My great grandfather was Jonathan Stephenson - my mother's paternal grandfather, although she would never have the chance to know him. He died a few months before she was born, at the same home in fact while visiting in Castana, Iowa in 1919.
He was born in Cayton, England, a village just south of Scarborough, Yorkshire, in 1847. His father, George, was a grocer, dairyman, and small farmer. His family had been in the Cayton area for centuries. Jonathan's mother was Mary Bielby from Bridlington, a larger town farther down the coast to the south.
Jonathan and his older brother, Robert, weren't listed with their parents, sister, Jane, and younger brother, Henry, in the 1861 census. Robert had died a few years earlier, and since Jonathan was almost 14, he probably had to go to work. Yet another brother, John Robert, was born in 1862.A couple years later, Jonathan's mother died and his father remarried, to Ann Harrison in 1866 and started another family. Jonathan would have known his two half-sisters, Mary "Elizabeth" and Charlotte Ellen, as infants.
It was probably 1871 or so that Jonathan immigrated to the U.S. I was told that he moved to Indiana and lost his wife in childbirth. He did confirm in the 1915 census that he had been in the U.S. 9 years before going to Iowa.
I think it was unusual for people to move to a new country without having had some acquaintance already there. In doing research on Ancestry, I found a DNA match to Stephenson family with roots in Pike County, Indiana. In her tree, she has a Jonathan Stephenson born 1815 in England. Given the close match, I believe her Jonathan Stephenson was my Jonathan's uncle, brother to my Jonathan's father, George. Another uncle, Robinson Stephenson, went to Pike County Indiana as well. I suspect my Jonathan might have followed his uncles there. And to make matters interesting, in Pike county Indiana in 1871, a Jonathan Stephenson married Lealla Smith. I think this might be his first marriage, but still a bit of a question.
The first time I can find Jonathan Stephenson documented in the U.S. for certain is when he marries Lillian Davis in 1881 at Dunlap. Both Jonathan, and Lillian's father, William Davis, were workers on the railroad around this time, so perhaps that brought them together. Jonathon was only six years younger than his father-in-law. Lillian Davis was born in Galesburg, Illinois, roughly between Pike County, Indiana and Dow City, Iowa. Galesburg was a mecca for the expanding railroad industry and perhaps drew both Jonathan and his eventual father-in-law.
Jonathan and Lillian had a large family in Paradise Township of Crawford County, Iowa, five boys and three girls.
When I read the words "lover of home", "devoted to family", "respected pioneer", and "good, kind neighbor", I think of all he had overcome. He lost much of his family, including two young brothers and his mother when he was a young man, and likely an earlier wife and child. His childhood was short as he started to work as a boy. He left his home to come to America. But he persisted, he pioneered, he built a new home and a new family, and I am proud to be part of that family.
He was born in Cayton, England, a village just south of Scarborough, Yorkshire, in 1847. His father, George, was a grocer, dairyman, and small farmer. His family had been in the Cayton area for centuries. Jonathan's mother was Mary Bielby from Bridlington, a larger town farther down the coast to the south.
Jonathan and his older brother, Robert, weren't listed with their parents, sister, Jane, and younger brother, Henry, in the 1861 census. Robert had died a few years earlier, and since Jonathan was almost 14, he probably had to go to work. Yet another brother, John Robert, was born in 1862.A couple years later, Jonathan's mother died and his father remarried, to Ann Harrison in 1866 and started another family. Jonathan would have known his two half-sisters, Mary "Elizabeth" and Charlotte Ellen, as infants.
Jonathan Stephenson around 1900
It was probably 1871 or so that Jonathan immigrated to the U.S. I was told that he moved to Indiana and lost his wife in childbirth. He did confirm in the 1915 census that he had been in the U.S. 9 years before going to Iowa.
I think it was unusual for people to move to a new country without having had some acquaintance already there. In doing research on Ancestry, I found a DNA match to Stephenson family with roots in Pike County, Indiana. In her tree, she has a Jonathan Stephenson born 1815 in England. Given the close match, I believe her Jonathan Stephenson was my Jonathan's uncle, brother to my Jonathan's father, George. Another uncle, Robinson Stephenson, went to Pike County Indiana as well. I suspect my Jonathan might have followed his uncles there. And to make matters interesting, in Pike county Indiana in 1871, a Jonathan Stephenson married Lealla Smith. I think this might be his first marriage, but still a bit of a question.
The first time I can find Jonathan Stephenson documented in the U.S. for certain is when he marries Lillian Davis in 1881 at Dunlap. Both Jonathan, and Lillian's father, William Davis, were workers on the railroad around this time, so perhaps that brought them together. Jonathon was only six years younger than his father-in-law. Lillian Davis was born in Galesburg, Illinois, roughly between Pike County, Indiana and Dow City, Iowa. Galesburg was a mecca for the expanding railroad industry and perhaps drew both Jonathan and his eventual father-in-law.
Jonathan and Lillian had a large family in Paradise Township of Crawford County, Iowa, five boys and three girls.
Jonathan Stephenson with grandson Gerald Stephenson Turner about 1917
Jonathan probably made a couple trips back to England. The Denison review published an article December 17, 1897 that he went to England, to return by March. And, he wanted to take his grandson, Gerald, back with him on a later trip, but was talked out of it. He had a lot of family back there, although his parents were both gone. His sister, Jane Rex, had a large family. He had a younger brother, Henry, and his family, and two much younger half-sisters, Charlotte and Elizabeth, who he probably remembered as babies.
Most likely, the reason for his 1897 trip, was the death of his stepmother, Ann Harrison Stephenson. She had died in October of that year. Family tradition has it that he went back to England to get an inheritance but there was none. Jonathon perhaps had hoped to get some of his father's inheritance, but no doubt the stepmother didn't remember her deceased husband's previous children in her will.
Ann Stephenson and her unmarried daughter, Elizabeth, were big news in Yorkshire in 1884. Elizabeth's baby had died under mysterious circumstances. The coroner had planned to examine the body, but Ann and Elizabeth decided to dispose of the body in their fireplace. Of course this raised a lot of eyebrows, and at first brought murder charges against them. Eventually they were found guilty of lesser charges and each served two months in jail.
Family was important to Jonathan. He had a big family here. The Denison Review reported that he held an ice cream party until the "wee small hours of the morning" on August 13, 1911.
His obituary had good words about him.
Most likely, the reason for his 1897 trip, was the death of his stepmother, Ann Harrison Stephenson. She had died in October of that year. Family tradition has it that he went back to England to get an inheritance but there was none. Jonathon perhaps had hoped to get some of his father's inheritance, but no doubt the stepmother didn't remember her deceased husband's previous children in her will.
Ann Stephenson and her unmarried daughter, Elizabeth, were big news in Yorkshire in 1884. Elizabeth's baby had died under mysterious circumstances. The coroner had planned to examine the body, but Ann and Elizabeth decided to dispose of the body in their fireplace. Of course this raised a lot of eyebrows, and at first brought murder charges against them. Eventually they were found guilty of lesser charges and each served two months in jail.
Family was important to Jonathan. He had a big family here. The Denison Review reported that he held an ice cream party until the "wee small hours of the morning" on August 13, 1911.
His obituary had good words about him.
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