The STEPHENS Family of Caledonia, Iowa

STEPHEN, STEPHENS, STEFFEN, SCHWEITZER, WEHNAU, SCHWEITZERIN, CHARLES, BAIR, HENLINE, BROWN, POTTER, KINSCH, HAUER, HILL, HENDERSON, STRAYER, BURK, HINES, GUDERJAHN, GIBBS, MYERS, MALTBY, OGLESBEY, NUTTER, CAIN

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 8/21/2009 at 20:57:16

STEPHENS FAMILY of CALEDONIA, IOWA

Johann Heinrich "Henry" STEPHEN was born in Manheim, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, February 17, 1797, the son of Johann Martin STEFFEN, born December 1, 1721, Nider-Saulheim, Oppenheim, Rheinhessen, German, and, died on September 16, 1766, Manheim, Pennsylvania. His mother was Magdalena (SCHWEITZER) STEFFEN, born before 1730, Nider-Saulheim, Rheihessen, German, and died after 1772, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Johann and Magdalena were married in German. They came to America from Rotterdam aboard the ship "Pallas" which was under the command of Captain Richard MILNER, took their Oath of Allegiance at Cowes, England, and arrived November 25, 1763 at Philadelphia.

Henry was baptized on February 22, 1767 at the Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, with Heinrich WEHNAU and Barbara (SCHWEITZERIN) WEHNAU as sponsors.

He married Margaret (?) who was born circa 1771. They lived at Martick in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, in 1800; and at Buffalo, Perry County, Pennsylvania by 1820. Henry died at the age of 58 in September of 1825. He was interred at Charles Burial Ground in Perry County, Pennsylvania. Margaret died at the age of 75 in 1846, Perry County, Pennsylvania. Henry and Margaret STEPHEN were the parents of twelve children:

1) Henry William STEPHENS, born 16 Jan 1791, PA; died 27 Aug 1841, Perry Co. PA
interment: Charles Burial Ground, Perry Co. PA
married Elizabeth CHARLES (1794-?)

2) David STEPHENS, born 18 Jan 1792, PA; died 12 Mar 1857, Newport, Perry Co. PA
married Elizabeth BAIR (1792-1878)

3) John STEPHENS, born 14 Dec 1793, PA; died 26 Jan 1873, Montgomery, Wood Co. OH
married Huntingdon, Huntingdon Co. PA Catherine HENLINE (1806-1878)

4) Elizabeth STEPHENS, born circa 1794, PA

5) Susana STEPHENS, born before 1796, PA

6) Samuel STEPHENS, born before 1796, PA; died before 1825, Buffalo, Perry Co. PA

7) Nancy STEPHENS, born before 1796, PA

8) Mary STEPHENS, born before 1796, PA

9) Martin STEPHENS

10) Jacob STEPHENS, born circa 1800, PA
married 1820, Huntingdon, Huntingdon Co. PA Eliza BROWN (1801-?)

11) Barbara STEPHENS, born circa 1810, Buffalo PA: died before Nov 1841, Buffalo PA
married circa 1841 Jonas POTTER (1800-1849)

12) Catharine STEPHENS, born circa 1814, Buffalo PA; died 29 Mar 1887 PA; inter: Bucks United Brethran Cemetery, Buffalo PA
married circa 1841 Jonas POTTER (1800-1849)

Martin STEPHENS, pictured at right, son of Henry and Margaret STEPHEN, was born in (Giffana, Lurenberg?), Germany, 1798. He married Mary KINSCH around the year 1821, Perry County, Pennsylvania. Mary KINSCH, the daughter of Johannes KINSCH (1744-1825) and Susanna (HAUER) KINSCH (1777-1847), was born on April 6th between 1796 and 1804. Mary and Martin resided in Barre, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania in 1840; Springfield, Lucas County, Ohio in 1856; and were residing on their homestead southeast of Caledonia, Lotts Creek Township, Ringgold County, Iowa by 1860.

Martin STEPHENS' homestead was located 1/4 mile east and 1/2 mile south of Caledonia.

Martin STEPHENS died at the age of 66 on July 21, 1864. Mary died at the age of 74 on June 24, 1870. They were interred at Caledonia Cemetery, located west of Caledonia.

