 1831 - 1901 (69 years)
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| Name |
William Henry Stevens |
| Born |
12 Dec 1831 |
Shirleysburg, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania  |
| Gender |
Male |
| Died |
10 Jun 1901 |
Shelby, Shelby County, Iowa |
| Buried |
Three Springs Cemetery, Three Springs, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania |
| Person ID |
I000470 |
Strausstown Roots | Stevens.G, Ow.H |
| Last Modified |
11 Sep 2008 |
| Father |
Benedict Stevens, b. 28 Feb 1802, Shirley Township, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania , d. 26 Oct 1883 (Age 81 years) |
| Mother |
Eve Ow, b. 17 Jul 1804, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania , d. 31 Dec 1882 (Age 78 years) |
| Family ID |
F00156 |
Group Sheet | Family Chart |
| Family |
Margaretha Sheffler, b. 8 Jan 1828, d. 9 Feb 1895 (Age 67 years) |
| Children |
| + | 1. Emory Miller Stevens, b. 29 Nov 1858, Cumberland, Allegany County, Maryland , d. 05 Sep 1937, Bedford, Bedford Township, Bedford County, Pennsylvania (Age 78 years) |
| | 2. Kate Stevens, b. 29 Nov 1858, Cumberland, Allegany County, Maryland , d. died young, Cumberland, Allegany County, Maryland (Age 1 years) |
| | 3. Watson Summerfield Stevens, b. 28 Sep 1860, Pleasantville, Bedford County, Pennsylvania , d. 02 Nov 1865, Meadow Gap, Springfield Township, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania (Age 5 years) |
| + | 4. William Henry Stevens, b. 11 Sep 1862, Port Matilda, Centre County, Pennsylvania , d. 29 Feb 1948, Illinois (Age 85 years) |
| + | 5. Ambrose Asbury Stevens, b. 13 Mar 1868, Meadow Gap, Springfield Township, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania , d. 21 Nov 1906, Liberty Township, Bedford County, Pennsylvania (Age 38 years) |
|
| Family ID |
F00161 |
Group Sheet | Family Chart |
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-
| Sources |
- [S184] JuniataValley, http://files.usgwarchives.org/pa/huntingdon/bios/runk/stevens-william-h.txt.
REV. WILLIAM HENRY STEVENS, Meadow Gap, Huntingdon county, Pa., was
born near Shirleysburg, Pa., December 12, 1831. He is a son of Benedict
and Eve (Ow) Stevens. His grandfather, Benedict Stevens, Sr., was born
near Shirleysburg, Pa., a descendant of Scotch settlers in America. He
was a farmer, and for many years justice of the peace. He was twice
married; the first time to Miss Gilbert; their children were: David,
died near Altoona, Pa.; George, also died in Altoona; Benedict;
William, resided at Rock River, Ill., where he died; he had in early
life resided for many years at Birmingham, Huntingdon county, following
the calling of a plasterer; Asa, went to Ohio after marriage with his
second wife, and died there; Polly, married Adam Miller, and lived and
died near the base of Jack's Mountain, in Huntingdon county; Rebecca,
married Henry Laughlin, resided for years at Rockhill Furnace, the
removed to Mill Creek, Pa., where they died, leaving a large family.
The second wife of Benedict Stevens was Mary Prosser; their children
were: James, resided after his marriage for the greater part of his
life at Newton Hamilton, Pa., where he died; Daniel, is a retired
merchant, residing at McVeytown, Pa.; Giles, was a boatman, lived for
years at Wilkes-Barre, Pa., and died there; Henry, went in his youth to
Kansas, where he married and died, was a farmer; and Nancy, also went
to Kansas, was married and died there. Benedict Stevens was an
influential and greatly respected member of the Methodist Episcopal
church, and for many years a class-leader. His brother, David Stevens,
was among the first itinerant preachers in this part of the country.
Another brother, Giles, lived and died in Bedford county, Pa.
Benedict Stevens, Jr., was born February 28, 1802, in Shirley
township, Huntingdon county. He possessed but few books, and enjoyed
small educational advantages; but he had so well improved those which
he had, and was so well qualified in the more important requisite of
character, that he was acceptable as a teacher. He was sensible, and in
all practical matters was well trained. His wife, Eve, was the daughter
of Rev. Herminius Ow, of the United Brethren church, a German by birth,
who had been brought to this country in his childhood by his parents.
For several years Mr. Stevens rented a farm, but in 1836, he bought 159
acres in Springfield township, a part of the old Captain Crogan survey.
A small log house stood on the place; it was one and a half stories in
height, having one room in each story, communicating by means of a
ladder. In the upper room the whole family slept. After a while, the
old log house was remodeled; and in 1841, the circumstances of the
family continuing to improve, Mr. Stevens built a frame house, which is
still the home of his son, Rev. W. H. Stevens. In all the labors of the
farm, from the preliminary clearing off of the brush and timber, Mr.
