Isaac Mitton Stewart

Isaac Mitton Stewart’s father died when he was only 6 years old; and he did not like his step father. So at a very young age, he left home to make his own way in the world. Isaac worked for different farmers, and became very interested in farming. He followed this occupation all of his life. When he was 15 he went to Nauvoo, where he became aquainted with the Prophet Joseph and his brother Hyrum. He was inspired by those great men, and he gained a testimony of the truth. When the Prophet was martyred, Isaac was appointed as one of the guards over his body. In 1852 the Stewart family came to Utah. Isaac was made the captain of his company, which included 50-60 families. On one occasion, while they were crossing the plains, Isaac rescued his son from a prairie wolf who was about to spring on the boy! Isaac settled his family in Draper, in a small adobe home with a dirt roof. He began farming, but it was difficult because of the grasshoppers and crickets, and the lack of water. Roots, weeds, and fish from the Provo River was all they would eat for months at a time. Isaac loved to read and study, and he helped to establish good public schools in the area. Isaac was made the Bishop, and served for 49 years. Isaac helped build canals, bridges, and roads throughout the area. In the fall of every year, a band of 50 or more Indians would come from the Uintah Basin and pitch their tents on the Stewart land and live for weeks. He would give them all the food they needed, and some to take home. His sons enjoyed these visits, as they played archery with the Indians. Isaac’s sons formed a complete orchestra, with only 1 neighbor boy added. Isaac began to prosper. He built a large 16 room brick home in Draper, where he, his 3 wives, and their 20 children lived happily together.⁴

Isaac Mitton Stewart, son of Beakley Stewart and Alice Hopkins Stewart was born March 14, 1815 in Burlington, New Jersey. His father died when young Isaac was six years old, and after his mother’s remarriage the home was not a happy one, so at the age of eight, Isaac left home to make his way alone in the world. Working for various farmers, he became interested in farming, an occupation he followed all his life. When he was fifteen years old he went to Illinois and at Nauvoo he became acquainted with the Prophet Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum. Inspired by these men and the religion they promoted, he joined the Church. In 1843 he married Matilda Jane Downs, a beautiful girl who had also accepted the gospel. In 1844 they were blessed with a little son whom they named James Zebulon Stewart. When the Mormons emigrated to Utah, Isaac was made captain of his company. Matilda drove the ox team while her husband looked after the group for which he was responsible. Their son James, then a boy of seven, walked most of the way, driving seven head of sheep. Upon their arrival in Utah, they settled in South Willow Creek. Here he built a one-room adobe house roofed with dirt. He secured a small tract of land and attempted farming, but insufficient irrigation water and the cricket menace made food very scarce. Fish caught in Utah Lake and the Provo River was their main food for many months. Isaac Stewart, a very religious man, became Draper’s first ordained bishop, serving in this capacity for thirty-nine years. He also took an active part in public and community affairs. The large sixteen-room brick house which he later built in Draper was quite a mansion in those days. He and his three wives, Matilda Jane Downs, Elizabeth White, and Emma Baynum Lloyd, and their twenty children lived happily there. He was a good provider. In the fall of the year a band of fifty or more Indians would come from the Uintah Basin, pitch their tents on his land, and live there for weeks, while he provided them with food. The Stewart boys particularly enjoyed those visits as they played at archery with the Indians boys, and became expert archers.

In the 1870’s, he eventually homesteaded and bought nearly 400 acres of ground directly west of his home several miles. It was located between 11800 south and 13000 south next to the Jordan River between 3rd west and 10th west. In 1883, he also bought 117 acres located south of the Point of the Mountain along the Jordan River.³   Stewart, Isaac Mitton, Bishop of Draper, Salt Lake county, Utah, from 1856 to 1890, was the son of Bickley Stewart and Alice Hopkins and was born at Burlington, New Jersey, March 14, 1815. He was of Scotch-Irish descent and his father was a soldier of the Revolution under George Washington. His father died when Isaac was but a lad, and the family moved to Illinois, where Isaac (then a young man) became acquainted with Joseph Smith’s mission and embraced the gospel. In 1843 he married Matilda Jane Downs. He shared the early persecutions of the Saints, and was on guard near Carthage when the Prophet Joseph and Patriarch Hyrum were murdered. Being driven with the Saints from Illinois, he moved to Kanesville, Iowa, where he remained until the spring of 1852, when he crossed the plains in a company of which he [p.794] was appointed captain. On reaching the Valley he located at what was then called South Willow Creek, now Draper, Salt Lake county. In October, 1856, he was set apart to act as Bishop of Draper Ward, in which capacity he served faithfully until his death, which occurred at Draper March 15, 1890. In 1856 he married Elizabeth White and Emma Lloyd, with whom he had a large family, being the father of twenty children and having eighty grandchildren. Thirteen of his children are now living. They are: James Z. Stewart of Logan; Isaac J. Stewart of Richfield; Joshua B. Stewart, William M. Stewart, Samuel W. Stewart, Charles B. Stewart, Barnard J. Stewart, all of Salt Lake City; Mary Ann Ballantyne, Logan; Alice C. Stringfellow, Draper; Elizabeth Fife, Ogden; Eliza J. Fife, Salt Lake City; Luella E. Lindsay, Montpelier, Idaho, and Nettie P. Stewart, Salt Lake City. Bishop Stewart served three successive terms (nine years) as county selectman of Salt Lake county, and was prominently associated with Judge Elias Smith, Bishop Reuben Miller, Jesse W. Fox and Bishop Archibald Gardner, in the construction of the various canals taken from the Jordan river in the southern part of Salt Lake county. He was strong and energetic in mind and body and had a progressive disposition, always taking an active interest in education. It was largely through his influence that Dr. John R. Park was employed and retained in educational work in Utah. Bishop Stewart was a typical example of a sturdy pioneer, honest and upright in every particular. His life and interests were centered in his religious faith.²   In 1860, Isaac had a household of 13, a real wealth of $1800, and a personal wealth of $2100. In 1870, he had a household of 9, a real wealth of $4000, and a personal wealth of $2000.

Isaac was Bishop of the Draper, Salt Lake, Utah ward from 1856 to 1890. He was of Scotch-Irish descent and his father was a soldier of the Revolution under George Washington. His father died when Isaac was very young and the family moved to Illinois. There he became acquainted with Joseph Smith and learned the gospel. He shared the early persecutions of the Saints and was on guard near Carthage when the Prophet Joseph and Patriarch Hyrum were murdered. Being driven with the Saints from Illinois he moved to Kanesville, Iowa where he remained until the spring of 1852. Then he crossed the plains in a company of which he was appointed captain. On reaching the Valley he located at what was then called South Willow Creek and now is called Draper. Isaac served three successive terms (nine years) as county selectman of Salt Lake county and was prominently associated with Judge Elias Smith, Bishop Reuben Miller, Jesse W. Fox and Bishop Archibald Gardner, in the construction of the various canals taken from the Jordan River in the southern part of the Salt Lake county.¹

Sources

1 Black, Susan Easton, compiler. Membership of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1830–1848. 50 vols. Provo, Utah: Brigham Young University Religious Studies Center, 1989. Private Donor. https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/5333/records/86984?gsfn=isaac&gsln=stewart&ml_rpos=2

2 Jenson, Andrew. Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia: A Compilation of Biographical Sketches of Prominent Men and Women in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 4 vols. A. Jenson History Company and Deseret News, 1901-36.

3 History of Isaac Mitton Stewart. Contributed By: CSchrader, 8 June 2014

4 Pioneer Story of Isaac Mitton Stewart and Elizabeth White. Contributed By: Susanna Neal, 25 November 2013