The Introduction

      William Morris Stewart lived from 1825 to 1909. I am proud to say he was my great-

grandfather's brother, and a dynamic individual who made many significant contributions

 to the history of the United States as a United State Senator.

     As a young child Stewart lived near the newly built Erie Canal in New York.  The

 family moved to Mesopotamia, Ohio in 1831.  His precocious mind inspired him to  seek

 adventure from an early age. Stewart’s life included many successes as well as defeats.

He made and lost fortunes during his lifetime because of his addiction to investing in

 mining schemes. Historians credit Stewart with being the Father of Mining Legislation and

the person who worded the 15th Amendment to the United States Constitution. He faced

challenges in mining, law and politics with intelligent ferocity.

     The title Angles, Dips and Spurs refers to the single ledge theory of location of silver

that Stewart advocated  in the mountainous Comstock area of Nevada. formerly Utah

territory. Stewart proved the theory in court and earned thousands of dollars in

litigation fees. Stewart played the angles of every situation in his life. Mining scandals

were the dips in his experiences. Financial backers who gave up on Stewart tended to

spur him on with even riskier plans. Stewart was purportedly the model for the figure at

the top of the mountain in the painting Westward the Course of Empire Takes Its Way by

Emanuel Gottlieb Leutze; the picture hangs in the United States Capitol Building.

 Stewart served as a United States Senator from Nevada for twenty-eight years.

The following stories about William Morris Stewart illustrate the scope of his life in both

positive and negative ways. He interacted with many fascinating historical figures

such as Abraham Lincoln, Mark Twain, Ulysses S. Grant, William Ralston and William

Sharon.  

The Journey Begins

     William Morris Stewart requested permission from his father to work at a neighboring

 Ohio farm until haying time. “Why certainly, you can go and stay as long as you have a

 mind, and you need not come back any more unless you wish to."

come back any more unless you wish to.” His mother Miranda overheard the conversation

 and begged her husband to take it back. William, barely a teenager, packed his meager

 belongings and left his family in 1839. He journeyed many places during his lifetime

 supporting himself by sweat, determination and genius. Father and son battled because

 William desired more schooling than the school year of three months offered in

Mesopotamia, Ohio. William saved the money from his farm work and moved to nearby

Farmington to attend an academy. The schoolwork did not challenge him as much as his

lack of social skills. The hulk of a boy did not fit the furniture. His popularity exploded

when other students discovered his math ability. Before long he taught the younger

children and tutored his peers. A year later William paid for his sister Mary to

attend the academy, too. He supported both of them by working for a local farmer. 

     In four years William left Ohio permanently to attend a large high school in Lyons,

 New York that prepared students for university education. Stewart’s name appears with 

over five hundred other students on the 1845 student roster. Stewart was the only scholar

from Ohio. Stewart studied hard and continued his education at Yale, where his

 preparatory education at the Farmington Academy and the Lyons Union School served 

him well. Once again he excelled in mathematics; he even proved a Yale textbook

had a mathematical error in it. He attended Yale for a  a year and a half.

     The California Gold Rush was more compelling to him than his schoolwork. Judge

 Sherwood, a supporter from Lyons, offered him transportation money to make the trip.

Stewart sailed on the steamer Philadelphia from New York City in January 1850. 

Turbulent storms raged on the trip, causing most passengers to turn green and take to their

bunks. Stewart helped the crew after huge waves damaged the ship. By the time the

Philadelphia reached Panama, the sun came out and the waters calmed. The next leg of

the trip meant crossing the Isthmus of Panama on a small boat with three others plus four

indigenous Panamanians maneuvering the craft. Stewart managed to get one of the few

 tickets left on the ship Carolina for the journey from Panama to California. The ship

was overcrowded and they suffered because of a lack of enough food and water. Stewart

 had a quarter in his pocket when he landed in San Francisco five months later. San

 Francisco teemed with the possibility of untold riches. Stewart tried to make money by

 gambling, but preferred working on the wharf. He earned enough to take a steam boat

 ride to Sacramento. Shortly after arriving a fever attacked Stewart; he refused a trip to the

unsanitary hospital, instead using all his strength to ride another boat to Marysville.

Some kind Samaritans put him on a bed of straw near the Deer Creek Stream. He lay

there for eight days looking more dead than alive to passers-by. He drank gallons of water

from the icy stream. When the fever broke, Stewart got up and started his new life near

Nevada City, California.

     Stewart amassed his first fortune not just from mining, but aiding other miners with his

Grizzly Ditch business, a forty-mile canal apparatus that provided water needed for placer

mining. He also spent many hours reading law with John McConnell, a California lawyer

 with expertise in mining law. The combination of experiencing the life of a miner and

 learning the ins and outs of mining law gave Stewart the ticket to making lots of money.

Mark and William

     Samuel Clemens, AKA Mark Twain, and William Morris Stewart Stewart crossed

paths several times during their lives. Eerily similar in personality traits, they could not

stand each other. Both Stewart and Twain wanted to make fortunes and control situations.

 They did not always tell the truth in their autobiographies. Clemens  showed up in

Carson City in 1861 along with his brother Orion. President Abraham Lincoln appointed

Orion to be the territorial secretary. Sam came along for the ride and the possible

opportunity to make a few dollars. With his talent for writing he soon became employed

at the Territorial Enterprise, one of Nevada’s many newspapers. The witty Clemens

expanded and exaggerated the political news. The politicians who generated his stories

frequently suffered abuse in his columns. Readers loved the humorous adaptations of

Clemens, which only served to egg him on to become even more outlandish. Clemens

soon picked up the name Mark Twain. During this Comstock period Twain invented a

Third House of Representatives. He set himself up as the governor. When he reported

about the Third House, he skewered William Morris Stewart, a politician given to lofty

rhetoric. Stewart kept making the same speech over and over when he campaigned

against taxing the mines during the first constitutional convention. One time Twain

thundered, “Take your seat, Bill Stewart,” because he had heard the same speech so many

times he could recite it himself. This did not go over well with Stewart. Neither he nor

Twain cared to be the victim of a joke.

      It was generally accepted practice to bribe journalists to write about new silver

mines in order to get more investors. Miners promised a few shares or certificates in

exchange for good press. Stewart and Twain had an agreement regarding a new mine. 

 Supposedly Stewart never gave Twain the money he owed him. Twain claimed fraud.

 He finally paid Stewart back in Roughing It by portraying Stewart with an eye patch,

making Stewart appear to be a pirate.
  
      Twain did not leave Annie Foote Stewart alone either. She loved giving spectacular

parties.  He delighted in describing her numerous social events in great ridiculous detail.

Twain made fun of her clothes, her friends and the food she served. Stewart got even for

this by arranging for Twain’s stagecoach to be attacked on a trip between Carson City and

Virginia City. The desperadoes roughed up Twain and stole  his money and his

pocket watch. When Mark Twain returned to Virginia City, he went to a bar to tell his

story. His so-called friends bought drinks for everyone using Twain’s money. He figured

it out when he got his watch back. Twain left the Comstock shortly after he explained to

readers he had been involved in one of the greatest robberies ever carried out in the west.

     It is hard to believe Stewart would associate himself with Mark Twain more

than once, but they could not stay away from each other. Senator Stewart hired Twain as

his secretary in Washington D.C. Some thought Stewart liked the prestige of having a

world traveler work for him since Twain had recently returned from Europe. At this time

Annie was on a world tour so Stewart rented rooms at 224 “F” Street at the corner of

14th. The landlady, Miss Virginia Wells,  was a prim and proper spinster. Stewart

told Twain he could write his current novel on the premises as well as serve as his

secretary at a salary of one hundred eighty dollars a month. He even offered his cigars
 
and whiskey to Twain, which turned out to be a bad move. It was not long before Twain

played tricks on poor Miss Virginia – or perhaps he was just being himself. Twain drank

heavily, wandered through the house at nighttime and even smoked in bed. Miss Wells

threatened evictions for both of them. Following a tongue-lashing, Twain vowed to

behave. That was a promise he could not keep. Aside from the bad behavior with the

landlady, Twain began answering the letters of constituents in very creative ways. One

town wrote to request a post office. Twain questioned  why in his response - no one

knew there anyway; what they needed was a jail! The backlash from

constituents infuriated Stewart. Twain and Stewart parted company soon after. 

