ALBERT F. STEWART
Vol. 3, p. 963
Senior member of the representative firm of
STEWART &
WILDERSON, architects and building contractors who have done much to further the material upbuilding and physical attractiveness of
Oklahoma City, M. Stewart is known as a progressive, successful and substantial business man and as a citizen of marked public spirit. The firm of which he is a member has given special attention to the designing and erecting of residence buildings of the better order and has been concerned with the development of various fine residence sections of the
Oklahoma metropolis and capital city, besides which the operations of the firm have extended into other parts of the state.
Albert F. Stewart was born in
Edgar County,
Illinois, on the 3d of December, 1874, and is a representative of one of the sterling pioneer families of that fine commonwealth. He is a son of Samuel and Rosaline (
BATES)
STEWART, his father having been a native of
Ohio and having become a resident of
Illinois in an early day, there having reclaimed a fine farm from the virgin prairie and having continued his identification with agricultural pursuits until his death, which occurred in 1896, his widow being still a resident of
Illinois.
Reared to the sturdy discipline of the home farm and afforded the advantages of the public schools of his native county, he continued to be associated with his father in the work and management of the farm until he had attained to the age of seventeen years, when he established his residence at Waterloo,
Iowa, and entered the employ of the firm of William ZITTRELL & Company, which was there engaged in contracting and building. In this connection he gained a comprehensive knowledge of the business and well qualified himself for independent work along the same line of enterprise.
In 1901 Mr. Steward came to
Oklahoma Territory and at
Oklahoma City engaged in general contracting and building, in partnership with Mr. Wilderson, with whom he has continued to be associated, under the firm name of
STEWART &
WILDERSON. The firm has been prominently identified with the development of the better residence houses ranging in price from $6000 to $30,000. The firm has amplified its scope of business by the purchasing of property and by erecting excellent residences on the same and then placing the houses of the market, this progressive enterprise having been fruitful in advancing the substantial upbuilding of the capital city. Stewart &
WILDERSON platted and opened Stewart's Addition to
Oklahoma City, and among the many fine residences erected in
Oklahoma City by the firm may be noted those of J.P. LANKFORD, John R. COTTINGHAM, S.T. BLEDSOE, Joseph B. THOBURN, C.R. HOFFER, Max
HERSKOWITZ, Dr. Robert L. HULL, besides which the firm erected the warehouse of the BASS-BARBER Company, one of the largest structures of the kind in the state. Stewart &
WILSON [sic] have built many excellent residences in other section of
Oklahoma and through the fair and honorable methods and marked technical ability that have been brought to bear at all times, the business has become of broad scope and importance, the while the high reputation of the firm constitutes its best business asset. The offices of the firm are in the American National Bank Building and the attractive residence of Mr. Stewart is at 2230 West Sixteenth Street.
On the 17th of April, 1902, Mr. Stewart wedded Miss Mattie B. MERCER, daughter of James
Mercer, one of the prominent and extensive fruit-growers of Southern
Missouri, and the three children of the union are Lawrence, Albert F., Jr., and Maurice.
Transcribed by Linda December 21, 1998.