Part 34

637. MARY JANE, b. May 17, 1908.

CONCLUSION.

The foregoing seventy-three pages include all the names and date of birth, deaths and marriages of the descendents of Joshua Stephens, (6), which I have to date. The subject matter is merely a skeleton of the mass of family history data, which I have on hand, including biographies, pictures, manuscripts, letters, papers, relics, etc. I have put it in this shape for the reasons:

1. That it is impossible just now to publish the family history in full as it should be.

2. Fearing possibly a destruction of the data, etc., on hand, in this shape it can at least be preserved, as one copy will be deposited in the archives of the "Historical Society of Southern California," at Los Angeles, California, and one copy in the archives of the "Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Society" at Columbus, Ohio; so that, if fortunately any relative should have a sufficiency of that commendable family love and pride to perpetuate the record, he will have a foundation on which to build, by going to those archives.

I am aware that this work must contain errors. Many letters are vague; hand-writing hard to understand; correspondents are often contradictory, and many of their statements are known by me to be erroneous. I have endeavored to verify each report, and have, in many instances, successfully. I will reserve an account of my very interesting experience in digging up family history for the to be published work. There are undoubtedly clerical errors in this work, which I have corrected with ink so far as detected.

THIS WORK OF GATHERING family was begun in April, 1881, and has been continued by me unremittingly ever since, and will be so long as I live. Due acknowledgements will be made in the to-be published work, of all assistance.

(Signed) BASCOM ASBURY CECIL STEPHENS, Los Angeles, California, Oct. 25, 1892.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Location of graves in west end of the old Hardin grave yard on N. E. 1/4 of Section 29, of Turtle Creek Township, Shelby County, Ohio.

Reading from the left: 1. Sarah (Groome) Stephens No. 11 2. Benjamin Lakin Stephens No. 16 3. Benjamin Lakin Stephens No. 48 4. Ezekiel Groome Stephens No. 43 5. JOSHUA STEPHENS, b. 1833; d. 1823, No. 6 in this book history, page 5-10. 6. ELIZABETH STEPHENS No. 31 7. RACHEL STEPHENS No. 35

ADDITIONAL FACTS OF THE EARLY HISTORY OF THE FAMILY.

A church of Seventh-Day Baptists was established on French Creek, in the Northern part of Chester County, Colony of Pennsylvania, in the year 1722. It became extinct after 1812. The name of Stephens is on the list of Members.--Letter of Charles H. Greene, of Alfred, N. Y., July 11, 1901.

JOSHUA HUMPHREYS was granted 400 acres near where the town of Carlisle now stands, in Fayette County, Virginia, (near Kentucky in the year 1785) upon a Land Office Treasury Warrant issued July 1, 1780, and survey made Feb. 26, 1873.--Letter of J. D. Hudgens, Clerk of the U. S. Office at Frankfort, Ky.

JOSHUA STEPHENS, (6), was over six feet high, kept his face shaven smoothly, had blue eyes and dark hair, and was powerful physically, and kept a straight figure of his body until his death.--Statement of Joshua Stephens, (32).

NOTE

Desiring for myself a copy of the generalogy of the Stephens family I found on investigating, that a number of printed copies could be secured at the cost of one typewritten one, and after deciding to print I concluded to have a number printed for distribution.

All who may receive one of these histories will appreciate the greatness of the task accomplished by our esteemed relative, Bascom A. C. Stephens of California, who searched out the historical facts and family traditions. The family is fortunate to have one of its members able and willing to devote the time and labor necessary to gather this information.

I am under obligation to W. G. Stephens of Chattanooga from whose book this copy is taken.

I am taking some liberties in having a number of copies printed, knowing that many members of the family would never have an opportunity to see and a much less chance to own one of these histories unless someone would assume this responsibility.

Respectfully, A. S. BOWER

+------------------------------------------------------+ |Transcriber's Note: | | | |Variations in spelling, abbreviations, punctuation and| |hyphenation, as well as unexpected spellings have been| |retained as in the original. | +------------------------------------------------------+