     Stewart mentioned Twain in his autobiography. “I was confident that he would

come to no good end, but I have heard of him from time to time since then, and I

understand he has settled down and become respectable.” Twain and Stewart had more in

common than they cared to admit. Both had an indomitable spirit and had no problems

taking off for extensive journeys. Twain traveled to the west, farther west to Hawaii and

also to the Holy Lands. Stewart left home at an early age with his travels taking him back

east from Ohio to New York, Panama, the west and to Europe several times. They both

became national figures, and were both sometimes successful and sometimes to the point

of financial insolvency. They both spent lavishly, especially on houses.

      E Clampus Vitus was an odd organization similar to the Masons but with fewer rules  

and regulations. The group began in California in 1851. The members, known as

“Clampers”, tended to be the crowd that favored drinking, carousing and high living in

general. It suited the newly developed west. Twain and Stewart joined the group. In fact,

 Stewart started the branch in Virginia City. The group had power in numbers. Some say E

 Clampus Vitus helped Stewart get elected as the first Senator from Nevada.

     The biggest difference between the two giants came toward the end of their 

lives. Twain turned bitter and his writings reflected this. Stewart never gave up on the

dream of finding just one more big silver mine. He traipsed around Nevada on a mule

looking for silver his eighties. Stewart remained the eternal optimist.

A Formidable Political Career

      Although generally regarded as a staunch Republican other than the six years he

became a member of the Silver Party, Stewart changed political parties several times

during his career. The list included Whigs, Know-Nothings, Democrats, Republicans,

Silver Party/Populists and a return to the Republicans. His beliefs changed from time to

time, but Stewart tended to be pragmatic. Even as a child Stewart loved political

excitement. In New York and Ohio the Stewart family appreciated Andrew Jackson and

Federalism. They attended July 4th events in downtown Lyons, New York cheering for

Jackson. At the age of nine, Stewart heard a speech by Joshua Giddings that proved to be

a lifelong inspiration. Giddings, a teacher turned lawyer in Ashtabula County, Ohio

championed abolitionist causes with his speeches. Joshua Giddings helped found the

Republican Party in Ohio. This was the type of personality that fired up the political

ambitions of young Stewart. Some historians call Stewart a party hopper because of his

multiple affiliations. In 1850 when he studied law with John McConnell in California, he

associated with Southern Democrats. McConnell’s office had become their local 

gathering place.

      Stewart refused to participate in duels, a popular activity for the Southern

Democrats. Stewart disagreed with future father-in law Henry Foote on this point. He did

not refrain from dueling out of fear, but he thought the practice to be a foolish waste of

time. Stewart embraced the Know-Nothing party briefly, a group known for being against 

aliens. Stewart’s father-in-law joined the Know-Nothings. Foote influenced Stewart with

a dynamic speech he gave in Nevada City shortly after Annie and Bill married. After

Stewart joined the Republican Party in 1856, some accused him of siding with southern

sympathizers.

      With the exception of the years from 1892-1898 when Stewart affiliated

himself with the Silver Party, he was a Republican during his senatorial career.

Stewart rejoined the Republicans when he finally realized the silver issue was over.

During his last bid for a Senate seat he ran as a Silver Party candidate, but shortly after
 
the election he was back in the Republican camp. A newspaper article in 1897 hinted that

was what he planned to do all along. He won the election despite bad press, old age and

some skullduggery. This final election was the most contentious.

     At this time the State Legislatures elected the senators.  Stewart became friends

with Francis Newlands when they both joined the Silver party. Stewart, twenty-one

years older than Newlands, acted as a mentor for Newlands and his political aspirations.
 
His first wife Clara was the daughter of Senator William Sharon. He took Stewart’s

Senate position in 1878. This friendship came to an end during the nasty Senate campaign

of 1898. Stewart astutely realized Francis Newlands wanted a Nevada Senate job –

possibly his. There were not big issues during the 1898 campaign other than silver.

Stewart managed to get Newlands kicked out of the Silver Party shortly before the

election. That did not solve all his problems. Stewart kept making speeches over and over

denying charges that he was responsible for the “Crime of “73”.

     Stewart had two bodyguards during the 1898 campaign.  Jack Chinn, known as a

tough guy, who always had a Bowie knife handy and David Neagle, a U.S. Marshall who

killed Judge Terry in California ten years earlier were the men who influenced the

election by either kidnapping or bribing Assemblyman William Gillespie so as not to be

present for the crucial vote for senator. That vote was fifteen to fourteen in Stewart’s

favor – thus avoiding a runoff election that Stewart might have lost. A couple months

later the absent Gillespie had a new job working for the Southern Pacific. This railroad

had great interest in Stewart’s election to keep legislation going to their benefit.

     The United States was on the gold standard in 1900. The forgone conclusion became

law despite the countless speeches and tremendous effort Stewart made to avoid this.

Stewart rejoined the Republicans and turned his focus to expansionism. He considered

development of the Philippines not imperialism, but rather a way to help the people to get

established. Stewart even pushed for railroads in the Philippines. Stewart received bad

press for being a  tool of the Southern Pacific and Central Pacific Railroads and

railroads in general. Stewart was not up for reelection in 1902, but he had a special

interest in the senatorial campaign. Unfortunately for him, Senator John Jones retired.

Francis Newlands wanted the job. Stewart no longer liked Newlands and hoped to force

him out of politics for good. The Southern Pacific Railroad withdrew support for Stewart

and backed Newlands. He became a senator and remained in the office until his death

in 1917. With Newlands as the junior senator, Stewart had to work with him.

     Stewart did legal work on the Pious Fund Case at The Hague. California and

Mexico had been fighting over money left from the missions. Unfortunately, when he was

at The Hague his wife Annie had a fatal automobile accident in California. Although

Stewart remarried, losing Annie hit him hard. Popularity ebbed in his home state. Even

influential Republicans started to turn against him. George Nixon left the Silver Party and

rejoined the Republicans and became Stewart’s competition for the 1905 election. After

controlling Nevada politics for decades Stewart was out. He did not even participate in

the convention that could have at least paid tribute to him for his lengthy political career.

The Crime of 1873: Did He or Didn't He?

SEC.15. That the silver coins of the United States shall be a trade-dollar, a half-dollar, or fifty-cent piece, a quarter-dollar, or twenty-five cent piece, a dime, or ten-cent piece; and the weight of the trade-dollar shall be four hundred and twenty grains troy; the weight of the half-dollar shall be twelve grams (grammes) and one-half of a gram. (gramme;) the quarter-dollar and the dime shall be respectively, one-half and one-fifth of the weight of said half dollar; and said coins shall be a legal tender at their nominal value for any amount not exceeding five dollars in any one payment.

     The Free Silver movement became popular after people realized what the Coinage Act

of 1873 had done - effectively demonetizing silver in this country. The term Free Silver

meant unlimited coinage of silver. Economic panics in 1873 and later in 1893 stirred up

the issue - especially in western states. The Bland-Allison Act and the Sherman Silver

Purchase Act enabled the government to buy some quantities of silver, but did not placate

the Silverites. Democratic President Grover Cleveland did not like the Sherman Act and

made sure Congress repealed it in 1873. The defeated Democratic Presidential candidate

William Jennings Bryan built his campaign around free silver in 1896.  Bryan did receive

eighty-one percent of the vote in Nevada. The United States went on the gold standard in

1900. This ended the Free Silver movement.

      Three years after the Coinage Act passed, Senator Stewart began to complain that

 a massive crime had been committed, perpetrated by easterners and European financiers.

Stewart spoke about the silver question often, appearing as a buffoon in political cartoons.

       Stewart continued his finger pointing for years, possibly for the reason of covering up

or making up for his part in demonetization. Henry Linderman, the Mint Director in

Philadelphia, created most of the wording of the act. Sherman introduced the bill in

Congress. A copy of a check indicated western banker William Ralston bribed Linderman.

