Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 676 - 677 

JOHN S. STEVENS came to Kansas in 1871, and for five years thereafter was located in Chautauqua County. In 1877 he opened up a grocery store in the city of Wichita. and after an unprofitable experience of six months, took up a claim on the North Fork of the Ninnescah, on section 6 in Grand River Township, where he has since operated successfully and built up a good home. His farm is well watered, and supplied with neat and substantial buildings, while in connection with general agriculture he gives considerable attention to the breeding of graded stock.

            Dutchess County, N. Y., was the early home of our subject, and his birth took place Nov. 19, 1842, at the modest home of his parents. He is the son of Akerly and Lucinda (Bachelder) Stevens, who, two years after the birth of John S., left the Empire State and settled in Erie County, Pa. Nine years later the mother died, and John S. returned to his native State, accompanied by an uncle. He lived with his uncle in Cattaraugus County about one and one-half years, at the expiration of which time the uncle changed his residence to Winnebago County, Ill. Our subject received a common-school education, and at the age of seventeen made his way to Wisconsin, about which time there was an urgent call for troops to assist in putting down the Rebellion.

            Young Stevens now enlisted as a Union soldier in a Wisconsin regiment, but was subsequently assigned to the 2d Illinois Light Artillery, his company being commanded by Capt. John C. Phillips. Mr. Stevens served three years and three months, in the meantime being twice captured by the rebels, the first time at Harper's Ferry. He was at once paroled, and exchanged about four months afterward. Subsequently he saw much hard fighting, and was the second time captured, at Rogersville, Tenn., and kept a prisoner at Belle Isle four and one-half months. He was confined in Pemberton's tobacco warehouse a few days, and from there sent to Andersonville, where he was confined six months, then sent to Charleston, S. C., where he and others were stationed to receive the shells of Union gunboats. From there he went to Florence, S. C., where he continued a prisoner three months longer. This latter place Mr. Stevens states was fully equal in hardship and suffering to any of the others, and upon one occasion he passed several days without any food. He then ate cornmeal and cow peas, a couple of spoonsful furnished each day. He finally was released at the exchange of the first 10,000 prisoners, and was detailed to Annapolis, Md., where he obtained a furlough and made a visit to his home in Illinois. Upon rejoining his regiment the boys were detailed to St. Louis, where Mr. Stevens was placed in charge of a number of men, and assigned to Company H of the same regiment. Their next move was to Clarksville, Tenn., where our subject remained on duty until his term of enlistment had expired. Upon one occasion a horse was shot by his side, and another shot under him, which fell on his leg bruising it so that he has never recovered from the effects, and rendering it one and one-half inches larger than the other. He is evidently entitled to a pension, but has thus far been unable to secure one on account of lack of sufficient evidence.

            Mr. Stevens was mustered out of service on the 6th of June, 1865, and continued in Illinois until 1871, when he took up his residence in this State. On the 3d of November, 1872, he was united in marriage with Miss Sarah Baldwin, who was born in Clinton County, Iowa, Nov. 17, 1855. Mrs. Stevens is the daughter of Wesson and Eliza (Nickeson) Baldwin, natives respectively of New York and Canada. They removed to Iowa about 1848, and are now living in Washington Territory. Mr. and Mrs. Stevens have two children: Bertie C., born Sept. 21, 1876, and Bessie G., April 10, 1883. Our subject votes the straight Republican ticket, and has served as Constable one term.

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