In the 1830s settlers began arriving in Iowa from Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Indiana, Kentucky, and Virginia. Iowa became a state in 1846.
Nebraska Fox Stephens was born about 1858 in Benton Township, Lucas County, Iowa. She was the daughter of Levi Fox and Sarah Hartley Teas Fox. She was three at the time of the 1860 census and was eleven in 1870.
She married George Washington Stephens when she was 22 and he was 23 on October 25, 1876. George was born about 1854 in Tennessee.
Nebraska and George had two sons. John Henry Stephens was born on March 20, 1878 in Iowa and Thomas Emery Stephens was born on April 26, 1880 in Kentucky or Iowa.
Photo taken in Comanche, Texas about 1885.
From the estate of R. L. Stephens, Jr.,
grandson of John Henry Stephens courtesy of Marie Stephens White
The family appeared in the 1880 census in Chattanooga, Hamilton County, Tennessee. The household consisted of George, age 26 who was working as a brakeman, Nebraska age 23, who was keeping house, John age 2 and Emery age one month
Chattanooga City Directories show George was a brakeman in Chattanooga through 1883.
In 1900 John and Emery were living in Ellis, Texas and Nebraska's brother, Levi Fox, was also in Ellis.
Levi Fox Jr.'s granddaughter, Patricia Crim Dietlein wrote that
Emery was a bachelor and came from Texas to visit the Alabama kin almost annually. He was very religious, active in his Texas church, Church of God, and would attend the tent revivals sponsored by the church in Birmingham. He died in Abilene, Texas, and according to an undated newspaper obituary clipping, he was age 81. From other information it appears Emery died in 1961, so would have been born about 1880. The obituary said that Emery had a brother, John H., and a nephew, R. L. Stephens, both of Ralls, Texas.
Emery died on December 7, 1961 in Abilene, Taylor County, Texas and John died December 21, 1964 in Big Spring, Howard County, Texas.
Lucas County is in south central Iowa. It was founded in 1846 and the county seat is Chariton.
Emery Stephens photo courtesy of
Patricia Crim Dietlein
Tennessee was admitted to the Union on June 1, 1796. It was initially part of North Carolina.
THOMAS STEPHENS DIES HERE AT 81 Thomas E. Stephens, 81, of 1025½ S. 1st St., died at 10:15 p.m. Thursday at St. Ann Hospital after an illness of a week. He had been the manager of Evans Rooms on S. 1st and Chestnut for 14 years. Born April 26, 1880, he had lived in Abilene 20 years.
Funeral will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at the First Church of God, 1002 Lillius, with the Rev. Thomas H. Purcell, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in Cedar Hill Cemetery , Elliott's Funeral Home in charge.
Survivors include a brother, John H. of Ralls, and a nephew, R. L. Stephens, also of Ralls. Pallbearers will be W. H. Beard, Joe Chapman, Fred Dill, Joe Bowles, Gene Bowles, and Barey Shoemaker.
RALLS (Special) - Services for John Henry Stephens, 86, a retired Ralls farmer will be at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday in Ralls First Methodist Church. The Rev. Conrad Ryan, pastor, will officiate assisted by Rene Woody, minister of Emma Church of Christ, Ralls. Burial will be in Ralls Cemetery under the direction of Carter Funeral Home.
Stephens, a Spanish American War veteran, died Monday afternoon at Veteran's Administration Hospital, Big Spring .Coming to Ralls from Ellis County in 1915, he later moved to New Mexico. He returned to Ralls in 1961.
Survivors include the wife, Eula, and a son, Bob Stephens, Ralls. Lubbock Avalanche Journal , December, 1964
John Henry Stephens From the estate of R. L. Stephens, Jr.,
grandson of John Henry Stephens courtesy of Marie Stephens White
Many thanks to Patricia Crim Dietlein for information on the Stephens family. You can contact Pat at PDietlein@aol.com.