Ralston papers note he paid large sums of money to Linderman. Ralston’s

Bank of California intertwined very deeply with the Comstock fortunes.  When Europe

went on the gold standard, Ralston feared too much silver would be dumped in America.

Comstock silver might lose value. Ralston exerted influence on western politics. It was

well known that Stewart helped things go well for the "Bank Gang" who ran it.

 Ralston liked to stay in the background, but he was the brains behind this financial

 organization. According to a paper by Yale Professor Daniel Decanio, Ralston’s plan

was to have a silver trade dollar to be used in the world market, but not the United States.

He thought California’s proximity to the Asian markets would result in more money for

the Bank of California and more wealth piling up at the Comstock. By 1875 Ralston and

Linderman were dead. The Bank of California collapsed the same week as Ralston’s

death. The day he lost the title of bank president, he drowned in the Pacific Ocean – quite

possibly a suicide, but another point never proven.

     With Linderman and Ralston both dead, Stewart ramped up his accusations and finger

 pointing. Stewart denied knowledge of the so-called crime. It is hard to believe Stewart

did not know what was going on as the bill took three years to get through Congress.

He was exceedingly bright; few details ever escaped his eagle like mind. Stewart spent a

great deal of time blaming William Sherman, the congressman who introduced the bill.

Sherman would not go along with abolishing the coinage rate, another possible outcome

desired by Ralston. The truth of Stewart’s involvement will never be known. Senator

Stewart even rejoined the Republican party after his stint with the Silver Party.

     William Morris Stewart and William Chapman knew each other quite well. Stewart

Ralston came from similar backgrounds. Both had several siblings, traveled to the

 West during the gold rush and possessed insatiable desire for wealth and power.

They achieved these goals, but both had serious money problems by the end of their lives.

Ralston went west via the southern route. He stayed in Panama for five years working for

a steamship company. Stewart and Ralston could have met as Stewart journeyed through

Panama, also on the way to California. One of Ralston’s brothers purchased a Stewart

home in Carson City when the family was off to Washington D.C. Ralston parlayed his

money and by 1864 opened the Bank of California. He was always the brains behind the

operation, but chose the title of head cashier. He fell in love with San Francisco with

hopes of making it a cultural mecca of the world. This took money - and lots of it. With

William Sharon as his right hand man in Virginia City, the Bank of California invested in

the highly prized Comstock Lode. Through Sharon’s astuteness the Bank Gang from

California controlled profits from the best mines and mills. Stewart spent time in San

Francisco, learned the law profession and dabbled in mines – another opportunity for

Ralston and Stewart to know each other. Stewart relocated to Virginia City and made a

fortune settling mining disputes. Stewart represented big mining companies. Ralston and

the Bank of California owned the mines. When Nevada became a state Stewart turned to

politics. It took financial backing to win elections, and the Bank of California supported

Stewart with generous contributions. That included the payback of Stewart supporting the

bank interests. One example of Ralston influence over Stewart came when the quirky

Adolph Sutro desired to build a tunnel through Mt. Davidson for mining safety and

financial reasons. Stewart became the first president of the Sutro Tunnel Company. When

Ralston realized that the Bank would lose money if the tunnel became a reality, he turned

against it. In a short time Stewart resigned as the president and belittled the project.

     Ralston liked to control political activities in Washington D.C. He often influenced

Senator Stewart to help achieve his goals. When Stewart did not prove powerful

enough to get things done Ralston’s way, his crony William Sharon received the

call to become a U.S. Senator. As it turned out, both Senator Sharon and then Senator

James Fair contributed little during Stewart’s twelve-year hiatus. When Stewart ran again,

Nevada citizens believed him to be a firm proponent of the free silver movement. Stewart

talked about the Crime of 1873 from 1876 until he became a Republican again after

William McKinley won the election in 1898. Stewart himself mentioned in a speech that

perhaps it was best not to know what had actually happened in regard to the Crime of ’73.

He could have been talking about himself.

Scandals: The Emma , the Panamint and More

                  Plaque on display at the Wyoming State Museum in Cheyenne, Wyoming


      Scandals threatened Stewart’s career in both his legal and political lives. He

made and lost fortunes along the way. Stewart had little to his name when he died. The

money came and the money went. He never had enough to keep up with his millionaire

cronies like Leland Stanford and William Ralston. Stewart invested often in mines, but it

was a risky business.  The first mining disaster came in December 1861 when his  

Virginia City mine flooded.  Stewart took a secretive trip to San Francisco in terrible

weather to secure a loan from an old friend named Chris Reis. Census figures show

Reis in San Francisco, but not with an extensive fortune. It is conjecture, but perhaps

William Ralston might have been involved with the loan. The two could have met when

Stewart passed through Panama since Ralston worked there five years. At any rate,

Stewart headed back to Virginia City with borrowed money to settle his debts. He

eventually sold the mine and recouped most of his original investment.

     The Emma Mine, located in Utah, sullied Stewart’s reputation  although he avoided

legal penalties. The damage to his reputation outweighed the money he made.  Ralston

had an early interest in the Emma. Neither Stewart nor Ralston could stay away from

mining ventures. Ralston could have bought the mine with his friend Asbury Harpending

for a mere three hundred and fifty thousand dollars. They decided the mine was “nothing

more than a large kidney and of little value.” Unfortunately, Stewart did not come to this

conclusion. James Lyon, two other prospectors, and Stewart worked to develop the Emma.

The others soon forgot Lyon and sought wealthy foreign investors in England. Since the 

speculators spread rumors of the mine's value,  many clamored to buy the stock. Lyon 

hired Stewart to represent his interest in the mine. Stewart told Lyon he would get him 

five hundred thousand dollars as his share. Stewart traveled to England with a speculator,

Trenor Park. In a few months Stewart appeared to be on the other side ending up as a

board member of the Emma with Park and several other well-known British

politicians. Stewart made a fortune on the deal with Lyon coming out as the big loser with

but two hundred thousand dollars as his share. Eventually news came out that the Emma

was a sham with hardly any silver. The experience spoiled English investments in North

American mines for years to come. Lyon never forgave Stewart; for years he wrote nasty

letters and filed lawsuits that never came to fruition. He claimed Stewart built the Dupont

Circle mansion with money that should have been his.

     Stewart and his partner Senator John P. Jones believed the Panamint Lode located in Death

would be the new Comstock Lode. Investors from Los Angeles rather than San Francisco

financed these mines. Stewart and Jones let Trenor Park join them, despite his reputation

 from the Emma Scandal.

     A big problem was transportation to and from the Panamint area. Stewart and Jones
 
made an agreement with bank robbers.  Desperadoes who discovered the silver in the first 

place agreed to pay back twelve thousand dollars taken from the Wells Fargo Company. 

However, the Wells Fargo Company refused to transport bullion from the two

Panamint Mines – the Wyoming and the Hemlock. Always one to think outside of the

box, Stewart had the silver bullion formed into seven hundred and fifty pound balls. The

thieves could not steal them when Stewart had large wagons move the treasure. The 

rutted roads through the Sunrise Canyon out of the Panamint area caused travel to be a

challenge. Panamint investors made some money, but not enough. Production began

during August 1875.  The Panamint boom lasted a mere three years and did not live up to

the lofty expectations of Stewart and Jones.

The Women in His Life

     Miranda Morris Stewart influenced her son in positive ways. She valued education, a

trait her husband did not share. In dedication of his autobiography Stewart wrote, “If I had

always kept in view the rules of conduct which she prescribed I would have made few

mistakes.” Stewart went on to say “Whatever of good I may have accomplished was

inspired by my dear mother at an early period of my existence.” Three daughters and an

outspoken, well-educated wife influenced him to believe in women’s rights before it

became popular. Love and loyalty to family members were high priorities throughout his

entire life.

