William Stewart...A bit of a breakthrough

Here are links to the prior posts for William Stewart and family:
https://alexandermckee.blogspot.com/2011/11/william-stewart-1854-to-before-1910.html
https://alexandermckee.blogspot.com/2016/08/ella-jane-mckinley-stewart-1863-1910.html

The breakthrough involves the death of William's son, Wesley James Stewart.

I've been buried in newspaper research for two or three years now and I've been updating all of the Find A Grave memorials with all that I find so that the information is in the public domain. I've just submitted an update for Wesley's Find A Grave memorial because I've located an obit for him. Here it is.

Iola Daily Register And Evening News, Iola, Kansas, 7 Jul 1922, Page 3
Mr. James Wesley Stewart passed away last evening at six o'clock at his home 508 East Monroe street after a lingering illness. Funeral services will be held from the home tomorrow afternoon at 2:00 o'clock with the Rev. E. W. Spencer officiating. Burials will be made in Highland.

This interesting thing is that a few days later a Card of Thanks is published that indicates that Wesley's father William is still living and I'm guessing he's in Iola, Allen, Kansas.

Iola Daily Register And Evening News, Iola, Kansas, 11 Jul 1922, Page 3
Card of Thanks.
--We wish to express our thanks to our friends and neighbors for their kindness and sympathy, also for beautiful floral offerings, during the sickness and death of our husband and son.--Mrs. W. J. Stewart, William Stewart and family, Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Eshelman. 

William's wife's death in Iola in 1910 lends additional support to the notion that William is in the Iola area.

I've search the Kansas State census and the U.S. Federal Census (1910, 1920) to see if I can pick up any trace of William in the Iola area but found nothing. I've also searched (and searched some more) for a trace of William in Iola newspapers using Newspapers.com. No luck other than the one mention noted above. 

So, at this point, my working theory is that William Stewart lives past the 1922 death of his son Wesley when William is 67/68 and that he is living in the Iola area. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

Ella Jane McKinley Stewart, 1863-1910, Illinois, Kansas

Update to Stewart post.

While browsing for info in Newspapers.com, I came upon an obituary for Ella. Here it is.

The Iola Register, Iola, Kansas, 8 Jan 1910, Page 3
Death at Sanitarium.
Ella Jane Stewart died early this morning at the Sutcliffe Sanitarium of tuberculosis. The body will be shipped on the evening Missouri Pacific to Tilden, Ill., for interment. The deceased was 47 years of age and had lived here for some time. Death at Sanitarium.

Find A Grave memorial = 142200676

Ella's youngest son, Wesley James Stewart, is living in Iola at the time. I'm assuming that Ella was living with him.

William Stewart, 1854 to before 1910, Ireland, Illinois

I've spent another fruitless night searching for information on William Stewart and his family members. Here's what I know.

William Stewart (s/o unknown Stewart and Ann unknown)
b. Aug 1854 Ireland...came to U.S.A. at age 6
d. Before 1910 possibly in Illinois but who knows?
m. Where? When?
Ella Jane McKinley (d/o Robert W. McKinley and Sarah McKee)
b. 12 Apr 1863 Randolph County, IL
d. 10 Jan 1910 Iola, Allen County, KS

William and Ella had the following children:

Child 1:
Ruana Stewart
b. 8 Apr 1882 IL
d. 6 Mar 1915 Vega, Oladham County, TX
m. 5 Sep 1900 Prosperity UP Church, Sadowa, Randolph County, IL
Herbert Glenn Green (s/o Benjamin Parker Green and Sarah Gette or Getting)
b. 27 Feb 1876 Saint Clair County, IL
d. 23 Feb 1949 Vega, Oldham County, TX

Child 2:
William Melvin Stewart
b. 30 May 1884 Pickneyville, Perry County, IL
d. 17 Apr 1979 Hereford, Deaf Smith County, TX
m 22 Aug 1912 where?
Margaret Carrie Taylor
b. 1 Jan 1891 Gainesville, Cooke County, TX
d. 25 Sep 1977 Deaf Smith County, TX

Child 3:
Robert Blanchard Stewart
b. 14 Jul 1886 Swanwick, Perry County, IL
d. 18 Oct 1967 Freeburg, Saint Clair County, IL
m. 5 Jun 1912 Belleville, Saint Clair County, IL
Ella Winterbauer (d/o Charles A. Winterbauer and Rosa C. unknown)
b. Mar 1894 Illinois
d. 14 May 1979 Red Bud, Randolph County, Illinois

Child 4:
Wesley James Stewart
b. 18 Aug 1887 Swanwick, Perry County, Illinois
d. before Oct 1967 perhaps in Texas...Can you help?
m. Where? When?
Lela G. Eshelman (d/o William Eshelman and Olive E. Blanche French)
b. Feb 1891 Indiana
d. Where? When?

Child 5:
Ella Ethel Stewart
b. Jul 1893 Illinois
d. Where? When?
m. 5 Jan 1915 Wichita Falls, Wichita County, TX
George Hal Shirey (s/o George H. Shirey and Mary Gates)
b. 28 Oct 1888 Loogootee, Martin County, IN
d. Where? When?

The first time I can pick up William Stewart is on the 1880 census. He's living with his brother Samuel and his mother Ann in Grand Cote, Perry County, IL.

William marries in 1881 and the children are all born between 1882 and 1893...during the dead zone created by the burned 1890 census.

The next time I'm able to find something on William is the 1900 census. The family is living in Marissa, Saint Clair County, IL.

I'm speculating that William dies between 1900 and 1910 because Ella dies on 10 Jan 1910 in Iola, Allen County, KS. She appears to be living with her son Wesley and his wife Lela. Wesley and Lela appear on the 1910 census in Iola and no other family member lives in the area. According to an index Ella is buried in Tilden, IL.

To date, I haven't found an obituary for William or Ella Stewart...and it's not for lack of trying. Notice that many of the children are in Texas. William and Ella's son, William Melvin Stewart leads the move south to Texas, moving to Deaf Smith County, TX in 1908. His sister Ruana and her family are in Deaf Smith County by the 1910 census. Youngest sister Ella Ethel Stewart is also in Texas by 1910. Wesley is in Iola, KS; however, the 1920 census placed Wesley in Cement City, Dallas County, TX. Only Robert Blanchard Stewart stays in the Illinois area. Robert works in his Uncle Lemuel's business, L. R. McKinley and Sons Chevrolet Company.

The scattering of the children at such an early age speaks to William Stewart's early death. I can't tell if he dies in Illinois, Texas, or Kansas...my best guess is Saint Clair County, Illinois. I've looked in all three places with no luck. Unless someone reading this posting has more information, I'm assuming finding a death date and location for William will have to hold until I am able to get to the Randolph County Genealogical Society library in Steeleville, Illinois. Even then I'm not assured of success. When William's wife Ella Jane dies in 1910, it's her father Robert McKinley who pays her passage home and pays for her burial...somewhere in Tilden, IL. Alas, under the circumstance, William might be anywhere. If you have more information, I'd love to hear from 'ya.