Charles Edwin Stewart

The latest count of the members of our “Century Club” include just six men. Charles qualified with six months to spare, according to his death certificate. Being certain of the date of birth is not always easy, especially with people of many years. It can often vary by a couple of years. But with Charles there is some evidence to suggest an 1828 birth date since his mother may have been born in 1808. Still, there is later documentation supporting his 1820 birth date.

His father came from an English ship-owning family and his mother from an early 18th century family of Lewes, Delaware where her grandfather piloted ships through the Delaware Bay. Otherwise Charles’ story has nothing to do with the sea.

Born and raised with his siblings in Philadelphia, his life was not well documented until he married Virginia Theresa Helmboldt in 1861. His early career was described as a merchant of dry goods and notions, terms that are foreign to modern thinking. Most clothing in the mid-1800s was made at home, and sewing supplies and trimmings were called notions. They were often sold in a dry goods store that also had fabric, shoes, or any other assortment of non-perishable household items. 

Virginia reported on the 1900 census that they had nine children, five of whom were alive at that time. Two that died at a young age were buried in the family plot before their parents were. 

By 1880 Charles became a real estate agent, a career he pursued for another 20 years. The last three of their children left the nest to get married in 1903, 1905, and 1907. One of them convinced her parents to live with her by the time of the next census. 

Charles came to a place where he made a spiritual commitment while attending the Church of the Holy Comforter (Episcopal) at 48th and Haverford Avenue. In April of 1913 he decided he should be baptized. Two church records also confirm his age as being 92 years old at the time.

After Virginia died in 1915, Charles moved to the Old Men’s Home, shown here, at 39th above Powellton Avenue. Inflammation of the heart muscle, myocarditis, stopped his heart by the end of 1920. Interment took place January 3, 1921.