Lemhi County ID Archives Obituaries.....Stephenson, Andrew February 25, 1910
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
George Finch geofinch@earthlink.net April 21, 2005, 1:05 pm

Believed to be Lemhi County Recorder Herald
Andrew M. Stephenson Dead
An upper Lemhi Pioneer Crosses the Great Divide
He was Extensively Known and Very Warmly Loved.

Junction, Idaho, February 25. –Today at 1 O’clock Andrew M. Stephenson, 
familiarly known as “grandpa’ lay down life’s burden for the sleep that knows 
no awakening.  He was a native of Maryland and was 79 years of age last 
September.

He immigrated to Missouri when quite young and learned the trade of cabinet 
maker, at which he worked for several years.  He crossed the plains with an ox 
team to the Bannock in 1862, where he remained a year and returned to his home 
for his wife, with whom he again crossed the plains.

After living at Bannock a short period of time he worked for the McComb Placer 
Company on Horse Prairie, and in 1867 came to Junction, where he took up a 
ranch, built a hotel and livery stable, which yielded large earnings during 
the lively days of the Salmon River and Lemhi Countries.

He served one or two terms as County Commissioner and was twice appointed 
postmaster at Junction.  All the old-timers, far and near, knew “Grandpa” 
Stephenson.  He was a big-hearted man, and many a time he has extended a 
helping hand to the needy.  Should a poor fellow halt at his place with no 
money, he was fed as freely as those who were blessed with plenty, and 
tomorrow afternoon when he will have been laid away on the little hill 
overlooking the hamlet of Junction, should everyone who has received favors 
from him place on his grave a blossom, “Grandpa” Stephenson tomorrow night 
would sleep beneath a wilderness of flowers.

For the past two years his health had failed rapidly; last week he made a trip 
to Salmon to visit friends, but it proved to much of a task for his condition 
and when he returned home Saturday it was plainly seen that the end was not 
far off.  He sank rapidly, and today the end came peacefully and without 
struggle.

Fate seemed to wind him up for three score and ten,
But proudly on he ran ten winters more,
Till like a clock worn out with eating time,
The weary wheels of life at last stood still.










DIED

At Junction, Idaho, Monday, February 25, 1901, at 2 o’clock p.m. Andrew M. 
Stephenson, of general debility, aged 79 years, five months and six days.

The deceased has been failing gradually for the past two years, but was able 
to be up and about to the last.  He was in town last week and left Friday for 
his home.  While he was feeble, no one thought of the end being so near at 
hand.  The funeral services were held at Junction yesterday afternoon.

The deceased was born in Maryland, September 19, 1821, where he was married to 
his first wife in 1840.  They moved to Lexington, Mo., in the early 1850’s.  
He came across the plains to Montana in 1863, returning in 1865 after his 
family, bringing them out the next year.  They lived at Bannock until 1867, 
where he was engaged in mining, and in that year came across the range to 
Junction where he lived ever since.

His wife died May 13, 1886, and late the same year he was married to Mrs. Mary 
McRea, of Nicholia, who survives him.  He had one son who was a soldier in the 
Confederate army and was killed at Jenkins’ Ferry, Arkansas, in 1865, in a 
skirmish.  His foster daughter, Mea J. B. Pattee, was adopted by him when but 
three years old, being left an orphan at that tender age.  Besides his wife 
and foster daughter, he leaves three sisters – Mrs. Susan Clark, of Junction, 
who is visiting in Kansas City this winter; Mrs. Nancy Wood of Excelisor 
Springs, Mo., and Mrs. Sarah Casey, of Nevada, Mo., besides a number of 
nephews and nieces.

The name of “Grandpa” Stephenson in this valley has always been synonymous 
with hospitality.  For over 33 years he has kept a hotel at Junction, and no 
man, woman, or child was ever permitted to leave his door hungry if he knew 
it.  He was the soul of generous hospitality and although he made a great deal 
of money he always gave it away to those whom he considered more needy than 
himself.  He was honest and fearless, one of the hardy pioneers of this 
Western country – those sturdy characters who blazed the trails and acted as 
advance agent for the time of emigration, “Grandpa” Stephenson will always 
remain a central figure in the pioneer history of Lemhi County.  May his sleep 
be peaceful.


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