Stephens Family [RG0769.AM]

HISTORY NEBRASKA MANUSCRIPT FINDING AID



RG0769.AM:  Stephens Family



Letters:  1860 and 1943

Rockville and Loup City, Sherman County, Nebraska:  Pioneer settlers

Size:  Two items



BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE



Lamont Lavern Stephens, son of William Harrison and Anna Martha Stephens, was born on December 8, 1887, on the Stephens family homestead near Rockville, Sherman County, Nebraska. The Stephens family had moved from Winnebago County, Illinois to Sherman County in 1872.



After graduating from Kearney Normal College and the University of Nebraska Law School (1914), Lamont L. Stephens began his law practice in Loup City. In 1915, he was married to Elizabeth Lucretia Warren of Butler County, Nebraska. A daughter, Jennie Ruth, was born in 1918 and a son, Norman Edmund, was born in 1920. Lamont L. Stephens practiced law in Loup City until his death in 1952.



Norman E. Stephens attended Loup City High School, Cornell College (Iowa), and Harvard Law School. His studies at Harvard were interrupted by the war. As a naval officer during World War II, Stephens saw action in North Africa and in the Mediterranean. After the war and the completion of his education, Norman returned to Loup City where, on January 1, 1949, he joined his father in a law practice.



SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE



This collection consists of two letters dating from 1860 and 1943. The letter of 1943, in transcript form, was written by Lamont L. Stephens in the form of a reminiscence. Sent to his son, Norman, Stephens explains the motivations and the emotions felt by pioneers who set out to tame the western wilderness and to seek a new home. Stephens also describes life on the family homestead near Rockville, Sherman County, Nebraska and the personalities of his parents, William Harrison and Anna Martha Stephens. The 1860 letter was written by George Stephens to his brother William. Written from Camp Creek, eight miles south of Nebraska City, the letter discusses a trip George made, probably in 1859, for the purpose of supplying the garrison at Camp Floyd, near Salt Lake City, Utah. George describes the condition of the trail through Nebraska, including the width and depth of the rivers and creeks crossed, the number of buffalo seen, and the availability of wood and grass. A typescript of this letter is also included. Biographical information on members of the Stephens family is provided by Norman E. Stephens.



INVENTORY



Letters, 1860 and 1943; biographical information on Stephens family included



 



Subject headings:



Frontier and pioneer life — Nebraska

Homestead Law — Nebraska

Oregon Trail

Overland Journeys to the Pacific

Rockville (Nebraska) — History

Sherman County (Nebraska) — History

Stephens, Anna Martha (Thoresen), 1852-1933

Stephens, George, 1840-1862

Stephens, Lamont Lavern, 1887-1952

Stephens, William Harrison, 1841-1908



 



Revised TMM       12-27-2006

Become a Member!

Our members make history happen.

Join Now

You May Also Enjoy

Marker Monday: Evelyn Sharp

Marker Monday: Evelyn Sharp

The Massacre Canyon Oral History and Archeology Project

The Massacre Canyon Oral History and Archeology Project

Lest We Forget:  The Lynching of Will Brown, Omaha’s 1919 Race Riot

Lest We Forget: The Lynching of Will Brown, Omaha’s 1919 Race Riot

About History Nebraska
History Nebraska was founded in 1878 as the Nebraska State Historical Society by citizens who recognized Nebraska was going through great changes and they sought to record the stories of both indigenous and immigrant peoples. It was designated a state institution and began receiving funds from the legislature in 1883. Legislation in 1994 changed History Nebraska from a state institution to a state agency. The division is headed by Interim Director and CEO Jill Dolberg. They are assisted by an administrative staff responsible for financial and personnel functions, museum store services, security, and facilities maintenance for History Nebraska.
Explore Nebraska
Discover the real places and people of our past at these History Nebraska sites.

Upcoming Events

View our new and upcoming events to see how you can get involved.

Become a Member

The work we do to discover, preserve, and share Nebraska's history wouldn't be possible without the support of History Nebraska members.

Latest Hall of Fame Inductee

The Nebraska Hall of Fame was established in 1961 to officially recognize prominent Nebraskans.

Become a Member

The work we do to discover, preserve, and share Nebraska's history wouldn't be possible without the support of History Nebraska members.
Nebraska Collections

History Nebraska's mission is to collect, preserve, and open our shared history to all Nebraskans.

Our YouTube Video Collection

Get a closer look at Nebraska's history through your own eyes, with our extensive video collections.

Additional Research Resources

History Nebraska Research and Reference Services help connect you to the material we collect and preserve.

Support History Nebraska
Make a cash donation to help us acquire, preserve, and interpret Nebraska’s history. Gifts to History Nebraska help leave a legacy and may help your taxes, too! Support the work of History Nebraska by donating to the History Nebraska Foundation today.

Volunteers are the heroes of History Nebraska. So much history, so little time! Your work helps us share access to Nebraska’s stories at our museums and sites, the reference room, and online.