Biographical History of the Stephens Family in America
Elijah John Stephens, 1898

"Amidst the multiplied Literature of this progressive age, we find it interesting and refreshing to read something from the annals of our ancestors; also records of our kindred in the sunshine of whose love we feel a pleasant thrill of union. Greatly desiring to perpetuate this bond of love; and the names of the descendants of Joshua Stephens, we submit the following:

Among the colonists brought to Maryland by Cecil Lord Baltimore, during the latter part of the seventeenth century, was a young son of a clergyman in the south of England. His name was John Stephens. This young man married and lived at what is known as the Salt Marshes on the Chesapeake, where some of his descendants yet live. He had three sons, Uriah, Joshua and John. Of the families of Uriah and John, we have but little knowledge.

Joshua married an English lady named Dyer in Virginia early in the Eighteenth century. Some time prior to the Revolution he removed his family to Wilkes County, North Carolina, where he lived during this trying time, a staunch Whig, he served under Col. Cleaveland and took part in the battle of Kings Mountain and minor skirmishes of the war. As an incident of the battle of Kings Mountain, when Col. Ferguson, the British commander, fell his fine cream colored mare galloped down the mountain bearing the empty saddle and was captured by Joshua Stephens.

Joshua Stephens's three oldest sons, John, Elisha, and Levi were in the Continental service during the War of the Revolution. Of John's family but little is known by the writer. Elisha was a Methodist preacher. Levi, his third son, and Isaiah, the fourth, Joshua, the sixth, and Hezekiah, the seventh, were in after years residents of Tennessee.

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Jeremiah, the fifth son, went to Kentucky on attaining his majority. Joseph, the eighth, lived and died in north Georgia. Absalom, the ninth, died in Habersham County, Georgia. Elijah the tenth son was born in Wilkes County, North Carolina, August the 30th A.D. 1786 and died in Harralson County, Georgia, June the 24th, 1871. Of John Stephens family but little is known as he returned to North Carolina after the family removed to Pendleton, South Carolina, about the year 1793.

Elisha had several sons Manoah, John, Larkin, Lemuel, and Elisha, and three daughters, one of who married Davidson, one Kellet, and one Eli Pitchford. Levi Stephens had only daughters; one of whom married a man named Garret and died in north Georgia.

Isaiah was a Baptist preacher. He had several sons. Joseph, who lived in Gwinnett County, Georgia, who also had several sons and Joshua who died in Kentucky. This Joshua had three sons, Calloway, David, and Joshua. Calloway raised a family and he and David died during the Civil War. Joshua, the youngest, lives in Texas. Joseph Ezzell married one of the elder Joshua's several daughters. Isaiah had two sons by a second wife, John & Jeptha.

Of Jeremiah we have no record. Joshua resided and died in Tennessee we have no knowledge of him further than he had one son whose name was John.

Hezekiah was also a Baptist preacher he had one son named Dyer and several daughters, one of whom married James Poe.

Joseph was a Baptist preacher. He was drowned in Enharley (sic) Creek in Cass, now Bartow County, Georgia. He had two sons Elias and Absalom. The family of Elias are in Gordon County, Georgia, and the western states, and the family of Absalom, who was also, a Baptist preacher are in Bartow County, Georgia.

Absalom, the ninth son of Joshua Stephens,

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had several sons of which Hiram went to west and William died in north Georgia (of the rest of his family we have no record). He died in Habersham County, Georgia about the year 1867. (Note: Samuel Stephens of Hall County, Georgia, was a son of one of Joshua Stephens ptr's? sons; of which one I am not certain but think it was Hezekiah). There were three daughters born to Joshua Stephens, one of whom married a McFarland in North Carolina. She had one son, whatever became of him we have no record.

Elijah, the tenth son, married Martha Patterson, who died about the year 1811 bearing an infant daughter named Cynthia, who in after years married Joseph Morgan and became the mother of four sons and three daughters. Morgan died in 1858 and her three eldest sons died in the Civil War, viz; William Leander, James Madison and Washington Posey. Her eldest daughter was mysteriously murdered in the woods. Her youngest son married and died bearing 3 or 4 children. Her youngest daughter married C.C. Lewis and has several children. Elijah Stephens married as second wife Lucy Flanigan daughter of William and Polly Flanigan who came from Wales some years previous to the Revolution. William Flanigan served during that war with General Sumpter. By this marriage he had two sons and one daughter: Washington Dyer, born in 1815, and Elijah Bluford, born October 31st 1817 and Mary Lesia, born September 2nd, 1819. His wife Lucy Stephens died in October 1840 and in 1849 he married his third wife Rebecca Banks.

Washington Dyer Stephens, married to Caroline Miller, daughter of Aaron and Penelope Miller of Carrol County, Georgia, about the year 1837. To them was born five sons and three daughters.

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W. D. Stephens died in 1855 and his wife the next year. The three oldest boys died in the Civil War. Their names were John, Levi Aaron and William Madison. John was married and left a daughter. The next son Wiley Clark is in Texas. The two oldest daughters are also in Texas, both married. The youngest daughter died young. The youngest son, Washington Payne, died at Chulafinnee, Ala.

Elijah Bluford Stephens married Emilia Jones Ayres, daughter of John and Eda Ayres, August 23, 1838. To them were born four sons and one daughter. Jonathan Dyer, born June the 9th, 1839, married Rebecca Pitman Feb 3rd, 1859. To them were born eight daughters and three sons. Newton Jasper, born Aug 2, 1840, married 1865 to Jane Dowdel. To them were born four sons and one daughter. Monroe Clark, born 1841, died in infancy. Mary Elizabeth, born September 15, 1843. Elijah John, born October 13, 1845 married January 19, 1868 to Mary Ann Weatherby, widow, daughter of Wilson F. and Sarah Blackstock. To them were born one son and three daughters. Mary A., Stephens died January 24, 1874. Elijah J. married Penninah E. Trammel, November 15, 1874. To them were born three sons and three daughters. Emilia Jones Stephens died Nov. 6, 1846. Elijah Bluford Stephens married a second wife, Jane Barnet, daughter of John and Jane Barnett, June 11, 1848. To this marriage were born two sons and three daughters. William Alexander, born August 5, 1849, married to Joyce Malinda Walker. Nancy Caroline, Jan. 5. 1851, Lucy Jane, born ____ died when small. Lewis Pierce, born _____ died when small.

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Sarah Frances, born November 28, 1856, married to Henry Donaldson 1876."

Elijah John Stephens
transcribed by William D. Gorman

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