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F. C. Stephenson, late of Memphis, Tennessee.Franklin Clark, second son and third child of Pleasant Wright Stephenson and his wife, Margaret (Peggy) McGaughey, was born near Mount Hope, Lawrence County, Alabama, April 1, 1826. He was educated in the common schools of the country. His name in boyhood was familiarly known as "Dock" Stephenson. This came from the fact that he was named in honor of two doctors—Dr. Franklin, the philosopher of Philadelphia, and Dr. Robert Mason Clark, a practicing physician of Mount Hope, Alabama, "Dock" Stephenson was born. Everyone called him "Dock" except his parents. They called him Franklin. "Dock" did not have a good opportunity for acquiring a good education. The country was new, and his father was a farmer of limited means. But "Dock" had a strong mind and retentive memory. He secured a fair business education. He was always a good, obedient boy, and was very popular among the young people as well as with the old. He was charitable and generous to a fault. He joined the Cumberland Presbyterian Church when a very young man and always lived in accordance with the vows then taken. After his marriage to a Methodist lady he joined her church. When he came to the average boy's desire, the age of twenty-one, characteristic of the Stephensons, he set out in the world to make his own fortune. He stopped near Germantown, twenty miles east of Memphis, Tennessee, in the employ of an extensive farmer. Being an intelligent, industrious man, and a practical farmer, it was not long until his services were in much demand by the large farmers of the surrounding country. Want of space will not admit of a history of his career. But it was eminently successful. He married Miss Emily Camilla Germany, of Tennessee, December 25, 1849. She was born in Newnan, Georgia, February 2, 1828. This proved to be a very happy union. She was a most excellent Christian woman. She was a woman of extraordinary intellect and an unusually retentive memory. She had but few equals and no superiors. As a housekeeper and in the culinary department she was an adept. Her life was a model for her children in their future intercourse with the world. She believed the doctrine of "training up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it." She did not only believe the doctrine, but she practiced it.
To Franklin Clark Stephenson and his wife, Emily Camilla Germany, were born ten children, seven sons and three daughters, as follows: Olivia Watson, born November 9, 1850; William Franklin and Edwin were twins; Millard Alfred; Walter Clarence; Annie Germany; Margaret Cassander; John Henry; William Pleasant, and Robert Lee Stephenson, born October 31, 1870. Of these ten children, Edwin died in infancy. The rest were regularly christened in the Methodist Church, South. Four died before maturity, and five married. F. C. Stephenson died August 31, 1885. His widow survived him nineteen years. She died January 26, 1904, in Memphis, Tennessee.
Olivia Watson, oldest daughter of Franklin Clark Stephenson and his wife, Emily Camilla Germany, was born in Shelby County, Tennessee, November 9, 1850. She was educated in Memphis. She was a bright child, a dutiful daughter and an intelligent young lady. She was always precautious and is now the dependence of all the children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews, for advice and instruction. Olivia married Robert H. Weaver September 30, 1868. The union was a very fortunate one. Mr. Weaver was an accomplished business man. He had served during the war in the Confederate army. The hardships of the war injured his health. After the close of the war he hoped to regain his usual good health; but he never fully recovered. He died a middle-aged man. After Mr. Weaver's death, his widow managed the home successfully and educated the children. She was from her youth up a consistent member of the Methodist Church, South. She and Mr. Weaver were great friends to education. Their aid in that line was felt and appreciated by many of the young people around them. There were born to Robert H. Weaver and his wife, Olivia W. Stephenson, five children, three sons and two daughters. Of these five children, Kate died when a child. Oliver Edwin died at the age of twenty-three. The other three are now (1905) living.
Robert Angelo Weaver, second child of Robert H. Weaver and Olivia Watson Weaver, nee Stephenson, was born in Shelby County, Tennessee, December 24, 1872. He was educated in the private schools of Memphis, and from June, 1900 to 1903, he was a student at Vanderbilt University in the academic department. He joined the Methodist Church when twelve years old, and has remained in that church ever since, being now a teacher and assistant superintendent in the First Methodist Church Sunday School, of Memphis. Since leaving college, he has been engaged in growing cotton near Memphis, and in the cotton factors' business in that city, being a member of the firm of W. A. Gage & Co.
