author
George Stewart
1848–1906
A lively figure in early Canadian literary life, this writer and editor championed homegrown literature while also working as a pharmacist and publisher. His books and essays helped record major events and cultural debates in 19th-century Canada.
1 Audiobook
The Story of the Great Fire in St. John, N.B., June 20th, 1877
by George Stewart
About the author
Born in New York City in 1848 and raised in Canada, he grew up in London, Ontario, and later Saint John, New Brunswick. Alongside his literary work, he trained and worked as a pharmacist, but he became especially known as an editor, publisher, and man of letters.
He wrote on history, biography, and criticism, and he is closely associated with the push for a distinct Canadian literature in the late 1800s. His work includes The Story of the Great Fire in St. John, N.B., June 20th, 1877 and collections of essays and reviews, showing both his interest in current events and his wide reading.
He died in Quebec City in 1906. Today he is remembered as part of the generation that helped shape Canada's literary culture in its early national period.