     To understand Annie Stewart's complex personality, one needs to examine her genteel

Mississippi upbringing. The new baby Foote was born on June 8, 1826. Her father, Henry

S. Foote, farmed cotton on the plantation, practiced law and owned a local newspaper.

The entire population, including the slaves, celebrated as Annie Foote joined her two

Virginia and Arabella Foote. The girls grew up wanting for nothing. Annie showed 

spunk and independence, qualities admired by her father, Henry Stuart Foote. Henry

made sure his daughters received first-rate educations. The children studied classical

languages, dancing, etiquette, and learned to sew and produce fine handwork. Foote

 supervised the education, frequently testing them. Annie Foote rebelled when it came to

 the sewing projects, but tackled the academics with gusto.  Annie’s spirit endeared her to

 her father. Foote's clear favorite, Annie Foote spent more time with her father than she

 did with her sisters. When Foote became a United States Senator and the family moved to

 Washington D. C., Annie Foote adapted well. She attended the Visitation Convent

and spent most of her teenage years in Washington D.C.

      When Foote’s term as Senator ended he and the family returned to Mississippi.

Foote continued his political career by running for the governorship. He beat out

Jefferson Davis. Davis pulled political maneuvers tha eliminated Foote's chances for

 re-election to the Senate. Foote moved his family to Raymond, Mississippi, leaving them

there while he made a trip to California to seek his next fortune.

   Men often traveled west first to prepare the way for spouses and children.  Foote built a

 home on five acres near Oakland, California.  He constructed a house exactly the

same as the one in Clinton, Mississippi. When he finished, he sent for his family to join

him. The Foote entourage took the southern route across Panama to California. The group

included mother Elizabeth, her children Virginia, Arabella, Annie, Jane, Henry, Romily

and William as well as the family servants. With natives paddling, they crossed the

 Isthmus of Panama in small boats. The Foote family braved the jungle elements, and 

arrived in California in November of 1854. Foote and young William Morris Stewart

became law partners; consequently, he received invitations to Foote social events.

 Annie Foote and William Stewart became a couple in no time. Foote approved of his

 daughter's match with his young law partner. Less than a year later on May 31, 1855 the

young couple married.

      Always in search of a fortune, Stewart could not resist the call of mining and a town

needing lawyers. He gave up his practice in San Francisco, and the newlyweds moved to

Nevada City, California. Stewart knew it would be a hardship on his wife to leave her

life for a mining camp lacking comforts and high society. As his father-in-law

mentor father-in-law had done, he replicated her Mississippi home in Nevada City as a

wedding gift. He imported the materials from the South to make it more authentic. The

clever Stewart built the house on Piety Hill, because he knew of the fire dangers of

downtown locations. The Piety Hill home became the new place to be seen with Annie

Stewart at the center of local society. Records are sketchy because of a fire in Nevada

City, but the Stewarts had a baby girl named Elizabeth (Bessie) on or about August

18,1856.

   No sooner did Annie get used to her new home than Bill Stewart yearned to move.

Downieville peaked his interest after a year and a half. Like his father-in-law he went first,

established his law office and home before moving Annie and little Bessie. During this

time he made frequent trips to Downieville, Nevada City and San Francisco. He often

brought books to Annie. Bessie and Annie finally moved to Downieville in the spring of

1858. Similar to the trip over the Isthmus of Panama, moving proved to be a hardship.

Transporting Annie's possessions and furniture was not easy.  During the time in

Downieville Annie had parties, entertained, established a school and became a teacher.

The eight hundred dollars she made teaching was the only paid job she ever held.

 Another child, Anna, was born in 1859. By 1860 the Stewarts moved again – this

time to Virginia City, Nevada. The Comstock era of silver mining began with a rough 

camp with few luxuries. Annie Stewart accepted the challenges. When Stewart's wife

talked, people noticed. Her outspoken words favoring the South caused problems.

When Stewart campaigned for statehood, he wanted his wife out of the way for a while.

 He gave her forty thousand dollars and told her to go shopping in San Francisco. With her

 pockets laden with cash, Annie Stewart left on the earliest stage she could. The only thing

she liked more than talking and entertaining was shopping. This penchant for shopping

was was a big reason William Stewart found himself in financial difficulty over the years.

 Despite the many fortunes he accrued, Annie Stewart shopped faster than her husband

could make money.

     Annie Stewart enrolled the girls in expensive private schools in Europe. Bessie and

Anna spent two years each in France, Germany and Italy getting a proper, classical

education. Annie had another reason for traveling to Europe. Her father, a southern

sympathizer, had been exiled to Europe from the United States after the Civil War

because of war crimes. Throughout their long years together, Stewart tried to please his

 wife at any cost.
        When Annie Stewart returned to the states she busied herself decorating, socializing at

 the Dupont Circle home in Washington D. C. She also traveled;  Mary Isabelle, known as

Maybelle, was born September 30, 1872 in Alameda, California during an extended visit

to California. Stewart opted not to run for the Senate in 1875, and the family returned to

the West so he could regenerate his fortunes through law and mining. The Stewarts

divided their time between the eastern and western regions of the country.  On December

 30, 1879 a fire caused major damage at the Dupont Circle home. Servants saved

 six-year-old Maybelle as both her parents were not home the night of the fire. After the

fire Anne took more trips abroad to replaced damaged items.

      Bessie, Annie and Maybelle Stewart had the same impulsive tendencies as their

father. When unfortunate things happened, Stewart was there to fix the problems. Anna

had a messy divorce with Andrew Fox. Stewart did not like how Anna and Andrew Fox

took care of their four children after the divorce. Stewart kidnapped the children and kept

them at an undisclosed location in the East for several months. One of the children died

during this period. Fox had custody of the children and cited Stewart for contempt.

Nothing became of this other than Stewart received temporary custody of the children.

      In 1902 William Morris Stewart  was in his last term as a U.S. Senator. He left

for Europe in September to work on the Pious Fund Case at The Hague. Originally, Annie

planned to accompany her husband on the trip. She thought she would be helpful with her

knowledge of foreign languages. She did not feel well and decided to visit friends and

relatives in California while Stewart worked in Europe. This proved to be a bad choice.

On September 12th Annie took an automobile ride with her nephew Charles Foote and

his brother-in-law H. Benedict Taylor. Taylor owned the Winton auto involved in a

deadly crash. Taylor drove the automobile into a telegraph pole while trying to avoid a

grocery wagon. The accident happened at Bay Street and Santa Clara in Alameda,

California at 4:30PM. Witnesses had different takes on what happened. Speeding,

carelessness and perhaps alcohol might have been to blame. Neither young man suffered

debilitating injuries even though they all flew out of the automobile upon the impact of

hitting the pole. Passersby took Annie to a house until the ambulance came to take her to

the Alameda Sanatorium. She died at 6:00 of massive internal injuries. Annie was 64  

years old. Taylor only had the automobile for a couple weeks. It had been manufactured

in Cleveland, Ohio. A jury cleared Taylor of blame in the accident. Taylor stated he only

had a speed of fifteen miles per hour. Stewart declared this was the greatest tragedy of his

life when he received the news. Stewart cabled to have a service, but hold the body until

his arrival home. The family held a service at the Foote home with Rev. Robert Ritchie, an

Episcopal priest presiding. A few close friends and family members attended the service.

The casket stayed at the Mountain View Cemetery until Stewart arrived a couple weeks

later.

     Losing the love of his life devastated Stewart. However, he did marry again on

October 26, 1903 to a widow named May Agnes Cone. Despite the age difference of over

thirty years, the couple lived a happy life until Stewart’s death in 1909. May Agnes and

her nine year old daughter Vera followed Stewart to a remote town in Nevada where

Stewart attempted to find just one more silver mine.

Houses and Mansions

     Studying the houses of William Morris Stewart gives one yet another glimpse of his

unique personality. He built the most opulent dwellings he could for his family. He loved
 
his wife and daughters as fiercely as he desired personal wealth. He never could match
 
the residences of his California contemporaries like William Chapman Ralston’s

luxurious mansion Belmont. Stewart married Annie Foote, the daughter of a former

Mississippi governor. She only knew the finer things of life. As a wedding gift Stewart

constructed a home in Nevada City, California. It was the exact replica of her childhood

home in Mississippi. Built in 1856 with columns and clapboard imported from the south,

the house at 416 Zion Street became the only antebellum architecture house in California.

