In 1902, in what is now Red Deer County, pioneering brothers Norman and Tom Stewart obtained a $600 loan to start a machine agency. That business - called Stewart Brothers and later Stewart Supplies (Penhold, Ltd.) - transitioned through three generations of family, from farm machinery to lumber and building supplies, and served Central Alberta's settlers, farmers, and contractors for more than 100 years.
Tom Stewart's grandson, Stewart Ford, was the last of the family to run the business, working in it for fifty-one years. Through stories, archival documents, and more than 250 images, his book, Stewart Brothers: An Alberta Family Business History, relates the history of the business and gives insight into the development of the province, the lumber and building supply industry in Alberta, and the author's life.