Jacob W. Stuart, senior member of the firm J. W. Stuart & Son, general merchants at Machiasport, Washington County, was born in this town, February 22, 1828, son of James and Jane (Palmer) Stuart. The grandfather, James Stuart, a native of the north of Ireland and of Scotch parentage, emigrated to St. John, New Brunswick, from which place he came to Machiasport, and resided here for the rest of his life. He was exceedingly pious and a strict follower of the old Covenanters.
James Stuart, who was born in New Brunswick, having accompanied his parents to Machiasport, there learned the ship-carpenter’s trade, which he followed for the rest of his life. He was a Deacon of the Congregational church. Jane Stuart, his wife, a daughter of Jacob Palmer, of this town, became the mother of ten children; namely, Charles, James, Jacob W., Francis N., Jotham S., Joseph Albion, Hannah Jane, John, William Jasper, and Abigail. Of these, Charles, James, John, and William J. are no longer living. William Jasper Stuart, who served in the Civil War as Lieutenant of a New York artillery company, and who was wounded, having spent a furlough of sixty days at home, returned to the front, and was never heard from after. Hannah Jane is the wife of John Dow, of Brockton, Massachusetts; and Abigail married Stillman Armstrong, who went to California and has never been heard from since his departure.
Jacob W. Stuart acquired a common-school education. After learning the ship-carpenter’s trade with his father, he followed it for four years. The succeeding eight or ten years were spent as a sailor in the merchant marine, where he worked his way from the forecastle to the quarter-deck, and became a master mariner. Subsequently, abandoning the sea, he engaged in ship-building, constructing about a half-dozen vessels under contract in the course of some years. In 1872 he established himself in trade as a general merchant. He had carried on a profitable business alone until 1887, when his son, Morrill N., was admitted to partnership, forming the firm J. W. Stuart & Son. By his marriage with Tryphosia Marston, a daughter of Elisha Marston, of this town, he has three children: Morrill N., Belle, and Kittic M. Kittic M. is now the wife of Warren F. Pope, of East Machias.
Source: Biographical review: containing life sketches of leading citizens of Somerset, Piscataquis, Hancock, Washington, and Aroostook counties, Maine. Boston: Biographical Review Publishing Company, 1898.