William James Stuart William James Stuart, a member of the Grand Rapids bar, was born in Yankee Springs, Barry county, Mich., November 1, 1844. His early education was received in the common schools of his native county, which he attended during the winters until he was fifteen years of age, in the meantime pursuing the uneventful life of a farmer’s son during the remaining portion of the year. At fifteen he entered the public schools at Hastings, and later on the high school at Kalamazoo. He was graduated from the latter in 1863 with the first class graduated from that school. After teaching school during the following winter, he entered the freshman class of the university of Michigan in the spring of 1864, and upon completion of the literary course was graduated with the degree of bachelor of arts in 1868. Irrespective of having earned the means with which to pay the expenses of a college course, he was self-educated. For two years succeeding his graduation from the university Mr. Stuart taught school at Hastings, and then entered the office of Balch, Smiley & Balch, where he pursued the study of law. He had early formed the purpose to become a lawyer, and while prosecuting his literary studies and employed in teaching, he had constantly kept in view his acme of his hope and ambition. After his preparatory course of reading under the instruction of the firm mentioned, he entered the law department of the university of Michigan, completed its course and received the degree of LLB upon his graduation in 1872. Returning to Kalamazoo he became a partner in the firm in which he had formerly been a student, but the association was only temporary. In November of that same year he removed to Grand Rapids, and in January, 1873, was appointed assistant prosecuting attorney for Kent county under E. A. Burlingame. At the same time he formed a partnership for general practice under the firm name and style of Burlingame & Stuart, which continued until April 20, 1876. He was appointed city attorney for Grand Rapids in 1880 and held the position two terms. In May, 1888, he was appointed prosecuting attorney of Kent county to fill the vacancy caused by the removal of the incumbent, and was afterward elected for a full term. In addition to these offices, which are strictly in the line of his professional work, Mr. Stuart has held other positions, both educational and political. For two years he was a member of the board of education of Grand Rapids. IN 1892 he was elected mayor of the city and re-elected in 1893, serving two terms. The university of Michigan conferred upon him the degree of master of arts, and for 1894-5 he was president of the society of the alumni of the university. He has devoted his talents and energies almost without reserve to the practice of law. He was associated with E. F. Sweet, under the firm name of Stuart & Sweet for twelve years, from April, 1876, and for five years, from April, 1888, he was in partnership with Loyal E. Knappen, under the firm name of Stuart & Knappen. From 1893 to 1897 he was engaged in the general practice alone. In the spring of 1897 he formed his present partnership with S. W. Barker, under the style of Stuart & Barker. They conduct a large business, all of which receives much of his personal attention and is conducted in such a manner as to hold a profitable clientage. He is exceedingly methodical in the arrangement of his business and painstaking in the preparation of his cases. He is equally careful in the trial of cases in court, and is also a successful advocate. His command of language is easy and his manner of speech is agreeable. In social intercourse he is affable and courteous with everyone. Fraternally, he is a Mason and Knight of Pythias, and politically he has always been a stanch republican; religiously, he is a communicant and vestryman of St. Mark’s Episcopal church. On April 13, 1874, he married Miss Calista Hadley, of Hastings.