The son of Levi Stewart and Margery (Wilkerson) Stewart, he was born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah Territory.

He was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

He moved to Kanab, Utah in 1870 when his father was called by Brigham Young to create a new settlement there.

A few months later his mother and several of his siblings were killed in a fire.

In 1901 he was called by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to help settle Alamo, Nevada.