Merced-Tuolumne-Mariposa County CA Archives Biographies.....Stevinson, James J. 1828 - 1907
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Author: John Outcalt (1925)

JAMES J. STEVINSON

   Among the outstanding pioneers of Merced County there were none more widely
known than the Stevinsons, father and son, Archibald W., and James J., who both
were called "Colonel" by their intimate friends—not as a military title,
however, but partly because they were from the South, and partly because of
their participation in the Mexican War.

   James J. Stevinson was born in Boone County Mo., on November 6, 1828, the son
of Archibald and Charlotte Stevinson. When he was five years old his mother
died, and he and an older sister were placed with an uncle, Samuel Stevinson,
and there the lad made his home and grew to young manhood. In 1846 he joined a
trading train of General Kearney's Division and crossed the plains with
Doniphan's Regiment, en route to Mexico, spending that winter on the Del Norte
River and on the road to Santa Fe, N. M. Resuming the journey again, he arrived
at Chihauhau [sic] on March 1, 1847, and was happily surprised to meet his
father, whom he had not seen for eleven years and who was engaged in
merchandising there. He visited with him for two months and then joined the
soldiers and arrived at Saltillo, where the troops met General Wool's Division.
Mr. Stevinson remained at Saltillo until the close of the war, after which he
returned to Chihuahua, with two companions, making the trip on mule back, a
distance of 600 miles, in seven and one-half days. Here he again met his father,
with whom he remained until December 27, 1848, when he started on his trip via
Durango and Mazatlan, to San Francisco, where he arrived on March 25, 1849,
"flat broke," having spent thirty days on the water, which he often referred to
as thirty-five days—on account of the hardships endured.

   Mr. Stevinson went to the mines on Mormon Gulch, Tuolumne County, and
followed mining during the months of April and May, 1849, with fair success; he
then acted as agent for Colonel Jackson, at Jacksonville, for three months.
Then, his father arriving here from Mexico, they formed a partnership and
carried on a general merchandise business in Mariposa County from November,
1849, to August, 1852, when James J. Stevinson arrived in what is now Merced
County. Here he obtained a large tract of land and began agricultural pursuits,
and in time developed one of the most productive ranches and had one of the most
beautiful homes in the entire San Joaquin Valley. He had 15,000 acres of land
and about 1500 head of cattle and some 3000 sheep, besides other stock. The
residence is on the left bank of the Merced River, upon which, in early days,
stern-wheel steamers used to run and gather up the grain stored along the banks.
In the course of time Mr. Stevinson accumulated 25,000 acres of land. He farmed
on a large scale, raising stock and grain, and became one of the wealthy men of
the county.

   On December 27, 1855, James J. Stevinson was united in marriage with Miss
Louisa Jane Cox, daughter of Isham J. Cox, of Cox's Ferry on the Merced River.
She was born in Illinois and was brought to California by her parents. They had
three children: Samuel, Mary E., and Fannie B. After a long and useful life,
filled with good works, not alone for his own family, but for the people of
Merced County in general, James J. Stevinson passed to his reward on November
13, 1907, at the age of seventy-nine years.

   Archibald W. Stevinson, the father of James J., was born in Clark County,
Ky., in 1804, and received a good education in his native State. He was a man of
high intelligence, and a farmer by occupation. When he was twenty he moved to
Boone County, Mo., where he married; and there his children were born. In 1830
he engaged in the Santa Fe trade. Business required him to journey between
Independence, Mo., and Chihuahua, Mexico, and he made these trips no less than
nine times during the eighteen years he was engaged in this business. He set out
for California on April 10, 1849, and reached Los Angeles in July. He was
engaged in various mercantile operations in California and arrived in what is
now Merced County on September 23, 1852, settling on the Stevinson ranch; and
there he died in 1883, aged seventy-nine years.

   There were three children born to Col. A. W. and Charlotte Stevinson, namely:
James J., Elizabeth March, and Charlotte Silman.


Additional Comments:
From:

HISTORY OF
MERCED COUNTY
CALIFORNIA
WITH A
Biographical Review
OF
The Leading Men and Women of the County Who Have Been
Identified with Its Growth and Development
from the Early Days to the Present

HISTORY BY
JOHN OUTCALT

ILLUSTRATED COMPLETE IN ONE VOLUME
HISTORIC RECORD COMPANY
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
1925

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