Martin and Mary (KINSCH) STEPHENS were the parents of nine children:

1) Sophia STEPHENS, born circa 1822, Buffalo, Perry Co. PA
married 1st circa 1840 Michael HILL (1817-1860)
married 2nd Oliver HENDERSON (1833-?)

2) Henry William STEPHENS

born 28 Sep 1824, Buffalo, Perry Co. PA

died 29 Nov 1913, Chico, Butte Co. CA

served as a Private during the Civil War in

Company K, 25th Ohio Infantry from 17 Feb 1863-29 Mar 1866

married 1850 Swan Creek OH Rebecca Margaret STRAYER (1834-1905)

Children of Henry William and Rebecca Margaret (STRAYER) STEPHENS:

1) Melvina Jane STEPHENS

born 15 Dec 1851, Monclova OH; died 07 Oct1922, Colorado Springs CO

married 29 Aug 1872 James Fredrick BURK (1849-1942)

2) George W. STEPHENS, born 30 Sep 1853, Monclova OH; died 06 Sep 1915, West Salem OH

married 1st 24 Dec 1874 Sarah Jane HINES (?-1885)

married 1nd 25 Jun 1889 Alvena GUDERJAHN

3) Mary A. STEPHENS, born 20 Dec 1855, Black Hawk Co. IA

4) Simon P. STEPHENS, born circa 1858, Mount Ayr IA; died before 1870

5) Charles William STEPHENS, born 15 Aug 1860, Mount Ayr IA; died 1947, Van Nuys CA

married 03 Jul 1895 Oak Run CA Edna Augusta GIBBS (1869-1906)

6) Cyrus Lawrence STEPHENS, born 03 Oct 1862, Monclova OH; died 1930, inter: Esparto CA

married 10 Feb 1887 Anna Electa MYERS (1868-1915)

7) Lucy Amelia STEPHENS, born 26 Jan 1867, Moclova OH

married James Fredrick BURK (1849-1942)

8) Sarah E. STEPHENS, born 20 Oct 1869, Monclova OH; died 15 Apr 1956, Hayward CA

married William Frederick MALTBY (1834-1905)
3) Joseph STEPHENS, born 03 Feb 1827, PA; 20 Sep 1902, Caledonia IA

interment Caledonia Cemetery
4) John G. STEPHENS
5) Samuel STEPHENS

born 23 Feb 1832, Belmont Co. OH; died 03 Nov 1910, Bangor CA

married 17 Apr 1859 Nancy B. OGLESBEY (1829-1872)
6) Mary Ann STEPHENS, born 1834, Belmont Co. OH; died before 1850
7) William L. STEPHENS

born 05 Dec 1836, Belmont Co. OH; died 21 May 1873, Caledonia IA

interment Caledonia Cemetery, Caledonia IA

married Hannah M. NUTTER

born 26 Oct 1844, Clinton Co. IN; died 15 Jan 1910, Iola KS

Children of William L. and Hannah M. NUTTER:

1) Mary Alice STEPHENS, born circa 1868, Caledonia IA

married Joseph "Joe" STARK

2) Joseph Nathion "Joe" STEPHENS

born 12 Mar 1869, Caledonia IA; died 07 Nov 1963, Crescent OK

married 01 Jan 1891 Carrie Julia FRYER (1873-1955)

NOTE: Hannah M. (NUTTER) STEPHENS married 2nd Robert CAIN (1827-1898)

8) Abraham M. STEPHENS

born 21 Apr 1839, Huntingdon Co. PA; died 29 Jan 1909, IA; inter: Middlefork Cemetery

married 1st circa 1870 Margaret Ann MILLER (1848-1874)

married 2nd circa 1880 Belle Frances WARREN (1859-1910)

9) Redmond J. STEPHENS

born 20 Oct 1841, Huntingdon, Huntingdon Co. PA; died 30 Mar 1900, Kellerton IA; inter: Caledonia

married Anna Margaret "Annie" ANDREWS circa 1866

born 27 Apr 1844, Cape Brenton, Nova Scotia, Canada

daughter of Peter (1820-1889) & Caroline (GRANT) (1823-1857)

died 15 Jan 1936, Mount Ayr IA; inter: Caledonia Cemetery

Children of Redmond J. and Anna Margaret "Annie" (ANDREWS) STEPHENS:

