Gaston, Joseph. "The Centennial History of Oregon, 1811-1912." Vol. 4. Chicago, Clarke Publishing Co., 1912. p. 60, 63. JAMES A. STEPHENS is a native son of Oregon. He was born on the Callapooia, on section 15, range 6, township 25, west, in Douglas county, November 25, 1858, his parents being Ebenezer and Rebecca (Stormer) Stephens, the former a native of New York state and the latter of Tennessee. They were married in Illinois, to which state the mother had removed with her parents in her girlhood days, while the father had gone there as a young man. After their marriage they settled near Burlington, iowa, where they lived until 1852, when they crossed the plains to Oregon, making the trip with ox teams. While they were on route one of their children, John Wesley, passed away. On arriving here the father purchased the interests of William Cox, who had squatted on a land claims on Callapooia creek but had never filed on the land. It was upon this place that the birth of his son James A. occurred. Subsequently the father purchased the donation claim of J. M. Venable adjoining his original property and thus increased his holdings to about six hundred and forty acres. He built the old Rochester flour mill on the Callapooia creek, which he operated for a number of years, and also built and operated the Millwood sawmills on Hubbard creek, which are still operating, being conducted by a member of the family - Rush Clark, who is a grandson of Ebenezer Stephens. The father was a democrat in politics and served for one term as assessor of Umpqua county before Douglas county was cut off from it. Subsequently he served for two terms as county clerk of Douglas county and for two years as deputy sheriff under John B. Noble. He was one of the well known men of his district in Douglas county, prominent in various connections and in the Odd Fellows lodge he had many warm friends as he did in other relations. His wife was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. James A. Stephens was reared at home acquiring his education in the public schools. He worked with his father on the farm and later in the sawmill and lumberyards in Pomeroy, Washington, until his twenty-fourth year, when he rented school land in Garfield county, Washington, where he carried on general agricultural pursuits for a decade. In 1892 he removed to his present home - the donation claim which his father had purchased from J. M. Venable. He rented and cultivated this until the death of his mother, after which he purchased the interests of the other heirs in the old homestead. He has since sold eighty acres of the property so that at the present time his possessions comprise two hundred and forty acres. The farm is well developed and improved, giving every evidence of modern methods and careful management. In 1881 Mr. Stephens was united in marriage to Miss Ida Oliver, who was born on the plains in 1864, while her parents, Elijah and Nancy Oliver, were traveling westward with ox teams to Oregon. Mrs. Stephens is a cousin of Turner Oliver, state senator from Baker county, and at one time a candidate for governor of the state. Mr. and Mrs. Stephens have become parents of six children, namely: Alva, at home; Bertha, the wife of King Carlyle, a farmer on the Umpqua River, in Douglas county; Angie, the wife of Peter Monner, a ranchman of Crooks; Maud, who married Clarence Thompson, a farmer residing in Coles Valley; Edith, at home; and Raymond, who completes the family. In politics Mr. Stephens is a democrat but has never been an office seeker. He belongs to Douglas Camp No. 358, W. O. W., and his wife has membership relations with the Baptist church and Oak Leaf Circle, NO. 219. In carrying on his business affairs he has made close study of the possibilities of soil and climate and utilized his land to good advantage, winning that success which is the merited reward of earnest and honorable endeavor. ******************* Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project Jenny Tenlen. Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.