William Stephens was born into the large & loving family of Benjamin Stephens and Dorothy Jemima Waller. The family home was on a hill overlooking Riga Run, being about one mile north of Orange Springs in Orange county, VA. It had been the seat of his step-grandfather, Stephen Smith (d. 1799) who married his grandmother, Blessing Stephens, July 4, 1773.
In the first years of the 19th century, two of his brothers migrated to South Carolina with a large group of family and neighbors. This began a long period of extreme trouble & hardship for the Stephens family. The story is told on the memorial of his father, Benjamin who as an old man had no choice but to journey to South Carolina to rescue that part of his family which had not perished.
On December 26, 1803 in Orange county VA, William took Elizabeth Louisa Nelson as his wife. Several members of her family were a part of the troubled South Carolina party which had to be rescued. By about 1806 Benjamin and most of his children had settled in Fayette county, KY near Bryan's Station. By 1810 many had moved to Campbell county (now Kenton). William & Elizabeth established themselves in Kenton county. They were an important part of this large, prosperous family.
Missouri became a state in 1820. Hundreds of Kentuckians bought land at economical prices. The land there was similar to the Bluegrass. The family determined it was to their advantage to establish a new plantation in Missouri. William Stephens was the vanguard of this operation. In 1833 a large contingent left, taking many many slaves with them. Indeed, this was one of the reasons the move was thought to be expedient. The family's slave holdings were sizable and could be better and more safely managed if new areas of production were opened. William built a large two story, 8 room home of the style so prevalent in Kentucky. He planted locust trees and called the new place Locust Grove.
A great historical record was established from the correspondence of William and Leonard Stephens. William's son, Thomas Nelson Stephens safeguarded these letters. In the 1930s Tom's grandson, Claude Stephens began the long process of preparing them for publication and placing them in the archives of the Missouri Historical Society.
In the first years of the 19th century, two of his brothers migrated to South Carolina with a large group of family and neighbors. This began a long period of extreme trouble & hardship for the Stephens family. The story is told on the memorial of his father, Benjamin who as an old man had no choice but to journey to South Carolina to rescue that part of his family which had not perished.
On December 26, 1803 in Orange county VA, William took Elizabeth Louisa Nelson as his wife. Several members of her family were a part of the troubled South Carolina party which had to be rescued. By about 1806 Benjamin and most of his children had settled in Fayette county, KY near Bryan's Station. By 1810 many had moved to Campbell county (now Kenton). William & Elizabeth established themselves in Kenton county. They were an important part of this large, prosperous family.
Missouri became a state in 1820. Hundreds of Kentuckians bought land at economical prices. The land there was similar to the Bluegrass. The family determined it was to their advantage to establish a new plantation in Missouri. William Stephens was the vanguard of this operation. In 1833 a large contingent left, taking many many slaves with them. Indeed, this was one of the reasons the move was thought to be expedient. The family's slave holdings were sizable and could be better and more safely managed if new areas of production were opened. William built a large two story, 8 room home of the style so prevalent in Kentucky. He planted locust trees and called the new place Locust Grove.
A great historical record was established from the correspondence of William and Leonard Stephens. William's son, Thomas Nelson Stephens safeguarded these letters. In the 1930s Tom's grandson, Claude Stephens began the long process of preparing them for publication and placing them in the archives of the Missouri Historical Society.
William Stephens was born into the large & loving family of Benjamin Stephens and Dorothy Jemima Waller. The family home was on a hill overlooking Riga Run, being about one mile north of Orange Springs in Orange county, VA. It had been the seat of his step-grandfather, Stephen Smith (d. 1799) who married his grandmother, Blessing Stephens, July 4, 1773.
In the first years of the 19th century, two of his brothers migrated to South Carolina with a large group of family and neighbors. This began a long period of extreme trouble & hardship for the Stephens family. The story is told on the memorial of his father, Benjamin who as an old man had no choice but to journey to South Carolina to rescue that part of his family which had not perished.
On December 26, 1803 in Orange county VA, William took Elizabeth Louisa Nelson as his wife. Several members of her family were a part of the troubled South Carolina party which had to be rescued. By about 1806 Benjamin and most of his children had settled in Fayette county, KY near Bryan's Station. By 1810 many had moved to Campbell county (now Kenton). William & Elizabeth established themselves in Kenton county. They were an important part of this large, prosperous family.
Missouri became a state in 1820. Hundreds of Kentuckians bought land at economical prices. The land there was similar to the Bluegrass. The family determined it was to their advantage to establish a new plantation in Missouri. William Stephens was the vanguard of this operation. In 1833 a large contingent left, taking many many slaves with them. Indeed, this was one of the reasons the move was thought to be expedient. The family's slave holdings were sizable and could be better and more safely managed if new areas of production were opened. William built a large two story, 8 room home of the style so prevalent in Kentucky. He planted locust trees and called the new place Locust Grove.
A great historical record was established from the correspondence of William and Leonard Stephens. William's son, Thomas Nelson Stephens safeguarded these letters. In the 1930s Tom's grandson, Claude Stephens began the long process of preparing them for publication and placing them in the archives of the Missouri Historical Society.
In the first years of the 19th century, two of his brothers migrated to South Carolina with a large group of family and neighbors. This began a long period of extreme trouble & hardship for the Stephens family. The story is told on the memorial of his father, Benjamin who as an old man had no choice but to journey to South Carolina to rescue that part of his family which had not perished.
On December 26, 1803 in Orange county VA, William took Elizabeth Louisa Nelson as his wife. Several members of her family were a part of the troubled South Carolina party which had to be rescued. By about 1806 Benjamin and most of his children had settled in Fayette county, KY near Bryan's Station. By 1810 many had moved to Campbell county (now Kenton). William & Elizabeth established themselves in Kenton county. They were an important part of this large, prosperous family.
Missouri became a state in 1820. Hundreds of Kentuckians bought land at economical prices. The land there was similar to the Bluegrass. The family determined it was to their advantage to establish a new plantation in Missouri. William Stephens was the vanguard of this operation. In 1833 a large contingent left, taking many many slaves with them. Indeed, this was one of the reasons the move was thought to be expedient. The family's slave holdings were sizable and could be better and more safely managed if new areas of production were opened. William built a large two story, 8 room home of the style so prevalent in Kentucky. He planted locust trees and called the new place Locust Grove.
A great historical record was established from the correspondence of William and Leonard Stephens. William's son, Thomas Nelson Stephens safeguarded these letters. In the 1930s Tom's grandson, Claude Stephens began the long process of preparing them for publication and placing them in the archives of the Missouri Historical Society.
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