Fresno County, California Biographies

Source: History of Fresno County, California, with biographical sketches of 
the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with 
its growth and development from the early days to the present (1919)

History By Paul E. Vandor 
Illustrated, Complete In Two Volumes 
Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, California, 1919
 
Notes: Missing+page1185-1186

Transcribed by Peggy Hooper

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


NEHEMIAH W. STEWARD. � A life of well-directed toil, inspired 
by the principles of the Golden Rule, is exemplified in Nehemiah W. Steward, 
who came to Selma over a score of years ago and at once established himself 
in his present business, and who is today one of Selma's best-known and 
most highly respected business men. He was born in York County. Pa., 
the son of I. M. Steward, a native of that State, who married Hannah Urey, 
also a Pennsylvanian. The former came from English and Welsh blood: 
the latter of good old German stock. Nehemiah's boyhood was passed on 
his father's farm, and there, at an early age. he began to work hard, to learn 
to plow, and to do many other useful things. 

In 1873. the lad moved with his parents to Iowa, and there he reached 
his majority. From his fourteenth year he had taken charge of his father's 
fifty-seven acres in Pennsylvania, while his father, who was a mechanic, 
worked at his trade; and now that his father' found it more profitable to do 
skilled manual labor, Nehemiah continued to farm. Thrown on his own 
responsibility not merely for himself but in the care of the business of 
others, the young man soon developed that shrewd business sense which he 
has since displayed. Hearing that there were free homestead lands in York 
County, Nebr., Mr. Steward left the Hawkeye State when he was twenty- 
one, and took up 160 acres in the new country. He also set to work to im- 
prove it and he built a neat home there. His parents migrated with him and 
shared his home ; but from that time he was head of the farming operations. 
Four children there were in the family, one having died in infancy; 
and one of them, now Mrs. George Rickard, resides on a ranch a mile south 
of Selma. 

As soon as possible, Mr. Steward proved up on his fine little homestead, 
and having continued to make improvements on the farm, he tilled the land 
and lived upon it nine years. Then he moved still farther westward, and 
eventually settled in California, first choosing Santa Cruz County. For five 
years he ran a pack train for the Santa Clara Valley Mill and Lumber Com- 
pany, and then moved back to York County, Nebr., resumed farming and put 
in another seven years. 

"Once a Californian, always a Californian," however, proved true with 
Mr. Steward, as it has with so many thousands of other pioneers, and selling 
out, he came again to the Coast, and this time pitched his tent at Oakland, 
where he lived a year and a half. In 1896, he came to Selma for the first 
time. He continued to own and rent out his farm of 160 acres until four 
years ago when he returned to Nebraska and sold the property. He re- 
ceived the fancy figure of $100 dollars an acre, and taking the proceeds, he 
reinvested in twenty acres of highly improved land three miles east of Selma, 
planted with Thompson's seedless and now in full bearing. Since then Air. 
Steward has acquired another ranch of twenty-four acres six miles south 
of Selma, a considerable portion of which is in peaches. He also owns 100 
acres in the eastern part of Riverside County, and he has an undivided 
quarter interest in 360 acres at Bowles, Cal., which he and John C. 
Rorden, M. Vincent and C. C. Snyder have improved and own jointly, it 
being so successfully planted to trees and vines that, as full bearing land, 
it is now a valuable estate. Besides, he owns his store building at 1814 East 
Front Street, Selma, where he has transacted business for the past twenty- 
four years, and in addition, he owns some superior Selma residence property. 

While he was in Nebraska, during the Centennial year, Mr. Steward was 
married to Miss Susan Brown, an native of Pennsylvania, who died at Selma 
in 1911, the mother of six children. Five of these grew up and four are still 
living: Mrs. Lillie M. Ballard resides at Selma; Charles is married and in 
the piano business at Selma ; Lee is a partner in Byron & Steward, grocers, 
of Selma ; Willie is a farmer near Selma ; while Mrs. J. L. Hamilton passed 
away in the same town. 

Mr. Steward comes of sturdy lineage, three of his forebears having 
passed the age of one hundred. His father lived to be ninety-eight years, 
six months and five days, and his mother was eighty-two years old when 
she died. Mr. Steward when resident in Nebraska joined the United Breth- 
ren Church, and ever since has been a consistent member of that church 
and has served as trustee. He is also a public-spirited citizen who believes 
in associating the church with all the general movements looking to the 
uplift of the community. He is a member of the Workman of Selma, the 
Degree of Honor, the Knights of Pythias and the Fraternal Aid. Mr. 
Steward enjoys the esteem, confidence and good-will of his fellow men.