James Eldred Stewart was born December 13, 1874 in Limestone Co. Alabama, the first child of John William "Bill" and Susan Samirania Woods Stewart. James Eldred's dad had been married before and he had an older sister Sallie Nona Stewart who was a year older than he. His other siblings were Woods, born 1876 but died 18576; Ossyth Mae or Ossie as they called her, born in 1877, Winston born in 1880; Brown born in 1882; Donald H born in 1884 and Kennon Stewart born in 1885. The 1880 census of McNairy County, Tennessee shows that his father was 35 and his mother was 36, Eldred was 5, Ossie M was 2 and there was a 2 month old baby they hadn't named yet. This census tells us that his mother was older than his father, that he went by Eldred, that Woods was no longer with the family; that Ossyth went by Ossie and that they didn't name the 2 month old right at the begining, who we know now was Winston. On September 12, 1918 he registered for the WWI Draft in Richmond, North Carolina. He was 43 years old and gave his mother as his nearest relative as he was not married at the time he restistered. His occupation was working for the railroad. On December 26, 1918 the family buried his dad in Holly Cemetery in Alcorn County, Mississippi. On Febuary 10, 1926 he married Etta Murphree in Madison, Tennessee and on August 21, 1926 he and his siblings buried their mom in Holly Cemetery next to their father. In 1930 the census shows us that he is 55 and owned his home in Marks Creek, Richmond, North Carolina where he was a Condutor with the steam railroad. He was 51 at the time of his first marriage, that his wife Etta was 30 years old and that they had a 2 year old son named Jack. At the time of the 1940 census his family was reported owning their home at 1800 Thomas Ave in Charlotte, Mecklenburg, North Carolina and had lived there in 1935 as well. Elred was 65 and still working as a conductor for the railroad. Etta was 40, Jack R was 12 and now they had a son Frank E who was 10.
In 1944 the US City Directories of Charlotte, North Carolina shows he and Etta still living at 1800 Thomas Ave but there is no occupation listed for Eldred so by now nearing his 70's he has most likely retired. The directory doesn't show his two sons living near by under the names of Jack or Frank Stewart. On January 25, 1946 Eldred died in Charlotte, North Carolina at the age of 72, wife Etta and his sons took him back home to Alcorn County, Mississippi to be buried in the Holly Cemetery where his parents were laid to rest. According to notes of family researchers Etta was buried in Sharon Memorial Park in Charolette North Carolina and not in the Holly Cemetery as they had originally planned.