William Henry Stevens (1815 - 1885)

Born 15 Mar 1815 in North Carolina

Ancestors

Husband of Martha E. (Stafford) Stevens — married 1 Dec 1841 in Barbour, Alabama, United States

Descendants

Died 4 Mar 1885 at age 69 in Pike County Alabama

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Shelly Cumbie [send private message]

Biography

William Henry Stevens (also sometimes spelled “Stephens”) was born on 15 Mar 1815 in North Carolina.^[1] Probably he was born in Johnston County as his parents, Simeon Stevens and Keziah Kilgo/Kilgore, resided there in 1820.^[2]

By 1830, ^[3] Simeon had moved the family to Morgan County, Alabama. In 1835, Simeon died, leaving no will and an insolvent estate. William Henry was only 20 years old when a very long process of probate began (it wasn’t resolved until 1850, by which time William’s mother, Keziah had died).

On 1 Dec 1841,^[4] 26 year old William married 15 year old Martha Stafford in Barbour County, Alabama. For some reason, the marriage license lists him as “William W. Stephens,” but he used the letter “H” on every census record.

By 1850,^[5] William and Martha lived in Division 23 of Barbour County, Alabama with their children Mary (6), James (4), Jane (2)--who became our 2nd great-grandmother, and newborn Lewis E. On this census, the last name was spelled “Stephens.”

[An interesting side note is that their neighbor in 1850, just two doors away, was John Jordan CUMBIE. Martha and William’s daughter, Jane, grew up to marry William A. McLEOD. Her daughter, Martha, married ^[6] Mertus B. Cumbie--the grandson of John Jordan Cumbie--47 years later in Texas.]

In 1860, ^[7] William H. “Stevens” and Martha E. lived in the Western Division of Pike County, Alabama, farming 1600 acres. Their children were Mary Ann (16), James (14), Jane (13), Edwin--or Lewis E. (11), Seth (8), Seaman C. (4), and Robert (1).

[Daughter, Jane’s future husband, William A. McLeod, lived in the same district.^[8] Twelve years later, in 1872, William and Jane married.^[9]]

The census of 1870 ^[10] showed the family still living in Pike County, Alabama, farming 500 acres. In the home was Jane R. (21), Louis E. (19), Seth (16), Robert (12), Emma J. (10), Demaries E. (8), and Franklin A. (3). The child named “Seaman C.”, shown in the 1860 census, is conspicuously missing, so perhaps he died.

In 1880,^[11]William and Martha had moved to Mitchells, Pike, Alabama, living next door to the family of their daughter, Jane McLeod, and they were still farming. Martha’s middle initial was “A.” on this census. This was the first census that asked the birthplace of the parents, he states they were both born in North Carolina. Still living in the home were Robert H. (21), Emma (17), and “Darerius E.” (15)

In 1885, William preceded Martha in death by only a few days. He died on March 4th^[12] and she died on March 10th. They are buried at the Rouse Family Cemetery in Goshen, Pike County, Alabama. No tombstones mark their final resting places. Their son, Richard, was the executor of the estate. Their land was sold in November of 1886 to settle the account.^[13]

Children of Martha & William Stevens

• Mary Ann Stevens Driver Greenhaw (1844-1925) married 1st Spire H. Driver (he and five children died of typhoid fever) and married 2nd William Greenhaw
• James Stevens (1846-aft 1860)
• Jane Rebecca Stevens McLeod (1848-1884) married William Alexander McLeod (1846-1911) on 11 June 1872, Pike Co, AL^[14]
• Lewis Edwin Stevens (1849-aft 1880)
• Seth Stevens (1852-aft 1884) married Mary Jane Clay 3 Feb 1880 in Henderson County, Texas.
• Seaman C. Stevens (1856-?) appeared in 1860 census but not 1870.
• Robert Harrison Stevens (1858-1923)^[15] married Mary Matilda Mills.
• Emma Josephine Stevens Meadows (1860-1942) ^[16] married Jason M. Meadows.
• Demaries E. Stevens (1865-aft 1880)
• Franklin A. Stevens (1867-?) appeared in 1860 census but not in 1870.

Sources

1. ↑ Find A Grave-William Henry Stevens
2. ↑ "United States Census, 1820," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHGS-3J8 : accessed 1 May 2022), Simian Stevens, Johnston, North Carolina, United States; citing p. , NARA microfilm publication , (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll ; FHL microfilm .
3. ↑ "United States Census, 1830," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHPH-QRH : 20 February 2021), Simeon Stephens, Morgan, Alabama, United States; citing 191, NARA microfilm publication M19, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 4; FHL microfilm 2,331.
4. ↑ "Alabama County Marriages, 1809-1950," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XTWJ-MTY : 19 February 2021), William W Stephens and Martha Stafford, 01 Dec 1841; citing Barbour, Alabama, United States, County Probate Courts, Alabama; FHL microfilm 1,289,482.
5. ↑ "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MHP5-HP4 : 19 December 2020), William H Stephrus, Barbour, Alabama, United States; citing family , NARA microfilm publication (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
6. ↑ Ida McLeod & Mert Cumby. Smith County Clerk's Office; Tyler, Texas; Smith County Marriage Records; The Book Series: Ml; Volumes: 00013; Pages: 0250
7. ↑ "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MHKB-M28 : 28 May 2021), William H Stevens, 1870.
8. ↑ John C. McLeod. Federal Census. Year: 1860; Census Place: Western Division, Pike, Alabama; Page: 113
9. ↑ William A. McLeod & Jane R. Stevens. Ancestry.com. Alabama, U.S., County Marriage Records, 1805-1967 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2016.
10. ↑ William H. Stevens. Federal Census. Year: 1870; Census Place: Troy, Pike, Alabama; Roll: M593_37; Page: 243A
11. ↑ "United States Census, 1880", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M4VZ-Y6M : Wed Aug 02 23:09:12 UTC 2023), Entry for William H. Stevens and Martha A. Stevens, 1880.
12. ↑ see Find A Grave citation
13. ↑ From the Troy Messenger, Troy, Ala, 11 Nov 1886, pg 4. Image found at FindAGrave
14. ↑ Ancestry.com. Alabama, U.S., County Marriage Records, 1805-1967 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2016.
15. ↑ Find A Grave-Robert H. Stevens
16. ↑ -Find A Grave-Emma Josephine Meadows