James D. Stephenson (abt. 1830 - aft. 1914)

Born about 1830 in Boone County, Kentucky

Ancestors

Descendants

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Biography

James D. Stephenson (son of Jonathan Stephenson and Betsey Timberlake) was born about 1830 in Boone County, Kentucky and died after 1914. He married America Alexander on April 3, 1850 in Owen County, Kentucky. Family tradition indicates she was a full blooded Cherokee Indian. They lived with her family for several years and went out on their own about 1852. They lived in Owen County, Kentucky until 1858 and moved to Crawford County, Indiana, where his brothers Reuben and Armstead Stephenson were living. He sold his 80 acre farm there in February of 1861 and moved back to Kentucky. He enlisted in the Confederate Army on February 6, 1862 at Turkey Cove, Kentucky under Col. Ezekiel Field Clay. He served as a private in Company B of the 1st Battalion Kentucky (CSA) Mounted Rifles. In November of 1862 he was transferred to Company E of the newly formed 3rd Battalion Kentucky (CSA) Mounted Rifles. He was in the same battalion as several Stephenson relatives from Owen County, Kentucky. During the 1862-63 period Col. Clay and his men served with General Humphrey Marshall’s Army of Southwestern Virginia, participating in Marshall’s fall 1862 invasion of Eastern Kentucky. James was discharged on February 8, 1863 at Camp Looney, Tennessee, by reason of expiration of time of service. He was captured on June 10, 1863 in Clay County, Kentucky and was taken to Camp Chase, Ohio, where he was released on May 12, 1865. He settled at Corinth, Grant County in 1867 and was a neighbor of Moses Stephenson, a cousin. At one point he went out west and had an encounter with a bear, having an ear torn off in the tussle. He applied to the war department in June of 1912 for a Confederate pension. He was at that time living in Jonesville, Grant County, Kentucky. On his pension application he stated: “I am a farmer and my wife is dead. I have no real or personal estate and no income.” He was noted for his gift of gab and was full of stories about his experiences. America was living with the Rudi Roland family in 1900.

Children of James D. Stephenson and America Alexander are:

1 William Talton Stephenson b. May 10, 1852, KY, d. April 15, 1921, TN

2 John Landers Stephenson b. Nov. 14, 1855, KY, d. Dec. 25, 1936, KY

3 Elizabeth Stephenson b. May 22, 1857, KY

4 James Franklin Stephenson b. May 16, 1861, KY, d. Dec. 21, 1936, IN

5 Renda Stephenson b. Dec. 2, 1862, KY, d. Nov. 18, 1902, KY

Sources

• 1850: Owen Copunty, Kentucky

1870: Williamstown Precinct, Grant County, Kentucky

1910: Cross Roads, Grant County, Kentucky