1m of textual records; photographic records; cartographic records
History / Biography
Robert Alexander (R.A.) Stewart born October 18, 1913 was the son of Milton Lindsay Stewart and Mary McGregor. He married Fanny Isabel Cherry (daughter of Robert and Mary Carswell) December 29, 1933. Together they had six children; Mary 'Joan' McGregor Stewart, Janet 'Faye' Stewart, Robert 'Neil' Stewart, James 'Lindsay' Stewart, Katherine Ann 'Kathy' Stewart, and Milton 'Laird' Stewart.
R. A. Stewart, a resident of Glasgow, was employed by the Smith Construction Company of Arnprior as Field Office Manager for approximately twenty years and was an elder at the Glasgow United Church. He served on many municipal and Renfrew County boards such as the Victoria Order of Nurses and contributed greatly to the well being of the Township of McNab.
Please see "Eighty Years of Memoires in Renfrew County" written by R. A. Stewart in 1994 for a more comprehensive account of the Stewart family's immigration from Argyleshire Scotland through the years to Mr. Stewart's move to Quail Creek Retirement home in Renfrew in 1994. The publication is contained in a green duotang is located in the Reading Room. Mr. Stewart died in April 2000 and is buried in the Sand Point Public Cemetery.
Acquisition Source
Donated by Neil Stewart, son of R. A. Stewart, October 1998, May 1999, 2005, 2011and 2015
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of various records that relate to Robert A. Stewart’s work and involvement in such organizations as the Big Pine Country Association, Renfrew County Council, the Lower Madawaska Planning Board, and McNab Township Council as well as other organizations. A small amount of personal material is also included in the fonds. See also item level descriptions of several maps in the Robert A. Stewart fonds whic are described in this database.
Box H1.0
File 1 - McNab Township VOTERS’ LISTS. -- 1943; 1950-1952; 1965 and 1968-1970. -- 6 cm of textual records.
File also contains voters’ lists for Barry’s Bay, Eganville, Killaloe Station, South Algona, and McNab Twp.
DAY BOOKS from Smith's Construction provide a glimpse of Stewart's work for Smith's Construction but also record weather, sports news and other misc details from 1961-1977 (with gaps)
Box H1.1
File 2. Seven b&w photographs circa 1903 showing bridge construction across Saskatchewan River at Clark's Crossing for the Canadian Northern Railway. Milton Stewart and some other McNab Township residents went out west to work on this construction project.
File 1. R. A. STEWART. -- 1945 - 1992. -- 5 cm of textual records; one ledger; 3 x b&w photographs
File contains handwritten ledger where R. A. Stewart recorded sales or pick-up and delivery to Montreal of hogs and other livestock. In the front of this ledger R.A. Stewart recorded the results of the 1943 election. File also contains the Rules of Order for the Board of Education for the Town of Arnprior 1929, various service programs, personal correspondence, copy of "Eighty Years of Memories in Renfrew County, etc.
Photographs:
- R. A. Stewart sitting with other men association with Victory Bond Committee for Arnprior, McNab and Braeside taken at a dinner at the Newbyrne Hotel circa 1940 - 1941. Names identified in Arnprior Chronicle 11 Dec 1985: Jack Rafter, Donald Dewar, Jim Forrest, Andrew McNab, James B. Havey, J.W.S. Wilson, Norman McLachlan, Charlie Mulcahy, John R. Steele, R.A. Jeffery, Alex Reid, Mr. Miller, Mr. McNames (government officials), Archie Murphy, G. H. Devine, Milton Stewart, R. A. Stewart, Tom Dodds, Donald Carmichael and D. A. Gillies.
- Two Hunting photographs (reprints) taken at Aylen Lake 1905 and 1908. Dedication on inside covers read "In memory of Muriel (Dewar) Steen 1903-1997 John Steen Dec 2 1997". People identified are: Alex Stewart Sr., Big Archie Dewar, Milton Stewart, Pete McLean, Little Archie Dewar, James Storie, James Stewart, Duncan Dewar - Shot at Alyen Lake 1910 and train crew.
File 2. ALEXANDER WILLIAM STEWART. --1998. -- .5 cm textual records
File contains newspaper article, biographical information and b&w photograph (reprint) of Trooper Alexander Stewart who served in the Boer War.
File 3. LAND RECORDS. -- 1859 - 1910. -- 2.0 cm textual records
File consists of several land records. Two oversized documents were moved to Map Cabinet #1 Drawer # 1
1) 1859 Bargain & Sale of 200 acres for the E1/2 of Lot Number 19 in the 9th Concession of McNab Twp. being sold for $200.00 by Charles Stewart to Alexander Stewart.
