Charles James Stewart was born 13 April 1775, the fifth son of the Earl of Galloway.
After graduating from Oxford he was a rector in England for 8 years. He came to Quebec in 1807 and started a mission southwest of Montreal at Freleighsburg. He returned to England in 1815 to take a Doctor of Divinity degree and returned to Canada in 1817 to resume his missionary work. In all he built or started 24 churches.
With the death of Bishop Jacob Mountain in 1825 he was appointed Bishop of Quebec. As bishop he continued as a traveling missionary. After 10 years, due to his ill health, a coadjutor bishop, George Mountain was appointed.
He returned to England and died in London on 13 July 1837 at the age of 62. In spite of his ungainly build and poor pulpit skills he advanced the Anglican Church in Lower Canada to a greater degree than his predecessor.