Dewart was born in
Fenelon Falls, Ontario, on January 29, 1875, to William Dewart and Jessie Graham. The family moved to
Rochester, New York in about 1881. When he was fourteen he began work in a button factory, and later worked in the railroad business, on a wrecking train and later in the machine shops. He became general manager of the Frank A. Munsey company in 1903. When Munsey died in 1925 Dewart was one of the executors of his will, which stipulated that his assets should be turned into cash. Dewart bought the New York
Sun from Munsey's estate for $13,000,000 in 1926. == Personal life ==