Stevens was assisted by the faithful and industrious boys he had
reared. He served the township for many years as justice of the peace.
The children of Mr. and Mrs. Stevens are: Asa S. was at first a tailor,
but was employed on the railroad as a boatman, was also in lumber and
mercantile business, and is now retired, married Elizabeth Adams, of
Duncansville, Pa., who shortly after died at Wilkes-Barre, after which
he married Sarah Parsons, of Mill Creek, Huntingdon county, and now
resides in Lancaster, Pa.; Hannah J., married Henry Stains, of Altoona,
Pa., and died while on a visit at Three Springs, Pa.; David W.,
enlisted in 1862 in the Twelfth Pennsylvania Reserves, was killed at
the battle of Spottsylvania C. H., Va., and buried on the field of
battle, leaving a wife and four children; Samuel Ow, drowned in
Aughwick Creek at the age of sixteen; George H., enlisted for the war
of the Rebellion, but was rejected on account of ill health, and died
before the close of the war; William Henry; Catherine G., widow of
Nathaniel Covert, at Three Springs, Pa.; Rachel B. (Mrs. Daniel M.
Heck), of Three Springs; Benedict T., hardware merchant at Three
Springs, married Mary Heeter, served in the war of the Rebellion;
Rebecca J., married first to Abraham Corbin, afterwards to Samuel
Weight, and now resides in California, whither they removed in 1886;
Frank, enlisted in 1862, in Company I, Twelfth Pennsylvania Reserves,
was wounded at Fredericksburg, was twice captured, and spent ten months
in prison, was promoted to lieutenant; Wesley Lee, enlisted in 1861, in
the One Hundred and Tenth Pennsylvania Volunteers, served in three
different regiments, was eight months in a cavalry regiment, and when
discharged, returned home and enlisted in the Two Hundred and Second
Pennsylvania Volunteers, in which he served until the close of the war;
Belle, married Harrison Heeter, removed in 1895 to Long Beach, Col.,
where they now reside; and two that died while infants. Benedict
Stevens, Jr., was from about 1820 until his death a member of the
Methodist church, faithful and devout. He was of a liberal, charitable
disposition. In 1861 or '62, he retired from business, and in 1868
removed to Three Springs, where he died in 1884. His wife preceded him
in death by about ten months; she was born in 1804, and died at the age
of seventy-nine.
William Henry Stevens, at the time of his father's removal to
Springfield township, was two years old. Until he attained the age of
nineteen, his occupations were varied. His school education was
obtained in winter terms of three months each. During the summer and
fall, he was generally at work on the farm, swinging the old-fashioned
flail on the threshing-floor at the end of every year's harvest. He
assisted in clearing the land and preparing the soil. Of cord wood, he
has chopped for the furnaces over 600 cords. He taught school for one
term, and for one term attended Cassville Seminary, the walls of which
institution he helped to plaster. His desire to study theology was very
strong. Having confided this wish to the presiding elder, Rev. Elisha
P. Phelps, and told him that he would like to prepare by attending
school, that old sage answered that in the saddle-bags was the place to
get such education as he needed. Mr. Stevens began preaching in 1854,
and entered the Baltimore Conference of the Methodist Episcopal church
in 1855. He spent seven years in Bedford county. August 8, 1862, Mr.
Stevens was mustered in as second lieutenant of Company H, One Hundred
and Forty-eighth Pennsylvania Volunteers; after serving one month with
that rank, he was appointed chaplain of the regiment, which was General
Beaver's. Rev. Mr. Stevens served until the close of the war, and was
present, in the front line, at the surrender of General Lee. Being
discharged June 3, 1865, he returned to his family. In the spring of
1864, Mr. Stevens bought a half interest in his father's farm, and
purchased the remaining half in 1867. This farm is now managed by his
son, Ambrose Stevens. Rev. Mr. Stevens is on the superannuated list of
clergymen of the Methodist Episcopal church. His political opinions
were formerly those of the Whig party; he is now a Republican. He was
elected to the state legislature in 1889, and has the honor of having
been the only member from Huntingdon county who declined to be a
candidate for re-election. He has served his township for many years as
school director and as supervisor.
Rev. William Henry Stevens was married February 18, 1858, to
Margaretta, daughter of Andrew and Barbara (Miller) Sheffler, who was
brought up in Franklin county, Pa. Their children are: Emory M.,
minister of the Methodist Episcopal church, at Bedford Station, married
to Julia Leader, of Springfield township; Watson S., died aged five
years; William H., house carpenter, living near Chicago, married
Elizabeth Handy, of Ohio; and Ambrose, at home, married Ida Hamilton,
of Saxton, Bedford county, has been a teacher from his early youth.
Mrs. W. H. Stevens died in February, 1895, and is buried at Three
Springs. She was a faithful and zealous Christian, a good wife and
mother, and of a benevolent disposition; her loss was deeply felt.
Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by JO:
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