Stephenson, George

STEPHENSON, COOPER, ELDRED, HOBBS

Posted By: Volunteer Transcribers
Date: 2/14/2003 at 16:07:02

GEORGE STEPHENSON

George Stephenson is one of the important factors in the business circles of DeWitt, and his life is an exemplification of the term “the dignity of labor.” The possibilities that America offers to her citizens he has utilized, and though he came to this country in limited circumstances, he has steadily and perseveringly worked his way upward, leaving the ranks of the many to stand among the successful few.

A native of England, Mr. Stephenson was born in Lincolnshire, June 24, 1828, and is a son of Robert Stephenson, who spent his entire life in Yorkshire. The father was a good mechanic, being very handy with all kinds of tools, and throughout the greater part of his life followed the wheelwright’s and ship carpenter’s trades. Being only three months old when his mother died, our subject was reared by his grandparents and spent his early life upon a farm, having but little opportunity to attend school. He was married in Hull, Yorkshire, England, March 31, 1851, to Miss Maria Cooper, who was also born in Lincolnshire.

In 1852 the young couple took passage on the T.R.Y., a sailing vessel, which left Liverpool, bound for New York, and was thirty-seven day sin crossing the ocean. For a whole week the ship was driven before a storm and entirely dismantled, but at length succeeded in reaching New York harbor in safety after a long and dangerous voyage. Mr. and Mrs. Stephenson at once proceeded west by way of Buffalo, Cleveland and Pittsburg, and down the Ohio river to Marietta, Ohio, where they first located. During that summer he was employed on public works, and in the winter fired an engine in a woolen factory at that place. He then embarked in the butcher business in a small way, and continued in that line of trade at Marietta for five years. By way of the Ohio river he then removed to West Columbia, Virginia, where he was also engaged in the meat business for nearly five years.

Coming west, in the spring of 1859, Mr. Stephenson located at DeWitt, Iowa, and opened a market on Jefferson street. After living in the rear of his shop for a year or two, he bought the residence where he now resides, it having just been completed, and this has been his home for thirty-nine years. He continued in the meat business here for five years, and in 1866 began buying and feeding stock for market, continuing in that business until 1895. Prior to leaving Virginia, he had purchased land in this county, and for some years owned a good farm of one hundred and twenty acres near DeWitt, which he has sold to his son. He still has, however, another farm near town and his home in the village. He was empty-handed on coming to the new world, but through his own well directed efforts has steadily prospered and has acquired a comfortable competence and a good home.

On the 31st of March, 1901, Mr. and Mrs. Stephenson celebrated their golden wedding, and they were the recipients of many beautiful gifts, bestowed upon them by their children and many friends who gathered on this joyous occasion to pay their respects to the old couple. They lost their first-born, Emma, who was born in Marietta, Ohio, and died in DeWitt, Iowa, at the age of seven years. Those of the family still living are: Mrs. Laura Eldred, a widow, on Benton Harbor, Michigan, who has two children, George and John; Nettie, who is the wife of Fred A. Hobbs, of the same place, and has three children, Laura, Edith and Fred; and George W., a farmer of DeWitt township, this county, who is married and has two children, Lyle and Aneta.

Politically Mr. Stephenson is a supporter of the men and measures of the Republican party, having affiliated with that great political organization since casting his first presidential vote for Abraham Lincoln, in 1864. Both he and his wife were reared in the Episcopal faith, and are held in the highest respect and esteem by all who know them.
Source: The 1901 Biographical Record of Clinton Co., Iowa, Illustrated published: Chicago : S. J. Clarke Pub. Co., 1901.