John Stewart (Prince Edward Island politician)
Encyclopedia
John Stewart was a Scottish
-born army officer and political figure on Prince Edward Island
. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island
from 1787 to 1801 and from 1824 to 1831.
He was born in Kintyre
, the son of Peter Stewart and Helen MacKinnon, and came to St. John's Island (later Prince Edward Island) with his family in 1775. Stewart served as a lieutenant in the military corps defending the island during the American Revolution
. He was elected to the assembly in an election held in March 1784 and chosen as speaker; the governor Walter Patterson
dissolved this assembly because the majority of those elected were opposed to him and called a new election; Stewart was not reelected. He was elected again in 1787 after Patterson was replaced by Edmund Fanning
as governor. In 1790, Stewart was named receiver general of quitrent
s. He served as speaker for the assembly from 1795 to 1801 and again from 1825 to 1831. Stewart played a prominent role in lobbying for the recall of governor Joseph Frederick Wallet DesBarres
and his successor Charles Douglass Smith
. He was named receiver general for quitrents again in 1828 and served until his death six years later. He was opposed to giving the vote to Roman Catholic
islanders.
Stewart was married three times: to Hannah Turner in 1780, to Mary Ann James in 1817 and to Mary Rain in 1832. He died at his residence Mount Stewart overlooking the Hillsborough River
in 1834.
He was the author of An account of Prince Edward Island, in the Gulph of St. Lawrence, North America ... published in 1806.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
-born army officer and political figure on Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population...
. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island
Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island
The Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island, along with the Lieutenant-Governor, forms the parliament of the province. The General Assembly meets at Province House, which is located at the intersection of Richmond and Great George Streets in Charlottetown....
from 1787 to 1801 and from 1824 to 1831.
He was born in Kintyre
Kintyre
Kintyre is a peninsula in western Scotland, in the southwest of Argyll and Bute. The region stretches approximately 30 miles , from the Mull of Kintyre in the south, to East Loch Tarbert in the north...
, the son of Peter Stewart and Helen MacKinnon, and came to St. John's Island (later Prince Edward Island) with his family in 1775. Stewart served as a lieutenant in the military corps defending the island during the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
. He was elected to the assembly in an election held in March 1784 and chosen as speaker; the governor Walter Patterson
Walter Patterson
Walter Patterson was the first British colonial Governor of Prince Edward Island.-Birth and life in the military:...
dissolved this assembly because the majority of those elected were opposed to him and called a new election; Stewart was not reelected. He was elected again in 1787 after Patterson was replaced by Edmund Fanning
Edmund Fanning
Edmund Fanning was an American explorer and sea captain, known as the "Pathfinder of the Pacific."-Life:...
as governor. In 1790, Stewart was named receiver general of quitrent
Quit-rent
Quit rent , Quit-rent, or quitrent, in practically all cases, is now effectively but not formally a tax or land tax imposed on freehold or leased land by a higher landowning authority, usually a government or its assigns....
s. He served as speaker for the assembly from 1795 to 1801 and again from 1825 to 1831. Stewart played a prominent role in lobbying for the recall of governor Joseph Frederick Wallet DesBarres
Joseph Frederick Wallet DesBarres
Colonel Joseph Frederick Wallet DesBarres Colonel Joseph Frederick Wallet DesBarres Colonel Joseph Frederick Wallet DesBarres (November 22, 1721 – October 27, 1824 (or October 24, 1824 ) was a Swiss-born cartographer and Canadian statesman, who served as aide-de-camp to General James Wolfe...
and his successor Charles Douglass Smith
Charles Douglass Smith
Charles Douglass Smith was a British army officer and colonial administrator.He was born in England, the son of John Smith, a former captain in the British Army, and Mary Wilkinson. In 1776, he was commissioned Cornet in the 1st Regiment of Horse...
. He was named receiver general for quitrents again in 1828 and served until his death six years later. He was opposed to giving the vote to Roman Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
islanders.
Stewart was married three times: to Hannah Turner in 1780, to Mary Ann James in 1817 and to Mary Rain in 1832. He died at his residence Mount Stewart overlooking the Hillsborough River
Hillsborough River (Prince Edward Island)
The Hillsborough River, also known as the East River, is a Canadian river in northeastern Queens County, Prince Edward Island.-Battle at Port-la-Joye :...
in 1834.
He was the author of An account of Prince Edward Island, in the Gulph of St. Lawrence, North America ... published in 1806.