It remains standing.

The plaque in front of the house reads as follows: WILLIAM MORRIS STEWART MANSION BUILT 1855-56. EXACT REPLICA OF WIFE’S ANTE-BELLUM COLONIAL BIRTHPLACE. ONLY EDIFICE OF THIS TYPE IN CALIFORNIA. STEWART, AN EARLY NEVADA COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY, JOINED 1859 COMSTOCK SILVER RUSH, LED BATTLE FOR STATEHOOD AND BECAME NEVADA’S FIRST U.S. SENATOR, SERVED 29 YEARS. KNOWN AS THE SILVER SENATOR AND FATHER OF AMERICAN MINING LAW. AUTHORED 15TH CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT. DEDICATED MARCH 7, 1964 WM. BULL MEEK - WM. MORRIS STEWART NO. 10, E CLAMPUS VITUS NEVADA CITY, NEVADA CO. CALIFORNIA-NEVADA CENTENNIAL COMMISSION ON OBSERVANCE OF NEVADA STATE CENTENNIAL 1864 -1964

      Stewart built the home on a hill because of the threat of fire. The house had a 

verandah and two parlors. Stewart supervised the simple but elegant design complete

with a beautiful staircase and exquisite woodwork. He designed everything with Annie’s

happy childhood in mind. The Nevada City house soon became a mecca for social events.

Annie loved to entertain her relatives and Nevada City society friends. It must have been

tough for Annie to leave the Zion Street home of her dreams after such a brief time

 but Stewart had the wanderlust for new challenges. The Stewarts sold their house to

Niles and Mary Searls in August of 1857. They moved to Downieville, California in the

spring of 1858 to a much smaller home than the one in Nevada City. Shortly after moving

to Downieville, the town burned. Once again Stewart built his home and office a

distance from the town. His properties did not burn. The Stewarts remained in

Downieville until 1860. Opportunities in the Comstock area called the young lawyer for

new adventures. Stewart, his wife and daughters Bessie and Anna moved to Carson

City, Nevada. They lived in a tent until Bill constructed a sandstone house. Stewart sold

this one to James W. Nye about 1862. These two eventually became the first U.S.

Senators from Nevada.  The Stewarts relocated to Virginia City. The Carson City house

became the governor’s residence for many years. Now it serves as a rectory for a Catholic

Church.

     The plaque in front of the house says “This house was built about 1860 of local sandstone for William Morris Stewart who lived here until 1862. He sold it to the territorial governor of Nevada, James W. Nye. The two men served as Nevada’s first United States Senators after the territory achieved statehood. Stewart, serving from 1864 to 1875 and again from 1887 to 1905. Nye served from 1864 to 1873. Both men were originally New Yorkers.”

      By 1863 the Stewart family lived in a mansion on the corner of Taylor and Stewart

Streets high up on Mount Davidson in Virginia City, Nevada. It was a grandiose place. It

became a center for socializing in no time. Stewart began his senatorial campaign. In

order to keep his vocal southern wife from ruining his chances, he gave her forty

thousand dollars to shop for furnishings and clothing in San Francisco. This house

became vacant after the Stewarts left for Washington. Various people later owned the

home  including A.J. Ralston, brother of the California banker William Chapman Ralston.

 It ended up being sold for one hundred dollars in 1885 to a man named Piper. He tore the

 house down, but saved the doors to decorate his opera house in Virginia City.

The picture of the house in Virginia City is found on p.194 of Gold and Silver Colossus by Ruth Hermann.

     The house on Dupont Circle in the Washington D.C. area stands out as the most

opulent and excessive of the many Stewart residences. Built in 1873, it lasted a mere

twenty-eight years. The structure stretched up to the sky over eighty feet. The Stewarts

owned it except for the last two years before it was razed. Famed architect Adolph Cluss

designed the Second Empire Mansion. The five-story house with a carriage porch

dominated the landscape. People called the area “The Honest Miners’ Camp” because

several western millionaires owned property in the area.  Emma scandal victim James

Lyon accused Stewart of building the house with the money owed him from the Emma

fiasco. Annie spent a fortune in Europe purchasing furniture during her six-year trip to

Europe. That was enough to tax any fortune. Upkeep with the servants and lavish

entertainment strained the family finances.

     A serious fire occurred on the property December 30, 1879. It severely damaged

 the house and numerous treasures inside. The servants rescued six year old Maybelle

 from the fire as both parents were away from home that night. Many expensive

shopping trips resulted to replace the ruined furniture. This home never seemed to bring

desired happiness to the couple, although the family celebrated many family occasions

there such as Maybelle’s wedding. Collis P. Huntington, the railroad magnate, gifted

 Maybelle with a diamond tiara that she wore on her wedding day on May 16, 1896.

      After the wedding  the Stewarts leased the Dupont Circle house to the Chinese

Legation from 1886 to 1893. The Chinese left the house in disrepair at the close of their

 rental agreement. Supposedly the Chinese smoked opium in the house damaging the

 walls and burning some furniture. Stewart said they did thirty thousand dollars of

 damage. Eventually, the Chinese paid three thousand dollars to the Stewarts. When the

 Stewarts left the home many of their possession ended up on the front lawn for sale.

      Senator William A. Clark of Montana purchased the home in 1901 for

$144,000 dollars. One of Clark’s stipulations was that the house could accommodate two

hundred guests. The house passed muster for that, but the story goes that Clark decided

he could not live in the house after a huge mirror fell off the wall while he was inspecting

the property. He eventually tore the house down and moved to New York. A bank

purchased the property finally bringing an end to the gaping hope in the ground that Clark

left.

      It took twelve years to earn enough money or manage to get financial backing to

return to a political career. The Stewarts resided in San Francisco during most of this

time. The 1880 Federal Census lists the Stewart family as borders, probably living at the

famous Lick House Hotel. It was not the grandiose Palace, but still a very smart place to

reside. In 1885 Stewart and his wife once again established a residence in Carson City. He

turned an existing house with a stone foundation into a two-story edifice. Stewart bought

 the entire block that surrounded the home at 503 West Robinson Street. This home

still stands on the corner of Minnesota and Robinson. To make the place more

special, Stewart fenced in the block and planted a fruit orchard. Annie split her time with

visits to Carson City, Washington D.C. and abroad.

                                              
                                                Picture courtesy of Roy Ritter

      Stewart generally got along with his family quite well because he loved them so. He

spent fortunes on his wife, his daughters and his grandchildren. No one ever accused

Stewart of having extramarital affairs. One granddaughter, Bessie Hofer, (daughter of

Anna Stewart) believed that the Carson City house was an outright gift to her after the

Stewarts moved to Washington D.C. She also wanted a third of the inheritance from her

deceased mother’s estate after Annie died. Grandfather Stewart became very angry at her

greediness when she hired a lawyer to get what she wanted. Bessie Hofer eventually

apologized for her actions in order to get back into favor with her grandfather.

     In 1895 Stewart purchased the Farmwell Plantation  in Loudoun County, Virginia. The

1,800 acre property was about twenty-five miles from Washington D.C. In 1896 an ash

tree on the farm burned mysteriously for over a week. Many spectators came to gawk.

Stewart renamed the farm Ashburn.

                                            Drawing courtesy of Eugene Scheel

      Annie was not interested in life on a farm. Loudoun County was too far away from

the society of Washington D.C. The Stewarts did have a few parties complete with an

orchestra for dancing, but Annie took the opportunity to travel abroad again. Stewart

 developed the farm into a large dairy operation. He encouraged sanitation with the

milk production on the 656-acre farm and employed steam to pasteurize and keep flies off

the cows. The Ashburn Farm shipped milk cooled by ice on the train for the trip to

Washington D.C. Stewart introduced legislation regarding dairy sanitation. Stewart took

pride in giving tours of his dairy farm. Along with the dairy Stewart established a stable

of racehorses. His old friend Leland Stanford helped out with advice on this project.

Several of the horses had successful racing careers, but Stewart did not devote enough

attention to the farm. It lost a great deal of money. By 1897 Stewart sold the racing stock

and put the Ashburn Farm on the market. He sold it in 1899.


