Percy C. Stuart
Early Life
Percy Clarke Stuart was born on August 17, 1876, in Brooklyn, New York, at a time when the city was rapidly expanding into one of the nation’s great urban centers. He was raised in a family rooted in New York, with both parents also native to the state.
By the early twentieth century, he had established himself professionally and socially, marrying Emma B. Stuart and building a career in construction and later architecture. His life reflects the broader movement of families from New York City into suburban and rural communities in the surrounding region.
Over time, he resided in several locations, including Montclair, New Jersey, and later in Putnam County, New York, where he owned property and worked as a builder, farmer, and eventually an architect operating on his own account.
World War I Service
Stuart entered military service during the First World War as an officer, receiving a commission as a Second Lieutenant in the Army Service of Supply on August 2, 1918. His commission came through the Officers’ Reserve Corps, part of the Army’s rapid expansion of leadership during the war.
He was assigned to duty at a training camp in Ellington Field, Texas, where he served in a stateside capacity supporting the organization and logistical preparation of military forces. The Service of Supply was responsible for the essential functions that sustained the Army, including transportation, construction, procurement, and distribution of materials.
Stuart’s service occurred during the final phase of the war, and there is no record of overseas deployment or combat engagement. He served without recorded wounds or injuries and was honorably discharged on May 2, 1919, following the conclusion of hostilities.
Life After Service
Following his military service, Stuart continued his professional work as an architect, applying his education and experience to private practice. He was a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, reflecting a high level of formal training for his era.
He spent much of his later life in Putnam County, New York, including residence on Turk Hill Road in the town of Southeast, where he owned property and lived with his wife. His career appears to have transitioned from active construction work to independent architectural practice and later retirement.
Percy Clarke Stuart died on November 28, 1948, in Bedford Hills, Westchester County, New York, at the age of 72.
He was survived by his wife, Emma Stuart, and his daughter, Mrs. Sherman M. Bijur, with whom he was residing at the time of his death.