In the books' own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. The later printing (1900) is folded below the first. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
Born 1825
From The history of Darke County, Ohio, containing a history of the county; its cities, towns, etc.; general and local statistics; portraits of early settlers and prominent men; (1880), A Biographical history of Darke County, Ohio : compendium of national biography (1900)
JOHN STEPHENS, blacksmith, Sec. 5; P. 0. Greenville; another of the old settlers; born in Darke Co., German Township, Nov. 11, 1825; he was a son of David Stephens, one of the early pioneers of Darke Co.; he was born in Washington Co., Penn., Nov. 1, 1791; he came to Jefferson Co., Ohio, with his parents in 1798, four years before Ohio was admitted into the Union as a State; he came to Preble Co. in 1805 and to Darke Co., 1818; he was a soldier in the war of 1812, serving a part of the time as scout between Fort Nesbit and Fort Recovery, and was in the memorable forced march from Fort Greenville to Muncie, Ind., in the winter of 1814, to relieve Isaac Shelly and Gen. Winchester, Kentuckians. who were out of rations, and was compelled to stand guard half the night in snow knee-deep, without anything to eat; he was, so far as known, the last surviving one living in this county who served at Fort Greenville; he suffered all the hardships and privations of frontier life, and by industry and economy secured a handsome competence; he was a man of sterling will and integrity, and won the esteem of all who knew him; in early life, he joined the Church of the United Brethren, and in 1861 or 1862 connected himself with the Reformed Church, and lived a consistent Christian life until his death, which occurred Jan. 8, 1879, aged 87 years, 2 months and 8 days. He was married in Darke Co. to Lydia Wngner; she was born in the year 1803; she is now living in German Township, at the advanced age of 77 years; they were the parents of ten children, of whom seven are now living. The subject of this sketch commenced to learn the blacksmithing trade at Palestine when 19 years of age, and worked at his trade in German Township, with the exception of six months' residence in Indiana, until about the year 1847, when he removed to Neave Township; and about the year 1853 located upon his present place, where he has lived and followed his trade for a period of two and a half decades; he also owns 140 acres of land, which he rents, devoting his entire attention to his trade. He has been twice married, first, in 1851, to Maria D. Dininger, a daughter of Jacob Dininger. one of the early pioneers of Darke Co.; she was born in Montgomery Co., May 6, 1830; she died in Darke Co, Aug. 15, 1865, leaving five children, of whom four are now living — William, Margaret, Lewis, and Lydia. His marriage with Mrs. Matilda Risser was celebrated Oct. 4, 1868; her maiden name was Finfrock; she was born in Miami Co., Ohio, Dec. 17, 1832; they have three children by this union, viz., Alva A., Clara E., and John C.
As printed in The history of Darke County, Ohio, containing a history of the county; its cities, towns, etc.; general and local statistics; portraits of early settlers and prominent men; (1880). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
JOHN STEPHENS.
The subject of this sketch, who throughout life has been identified with the industrial and agricultural interests of Darke county, and is now the owner of one of the best and most desirable farms of its size in Greenville township, was born in German township, Darke county, November 11, 1825, a son of David and Lydia (Wagner) Stephens, early settlers of this county. The father was a native of Berks county, Pennsylvania, and a soldier of the war of 181 2. The paternal grandfather came to Ohio about 1818, and settled in Preble county. John Wagner, the maternal grandfather, was also a native of Pennsvlvania and an early settler of Darke county. Our subject is the third child and second son in a family of nine children, the others being: Anna, widow of Jesse Woods, of German township, Darke county; Joseph, a resident of Indiana; Mary, the widow of John McClure, of Indiana; Catherine M., the deceased wife of Eli Armacost, of Washington township; Noah and Levi, both deceased; and Allen and Isaac, who died during their youth.
John Stephens was reared in his native township when most of that region was still wild and unimproved, and his early recollections are of seeing deer, wolves and other wild animals of the forest. lie attended the" subscription schools conducted in a log school-house with a luncheon floor, and at the age of nineteen commenced serving an apprenticeship to the blacksmith's trade at Palestine, Ohio, faithfully putting in three years at the forge. Subsequently he spent a short time in Indiana, and on his return to Darke county located in Neave township, where he engaged in blacksmithing on his own account for three years. In 1853 he located on the farm in Greenville township, where he now resides, and opened a shop upon his place, which he conducted while his farm was mainly cleared and improved by hired help. It consists of one hundred and thirty-nine acres, now under a high state of cultivation and improved with good and substantial buildings.
[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]
Though nominally a Democrat, Mr. Stephens may be said to be independent in politics, voting for men and principles rather than party. Both he and his estimable wife are members of the Lutheran church, and have a wide circle of friends and acquaintances in the community where they reside.
As printed in A Biographical history of Darke County, Ohio : compendium of national biography (1900). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
Named in this biography: Eli Armacost (b. 1838)
Their biographies name John Stephens: George Weaver (b. 1828)
The printed record stops around 1880. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.