CEMETERY HISTORY:
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----- Original Message ----- 
From: David Youngblood 
To: Gary Flynn 
Sent: Sunday, October 29, 2006 7:14 PM
Subject: Re: New Cemetery
The Stephens Families (John, Samuel and William) owned huge qualities of land 
just outside Pickens in the early 1800's.  The land extended from Secona Church 
on 183 to much beyond Gregory/Cannon Creek.  John married Mary Murphree, 
daughter of the Minister, and lived in a log cabin that has recently been moved 
to Hagood Mill. William had sons Cannon and others and lived west of John and 
Samuel.  Samuel lived near what is now called Stephens Road.  Samuel is my line 
and attached is information on his family.
I have no doubt that all these Stephens Families are related but I have found no 
proof or documentation - next door neighbors with very similar family names but 
no documentation - at least, not yet.  I have always thought that Stephens 
Indian Traders were my early kin but have not been able to document the 
connection.
Attached is a map showing the location of the Samuel Stephens "Family Burying 
Ground" - Samuel and Mary and at least 2 of their children's families were 
buried there (Dison and Baylus) - the Cemetery was destroyed about 1930-1940 - 
my Dad remembered the fuss that caused.  My Dad and I visited the owner, Sara 
Bates, about 1995 - both are now dead.  Both had memories of the cemetery (15-20 
graves with waist high wall around it) and Sara had a chip of a tombstone - all 
that remained.  A old Family record called "Book of Record and Brief Family 
History" by Edward Besaw Stephens lists all Samuel and Mary Powell Stephens 
hildren and their place of burial - Edward Besaw was a Civil War Veteran and 
died in 1930 - I have a copy of his book.
Samuel's grandson, Leonard Dison Stephens (my G-Grandfather) lived in the house 
(Sara's house) until his death in 1904.
I am attaching more information than you will probably want to use - thanks for 
your work and I hope that other relatives will someday find comfort in knowing 
where their people are buried.
David Youngblood
o----------o
Generation One
"Samuel" H. STEPHENS, b. About 1773 in North Carolina (?).1  He married 
"Mary" Ellen POWELL, b. about 1764 in North Carolina, (daughter of James POWELL 
and Alse or Alice ? ---) d. About 1862 in Pickens District, SC,2 buried: Pickens 
County in STEPHENS Family Burying Ground.3  "Samuel" died 26-May-1824 in 
Pendleton District, South Carolina,4 buried: Pickens County in Probably STEPHENS 
Family Burying Ground. A "Family History" was written by John R. STEPHENS, 
although not dated, sometime late 1800's or very early 1900's. John R. STEPHENS 
(born 1842-died 	about 1904) was the son of Benson STEPHENS, son of Samuel and 
Mary POWELL STEPHENS. In the one page history, he said: "My grate grate grand 
mother on father's mothers side came from England and when landed on America 
Shore she was penniless. She was put upon a block and sold to the highest bidder 
for her fare across the Sea. At this moment the Captain of the Ship steps up to 
her and tell her that if she would whip the gentleman that cried the sale he 
would set her free. So (ladies in those day wore caps) she jerked her cap from 
her head threw it to the ground then ran to the gentleman that cried her off 
collered him and gave him a genteel whipping. Therefore on the shores of her new 
home she paid her boat fare from her old one: Afterwards married a man by the 
name of POWELL who was my father's 	Mother's father's father. My great grand 
father POWELL was the father of three children William, James and Mary. My 
grandfather, Samuel STEPHENS, was born the year 1783. He was raised by a Step 
mother and she was anything else but good to him. She beat him with anything 
that came handy even to bridlebits. Grand father STEPHENS while raising learned 
a trade of Iron and at the age of 18 or 20 he married my great great grand 
mother's sons daughter (who was Miss Mary POWELL, my father's mother and my 
grandmother) in North Carolina contrary to her parents will. They set out in the 
world with a rifle gun and grandfather gave the gun for a milk cow. He came to 
South Carolina and put up a forge or Iron Shop and at that age of our country 
when the inhabitants were few he done the work for over seventy customers. 	   
He sent two wagons to market laden with tobacco and got one thousand dollars in 
Silver. He loaned it out and never received a dollar back. He owned 1700 acres 
of land, 4 negroes, Stock and property generally. He died May the 26, 1824, from 
a fever and it settle in his side in a cake as large as a plate. From the best 
authority Grandmother (Mary STEPHENS) lived one hundred years She died a member 
of the Methodist Church. I, (John R. STEPHENS) recolect a small circumstance 
connected with the above. Uncle Daniel STEPHENS was a whole soul Baptis and a 
good one too. Grandmother comes from S. Carolina to Georgia after Grandfathers 
death to see her children and the Preacher comes Home with him and he gives him 
an introduction to Grand Mother and after complimenting he (the Preacher) says 
to her I hope you are a good Sister Baptist. She answers I hope I am a good
Sister Methodist and she died a member of the Methodist Church. (It was Preacher 
Webb who came home with Uncle Daniel). Grandmother was a very small woman very 
industrious and a good looking old woman and when young a pretty one."

