James H. Stephens Biography


	This biography appears on page 1846 in "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. II (1904) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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	JAMES H. STEPHENS, of Springfield, Bon Homme county, is a native 
of the state of Illinois, having been born in Jo Daviess county, on the 
16th of September, 1850. He passed his boyhood days in his native 
county, where he attended the common schools, and he was about ten 
years of age at the time when the family removed to Wisconsin, where he 
continued to attend school until the age of fifteen years, when he 
entered upon an apprenticeship at the trade of harnessmaking, becoming 
a skilled workman. He thereafter worked as a journeyman in various 
towns and subsequently came west to Sioux City, Iowa, remaining about 
one year and then returning east to the city of Chicago. In 1872 he 
came to Yankton, Dakota, where he remained one year, at the expiration 
of which he took up his residence in Springfield, where he opened a 
harness shop and also a furniture and undertaking establishment, 
becoming one of the pioneer merchants of the town, and he successfully 
continued his operations in the lines noted until 1897, when he 
disposed of his interests and has since lived practically retired, 
giving a general supervision to his capitalistic investments. His 
political support is given to the Republican parry, and in 1878-9 he 
served as a member of the lower house of the territorial assembly, 
while in 1894 he was elected to represent his district in the state 
senate, being chosen as his own successor in 1896. Fraternally he holds 
membership in the Free and Accepted Masons; Yankton Chapter, No. 2, 
Royal Arch Masons, and Independent Order of Odd Fellows.

	Mr. Stephens was married to Miss Emily A. Place, of Yankton, who 
died, being survived by three children, and subsequently Mr. Stephens 
consummated a second marriage, being then united to Miss Henrietta 
Hyatt, of Illinois, and they are the parents of three children.