He was born at Quebec City in 1812, the son of Andrew Stuart, and studied at Edward Parkin's school at Chambly.
and then with Henry Black, was called to the bar in 1834 and set up practice at Quebec City.
In 1842, he married Charlotte-Elmire, the daughter of seigneur Philippe-Joseph Aubert de Gaspé.
In 1851, with a partner, he purchased the Saint-Maurice ironworks from his brother Henry; six or seven years later, they abandoned the operation which were taken over by John McDougall in 1862.
He acted as administrator for the province during the illness of Lieutenant Governor Louis-François-Rodrigue Masson in 1887 and was also made a Knight Bachelor in that year.