John Thomas Stephens

John Thomas Stephens is one of my brick wall ancestors. I seem to be having an unusually hard time finding him. (I blame the 1890 census!) Following is what I know about him.

I have found conflicting information on his birth so far. The 1900 census lists John's birth as being in July 1866 in Ohio. The 1910 census lists his birth as being in about 1868 in Iowa. The 1910 census for his son, Grover, lists his birthplace as Virginia. The 1920 census lists his birth as being in about 1867 in Iowa. The 1920 and 1930 census for Grover both list his father's birthplace as Missouri. The 1920 census for his son, Charles, lists his birthplace as Indiana. The 1930 census for Charles lists his father's birthplace as Missouri.

I'm leaning towards Iowa as the actual state. It was the most consistent I've found in the early years. (I think Cora thought his birthplace was Iowa too because his children still at home list their father as being born in Iowa in the 1930 census.)

I have found a Thomas Stephens, age 13, living a Norton family in 1880 in Prairie City, Jasper County, Iowa. I don't know if this is John Thomas or not.

Clipping from 1880 Prairie City, IA Census

The census shows Thomas Stephens' parents as being born in Pennsylvania. This is consistent with a few of the other censuses that I have found for John Thomas (1900-1920).

Clipping from 1900 Clear Creek, MO Census

Clipping from 1910 Lebanon, MO Census

Clipping from 1920 Richland, MO Census

John married Maggie Parkhurst. (I got her name from Charles Oliver's death certificate.) Together, they had at least the following children:

• Grover Stephens, born November 1888
• Charlottie Stephens, born October 1889
• Charles Oliver Stephens, born 14 February 1894

Maggie died before the 1900 census, and I haven't found a death certificate yet for her. I saw on Find-A-Grave that there is a Maggie Stephens buried in Fairview Cemetery in New Albany, Floyd County, Indiana. She is recorded as being born in 1859 and dying in 1894. I'm not sure if this is the right person, but it's the closest I have found so far. If she died in 1894, I wonder if it was due to complications of childbirth.

After the death of Maggie, John remarried. He married Cora E. about 1901 according to the 1910 census. Cora was born about 1881 in Missouri. I do not know the names of her parents yet. According to family researchers, Cora's maiden name was Ferguson. I have found a Cora Ferguson listed in Forest City, Holt County, Missouri with her parents James M. and Sarah Ferguson. I'm not sure if this is her though.

Clipping from 1900 Forest City, MO Census

Also, in the 1910 census, Cora is listed as having been the mother of three children, only one of which was still alive in 1910. John is listed as being Cora's first marriage, so these unknown children are assumed to be the children of John and Cora.

Clipping from 1910 Lebanon, MO Census

John and Cora had at least the following children:

• Irven Stephens, born about 1903
• Unknown Stephens, born between 1900 and 1910, died before 1910
• Unknown Stephens, born between 1900 and 1910, died before 1910
• Hornine Stephens, born about 1911
• Edgar Stephens, born about 1914
• Inez Stephens, born about 1918

Clipping of second half of the household from 1920 Richland, MO Census

John died some time before the 1930 census. Cora shows up in Richland, Morgan County, Missouri as a widow living with her two youngest children, Edgar and Inez.

Clipping from 1930 Richland, MO Census

That's about all I know. It seems like a lot at first glance, but everything I know seems to be after his first wife's death. If you descend from this man or know anything about him, I would be very interested in hearing from you! Send me a message or leave a comment on here.

Sources:

• 1880 Prairie City, Jasper County, Iowa U.S. Federal Census (accessed on Ancestry)
• 1900 Clear Creek, Cooper County, Missouri U.S. Federal Census (accessed on Ancestry)
• 1900 Forest City, Holt County, Missouri U.S. Federal Census (accessed on Ancestry)
• 1910 Clear Creek, Cooper County, Missouri U.S. Federal Census (accessed on Ancestry)
• 1910 Lebanon, Cooper County, Missouri U.S. Federal Census (accessed on Ancestry)
• 1920 Otterville, Cooper County, Missouri U.S. Federal Census (accessed on Ancestry)
• 1930 Otterville, Cooper County, Missouri U.S. Federal Census (accessed on Ancestry)
• 1920 Richland, Morgan County, Missouri U.S. Federal Census (accessed on Ancestry)
• 1930 Richland, Morgan County, Missouri U.S. Federal Census (accessed on Ancestry)
• Death Certificate, Charles Oliver Stephens (accessed on Ancestry)
• Find-A-Grave Memorial, Maggie Stephens