1) Willis M. STEPHENS, born Nov 1867, Ringgold Co. IA; died after 1900

2) Albert L. STEPHENS, born Feb 1868, Ringgold Co. IA; died after 1900

3) Arthur Andrew STEPHENS, born 31 Dec 1869, Caledonia IA; died 11 Jan 1949, Iowa City IA

interment Maple Row Cemetery, Kellerton IA

married 09 May 1897 Lanie Ellen EGLEY (1875-1922)

4) Frank Everett STEPHENS, born 25 Mar 1880, Caledonia IA; died 22 Jun 1887, Caledonia IA

John G. STEPHENS, son of Martin and Mary (KINSCH) STEPHENS, was on a wagon train enroute from Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania to Belmont County, Ohio. He married first before 1862, Ringgold County, Iowa, to Sarah F. WALTER. Sarah, the daughter of Abraham WALTER (1807-1888) and Martha (FREED) WALTER (1818-1898), was born in Ohio on February 8, 1841. She died on April 27, 1862, Caledonia, Iowa, and was interred in the Caledonia Cemetery.

John married second on February 28, 1878, Ringgold County, Iowa, to Martha Jane CAMPBELL. Martha, the daughter of George CAMPBELL (1823-1856) and Mary "Jane" (GRAY) CAMPBELL (1830-1898), was born John died at the age of 85 years on March 15, 1915 at Caledonia. He was interred at the Caledonia Cemetery. Martha died at the age of 74 years and 19 days on November 8, 1926, at her home near Caledonia. She was interred at Caledonia Cemetery.

The STEPHENS homestead was located 1/4 mile east and 1/4 mile south of the Caledonia Store.

John G. and Sarah F. (WALTER) STEPHENS did not have children. John G. and Martha Jane (CAMPBELL) STEPHENS were the parents of five children:

1) Albert STEPHENS, born 23 Feb 1879, Caledonia IA; died 25 Jul 1955, Caledonia IA; never married, resided with his parents; interment: Caledonia Cemetery

2) John Gray STEPHENS, born 08 Dec 1882, Caledonia IA; died 13 Jan 1970, Caledonia IA

married Mary "Pearl" RICHARDSON on 28 Sep 1909, Ringgold Co. IA; born 30 Apr 1889, Riley Twp. Ringgold Co. IA; died 27 Apr 1975, Des Moines IA; daughter of Andrew (1862-1944) and Emma Malinda (SULLIVAN) (1865-1939)

John G. and Mary Pearl interred at Rose Hill Cemetery, Mount Ayr IA

Children of John Gray and Mary "Pearl" (RICHARDSON) STEPHENS:

1) Lola Mae STEPHENS

born 29 Jul 1910, Ringgold Co. IA; died 03 Feb 1996, Des Moines IA; married 18 Sep 1937 Russell L. OLNEY (1914-2008)

2) Elma Elnore STEPHENS

born 09 Mar 1912, Riley Twp., Ringgold Co. IA; died 11 Nov 1993, Mount Ayr IA; married 25 Oct 1930, Boone IA Weldon C. MAIN (1909-1980)

3) Raymond Dale STEPHENS, born 09 Feb 1922, Ringgold Co. IA;married 21/26 Aug 1945, Mount Ayr IA June PRATT

4) Carolyn Lee STEPHENS, born 31 Jan 1933; died at birth, interment Caledonia Cemetery
3) Mary Jane "Jennie" STEPHENS, born 01 Jan 1885, Caledonia IA; died 18 May 1973, Mount Ayr IA; never married; lived in same house where she was born; interment Caledonia Cemetery

4) Roy STEPHENS, school teacher

born 16 Jan 1891, Caledonia IA; died 07 Jun 1908, Caledonia IA; interment Caledonia Cemetery

5) Earl STEPHENS

born 16 Jan 1891, Caledonia IA; died 07 Jun 1908, Caledonia IA; interment Caledonia Cemetery

Contribution and photographs by Julie Watts, August of 2009

The STEPHENS Family of Caledonia, Iowa
 

Ringgold Documents maintained by Tony Mercer.
WebBBS 4.33 Genealogy Modification Package by WebJourneymen