The quality of a city is often determined by its elected leaders. Some do little or nothing to enhance the life of the community. Others, like John C. Stewart, leave a beneficial mark. He contributed significantly to the nature of the town in which Carl Sandburg was born in 1878. Stewart was in his second nonconsecutive term as the city's chief executive, having been elected in 1877. Before that he had been elected in 1859. Therefore, he was a known quantity when he was elected to a third term in 1883.

Stewart was born October 24, 1822, in Mercer County, Pennsylvania. His parents were James and Nancy McKee Stewart. The family was of a branch of the Quaker faith. Young John worked on the farm, taught school and managed a blast furnace his family owned. He also enlisted in a Pennsylvania militia unit and served in the Mexican War. He traveled to California via the Isthmus of Panama in 1850. There is no mention that he struck gold there.

On October 18, 1853, John married Carrie McFarland. Her family home was an old stone house located in Brandywine, Pennsylvania, where British General William Howe kept his headquarters during the Battle of Brandywine in the Revolutionary War. The couple came to Galesburg in 1855. They had two daughters.

Stewart became a close friend of Reverend G.W. Gale, the founder of Galesburg. He was active in the public and social affairs of the city and maintained a longstanding interest in Knox College. One of the students he befriended and influenced was S.S. McClure, who became a magazine publisher and news syndicator.

Stewart tried to enlist in the Civil War twice, but was afflicted with lung problems which prevented his acceptance by the army. After the end of the Civil War Stewart became a pension agent and helped many veterans and survivors through the thicket of regulations to receive pensions from the federal government. He became a member of the Knox County Bar in 1867

He had a phenomenal memory and could recall the details of every case he had worked on. His office was in the Opera House Block on the south side of the Public Square. The building burned in 1883. The county court offices were in the same building at the time. The destruction of the building led to the planning and erection of the new Knox County Court House which opened in 1886.

Mrs. Stewart was a member of the Ladies' Soldiers' Aid Society in Galesburg during the Civil War. They provided food, clothing, medical supplies and other necessities for soldiers from Knox County. She was also a member of the Dorcas Society and helped the needy in her ward.

Mrs. Stewart died January 14, 1902, and was buried in Hope Cemetery. Mr. Stewart died January 8, 1906. They had lived forty-four years and died in their home at 483 North Kellogg. Even though they were members of the Presbyterian Church while living in Galesburg, they continued to live the simple life prescribed by Quakerism.

During his service as mayor Stewart was a strong proponent of paving the streets of Galesburg. He was a pioneer in the manufacture of bricks in the city.

Shortly after his death, the bronze monument depicting Mary Ann “Mother” Bickerdyke, the Civil War nurse, was dedicated on May 6, 1906. John Stewart had been a strong proponent of erecting the memorial.