Santa
Clara County
Biographies
LORENZO DOW STEPHENS
When the Stephens family came to America they
settled in New Jersey, and from that colony the original emigrant enlisted for
service in the Revolutionary war. His son, Samuel, was a native of New Jersey,
and a soldier in the war of 1812, at the close of which he returned to his home
and took up agricultural pursuits. During the period antedating the Black Hawk
war Richard, son of Samuel, left New Jersey, where his previous years had been
passed, and settled among the pioneers of Illinois, then on the frontier of
civilization. For some time he made his home in Fulton county,
and meanwhile built the first frame house in Canton. Later he made his home in
Ohio for seven years. On his return to Illinois he settled near Galesburg,
where he remained until death. By his marriage to Eleanor Addis, who was born
in New Jersey and died in Ohio, he had five children, all of whom attained
mature years and two are now living.
The youngest of the family and the
only member who came to the western coast is L. D. Stephens, who was born near
Hackettstown, N. J., September 29, 1827. While he was
reared principally on a farm and thus acquired familiarity with agricultural
work, he also learned the trade of a carpenter under his father’s instruction
and in addition gained a fair knowledge of the millwright’s trade. The most
memorable experience of his youth (and, indeed, of his entire life) began when
he joined an Illinois party bound for California. News had just been received
concerning the discovery of gold and he was anxious to try his fortune in the
mines. March 28, 1849, the expedition started on its long, and to many, fatal
journey When they arrived in Salt Lake City on the 24th of July the
Mormons told them of the sad fate of the Donner party and warned them it would
be unsafe to proceed at once, as they would undoubtedly be victims of the
mountain snows and storms. The advice was unfortunate, but plausible, and
therefore accepted. When they left Salt Lake City, September 29 they started on
the old Southern route, known as the Spanish trail. Captain Hunt, a Mormon
guide, accompanied them, it being the agreement that each of the one hundred
and five wagons was to pay him $10 for his services. When they had reached
Mountain Meadow parties met them who told them of a new route to California,
and all but seven of the wagons decided to take the new trail. The “Jayhawkers”
(such was the name they had given themselves on leaving Salt Lake) found
themselves after a time in an immense desert, where for miles they would not
see a blade of grass or tree or any sign of life. Water could be found only at
great distances. Under the stress of hunger and thirst, the wagons were
abandoned and the men hastened on as rapidly as their fast-sinking strength
permitted. At one time they were without water for three days. Four men in Mr.
Stephens’ party died of thirst. Other parties fared even worse. In one company
of eleven only two came through, the others dying of starvation and thirst. For
nearly five months they were lost in the desert and toward the last all became
so weak that they could travel only a few hundred years in a day. When
emaciated so that they resembled living skeletons, February 4, 1850, they
arrived at San Francisquita ranch, the residence of
the Castilian family of Del Valles, and famous in
fiction as the home of Ramona. With the kindness of their race, the Del Valles drove in a bullock, killed and dressed meat, and
soon set before the weak and starving travelers a bountiful supply of
provisions. Nor did their kindness stop here, for they also offered them money,
but this was refused.
In the party there was one woman,
wife of Rev. Mr. Brier, and now a resident of Lodi, this state. It was a
characteristic of all of the party that they were true pioneers, refusing to
turn back, no matter what difficulties beset them. With one accord they
declared they would keep on westward or leave their bones on the desert. The
experiences of those days will never be forgotten by Mr. Stephens nor by the other survivors of the ill-fated expedition. Ever
since that time the desert where so many of their number died has been known as
Death Valley. When he had recovered enough to work he went into the mines of
Mariposa county. Until 1851 he continued mining,
meanwhile having his share of good and bad luck. Afterward he spent a year in
the vicinity of Stockton, and a similar period in Santa Clara county. Near the present site of Tracy he had about two
thousand acres, but lost it through the Fremont grant. He continued, however,
in the cattle business, driving stock north from Los Angeles and San Diego and
selling them in the mines and at San Francisco. Later he made a trip to the
Sandwich Islands, and in 1898 went to Alaska, where he still has mining
interest in Cook’s Inlet. In 1883 he settled in San Jose, where he improved
residence property and built a shop at No. 371 West Santa Clara street. The patent of the Garden City windmill (one of the
early inventions of this kind) was purchased by him and since 1889 he has been
engaged in its manufacture, with the exception of intervals devoted to mining.
The marriage of Mr. Stephens
occurred in San Francisco, and united him with Miss Julia Ludlum, who was born
in Jacksonville, Ill., and in 1854 came via the Nicaragua route to California
in company with her father, Cornelius Ludlum. The latter had come west in 1849
and remained a few years, then returned east for his family. Two children were
born to the union of Mr. and Mrs. Stephens, namely: Mrs. Emma Falconer, of
Menlo Park; and Lorenz L., a graduate of the Cooper Medical College and now a
practicing physician of
Monroe, Mich. The family are (sic)
connected with the First Presbyterian Church of San Jose. In politics Mr.
Stephens is a believer in Republican principles, fraternally is connected with
the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and with his wife holds membership in the
Santa Clara County Pioneers Association.
Transcribed By: Cecelia M. Setty.
Source: History of the State of California & Biographical Record of Coast
Counties, California by Prof. J. M. Guinn, A. M., Pages 1352-1353. The
Chapman Publishing Co., Chicago, 1904.
© 2016 Cecelia M. Setty.