Dr. Reid Stewart

Growing up in Lower Burrell, Dr. Reid Stewart was surrounded by the rich history of the Alle-Kiski area. The first Stewart, Reid's great-great grandfather, moved into the family farm located behind the current Stewart School, back in 1804. Both his grandfather and father were born in the house, however, Reid chuckled and said that he was born in the hospital in New Kensington. A lifetime spent in this family home sparked his interest in history; as he grew, his interest grew into an enthusiasm that spans the decades.

After speaking with Dr. Stewart all I can say is, "Wow!" There are so many things that Reid has put his hands to that it is hard to know where to start. Over the years he has worn the hat of husband, father, Pastor, historian, lecturer, researcher, and writer.

When he finished high school in Arnold, Dr. Stewart attended West Minster College. He later met his wife of 45 years, Alice, at a function at Geneva College. Then he attended seminary before serving in two congregations in Edinboro, Scotland. Reid continued serving in pastoral positions locally to some degree until age seventy-two when he retired due to health problems.

When talking about the historical research and work that he’s done, Reid’s eyes sparkled like a child with a new toy. This love for exploring and documenting the past was carried through every word he spoke. And the quantity of information that he was able to pull up from memory was amazing! One project he completed involved writing thirteen volumes on Presbyterians of Scottish descent from Fulton County east all the way to Philadelphia. In addition, he wrote numerous historical pamphlets on Allegheny Township and is the editor and writer for the Crossroads newsletter for the Allegheny Township Historical Society.

Recently the Puckety UP Church in Lower Burrell celebrated 200 years as a congregation. Of course Reid was right in the middle of this as well. Besides writing an in-depth history of the church’s congregation, he compiled a map of all the old sites where the congregation met over the years. He is currently gathering a historical list of all the Scottish ministers in this area including where they served and their congregations from 1706 to present day.

As you can imagine, the research and documentation that Reid does consumes a lot of time. Fortunately Alice shares his love in the past and helps him. She even illustrates for the items that he’s written. Besides spending time with their daughter and grandchildren who live in Alaska, Reid also enjoys traveling overseas and tries to return to Scotland every couple of years. They also traveled to Ireland in 1998.

Dr. Stewart's love for his work keeps him young in spirit. “The records kept of local history are quickly disappearing,” stated Dr. Stewart. This fact has kept him fervently pursuing his work. During his lifetime he hopes to capture as much of our local history on paper as possible in an attempt to help keep the past alive.

To watch the video of this interview, go to http://www.alle-kiskitoday.com/webcasts/984