STEPHENS / STEVENS BIOGRAPHIES, Henry County, Missouri ==================================================================== STEPHENS, J. J. - b: 1842 Cooper Co, MO source: 1883 History of Henry Missouri , National Historical Co. - page: 753 residence: Osage Twp J. J. Stephens, M.D., a prominent physician and surgeon of Henry County, is a native of Cooper County, Missouri, having been born in Boonville March 15, 1842. His father, P. D. Stephens, was a Virginian by birth, but moved with his parents to Missouri in about 1820, and located in Cooper County, of which they were among the earliest settlers. P. D. Stephens was married there to Miss Sarah Mitchell Howard. He was the first sheriff of Cooper County, serving two terms, and he was afterward engaged in merchandising at Boonville for a number of years. He subsequently went to Moniteau County, where he died in July, 1879. The subject of this sketch grew to manhood in Cooper and Moniteau Counties, his youth being spent at school and in his father's store. He received his education at high schools and Rose Hill Seminary. He commenced the study of medicine in 1871 at Leesville, under Dr. J. P. Trullinger, a pioneer physician of the county, and after attending lectures in the Missouri Medical College in St. Louis, graduated in the spring of 1877. Upon completing his studies the doctor began the practice of his profession at Quincy, Missouri, where he remained three years, coming thence to Brownington in the fall of 1881. Here he has a large and increasing practice, and is one of the best read and most successful physicians of this vicinity, and is a close student even now. In January, 1882, he engaged in the drug business, and at this time carries a large stock of drugs and chemicals. Dr. Stephens was married at Tipton, Missouri, February 8, 1866, to Miss Lizzie J. Smith, a daughter of James T. Smith, and originally of Louisville, Kentucky. They have a family of six children: James Phillip, John Morse, Maria Laura, Joseph J., Minnie A. and Presley. Mrs. Stephens is a member of the Missionary Baptist Church, and the doctor belongs to the Masonic fraternity. ==================================================================== STEVENS, Willis M. source: 1919 History of Henry Co MO, Uel W. Lamkin, Historical Publishing Co - page: 605 residence: Clinton Twp Willis M. Stevens, who is engaged in the real estate and loan business at Clinton, has been prominently identified with Clinton and Henry County for a number of years. Mr. Stevens is a native of Indiana, born in 1859 and is a son of James and Hannah B. (Pierce) Stevens, the former a native of North Carolina and the latter of New York. The Stevens family came to Missouri in 1869 and settled in Springfield township, Henry County, where the father bought 240 acres of land and here spent the remainder of his life engaged in farming and stock raising. He and his wife are now deceased and their remains are buried in Mt. Olive Cemetery. They were the parents of twelve children, only two of whom are now living, Willis M., the subject of this sketch, and Mrs. Sarah Pickord, who resides in Laclede County, Missouri. Willis M. Stevens received his education in the public schools in Springfield township and Clinton High School, and shortly after leaving school he came to Clinton and entered the employ of Bledsoe and Lane as clerk, remaining with them about two years. He then was appointed city weigher and served in that capacity six years. He was then elected county treasurer of Henry County, serving for four years. At the expiration of his term of office as county treasurer he was elected county recorded and served four years. In 1899 he engaged in the real estate and loan business, succeeding M. C. Land, and since that time has been successfully engaged in that line, and during the course of his career in the real estate business he has handled many important transactions. He has served as a member of the city council of Clinton and is the present treasurer of Clinton township. Mr. Stevens was married December 31, 1884, to Miss Bettie N. Wray, daughter of Tillman and Hannah Wray of Clinton, Missouri. Her parents were Virginians and came to Henry County prior to the Civil War. To Mr. and Mrs. Stevens have been born one child, Bertia A., the wife of Lieut. M. J. Sonnebeck, who is now serving in the National Army. To Lieutenant and Mrs. Sonnebeck have been born two children, Elizabeth K. and Willis R. Mr. Stevens has rendered invaluable service to the city of Clinton in the capacity of president of the Commercial Club, a position which he has filled for the past five years. This organization is recognized as one of the live commercial clubs of the State, and Mr. Stevens is entitled to no small amount of credit for the many good results obtained by the progressive and aggressive work of the organization. Among the accomplishments of the Clinton Commercial Club within the past five years might be mentioned the obtaining of a $6,000 bridge across the Grand River, south of Clinton, inducing the Overman Overall Factory to locate here, which gives employment to a large number of people, and the installing of the Clinton White Way. Of their work in connection with this accomplishment the "Daily Democrat" of June 17, 1915, had the following to say: "Mr. Stevens may be said very accurately to be the man who put it across, for while the credit is shared by every friend and subscriber to the movement, it was his untiring efforts that would not permit discouragement, that the White Way has been brought about. He had the Commercial Club loyally back of him and especially an executive, soliciting and ways and means committee consisting of Doctor Neill, Doctor Marseilles, J. S. Spore, G. S. Holliday, S. Degan, B. G. Phillips and Carl Jiacomini." The work of the Commercial Club in which Mr. Stevens has taken an active part has been far reaching in the building up and the betterment of Clinton. He is a live wire and the results of his efforts are to be seen on every side. In addition to his other interests Mr. Stevens has been a director of the Citizens Bank of Clinton for the past ten years. He is a Democrat and has been active in politics since boyhood. He is one of the substantial citizens of Henry County, who is able to get results when he devotes his time and ability to measures. Mr. Stevens has been very active in furthering patriotic work, serving as chairman of the organization committee having charge of the Liberty Bond campaign, and has been active in promoting Liberty Bond sales, as well as Red Cross and Y. M. C. A. work and promotion of the raising of funds for each organization in Henry County. ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. 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