Bio: J. H. Stephens, Caddo Parish La
Source: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Northwest Louisiana
The Southern Publishing Company, Chicago & Nashville,  1890

Submitted by: Suzanne Shoemaker


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     J. H. STEPHENS.  
Among the many enterprises necessary to complete the commercial resources of a
town or city, none is of more importance than that of the grocer, as being
one of the main factors in the furnishing of our food supplies.  Prominent in
this line is the wholesale grocery establishment belonging to Stephens &
Hunter, which has been in existence since 1886 and is a commodious and
substantial house, 40x100 feet, at the corner of Crockett and Levee Streets. 
The annual sales of the firm will amount to $225,000, and between 4,000 and
5,000 bales of cotton are handled by them each season.   They are substantial,
progressive and enterprising business men, and by their united efforts have
risen to the very front ranks of the business men of the city.  Mr. Stephens
was born in Preble County, Ohio, in April, 1822, and is a son of W. D. and
Mary (DeFrees) Stephens, both of whom were Virginians, the former of Swiss
ancestry and the latter a French lady.  The great-grandfather was a native of
Switzerland, and the maternal grandmother was born in London, England.  The
paternal grandfather, Stephens, served in the war of 1812 as captain of the
scouting party, and he and wife died in Ohio to which State they had moved
at an early day, it being almost a wilderness at that time.  The father os
the subject of this sketch was a mechanic, and left Ohio in 1836 to come to
Louisiana, and was among the early settlers of Natchitoches Parish, but
gave up his trade after coming here and turned his attention to planting,
which he successfully conducted until his death, which occurred about 1860.
 His wife passed from life in 1858.  Mr. Stephens was a member of the
convention that changed the constitution in 1847 at Baton Rouge, and he was
subsequently superintendent of public instruction in Sabine Parish.  He was
also a member of the police jury of Natchitoches, and being a man of sound
views and well educated, his advice was sought and followed by many.  He
was also a good orator for his day, and was frequently called upon to make
speeches on different occasions.  He was a man of unblemished character,
and was noted for his honesty and good nature.  Four of the six children
born to himself and wife are now living:  J. H., Elizabeth (wife of Dr. J.
C. Armstrong), Lawrence E. and Emily.  J. H. Stephens was about fourteen
years of age when he first came to this State but his literary education
was received in St. Mary's College, Miss., but just graduating he was
obliged to return home for want of means to continue his studies.  He paid
his way at school with money earned by his own labor, and upon his return
home he became a clerk in the mercantile establishment of Wamsley Bros., of
Natchitoches, continuing with them for five years.  He then opened an
establishment of his own at Grand Cane, which was then the landing place
for Natchitoches, and did a very extensive business, in time securing trade
for many miles in the State of Texas.  He remained there until 1861, then
bought a plantation and purchased a number of slaves, but in 1862 he gave
up this occupation and joined Cory's battalion of cavalry which was later
disbanded, and he was assigned to Harrison's regiment of cavalry, but was
soon after detached and assigned to duty under R. M. Lusher, United States
Confederate collector.  He was then sent to Sabine Parish to assess and
collect the war tax, and this occupation received his attention until the
close of the war.  Of course he lost all his slaves during this time, and
he also lost his plantation by fraudulent means.  He was thus left without
a dollar, not knowing one day where he would get a meal the next.  He
concluded to settle in Shreveport, and here in 1869 he was found clerking
for Sale & Murphy, a well-known wholesale and retail house.  He remained
with them as head salesman until the fall of 1873, then, as Sale had died
of yellow fever and Murphy found himself bankrupt, he turned over his
remnant stock to Capt. Stephens, to whom he owed nearly all of it for his
salary.  Mr. Stephens started on this as his all, but during his five
years' residence in this place he had established an excellent character
and his credit was good, and accordingly his trade rapidly increased.  In
the fall of 1886 he became associated in business with Samuel S. Hunter,
and opened up his present establishment with the results named above.  Mr.
Stephens is now a wealthy man, but owes his prosperity to his own hard
work, honesty and push, and no man in the town holds a more enviable place
in the estimation of the people than he.  In 1860 he was superintendent of
education of Natchitoches Parish, and although he has no desire for office
he filled this position with ability and to the satisfaction of all
concerned.  He has also served one term as a member of the board of
trustees of Shreveport.  His marriage which occurred in 1847 was to Miss
Jane Bludworth, a native of this State, and to them six children have been
born:  Mrs. Armstrong, Mrs. Berry, Mrs. Eichler (a widow), Mary Jesse B.,
and J. H., Jr.  The Captain has been a Mason for many years, and he and
wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.