Contributed by: Esther Stewart
Littleberry Stewart was born March 1, 1828, in Greenfield Twp, Gallia
Co. OH. He was the forth child of Richard and Barbara Creacy
Stewart. Littleberry married Martha Ann Byrd January 10, 1856, in
Bellfontaine, Logan Co. OH.
Littleberry Stewart and his eldest
brother, William, came to Cass County afoot as prospectors looking for land
around 1853. They returned to Ohio and Littleberry later returned where he
purchased what was later to become the Stewart Centennial Farm. The Stewart
Centennial Farm was located in section 36 of Calvin Township and was the first
negro owned farm in Cass County to be registered with the Michigan Historical
Commission.
Littleberry Stewart and wife, Martha Byrd, were parents of eleven
children, all of whom were born in Cass Co. MI.
The children were as
follows:
1. Richard Creacy Stewart, born Dec. 5, 1856, died Mar 31,
1935
2. Sarah Matilda Stewart, born Apr. 10, 1859, died Jun. 20, 1937
3. Susan Frances Stewart, born Oct. 5, 1861, died Jul. 6, 1891
4. George
Thomas Stewart, born May 30, 1864, died Sep. 21, 1899
5. Giles M. Stewart,
born Jul. 24, 1866, died Jan. 28, 1924
6. Barbara Ann Stewart, born Jun. 6,
1868,died - -
7. Martha Ann Stewart, born Nov. 7, 1870, died May 19,
1951
8. Clara Manerva Stewart, born Sep. 19, 1873, died Aug. 22, 1933
9.
Littleberry Crawford Stewart, born Jun. 9, 1876, died Dec. 10, 1980
10.
Louisa Florence Stewart, born Jan. 8, 1880 (a twin), died 1982
11. William
Lawrence Stewart, born Jan. 8, 1880 (a twin), died Apr. 29, 1913
Crawford Stewart, Littleberry's ninth child, enjoys telling of his father's many hikes. He recalls that once when Littleberry was in South Bend, he went to the train station to get a train to Cassopolis. The train hadn't arrived at the South Bend Station so he thought he would walk to the next station and catch it there. Before he got to the next station, the train passed him so he ended up walking to Cassopolis.
Crawford also tells of Littleberry taking walks to Allegan to visit his sister, Barbara Ann Butler. Any place he went, he walked. Whenever he was going someplace, it wasn't unusual for Crawford to take his father a way in the horse and buggy and then return home, with his father continuing towards his destination afoot.
LAKEVIEW CEMETERY: Lakeview Cemetery is a part of CHAIN LAKE CEMETERY and Littleberry Stewart was President of the Lakeview Cemetery Association. He set apart a portion of the cemetery for any/all veterans. Many Cass County Pioneers are buried in Lakeview Cemetery as well as Chain Lake Cemetery.
Littleberry Stewart died April 15, 1917 in Calvin Twp, Cass Co. MI. He is buried in Chainlake Cemetery, Lakeview Section, located in Calvin Township, Cass County, Michigan. (See Littleberry Stewart obituary - this site)
Civil War Military Service - Private in the USCT 102nd Regiment, Co.
B
Enlisted September 23,1864, Kalamazoo MI (His son Thomas was only four
months old)
Mustered out September 30, 1865, Charleston SC
Duties in
Service: Gunsmith - Declaration for Pension March 12, 1899
First Check of
$22 received June 6, 1912(note how long it took)