H.B. Stevens' Wives
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George Evan Stoddard, son of Elma Marie Skelton, daughter of Ethel Christiana Stevens, daughter of Redick Elisher Stevens, son of Henry Barnabas Stevens (H.B. or Barney) and Lucy Adeline Allred (Adeline)
Henry Barnabas Stevens (H.B. or Barney) married Elizabeth Whitlock on September 12, 1855. He was 20, she 17. After two children and their move to Spring City, H.B. married a second wife, Lucy Adeline Allred (Adeline), on February 14, 1861. He was 26, she 15. Elizabeth and Adeline were second cousins: Elizabeth's mother and Adeline's father were first cousins. At the end of 1863 the family was called to go southward and help settle Shoensburg, Kane County, where they farmed and where Adeline died April 25, 1866, eight weeks after giving birth to Redick Elisher Stevens, her third child.
Time Line:
H.B. and Elizabeth married September 12, 1855.
Elizabeth Ann was born July 11, 1857.
Henry B. was born September 2, 1859.
H.B. and Adeline married February 14, 1861.
Henry B. died in March 1861.
Andrew James was born to Elizabeth July 17, 1861.
Elizabeth Ann died August 1, 1861.
Newton Henry was born to Adeline January 10, 1862.
Andrew James died in October 1862.
Lucy Amilia was born to Adeline February 19, 1864.
Hannah Maryann was born to Elizabeth October 20, 1864.
Hannah Maryann died April 13, 1865.
Melinda Azelia was born to Elizabeth January 26, 1866.
Redick Elisher was born to Adeline March 2, 1866.
Adeline died April 25, 1866.
The following account was written by Ethel Stevens Skelton Lowe, Adeline's granddaughter, who heard the account firsthand from her grandfather H.B. Stevens and his wife Elizabeth.
The family located at Shoensburg where Henry B. engaged in farming. On the 19 Feb. 1864 a daughter was born to Adeline, and on 20 Oct. 1864 a daughter was born to Elizabeth, which only lived six months. For Elizabeth: four babies and all with such short missions in life! Elizabeth was asked if she was jealous when her husband married Adeline and she said, "No, we dearly loved each other. She was so young and so unselfish. We were just like sisters and she filled up the emptiness in my heart."
On 26 Jan. 1866 Elizabeth gave birth to another daughter whom they called Melinda and on 2 Mar. 1866 a son was born to Adeline whom they called Elisher. He became my (Ethel Stevens S. Lowe) father. When Elisher was only six weeks his mother, Adeline, was called to depart from this life. He and Melinda were raised like twins by her wonderful mother.
[In 1870 H.B. and Elizabeth, with five children (Adeline's three and the last two born to Elizabeth), returned to Ephraim, where Elizabeth had two additional children.]
. . . Henry B. and Elizabeth loved people and often drove to Spring City and Chester to visit with the Allred families, always taking [their spinster daughter] Olive and a grand child or two along. This pioneer couple were so comforting and so helpful in sickness and were often called on to go out to the homes of the sick no matter what the weather. Elizabeth always carried a basket of goodies with them. Everyone called her Aunt Lizzie. . . . This couple were delighted when a grandchild came to stay all night with them. . . . They were a happy, devoted couple, living a life of service to others.
Henry Barnabas Stevens passed away Aug. 1, 1907 at the age of 73 years in the old home at Ephraim and was buried in the new cemetery. He was survived by his wife Elizabeth, their four daughters and thirteen grandchildren and by his and Adeline's fifteen grandchildren.
Even in her declining years Elizabeth was entertaining. She could step dance and was very jolly. She and Olive remained in the old home until it was partially destroyed by fire, then they moved closer into town where Elizabeth passed away 31 Aug. 1915 at the age of 77 years. She was buried beside her husband.
Source: Ethel Stevens S. Lowe. "A Story from the Life of Henry Barnabas Stevens and His Wife, Elizabeth Whitlock and his Wife, Lucy Adeline Allred." two mimeographed pages, undated, in the possession of George Evan Stoddard.
