Ventura County Biographies

Marvin Steward

Submitted by Sandy Neder

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm

 
Marvin Steward, a prominent citizen of Ventura, was born near Pittsburg, 
Pennsylvania, December 29, 1828. His father, Marion Steward, was a native of the 
State of Connecticut, and was of Scotch ancestry. Mr. Steward's mother, Sarah A. 
(Dart) Steward, was of English parentage. They had a family of twelve children, 
and most of them are now living. His father removed to New York, and from there 
to Ohio, where he received his education in the public schools. He engaged in 
the business of milling and distilling until 1850, when he removed to Quincy, 
Illinois, and engaged in business there for six years. In 1856 he removed to 
Hannibal, Missouri, and engaged in the flouring-mill business; he then went 
opposite Hannibal, and built a mill and distillery, and during the year 1863 his 
revenue tax was $18,000, the tax being twenty cents per gallon. He came to 
Marysville, California, and engaged in farming and stock-raising, and also 
bought the Oregon House and ranch, and continued in business there until 1868, 
when he sold out and went back to the Atlantic States, and also to Texas. After 
remaining away five months he returned and bought the Oregon House and ranch 
back, and after two years sold it, and went to Bangor, Butte County and engaged 
in mercantile business and stock-raising. He also bought a ranch on the Honcut, 
Yuba County, and in 1875 came to Ventura. He first settled near Santa Paula, 
buying 150 acres of land and improving it, and also building a nice house. He 
bought the property for #36 per acre; and sold it for $100 per acre; it has 
since been sold for $200 an acre. After selling his land Mr. steward came to 
Sonoma County and engaged in the mercantile business, and in a year and a half 
sold out and returned to Ventura, engaging in farming and fruit-raising near 
Santa Paula. This property he traded for land in Ventura, and now resides in a 
two-story residence of his own building on Ventura avenue; he retains the town 
property in Ventura, which he rents. He spent one year in Grass Valley for his 
health, and while there built a nice house. He has been only two years in his 
home on Ventura avenue, but the place is a fine one, with a nice hedge, 
beautiful flowers and ornamental trees and shrubs in profusion, - showing what 
can be done in a short time in this delightful country and climate.
    When Mr. Steward was nineteen years of age the Mexican war began, and he 
enlisted in Company C, Fifteenth United States Infantry, and served through the 
struggle. He was sent to re-enforce General Scott at Vera Cruz, and was in all 
the fights until the city of Mexico was taken. In taking the city he received a 
musket shot in his right foot, for which he receives a pension. He has been 
Postmaster twice. In his political views he is a Democrat, but always voted for 
the best man. Mr. Steward is not an old, worn-out looking man, notwithstanding 
he is a veteran of the Mexican war, and has been active so long.
    Mr. Steward was married in 1852 in Quincy, Illinois, to Miss Sarah A. Abner, 
a native of Illinois. They have six children living: Alice D., the wife of Mr. 
J. Brown, of Yuba County; Rosanna C., at home with her parents; Charles Richard, 
a book-keeper in a wholesale house in San Francisco; Minnie D., wife of Mr. 
Faulkenstein, and residing in Ventura; Lora May and Mattie M., both at home with 
their parents. In 1883 Mrs. steward died, and Mr. Steward has since married Mrs. 
Eliza McNett, of Quincy, Illinois. He was made a Master Mason in 1850 in 
Springfield.
 
BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF THE COUNTIES OF SANTA BARBARA, SAN LUIS 
OBISPO, AND VENTURA, CALIF. by Ida Addis Storke, 1891, p 498