STEPHENS Family Cemetery "Family Buring Ground" - Cemetery across from "STEPHENS 
HOUSE" at STEVENS Road and Highway 183 in Pickens - My father remembers the 
Cemetery had 15-20 graves surrounded by waist-high stone wall - All now gone - 
Distroyed perhaps around 1930-40. He said that some of the family members were 
very upset by the destruction of the Family Cemetery.  I visited the Leonard 
STEPHENS home (then owned by Sara BATES) with my parents.  They had a small chip 
of a  gravestone, the only remainder of the graveyard that was on the hillside 
across the road from their home.
STEPHENS family information in the Faith CLAYTON file at The Faith Clayton    
Library at Central Weslyan College in Central, South Carolina.
Anderson County, South Carolina Probate Court, Samuel STEPHENS estate papers,    
Roll 644.
o----------o

----- Original Message ----- 
From: David Youngblood 
To: GoldenCorner GenWeb 
Sent: Monday, October 30, 2006 9:30 AM
Subject: Samuel Stephens Family Burying Ground

Thanks for the interest - you guys are doing a great service to the people of 
"The Dark Corner" including me and my family - Thanks!
The several people (including my Dad) who I talked with who remembered the 
cemetery had no knowledge of who was buried there - all, of course, knew the 
Stephens family owned all the land around there until well into the 1900's and 
speculated that it was family.  The oral descriptions were very much like so 
many Pickens County Family Burying Grounds - near the house, hill top, waist 
high stone wall and most graves marked with field stones and at least a couple 
of graves with "store bought" markers with 15-20 graves.  Grave yard had been 
destroyed around 1930-1940 and several Stephens family members had been VERY 
upset.  Sara Bates lived in the Stephens house about 1995 and I took my Dad to 
visit (Sara and my Dad are now both dead). Sara had the house beautifully 
decorated with antiques.  We talked of the graveyard - she had a small chip of a 
"store bought" stone - all that remained of the graveyard.  My Dad's mother (my 
grandmother) had been born in the house and lived there at least until her 
father (Leonard Dison "Bud" Stephens) died in 1906.  My Dad had been born about 
100 yards behind the house in 1907 at the site of a Grist Mill owned and 
operated by his father - the mill was on Gregory or Cannon Creek and is often 
called the Winchester Mill - the Winchester's did own the mill in later years 
but it was in the Stephens family from at least as early as 1840 till 1915.
The only record of burials in "The Family Burying Ground" to my knowledge is 
Edward Besaw Stephens family record called "Book of Record and Brief Family 
Record" - Edward Besaw served in the Civil War and died in 1930.  The book had 
at least 47 pages and I got my copy from Patsy McCall and she got it from Tilda 
Young in the late 1980's - the book was a purchased family history book with 
hand written entries.  The cemetery was referred to as "The Family Burying 
Ground" and had the following 3 people specifically buried there:
Mary Ellen Powell Stephens
Book has no dates but a note that she was 98 years old at death and died of "Old 
age" and that she was born in NC
She was indeed born in NC about 1764 and died about 1862
She was the wife of Samuel H. Stephens and I am quite sure he is buried there 
also although that is not in the book
Dison Stephens (son of Mary and Samuel)
no dates in book but Dison was born about 1793 and died after 1860
book lists Dison's wife but no data - I assume she is buried there
Sarah "Sallie" Jones Stephens born about 1803 and died after 1860
Baylus Earle Stephens (my Great-Great-Grandfather) - another son of Samuel and 
Mary
No dates in book but Baylus was born about 1815 and died March 20, 1896
Baylus lived on the property as did his son, Leonard Dison Stephens and 
Leonard's daughter Dossie, my grandmother
I assume Baylus 2 wives are buried there
Elizabeth "Betty" Stewart Stephens - born about 1820 and died 1860-1870
Louise Cantrell Stephens - born about 1840 and died after June 1888 - she could 
have remarried but I have no record
David Youngblood, 803-322-7559