Changes

Described as popular, having “sunny, warm-hearted disposition”; enjoyed singing and painting. Married first William W. Nelson in 1873 and had two children: Harvey, 1873, was the first Kappa baby, given a silver cup engraved “Kappa” by Alpha (cup is on loan from Alpha Deuteron Chapter to The Stewart House, where it is on display); Isabella, 1875; both children died in 1881, five months apart; divorced in 1878; married second Lucius A. Field in 1889; no children. Brother, William, graduated from Monmouth College (AM 1863, AB 1867) and was member of Delta Tau Delta. Younger sister, Lucretia (Crissie), initiated by Alpha, December 1877, as sub-freshman, age 15, after Monmouth College banned Greek fraternities; died 1878, probably of typhoid fever. Older sister, Isabella (Belle), received AB 1869 from Monmouth College; initiated at age 80 by Gamma XI, UCLA, October 25, 1930, as the last KKG honorary member, so voted by the 1930 Convention; letter of August 18, 1928, states that she helped Minnie with details of KK, including creation of the motto because Minnie was too busy studying. Minnie spent her final six months trying to trace and locate all members of Alpha for Fraternity historical records. Died June 21, 1898, Cincinnati, Ohio; buried in Stewart family plot with her two children in Monmouth Cemetery on September 21, 1898; tombstone reads, “If I am bereft of my children! I am bereft.”

== The Stewart House ==

The Stewart House in Monmouth, Ill. was purchased in 1989 from the estate of Mary Huff, a member of Pi Beta Phi and great-niece of Minnie Stewart, by Kappas throughout the Fraternity. As the Fraternity Founders had been leaders, alumnae of Alpha Deuteron Chapter took the lead in raising enough money to purchase the house, established The Stewart House Foundation, applied for and received approval, which placed the property on the National Historic Register. In 2000, The Stewart House Foundation merged with the Kappa Kappa Gamma Foundation.