Untitled From Biographical Record of the Counties of Rock, Green, Grant, Iowa and Lafayette, Wisconsin, publ. 1901- page 554-555

JOHN STEPHENS, one of the organizers and most prominent men of Cuba City, Grant county, is the well-known and popular station agent for the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad at that point, which position he has held since the establishment of the station, twenty-eight years ago.

Mr. STEPHENS was born in Cornwall, England, in June, 1843, being a son of William and Catherine (DADOW) STEPHENS, who were born and married in England. Later these two came to Wisconsin with their family, settled at Benton, Lafayette county, and engaged in farming, and here they died, the father in 1888, the mother in 1894. They had a family of five boys and three girls: Alexander, born in England, is now married and a resident of Bremer county; William, born in England, married Miss Harriet PASCOE, of Grant county, and settled at Cuba City, where he died in 1895, leaving a widow and four children. Francis, Ada, Everett and George; Richard M., born in England, married Mary PASCOE, and is a prominent clergyman of Perry, Iowa; Agnes, born in Wisconsin, is now the wife of William GOLDSWORTHY, of Cuba City, and has four children, John, Roscoe, Kate and Eva; Samuel, born in Wisconsin, married Mary Hannah ROWE, is a resident of Lafayette county, and has six children, Lillie (now Mrs. BUCHAN, of Benton), Minnie (married to a prominent merchant of Benton), Nellie, Annie, Pearl and Roy; Mary J., sixth child of William and Catherine STEPHENS, married Rev. James BARNETT, deceased, having been called away in 1889, leaving no family; Martha, born in Lafayette county, married William TARRELL and moved to McCook county, S. Dak., where Mrs. TARRELL died in 1896, leaving a family of five children, who still reside in South Dakota; John is our subject.

John STEPHENS grew to manhood in Benton, Lafayette county, where he pursued the ordinary life of a country boy, attending school during the winter months, and working on the farm in the summer. When the war broke out Mr. STEPHENS was fired with patriotism, although still a boy, and in 1863, he enlisted in his regiment at Memphis, Tenn. He was in active service for two years, until the close of the war, participating in a number of engagements, including Bentonville, New Madrid, and noted Grierson raid into Louisiana, and siege of Vicksburg, and was always at his post of duty. At the close of the war Mr. STEPEHENS was honorably discharged at St. Louis as first sergeant, but afterward detailed for special duty. The climate so affected Mr. STEPHENS that he was taken sick and was sent to a hospital, where he remained two months, and it was three years after his return home before he in any way recovered.

After the war Mr. STEPHENS settled in Smelser township, Grant county, Wis., where he opened a country store, and was appointed postmaster of the Saint Rose postoffice. In October, 1874, the Chicago & Northwestern railroad was built, established a station, calling it Cuba City, and appointed Mr. STEPHENS station agent, he also retaining the postoffice for twelve years after. The position of station agent he still holds, to the entire satisfaction of the railroad company, as well as the patrons of the road. For twenty four years Mr. STEPHENS served most acceptably as postmaster, and has been chairman of the council board since the town was incorporated, for six different times, has been justice of the peace continuously for twenty-eight years, as well as holding various other local offices, his fellow townsmen feeling that Mr. STEPHENS is the man to represent them in almost any capacity which requires honesty, ability and uprightness of purpose. Upon coming to Cuba City Mr. STEPHENS invested largely in real estate, a portion of which he has sold, and owns two large farms, well improved, in Lafayette county.

In 1864 Mr. STEPHENS came home on a furlough and married Miss Elizabeth READ, of Wisconsin, daughter of Samuel READ, a native of Missouri, whose strong Union sentiments forced him to remove to Wisconsin. Mrs. STEPHENS was born in Missouri in 1844, and was well educated in her native State. Three children were born to Mr. and Mrs. STEPHENS: (1) Samuel W., born in Cuba City in 1868, entered his father's office when thirteen years old, learned to be a telegraph operator and became his father's assistant, and now has charge of the office, on account of Mr. STEPHEN's health. In 1889 Samuel married Miss Laura CLEMENS, of Cuba City, her father being one of the pioneers and a prominent merchant of the town. Samuel and his wife have two children: Fred C., born in Cuba City in 1894, and Dwight, born in September, 1899. (2) Charles, born in Cuba City in 1875, was for eight years station agent at Layton Park, Milwaukee, for the Chicago & Northwestern, and is now holding a very lucrative and responsible position in the cashier's office of that road at Chicago. (3) Frank H., born in Cuba City in 1878, learned railroad work in his father's office, and is now one of the trusted employees of the Chicago & Northwestern railroad, serving as relief agent and operator of the Madison division.

Politically Mr. STEPHENS has for many years been a Republican, but late issues have made an independent of him, and he now votes as his conscience dictates. Both Mr. and Mrs. STPEHENS are earnest members of the M. E. Church, and Mr. STEPHENS is a member of the G.A.R. Post of Hazel Green, and also the one at Cuba City. The home of these estimable people is one of the finest residences in the town, and Mr. STEPHENS is constantly improving it. So closely is Mr. STEPHENS identified with the growth of Cuba City that the history of one is but the account of the progress of the other. During all the years of his steady advancement Mr. STEPHENS has made few, if any, enemies, while he can scarcely count all his friends, their number being legion. Kind, genial, hospitable, faithful in the discharge of his duties, both as a private citizen and as a public official, Mr. STEPHENS is one of the best types of the veteran in private life, under his own "vine and fig tree," surrounded by "olive branches."



This biography generously submitted by Carol Holmbeck