Frank STEWART, the son of Francis F. STEWART (1794-1859) and Sarah (DRING) STEWART (1802-1885), was born in Chester County, Pennsylvania on December 29, 1829. When Frank was eleven-months old, the family moved to near Old Washington, Ohio.

Frank and his brother Isaac were a '49ers,' joining the California Gold Rush when he was 20-years-old. On his way West, a Spaniard by the name of "REENDO" saved Frank from drowning. Frank vowed to name his first-born son after the man who had saved his life.

During the first day in California, Frank's brother Isaac found a small gold nugget on the ground. Thinking it wasn't worth picking up, Isaac kicked it aside. Neither Isaac nor Frank ever found another nugget that big the entire time they were in California.

Frank came back east six years later. Frank married Susannah Jane HENDERSON on March 31, 1859 and purchased a 170-acre farm in Warren County, Illinois where they became the parents of thirteen sons. The entire family departed from Illinois on August 31, 1883, moving to a farm near Eugene and Tingley, Ringgold County, Iowa. Frank died at the age of 88 years on March 13, 1918, Shannon City, Taylor County, Iowa. He was interred at Tingley Cemetery, Tingley, Ringgold County, Iowa.

Susannah Jane (HENDERSON) STEWART was born February 27, 1839, Ohio, the daughter of John A. HENDERSON (1817-1900) and Agnes Nancy (WALKER) HENDERSON (1818-1850). Susannah died at the age of 57, probably from complications of diabetes, on July 14, 1896, Clarinda, Page County, Iowa, and was interred at Tingley Cemetery, Tingley, Iowa.

In her Early History of Ringgold County, Iowa 1844-1937, Mrs. B. E. LESAN stated [page 68]:

Frank STEWART was born in Pennsylvania in 1830 and Jane HENDERSON was born in 1831. They were married in Guernsey County, Ohio and moved to Illinois, settling near Little York, Warren County, on a farm. To them were born 13 children, all boys. All grew to manhood except Palmer, the third child, who died when about 2 years old. Mr. and Mrs. STEWART were members of the United Presbyterian church, but in later years joined the Seventh Day Adventist church. All their children were baptized in the United Presbyterian church. The family moved to Iowa in 1883 and settled on a farm 2.5 miles northeast of Eugene and 3.5 miles northwest of Tingley.

Frank and Susannah's sons were:

1) John Reendo "Ren" STEWART (1860, IL - 1951, MT)
2) William Waldo "Wally"STEWART (1861, IL - 1957, Tingley IA)
    married Anna Amanda MAY (1864-1955)
3) Andrew "Palmer" STEWART (1863, IL - ca. 1865, IL)
4) Edwin Walker STEWART (1865, IL - 1904, IL)
5) Willis Baxter STEWART "Billy" (1867, IL - 1934, IL)
6) Louis Bassett STEWART (1867, IL - 1918, NE)
    Louis was Superintendent of School, Griswald IA 1897-1900 & Dunlap IA, 1900-10
7) Andrew "Riley" STEWART (1869, IL - 1955, OH)
8) Jesse Taylor O. "Jess" STEWART (1872, IL - 1936)
9) Ernest McCully "Ernie" STEWART (1874, IL - 1961, Cedar Rapids IA)
10) Thomas Baird "Tom" STEWART (1875, IL - 1938, Fort Dodge IA)
11) Charles Ross "Charlie" STEWART (1877, IL - 1958, Des Moines, Polk Co. IA)
12) Frederick Henderson "Fred" STEWART,pictured at right
     (1879, IL - 1961, Des Moines, Polk Co. IA)
     mathematics teacher for over 30 years at North High School, Des Moines IA
     died age 81 from leukemia; interment Highland Memory Gardens, Des Moines IA
13) Burris Henry STEWART (1882, IL - 1911, NE)