     Stewart purchased a modest home  at 19th and F Street in Washington D.C.  They

retired somewhat from the social scene because Annie’s health was not the best. Through

 the years Stewart only seemed to care where he lived when his family was

with him. When he was on his own he would stay in a hotel or rooming house – as when

Mark Twain moved in with him. One more similarity between Stewart and Twain

illustrated how they both desired ostentatious wealth. Twain’s home in Hartford,

Connecticut and Stewart’s Dupont Circle home somewhat resembled each other. The

Stewart Castle is long gone, but Twain’s house remains as a museum. Stewart built his last

house and office in Rhyolite, Nevada. These buildings were different from his usual

domiciles, but had as many modern comforts as possible to accommodate his second

family.

The picture of the Rhyolite house is a Nevada Historical Society photo found on p256 in Servant of Power by Russell Elliot  

     Stewart mined and practiced law, making money but not the fortune he desired. The

law business thrived because of his reputation, and he opened a branch office in
 
Goldfield. The Bullfrog mining success did not last. In 1908 Stewart left Nevada for the

last time and lived out his days in Washington D.C until his death in 1909.

Stewart, Sharon and the Rose Who Brought Them Together

     William Stewart and William Sharon crossed paths often in their lifetimes. Both Ohio

natives, they met in San Francisco or in Virginia City. Stewart made his name in Virginia

City as a lawyer with expertise in mining law. Sharon managed the Bank of California

branch in Virginia City. Since the Bank of California depended on Comstock monies

to develop San Francisco, Stewart had to be a valuable commodity to the California

bankers. Representing the big mines, Stewart made five hundred thousand dollars in a

few years. When Stewart could not win a case by presenting the facts, his bragadoccio 

ways bullied the other side into submission. It was common practice on all sides to bribe

witnesses, jurors or even judges.

     Sharon and Stewart had similar interests during their careers. Sharon worked in law,

mining investing, banking and politics. Upon accomplishing what he wanted to do in

Nevada, Sharon desired to be a senator. The jobs were taken.  Sharon and his boss Ralston

probably urged Stewart to relinquish his position They made sure that happened by

withdrawing financial backing for the Stewart campaign. Stewart claimed personal finance

problems kept him from running again. Sharon took Stewart's place, but proved to be

totally ineffective. He spent practically no time in Washington D.C. during his term of
 
office. Ralston,  a good swimmer, died by drowning in 1875 possibly by suicide the day

after the Bank of California closed its doors. Sharon stepped up and reorganized the bank.

He also acquired the palatial home of Ralston called Belmont and the Palace Hotel.

     Close friends held an elegant dinner party for William Sharon at the Palace Hotel in

 1876. Twenty men attended the grand event designated to celebrate the lifetime success

 of William Sharon. William Morris Stewart was one of the guests that night. Each

 attendee received an engraved silver ingot 61/4 by 4 1/4 inches forged from Comstock

 silver. Few remain in existence, but one sold at auction for 21,000 dollars in

 June 2011. The dinner had no formal speakers, but was a reunion of old friends from the

 Comstock Days. Stewart might have shared his Panamint adventure of tricking robbers.

It was all about silver that night.

     Historians usually give Stewart kudos for his mining law cases, but one of his most

famous was the divorce case of William Sharon and Sarah Althea Hill. Reporters showed

up at the trial every day in order to keep the public aware of the ongoing scandal. The

widower Sharon fell in love with the young and glamorous Sarah Althea Hill. 

     Sarah Althea Hill lived in San Francisco several years before meeting William Sharon.

She arrived in 1870. Her brother worked in the Bank of California, so she knew of

Sharon and his vast resources. Hill lived on the inheritance from her parents. She joined

many other women in San Francisco by investing in mining stocks. Sarah Althea Hill

was intelligent, cunning, greedy and opportunistic, but not a competent investor.

Her fund continued to shrink. When Sharon's wife died in 1875 Hill knew it was

time to cultivate Sharon's friendship. After a few miscellaneous encounters Sharon

noticed the beautiful young woman. He became smitten with the young schemer. She

played hard to get. Hill would not give in to his advances until he suggested

marriage. The sixty year old Sharon made Hill promise the marriage would

be secret for two years - an odd request but she agreed. Both Hill and Sharon signed a

paper to that effect on August 25, 1880. Sharon continued to live at the Palace Hotel. Hill

lived across the street at the Grand Hotel. They met secretly by using a connecting tunnel

between the two hotels. The honeymoon period did not last long.

     Sharon asked Hill to move out of her hotel. She would not leave. He retaliated by

 removing the doors and carpet from her rooms. Hill finally moved out and stayed with the

notorious Mammy Pleasant. Mammy helped girls by offering a place to stay as well as

voodoo like advice in order for girls to win over their men. Hill and Sharon did

get together from time to time. During this period she arranged for special potions to be

administered to Sharon. She also made trips to cemeteries to bury his clothing. These

weird activities illustrated the influence of Mammy Pleasant. They did not

seem to accomplish anything.

     The litigation between Sharon and Hill lasted most of the 1880's. She won some and he

won others. The entire population of San Francisco followed the sordid details. Hill

did not stand a chance when the mighty William Morris Stewart became one of

Sharon's lawyers. Sharon might have called in a favor because Stewart did not usually

take divorce cases. Stewart brought in a handwriting expert that blew the case open.

Sharon died before the final decree in the case which did go in his favor. Even

Sharon's death gave her no victory. Hill never touched his money made from investments

and the Bank of California.

    She did find her true love when she married her lawyer David Terry. He died tragically

in Stockton, California.  Judge Stephen Field who gave the final decree about the divorce

being fraudulent and the Terrys traveled on the same train. It was a disaster

waiting to happen. Field's bodyguard shot Terry dead  August 14, 1889 because he

thought Terry was threatening the judge. David Naegle, the bodyguard, went on to

become the bodyguard of William Morris Stewart in the contentious 1898 election 

campaign for the U.S. Senator position from Nevada.

     The tragedy of losing Terry drove his wife out of her mind. Mammy

Pleasant committed the deranged woman to a mental institution where she lived until her

death on Valentines Day in 1937. The only victory of Sarah Althea Hill Sharon Terry was

that she outlived everyone else involved.

Banks and Railroads

   

     The Nevada Territory wanted to become a state. William Morris Stewart participated  in the first Nevada Constitutional Convention. He argued against taxation on mines. Despite the fact this component stayed in the document, Stewart urged passage for the document. The proposed constitution seemed to be a sure thing but failed miserably when people voted against it four to one. Word got around that Stewart would be in total control of state politics if it passed. This meant the Bank of California, which he represented in mining cases would have power and influence over the government. Some thought Stewart advocated the Constitution because he wanted to change the judiciary - especially Judge John North. This particular judge agreed with the multiple ledge theory on numerous cases going against the single ledge theory advocated by Stewart. This was a threat to the big mining interests.

      Nevadans lost interest in gaining statehood after the vote. When the state suffered economic problems, there was a second try to attain statehood. Stewart stayed in the background and did not participate in the Second Constitutional Convention. It happened quickly because political powers in Washington wanted Nevada to become a state. A state with silver resources could help finance the war.  Abraham Lincoln needed more states on the Union side.

      Despite the apathy, the second run at statehood succeeded. Stewart achieved his goals. North practically left the state on a rail, the tax component disappeared and Stewart became one of the first U.S. Senators from Nevada along with James Nye. Stewart owed the Bank of California for much of his political success.

       The railroad industry helped Stewart get elected, also. The railroads needed a friend in the Senate to further the Transcontinental Railroad. Along the way the railroads gave Stewart thousands of dollars to campaign, thousands of acres of land near railroad property and many free passes to ride on the trains. The big four of railroads were Collis P. Huntington, the mastermind; Mark Hopkins, the keeper of the books; Charles Crocker, the one who supervised the building of the railroads and Leland Stanford, the President of the Central Pacific.
     If any of the Big Four were true friends of Stewart, Stanford stood out. They both
loved politics and education. When Stanford’s son died at the age of fifteen, the family established the Leland Stanford, Jr. University. Stewart advised Stanford on the project and served as a trustee of the university for many years. Stanford in turn helped Stewart with his race horses during the Ashburn Farm period. 

