James Stewart was born on February 12, 1885, in Glasgow, Scotland, according to his World War I and II draft cards. On March 28, 1914, Stewart, a draughtsman, was aboard the steamship Cameronia when it departed Glasgow. He arrived in the port of New York on April 7. His final destination was Chicago, Illinois, where he had friend, David Carlyle. Information about Stewart’s art training has not been found.
The Cook County, Illinois Marriages Index, at Ancestry.com, said Stewart married Catherine Mutter in Chicago on April 23, 1915.
The Inland Printer, 6/1915
American Newspaper Comics (2012) said Stewart produced Jimmy Dodge-a-Job and the Little Folks of Tumbledown Town, which ran in the New York Herald from February 3 to August 11, 1918.
New York Herald, 3/15/1918
Signatures on draft card and strip
(Despite the same surname and somewhat similar art style, Stewart, who immigrated in 1914, did not produce Economical Bertie which appeared in the Chicago Tribune beginning in 1908. The 1910 census had an illustrator named William Stewart, a Chicago resident, who may have drawn the strip. Little else is known about him.)
On September 12, 1918, Stewart signed his World War I draft card. His address in Chicago was 1821 Ester Avenue. Stewart was a newspaper artist with the Chicago Daily News. He was described as medium height and build with dark brown hair and brown eyes.
The 1920 census recorded newspaper artist Stewart and his Scottish wife in Chicago at 2024 Lunt Avenue.
According to the 1930 census, Stewart was an artist at a publishing company. He and his wife resided in Chicago at 7121 Hillsdale.
In the 1940 census, Stewart and his wife were counted in Evanston, Illinois at 901 Maple Avenue. Stewart was newspaper artist.
During World War II, Stewart signed his draft card on April 27, 1942. He was self-employed and resided at 6964 North Seeley Avenue in Chicago. Sometime later a note was attached to the draft card with his new address, 120 Crescent Road, Toronto, Canada.
What became of Stewart and his wife is unknown.