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