       Stewart became a member of the Senate Committee on Pacific Railroads from 1867-1872. He served as chairman from 1872-1875. Ties with the railroads existed throughout Stewart’s political career. Black Wallace, the agent for the Central Pacific in Nevada served as Stewart’s campaign manager in the election of 1886.

       When the Bank of California or the railroads did not support Stewart financially, he did not have enough money to run a campaign. This happened in 1874 and 1904. Despite the evidence that Stewart appeared a tool for the big business of banks and railroads, he did not see it that way. He represented everyone, especially the individual miner. His home in Washington D.C. had two nicknames – “The Honest Miner’s Camp” because several men who made fortunes by mining lived in the area and “Castle Stewart” because the house was so elegant. Stewart took pride in these nicknames, although they might have been used as a mockery.

           

           

The Final Years

      Annie’s death proved to be of the worst tragedies of Stewart’s life. He needed a cause to pull himself back together. Some of his family members provided him with a way. Stewart recovered, possibly when his grandchildren squabbled over Annie’s belongings.  When  Stewart became angry, he took action. Annie died intestate. Certain family members did not like the distribution of her resources, despite the fact everything belonged to her husband. Bill divided things evenly to his way of thinking. He did not appreciate the greediness of the family – especially after he supported them in their educations and travels for decades. Bill chose not to run for the Senate in 1904 because he lost financial backing from the banks and the railroads. He felt pushed out. Twenty-eight years would have to be enough.
      Much to the surprise of many, Stewart married again at age seventy-eight. The New York Times article about the wedding mistakenly listed his birth year as 1827. This was a common mistake, but he was born in 1825. His brother John was born in 1827. Stewart's bride, May Agnes Atchison Cone was forty-five, a widow for nine years. The two knew each other in Washington D.C. as May Agnes had been his secretary and hostess when Annie traveled.  The intimate wedding took place at the Piedmont Hotel in Atlanta, Georgia on October 26, 1903. The newlyweds traveled back to Washington D. C. soon after the wedding.

            It is hard to imagine how Bill Stewart enticed his wife and young step-daughter to leave the elegant social life of the east and head west to a mining camp atmosphere, but he did. They went to Nevada in 1905. On April 14, 1906, Stewart took off on a mining expedition. He took J.C. Hagerman with him on the trip. A young lawyer named James Finch accompanied them on part of the trip until they reached Columbia. At that point Stewart traded his horses for mules. The pack animals carried their mining supplies and lots of water. They knew they would have a dry camp in the mountains of southern Nevada. They stopped in a place called the Bullfrog Mining District, the contemporary location of the Hoover Dam.

            Stewart and Hagerman lived in crude conditions for several months. They soon bought a mine called the Diamond Bullfrog. Meanwhile May Agnes and her daughter lived at a resort near Carson City in more comfortable conditions.

            Stewart built a house and office in nearby Rhyolite. These buildings did not resemble the usual Stewart domiciles, but had as many modern comforts as possible to accommodate his family. Once again Bill Stewart and his boundless energy kept him going. Despite having turned eighty in 1905, Stewart mined and practiced law, making money but not the fortune he desired. The law business thrived because of his reputation, and he opened a branch office in Goldfield. The Bullfrog mining did not succeed.

            Bill, May Agnes and Vera left Rhyolite and Nevada for good in1908. Opportunities for making fortunes evaporated in both mining and the law. At this point Bill suffered health issues, also. The family returned to Washington D.C. with thoughts of investigating business possibilities. On March 30, 1909 Stewart entered Georgetown Hospital. He had a prostate operation, seemed to be getting better, but took a turn for the worse. William Morris Stewart died on April 23, 1909 at 7:05AM. He was originally buried in the Laurel Hill Cemetery in San Francisco. It was also the final resting place for Senators John P. Jones, William Sharon  and James Fair. However, the tombstones were eventually pushed into the San Francisco Bay. Developers wanted the valuable cemetery land for other purposes. The remains went elsewhere.

This  grave stone is all that marks the grave of Senator William Morris Stewart at at Holy Cross Catholic cemetery in Colma, California. The picture is from page 105 of the 1864-1964 Centennial of Statehood, Nevada Historical  Society Quarterly by Effie Mona Mack.

Appearances Counted

 

     During his life many people described the appearance of William Morris Stewart. He appeared larger than life, but nothing truly captures the essence of this unique person. His complex yet sometimes flawed life exemplified western development of the United States. His over sized body along with a massive intellect gave Bill an advantage from the time he left home at age fourteen. He supported himself doing manual labor and teaching mathematics as he followed a path in school all the way to Yale before he went to California in 1850.
     As a young man Stewart had reddish hair and piercing gray eyes. The red hair gave way to silver, but it only added to his powerful appearance. Some said he grew to six feet and others said six feet four inches. Possibly no one ever got close enough to him for an accurate measure. As he made and lost fortunes his clothing style improved as did his girth. He preferred the look of a full beard, mustache and sideburns. He wore wide brimmed hats and long coats that flapped in the breeze as he walked down a street. Crowds parted as he walked by. In later years people called him the Santa Claus of the Senate. His clothing fell out of vogue in later years, which could have been because he could not afford new ones. Another theory is that he changed nothing because he wanted his uniqueness to stand on its own. Add the personal appearance to the spoken words of Stewart meant that more often than not he got his way.
     Stewart's appearance gave fodder to political cartoons. He appeared in Puck and Harpers Weekly, usually lampooned for his intense interest in silver or being a pawn of big business. Mark Twain never forgot a dispute between the two of them in Virginia City when Twain accused Stewart of cheating him out of mining stock. He drew Stewart as a one-eyed pirate in his novel Roughing It. Another well known quote by Grant H. Smith about Stewart stated, "His hair and luxuriant beard were white as snow and he walked like a cathedral in motion, always alone." Such stunning words would imply reverence for the man. In truth people feared him at least as much as respecting him. 

            Stewart lusted after wealth, which was often beyond his grasp. Granted, he made several fortunes during his lifetime, but lost them just as quickly due to his interest in mining affairs and generosity to his family and friends. He traveled in circles usually beyond his financial grasp as he worked with and for the California bankers and train builders of the country.  The Atlanta Constitution newspaper article that described Stewart’s wedding to May Agnes Cone in 1903 stated Stewart had a fortune of twenty-five million dollars. This was hardly the case, but Stewart always gave the illusion of immense wealth. When all was said and done, despite his appearance and reputation as a wealthy person, Stewart died owing more money than he was worth.

The Stewart Legacy

 

     Many components built the legacy of William Morris Stewart. His biographers Effie Mona Mack and Ruth Hermann glance over the blemishes on his reputation. They declared his virtues to be as lofty as his appearance at the top of the mountain in the Empire picture in Washington D.C. Another biographer, Russell Elliott, was not so kind. His Servant of Power illustrated times when Stewart did not play fair. Historian David Alan Johnson pointed out some shady Stewart tactics during the Nevada Constitutional Conventions. Accomplishments good and bad numbered many. Historians still try to interpret his legacy from the known facts, but secrets remain that will never be known.

            How much have politicians changed since the Gilded Age? Controversy in Nevada politics continues to this day. Until Senator Harry Reid surpassed Stewart’s length of service in the Senate in 2011, the twenty-eight years of William Morris Stewart claimed the number two for longevity in Nevada. Stewart’s colleague, John P. Jones, held office for twenty-nine years. Stewart’s attendance record at sessions and his voting indicate a high percentage of participation. Stewart loved the job of being a Senator even to the point of turning down an appointment by President Grant to serve on the Supreme Court. The participation of William Sharon and James Fair as Senators during Stewart’s political hiatus from the years 1877-1886 was pitiful. Neither man spent much time in Washington D.C.

            The first terms brought the most valuable contributions by Stewart. Stewart wrote the Mining Laws of 1872. Many parts of this legislation still exist. The fault found here concerned little or no regard for the environment. But then the environment was not an issue on anyone’s radar at that time.

