Thomas and Frances Stewart

Photo by Alan L Brown - May 10, 2004

Plaque Location

The County of Peterborough
The City of Peterborough
At the south end of Thomas A. Stewart school near the flagpole on the west side of Armour Road, north of Parkhill Road East

Plaque Text

In 1822 the Stewart family emigrated from County Antrim, Ireland, to Upper Canada and the following year they began to farm this land on the Otonabee River. Thomas A. Stewart (1786-1847) served as justice of the peace and member of the Legislative Council and through his public service he played a significant role there in Peterborough's early development. His wife Frances (1794-1872) wrote a series of detailed and highly descriptive letters concerning the life and early growth of the Peterborough region. These were published in 1889 under the title "Our Forest Home". Invaluable as an historical record, they provide a vivid account of a pioneer community in the early 1800's.