THE MINNESOTA 



HORTICULTURIST. 



VOL. 24. APRIL. 1896. NO. 4. 



'^ 



iograpliy. 



AMASA STEWART, LAMARQUE, TEXAS. 



(See frontispiece.) 



Amasa Stewart was born in Ohio, April 4th, 1828. He went to 

 Illinois with his father in 1835, and was educated in the common 

 schools of Marshall county, finishing with a two 3-ear8' course at the 

 Granville high school, in Putnam county, after which he settled in 

 La Salle county, of the same state, and engaged in farming and the 

 nursery business until 1855. 



At that time he moved to Le Sueur county, Minnesota, where the 

 wild indian was still roving. There he opened up a large nursery 

 and continued there until 18(Jo, when he was eaten out by the grass- 

 hoppers. The next year he determined to try a more central part 

 and moved to Minneapolis, continuing in the same business and 

 meeting with increased success. He gave special attention to the 

 planting of shade and ornamental trees and furnished the material 

 for beautifying many of the elegant homes of Minneapolis. 



His health failing him, he left his beautiful hotne at Minneapolis 

 November 7th, 1882, scarcely able to sit in the carriage to ride to the 

 depot. Two days later he arrived in Denison, Texas, nearly ex- 

 haustetl, but he began to rally in a few days, and the next spring he 

 was able to superintend the planting and gatheringof his fruits and 

 vegetables. He remained at that place until 1889, when wanting to 

 get nearer to salt water he purchased lands on the main laud 

 eleven miles west of Galveston and near Galveston baj', which were 

 generally conceded to be worthless except for grazing cattle. He 

 divided the lands up into small tracts and planted fruits and flowers, 

 and now they are giving in return fragrant roses and Cape Jessa- 

 mines, delicious strawberries, blackberries, plums, peaches, pears, 

 etc., etc., which is a great pleasure to hiui in his sixtj'-eighth year. 



Mr. Stewart first became a member of this society in 1808. 

 and was intimately connected with it thereafter until his removal 

 to Texas. At the last annual meeting, he was unanimously 

 elected an honorary life member. 