            Stewart worded the Fifteenth Amendment that affirmed black voting rights. It was a controversial topic that came to fruition because of Stewart’s moderate views and ability to compromise. Nevada was the only western state that ratified the amendment. There were times in Stewart’s  career when he might have been called a racist. At one time he was a member of the Know Nothing Party, which did not favor immigration. He tried to get an Indian population removed from a reservation, but it was more about getting mineral rights than treating the Indians poorly. If there was mining involved, Stewart would be for the miners.

            Stewart hobnobbed with many great American historical figures. He considered himself a confidant of Abraham Lincoln. Although their time together was short, the new state of Nevada in 1865 represented a way to help pay for the Civil War. Stewart and Lincoln held several meetings before Lincoln's death in April of 1865. Mark Twain and Stewart lived together for a short time albeit with a love hate relationship. Ulysses S. Grant and Stewart became drinking buddies in California long before Grant became the President of the United States. 

            No one can fault Stewart’s personification of the American spirit. From childhood nothing daunted his desire for a good education for himself or for others. Financing educations for his children, grandchildren and even aspiring young lawyers taxed his generosity and his finances. Educating young lawyers translated into loyalty from them in later years when they held influence.   Stewart championed the University of Nevada causing Congress to channel funds there.  He worked diligently on behalf of establishing a federal mining college and a university for teachers. These projects did not succeed. Unfortunately, as with some of the other positives came a negative.
     Stewart’s vision of an Indian School near Carson City turned native Americans away from their culture. Stewart succeeded in getting legislation that built the Stewart Institute in Nevada. Children from many tribes attended. The one hundred acre campus had many buildings. It turned out to be a cultural disaster. The school philosophy discouraged using native languages. The school encouraged assimilation and loss of native ways. The policies lasted until 1934 when the Indian Reorganization Act included self-determination on the part of native-Americans.
     The Bank Crowd and the railroad magnates notoriously affected policies of the United States during the last half of the nineteenth century. Was Stewart in their pocket? It appears so, but perhaps the truth of the matter was they were in each other's pockets, Stewart yearned for the kind of wealth that his contemporaries possessed. William Ralston, Collis P. Huntington, William Sharon and Leland Stanford were millionaires. Stewart made millions, but lost his fortunes just as quickly.
     A little known part of Stewart's legacy was his contribution of better dairy practices. The Ashburn Farm supplied dairy products as well as championship racehorses. Stewart achieved legislation that provided for all milk entering Washington D.C. to be inspected. This was a small step toward sanitation, but a forerunner of future sanitation practices. Stewart was proud of his dairy operation and often gave tours of his farm.
     Stewart controlled the media in a masterful way. In order to spread the news in a way he deemed responsible, he bought and ran many newspapers during his adult years. The most famous, The Silver Knight and then The Silver Knight-Watchman focused on promoting silver. 

      Stewart had three great loves in his life: family, politics and money. Wealth was his mistress. It intertwined with his loves for his entire life. Stewart never gave up discovering one more silver mine. Striking it rich in the gold fields in 1850 brought him to California in the first place. His beloved wife Annie sacrificed luxuries as he moved around in the rustic mining towns in California and Nevada during the early years of their marriage. Politics thrilled him as he envisioned himself to be the first U.S. Senator from the new state of Nevada. Congressmen still become wealthy during their terms in office. Rumors abounded during Stewart’s career concerning his ethics. News of infidelity on his part never happened, despite the fact Annie and Bill spent time apart. She resided in Europe after the Civil War because her father had been exiled there. Annie also spent time in Europe supervising the girls’ educations and shopping.  When Annie died in the San Francisco car accident, it devastated Stewart.

            Generosity came with its price in regard to the family. Stewart expected all members to do exactly as he directed. When they did not, Stewart took action. How he got away with kidnapping his daughter Anna’s children without any penalty was a miracle. One even died during the four month period they were under his care.

            Historians question Stewart’s role in the “Crime of 1873” when Congress demonetized silver. The facts will never be known if Stewart knew what was going on or was working on behest of California banker William Ralston. The banker's death in 1875 seems to have released Stewart. About that time he became vehement about remonetizing silver on behalf of his constituents in Nevada. Many questioned his motives, but not his enthusiasm and determination to revive the silver standard.

            Stewart led a fearless life during the formative years of the American west. He studied and practiced law, held political office for decades and made and lost fortunes. He refused to participate in duels, but preferred debating. He loved his family with fierce devotion. Although he never spoke to his father again after leaving home at age fourteen, he arranged for his father to get a pension from the War of 1812.

            Part of Stewart’s legacy includes the materials written about him over the years. The following bibliography includes in part what I used to write Angles, Dips and Spurs.

Bibliography

Beebe, Lucius. “Panamint: Suburb of Hell.” American Heritage. December 1954.
pp64-69.
DeCanio, Samuel. "Populism, Paranoia, and the Politics of Free Silver". Yale University.

Drabelle, Dennis. Mile-High Fever; Silver Mines, Boom Towns, and High Living on the Comstock Lode. St. Martin’s Press, New York, 2009. 282p.

Drury, Wells. An Editor on the Comstock Lode. Farrar & Rinehart, New York, 1936. 343p. Illus.

Elliott, Russell R. Servant of Power, A Political Biography of Senator William M. Stewart. University of Nevada Press. Reno, 1983. 347p Illus.

Glass, Mary Ellen. Silver and Politics in Nevada: 1892-1902. University of Nevada Press. Reno, 1969. 242p. Illus.

Goode, James. Capital Losses: A Cultural History of Washington’s Destroyed Buildings. Smithsonian Institution Press. Washington D. C., 1979. Pp.77-79.

Hermann, Ruth. Gold and Silver Colossus; William Morris Stewart and His Southern Bride. Dave’s Printing & Publishing. Sparks, Nevada, 1975. 430p.

Johnson, David Alan. “A Case of Mistaken Identity: William M. Stewart and the Rejection of Nevada’s First Constitution.” Nevada Historical Society Quarterly. 22 (Fall, 1979) pp.186-198.

Johnson, David Alan. Founding the Far West; California, Oregon, and Nevada, 1840-1890. University of California Press. Berkeley, 1992. 474p. Illus.

Lavender, David. Nothing Seemed Impossible; William C. Ralston and Early San Francisco. American West Publishing Company. Palo Alto, 1975. 415p. Illus.

Mack, Effie Mona. “William Morris Stewart”. Nevada Historical Society Quarterly. Centennial of Statehood 1864-1964. Nevada Historical Society. Reno, 1964.

Makley. Michael. The Infamous King of the Comstock; William Sharon and the Gilded Age in the West. University of Nevada Press. Reno, 2006. 291p. Illus.

Pedersen, Elaine L. “Men’s Head and Facial Hair in the Far West: 1873-1899”. Clothing and Textiles Research Journal. September 2001. Vol. 9 Number 4. International Textile and Apparel Association. pp.158-170.

Scheel, Eugene M. Loudoun Discovered. Volume One. Eastern Loudoun: ‘Going Down the Country’ Friends of the Thomas Balch Library. Leesburg, Virginia,2002.

Smith, Grant H. The History of the Comstock Lode; 1850-1897. With new material by Joseph V. Tingley. Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology. University of Nevada Press. Reno, 1998. 328p. Illus.

Stewart, William Morris. “In the Circuit Court of the United States…Ninth Circuit…William Sharon, Complainant, vs. Sarah Althea Hill, Respondent, Oral Argument for Complainant by Wm. M. Stewart” Public Domain.

Stewart, William Morris. Reminiscences of Senator William M. Stewart of Nevada. Brown, George Rothwell, ed. Neale Publishing Company. New York, 1908. 358p. Illus.

Stone, Irving. Men to Match My Mountains; The opening of the Far West, 1840-1900. Doubleday & Company. New York, 1956. 459p.

Young, Bob and Jan. Forged in Silver; The Story of the Comstock Lode. Julian Messner. New York, 1968. 190p. Illus.

Young, Bob and Jan. Seven Faces West. Julian Messner. New York, 1969. 191p.