2) 1859 Sale from the Crown to Archibald Stewart for $80.00 for 100 acres being Lot 20 in the 9th Concession of MacNab (sic) Township.
File 4. LIBERAL PARTY IN ONTARIO. -- 1962 - 1991 -- 4.0 cm of textual records.
File contains miscellaneous information related to R. A. Stewart's work with the Liberal Party of Ontario. Included in this file is a copy of the Debates of the Legislature of Ontario from 1962 which record Mr. L. Quilty's first address at Queen's Park as a representation of Renfrew South.
File 5. HORTON-McNAB TELEPHONE ASSOCIATION LIMITED. -- 1911, 1913-1922, 1951, 1966, 1969. -- 5 cm of textual records.
File contains Letters Patent, Minutes, and Financial Records.
File 6, 7 & 8. SOUTH RENFREW MUNICIPAL AIRPORT. -- 1976-1988. -- 10 cm textual records.
1. Copy of Bylaw No. 607 - A Bylaw Regulating the Erection of Buildings in the Township of McNab dated January 19 1966.
2. Report on New Water and Sewer Systems for Mansfield, Sandy Beach & Sandy Hook Areas of McNab Township October 1967 by J. L. Richards & Associates Ltd. (includes maps and cost estimates).
The 1936 McNab Assessment roll is a duplicate of one that is contained in the McNab Township Records. Minutes and Agendas are copies of those held in McNab Township records but contain many notes recorded by R. A. Stewart. Included in this file was a large plan on linen backed paper of the Clay Bank Bridge dated 1904 measuring approximately 30" x 60". Storage location for map is on top of Land Records Cabinet.
Box H1.3
Files 1-4 LOWER MADAWASKA PLANNING BOARD. -- 1968-1979. -- 10 cm of textual records.
Files contain Administrative files including Annual reports, Agendas and Minutes 1969-1979, Correspondence, 1969-1981, Miscellaneous Maps, Amendments to the Official Plan.
File 5 MADAWASKA RIVER RESERVOIR COMMITTEE. --1976-1979
File contains Minutes and Correspondence (interfiled in date order) concerning the Madawaska River and Head Pond at Arnprior as well as a Design and Development Division report by Ontario Hydro on Arnprior GS Restricted Land Use on the Reservoir Banks 1979. R. A. Stewart attended these meetings as a representative of the LMPB.
Box H1.4
Files 1 & 2 Files containing minutes of the proceedings and Bylaws of the Council of the Corporation of the County of Renfrew. -- 1943, 1946, 1947, 1950, 1963-1970 with gaps. -- 10 cm of textual records.
File 3 - RENFREW COUNTY REPORTS. -- 1968, 1970, 1976
Restructuring Study, Renfrew County Roads System Bylaw 2095, Impact Study on Pembroke becoming a City and some miscellaneous correspondence.
File 4 - B&W photographs of 1931, 1932, 1934, and 1948 Renfrew County Councils. Some individuals have been identified.
1931 Renfrew County Council (photo taken June 18th 1931) Back Row, left to right: Jack D. McLean, D. B. Stewart, unknown, Fred Schweig, D. Campbell, W. M. Verch, Frank Plaunt, Paul Mask, Andrew Moran, J.J. Foran, Len Mathews, unknown, Milton Stewart (Reeve of McNab). Third Row, left to right: Jas Pilgrim, J. Jack (deputy Reeve of Arnprior), Albert Wallace, John Brock, Alex Morris (sheriff), I.C. Hill, E.G.R. Lewis, William Saar, Sam McLaren, T. Church (Reeve of Arnprior), John Bloskie. Second row, left to right, William Brown, R. M. Warren, J. Jamieson, Robert Kilby, Dan Kelly, J. Findlay (Reeve of Braeside), Bill Moore, John Carty, J. McIntyre (Warden), James Carey, P. Black, W.W. Hutson, Foster Fraser. Front Row, left to right, W. J. Moore (Engineer), A. Brown, Brown Jr., A. Collins, L. Humphries, J. Omeara, Bill Warren, Mr. Duggan.
File 5 - COUNTY OF RENFREW PROCEDURES and RESPONSIBILITIES; July 1980
Accruals
Further accruals are expected.
Related Material
See McNab Township Heritage & Museum files.
See Bernard V. Bedore fonds 2001-0143 for Big Pine Country material
See “EODA Meeting: Lumbering Complex Planned as Major Tourist Attraction” in Arnprior Chronicle, January 15, 1969 issue.