Alexander Stephens Jr. 1813-1894

The following information about Alexander Stephens was found in family records. The writer is not known and the writing seems incomplete. No attempt was made to correct or rewrite what was written. (Camille Jones Baker, 2014) ______

Grandfather Alexander Stephens Jr. was born in North Carolina where he married at the age of 19 (Margaret Northam, deceased in 1832, possibly in childbirth). One son was born there (Ebenezer S. Stephens born in 1832).

Grandfather joined the LDS church and went to Nauvoo where he was mustered into the Mormon Battalion, traveling with them on their long march to California. Thus he became one of those who first discovered gold. In the Battalion, he being young and strong as well as trustworthy, he was chosen as one of those who went to bring water back to the more unfortunate ones who could not travel to the water to relieve their thirst. He was also chosen to help measure out rations when the food was low.

Captain Brown of the Battalion who spoke at Grandpa’s funeral said that he had seen him divide his scanty rations with others who had become weak from hunger and other hardships on the long journey.

On reaching California he obtained work from Mr. Sutter building a mill, thus he was among those who made the discovery of gold at that place. When the rougher element commenced to come in, he left and started for Utah. He gave most of the gold he had collected for passage to Utah, glad to leave the mad scramble for gold there and seek peach among the saints.

In 1852, Grandfather married Ann Eliza Palmer who was 20 years younger than he. They lived in Cedar Valley for a time as their two first children were born there. Grandfather was wounded in a skirmish with Indians. Their third child was born in Salem, Utah. They then moved to Huntsville. The difference in their ages and temperaments brought great unhappiness to them and they were separated. Grandpa raised the children, teaching them the same integrity and loyalty to the laws of country and God as he himself maintained. Adelia the oldest child was married very young. The two boys went out to work at a very tender age, they worked at odd jobs for neighbors. Then they secured work at the Bingham mines which was a great worry to their parents because of the bad environment there. Their concern is shown by some old letters written to them (see below).

Children born to Alexander and Ann Eliza Palmer: • Adelia, 1854 • Abraham Alexander, 1855 —married Leah Jane Littlefield • Coriantumr, 1858 • Benjamin, 1860 to 1865

Letter from Alexander Stephens to his son Cory (Coriantumr)

Dear Son Cory, I write you a few lines to let you know that we are all well and hope you are also. I heard from you when Rishton came home. He said he saw you and talked with you. He says that you talked abuot going to school when your time was out with Peterson and that is what I want you to do if you can. Get a good place to board and when Peterson leaves, I want you to get you good clothes and be comfortable. Get such books as you want and do the best you can, and come home whenever you like. I want you to look well to the hay stack and see that the fence is kept up. If more poles is wanted, get them next to Slaters and use them. I want to see you and know how you are getting along. Abram is driving team for a dollar and a half a day and board. Times is dull here at present money is hard to get. The snow is about fifteen inches deep here and is snowing now. The railroad is done up to the Winne Muck and the cars run past here three or four times a day and take out the ore by wholesale.

Abraham is hauling from the Jordan mines to the Switch just above the Williamses. Edward Rishton, your father wants you to please to note the hay stack that the cattle don’t break in and destroy it.

Here is my respect to Brother Peterson and wife and all the good people of Huntsville. No more.

I am your Father and friend, A. Stephens

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Letter from Alexander’s son Abraham’s wife (she apparently hadn’t met her father-in-law)

Henryville, Utah March 10, 1887

Dear Father, It is with pleasure that I take the opportunity to pen a few lines to you and I hope that they will be accepted by you. I venture that I have introduced myself as your daughter, but I hope that you will not get offended at my boldness. It is my first attempt to write to you.

We are doing pretty well. The men have to work hard every spring on the ditch to get a little water in the ditch that comes in town. They have been for the last week at work on it and it breaks out as badly now as the first day they went to work. The spring is warm and dry. The winter has been very dry all the winter—one of the driest I have ever seen since I can remember. One of the streams of water has gone dry, which it has never done before since the place has been located.

The prospect is very dull in the behalf of the crops this summer. There will be but very little small grain raised here. It will be mostly corn. Well, Abe has himself a team which he has been without for so long that I thought he was never going to get one. We have three cows of our own—one two-year-old, and two yearling heifers.

I guess we will have all the currents we will want, and some plums. We have some fresh peach trees that are two years old, but no apples or pears. Abe has bought some apples, pears, and cherries from the nursery. The agent will be here in June with the trees, but we wish we had a home somewhere better than this to put out the trees when they get here. I have been disgusted with the place for over a year, and wanted Abe to move away from here but he says that he is not going to move away every time I get discouraged and want to move. He will work hard to keep up the ditch and only get credit for his work.He is making it by hard work and hard work it will be as long as we live here, for the ground cracks more every time the water is run into the ditch.

Well, I have three children living and one dead. Three girls and one boy. Our baby is a boy—born on December 30, 1886. We have called him A. A. Stevens for his father.

Well I will bring my letter to a close, Abe says I will tire you out reading it. We are enjoying health and hope you are doing the same. Goodbye, and may the Lord ever bless you is my wish.

From one whom you have never seen, but loves and respects you as a father. Leah Jane Stephens

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Letter Probably requested by Alexander’s wife. (Probably Alice Eliza Hardman whom he married in 1892. He died in 1894.)

By request of Sister Stephens of Wilson Ward, Weber Co., Utah, I send you a notice of her husband’s death which occurred on the 15th inst.

His name was Alexander Stephens. He was born in Roan Co., N.C. in 1813, moved to the state of Illinois in 1831 and joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in 1841 or 1842. (I’ve added this date—he was baptized January 2, 1840).

He moved to Nauvoo in 1842 and worked on the temple at that place. He belonged to the Nauvoo Legion and served with that organization until July 1846 when he enlisted in the Mormon Battalion and went to California where he was present at the first discovery of of gold in 1848. From there he was a pioneer over the Sierra Nevada Mountains by the Carson Route to Utah. He was wounded in a battle with the Indians in Utah Co. in 1851 or 1852. He died as he lived, faithful and true to the Gospel.

His funeral services were held in Wilson Ward Meetinghouse on the 18th inst. The speakers were Elders James S. Brown and Moroni Brown the Bishop and some other elders. All testified to the faith and honor of the deceased, who leaves a wife and three sons and a great many friends and relatives to mourn his loss.

Respectfully, James S. Brown