Marshall County KS Archives Biographies.....Stedman, Samuel W. 1858 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ks/ksfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com May 3, 2007, 2:13 am Author: Emma E. Forter SAMUEL W. STEDMAN. Samuel W. Stedman, one of the well-known and successful farmers and stockmen of Richland township, Marshall county, was born at Dowagiac, Michigan, when that country was all heavy timber, on August 16, 1858, and is the son of Zerah and Phoebe (Ryder) Stedman. Zerah and Phoebe Ryder Stedman were natives of the state of New York and Canada, respectively. Mr. Stedman was born on January 10, 1828, and died on April 8, 1905; Mrs. Stedman was born on August 7, 1835, and died on January 2, 1911. Their ancestors were of Irish descent, the grandfather of Samuel W. Stedman having been born and reared in Ireland. The Stedmans were early settlers in the state of Michigan, and William Ryder located there when the daughter Phoebe was a little girl. The state at that time, in the northern and central parts, was covered with a heavy growth of timber, and there were but few settlers, in the vicinity where those families settled. They were true pioneers and during their stay in the state, experienced many of the hardships and privations of the early settler. In 1870 the Stedmans moved to Kansas, where Zerah Stedman homesteaded a farm where the city of Summerfield is now located. This farm he developed and improved and here he engaged in general farming and stock raising until 1881, when he sold the place and for three and a half years made his home with his son, Samuel W. He then purchased the farm where the brother of Samuel W. Stedman now lives, and there he made his home until two years before his death, when he moved to another farm that he owned. Zerah and Phoebe (Ryder) Stedman were the parents of two children, Samuel W. and Richard James. The latter is now a successful farmer and stockman of Richland township, and is the owner of a tract of land in that township. His farm is under a high state of cultivation and well improved, and he and his family are held in the highest regard and esteem. Samuel W. Stedman received his education in the district schools of Marshall county, attending school in the winter time and working on the farm in the summer. In 1879 he purchased his farm in Richland township, but continued to live with his father until 1882, when he moved to his own place. On December 25, 1880, he was united in marriage to Lettie May Harvey, who was born on April 5, 1864. She was a native of the state of Indiana and the daughter of William L. and Permelia (Arnet) Harvey. Her parents were also natives of the Hoosier state, where they were educated in the public schools and there grew to maturity and were later married. After their marriage they continued to live in Indiana until 1878, when they came to Kansas and established their home on a farm in St. Bridget township, where they engaged in general farming and stockraising for a number of years. Mr. Harvey was born on October 12, 1819, and died on March 9, 1888; Mrs. Harvey was born on December 25, 1825, and died on March 18, 1876. They were the parents of the following children: Jane, William, Milton, Franklin, Elizabeth, Alice, Lena, Fremont, Emma, Lettie May and Clara. Jane was born on May 15, 1842, and now makes her home with Samuel W. Stedman and wife; William, October 20, 1843, was a soldier in the Civil War, and gave his life in the defense of the Union; Milton, April 13, 1846, is now deceased; Franklin, September 5, 1848, and is now a resident of Indianapolis, Indiana: Elizabeth Dunn, January 30, 1850, and she and her husband now reside at Oklahoma; Alice, April 21, 1853, and died some years after her marriage to Mr. McMains; Lena Hay ward, August 26, 1855, is now a resident of Oklahoma; Fremont, March 11, 1858, is now a resident of southeastern Kansas; Emma Lockhard, October 22, 1860, and lives at Marysville, and Clara Stedman, April 27, 1868. To Samuel W. and Lettie May Stedman have been born the following children: Z., who was born on November 9, 1883, and is now a resident of California. He married Susie Huddell and to them have been born five children as follow: Ralph, Wayne, Margurete, Elsie and Z., Jr. Phoebe was born on February 5, 1886, and is the wife of Joseph Chase, a successful young farmer of Guittard township, and to them have been born two children, Francis Joseph and Sarah Rose; Sophronia, April 22, 1888, and is married to David Tucker, a well-known farmer of Richland township, and to this union the following children have been born: Clarence, May, Ella and Roy; Varena, January 12, 1891, and is the wife of Lloyd Wyckoff, a successful farmer of Richland township, and to them has been born one child, Austin Cecil; Clara, May 13, 1894, and is the wife of Lee Laramore and they are the parents of two children, Olynn and Irene; Irl, August 10, 1899; Anna, February 27, 1903, and Paul, June 16, 1907. The last three children are at home with their parents. William and Lucinda Arnet, the maternal grandparents of Lettie May Stedman were born on September 16, 1801, and on April 9, 1808, respectively, and her paternal grandfather, William Harvey, was born in South Carolina on August 14, 1790, and the grandmother, Jane (Estes) Harvey, was born on June 6, 1793. They were early settlers in Indiana and engaged in farming. When he first came to Kansas, Samuel W. Stedman lived in a sod house for three years, and experienced many of the trials of the pioneer. As a young man he soon devoted his abilities to farming and the raising of stock. He was not satisfied with the life of a renter and soon purchased land of his own. In 1882 he came to his present excellent farm of three hundred and twenty acres, which is today one of the best farms in the county. At the time he made the purchase it was all wild prairie and he paid but six dollars per acre for the tract. With much hard work the tough prairie sod was broken and prepared for planting of crops. He has placed all the buildings and has a splendid house and barn with other outbuildings, all of which he keeps in an excellent state of repair. He rents one hundred and sixty acres of his farm, but is actively engaged in the management of the other part of the place. Ten years ago he began the breeding of Shorthorn cattle on a small scale, and today he has a fine herd of these animals, twenty of them being registered. He is recognized as one of the most successful breeders in the township and his herd is one of the finest in the county. Mr. and Mrs. Stedman are members of the Seventh-Day Adventist church and are prominent in the social and religious life of the community. Politically, Mr. Stedman is identified with the Republican party, and has always taken a keen interest in local affairs. He has served as clerk and as trustee of Richland township, and was in an early day the postmaster of West Ella. Additional Comments: Extracted from: History of Marshall County, Kansas: its people, industries, and institutions by Emma E. Forter Indianapolis, Ind.: B.F. Bowen & Co. (1917) File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ks/marshall/bios/stedman392gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/ksfiles/ File size: 7.5 Kb