On July 27, 1897, Robert Weaver was married to Miss Georgia May Allen, daughter of Hon. John M. Allen, of Tupelo, Mississippi. On June 22, 1898, a son was born unto them, who bears his father's name. On September 28, 1899, a daughter was born, who bears her mother's name. On July 5, 1901, God blessed them with yet another son, who was named for his grandfather, John Allen. On February 6, 1904, another daughter was given to them, who bears her mother's sister's name—Annie Belle. All the children are living.
Amelia O., daughter of Robert H. Weaver and his wife, Olivia Watson Stephenson, married Mr. Hildebrand, of Memphis. They have some children. Mrs. Hildebrand's health was failing in Memphis, so they went to Amarillo, Texas, where her health is much better.
Burchett M., their youngest son, is now in college.
Walter Clarence, son of F. C. and Emily C. Stephenson, was born April 27, 1857. He was a farmer below Memphis, married and reared a family. One of his sons is of age. His name is Frank E. Walter Clarence died June, 1882.
Annie Germany, daughter of F. C. and Emily C. Stephenson, was born in Shelby County, Tennessee, June 24, 1859. She was highly educated, was quite fond of the arts and sciences and had a taste for drawing and painting. She studied painting in Paris, France, and was successful in acquiring a fine knowledge of her profession. She married Dr. Ephraim Weston Morgan, of Memphis, Tennessee. Dr. Morgan is a practicing physician in South Memphis. He is descended from a distinguished Southern ancestry. The doctor and his wife have three sprightly children—two sons and one daughter.
His wife, Annie, since her marriage, has changed her name from Annie Germany Stephenson to Annie Stephenson Morgan, and signs her name Annie S. Morgan. She and her husband are giving much attention to the training and education of their children. Annie is a nice Christian woman, a good neighbor and a splendid lady. But she is not such a housekeeper and cook as her mother was.
Margaret Cassander, daughter of F. C. and Emily C. Stephenson, was born June 17, 1861, in Shelby County, Tennessee. She married D. B. Maynard. There were some children born to them. Cassander died. Her sister, Olivia W. Weaver, is taking care of the children.
Robert Lee, the youngest child of Franklin Clark Stephenson and his wife, Emily Camilla Germany, was born near Memphis, Tennessee, October 31, _12.png)
R. L. Stephenson, Esq., San Francisco, California1870. Robert was named in honor of the great Confederate chieftain. His father died when he was a small boy. He had good moral and domestic training by his mother. He was educated in Memphis. He was an intelligent, energetic youth. He grew up to habits of industry and economy. He is dignified and polite, well polished in his manners, and makes a splendid impression on those with whom he comes in contact. He is tall and portly, weighs one hundred and eighty pounds; his figure is symmetrical and his movements graceful. He went to San Francisco, California, and there, October 12, 1898, married Miss Alice Clay, daughter of Hammett Lyttleton Stephenson, formerly of Bells, Tenn. Miss Alice's mother's maiden name was Miss Hattie Anne Cherry. These Stephensons were not related to us so far as we know. Miss Alice was born, reared and educated in Bells, Tennessee. There have been born to Robert Lee and his wife, Alice Stephenson, a son and a daughter, Robert Lee, Jr., born March 31, 1901, and Cherry, born May 23, 1905. R. L. Stephenson is a life insurance man; office, 419 California Street, San Francisco, California. I understand his business is large and prosperous. He is the only son of his parents now living.
William Anderson Stephenson, son of P. W. Stephenson, married in Memphis. The family lives on Monroe Street, in Memphis. W. A. Stephenson is an elder in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. They have children and grandchildren.
Ann, the youngest daughter of P. W. Stephenson, married Mr. Owens, a respected farmer. They have one daughter and live on a good farm near Forest Hill, Shelby County, Tennessee.
Albert Stephenson, son of P. W. Stephenson, married Miss Weatherall, seven miles south of Memphis. Sons and daughters were born to them, who live in the same locality now. 'Squire McCain, whose office is in Memphis, married one of the daughters of Albert Stephenson. Albert and his wife are both dead.
Hodge Lawson Stephenson, the seventh child and fourth son of Hugh W. Stephenson and Margaret, his wife, married Miss Eliza P. Wasson, of Maury County, Tennessee. They reared a family of sons and daughters near Mount Hope, Alabama, where Hugh W. Stephenson, his sons and sons-in-law bought land and settled on new farms, in 1819. H. L. Stephenson had a fine intellect. He, being reared in a new country, and not wealthy, was not well educated. He was an elder in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, a justice of the peace for many years, and a representative in the lower house and Senate of the Alabama Legislature for seventeen years, between 1836 and 1860.