bremner. After completing his schooling, he worked in John Moody's auction business, becoming a partner in 1814. He went on to study law in Halifax and Amherst. Stewart married Sarah Morse in 1816. Because he had not severed his ties with Moody by the time that the business failed in 1817, he lost all his possessions. Stewart went on to complete his studies in law, was called to the bar in 1822 and set up practice in Amherst. In 1834, he joined his brother James in practice in Halifax. Stewart lost his seat in February 1838 after his election was appealed; however, the month before, he had been named to the province's Legislative Council. He was named to the Executive Council in 1840. Stewart was vocal in his opposition to responsible government for Nova Scotia. In 1846, he was named Master of the Rolls for the province, judge in the court of chancery and judge in the vice admiralty court. Stewart was named a Companion of the Order of the Bath in 1856. He died in Halifax at the age of 70.

His daughter Elizabeth married Charles James Townshend.

He was the son of Alexander Stewart of Ards by his wife Lady Mary, daughter of Charles Moore, 1st Marquess of Drogheda. His uncle was Robert Stewart, 1st Marquess of Londonderry and he was first cousin to Robert Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh (Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs during the Napoleonic Wars and principal British diplomat at the Congress of Vienna) and Charles Vane, 3rd Marquess of Londonderry.

He was elected to Parliament for Londonderry at the 1818 general election, succeeding his father, and sat until the 1830 general election and "supported [the Earl of Liverpool's Tory] government silently". He was appointed High Sheriff of Donegal for 1831.

On 28 July 1825 he married Lady Caroline Pratt, daughter of John Jeffreys Pratt, 1st Marquess Camden. Her aunt Lady Frances Pratt was the second wife of the first Marquess of Londonderry and the mother of the third Marquess.

Alexander Robert Stewart lived at the family estate of Ards House, Dunfanaghy, County Donegal. His family papers are in the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland.