John Benjamin Stevens (1830-1907) and his second wife, Lucinda (Brown) Stevens (1845-1911). John married Lucinda after the death of his first wife, Mary Whatley. John and Lucinda were the parents of Mary Elizabeth, Benjamin Lloyd, Margaret Derusha, Christopher, James Isaac, and Martha Jane. John and his first wife, Mary, were the parents of Adam Bird and William D. Stevens. Both John Benjamin and Lucinda Stevens are buried at Union Grove Missionary Baptist Church. Submitted by Linda Munroe.


John Benjamin Stevens
Written by Linda Stevens Munroe, great-great-grandaughter of John Benjamin Stevens

John Benjamin Stevens was the oldest son of Abraham Stevens and Nancy Aycock. He was born in Georgia on July 11, 1830. His father Abraham, originally from North Carolina, migrated to Wilkinson County, Georgia. There he married Nancy Aycock on November 11, 1826. Abraham brought his family of six children—John Benjamin, Joel Adam (1832), Elizabeth (1834), Abraham Daniel (1838), Rachael Catherine (1840) and Sarah F. (1842)—to Walker County, Alabama by 1850. On the 1850 census John Benjamin was shown as living in the household of Sarah Youngblood, also in Walker County. John’s brothers and sisters were living with their father, who we believe was widowed by 1850. In 1854 Abraham entered land near present day Sumiton, Alabama in Walker County. Abraham, a farmer and Baptist clergyman, married his second wife, Elizabeth M. Busbee, and had four more children—Vicie C. (1855), Roseanna A. (1856), William Columbus L. (1857) and Austin H. (1859).

John Benjamin’s first wife was named Mary Whatley. To their union were born two sons, William D. “Bill” Stevens in February 1856 and Adam Bird Stevens on October 15, 1859. William “Bill” married Nancy A. Godsey, daughter of William R. and Lucinda Frost Godsey. William and Nancy are buried at Friendship Primitive Baptist Cemetery, Winston County. John’s second son, Adam Bird, married Mary L. Swims. Bird and Mary had the following children: John Aaron, David Monroe, Benjamin, Frank and Lucy Jane. When Mary died of typhoid fever, Adam married Minnie Fowler on March 23, 1899. After Minnie’s death in 1900, Bird married his third wife, Mary “Mollie” Emily Mullens and had five children--Marcus Boss, Earnest, Cora Belle, Lillie Mae and Lena. Adam Bird and Mollie are buried in Union Grove Missionary Baptist Cemetery. Bird’s first two wives are buried in Macedonia Baptist Cemetery.

In July 1860 John Benjamin’s family was living in the Western District of Marion County, Alabama near Pikeville. However, the family is found two months later living in Iuka, Tishomingo, Mississippi. John’s occupation was listed as farmer in Marion County and brick mason in Mississippi.

On February 26, 1862, John Benjamin enlisted in the 28th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company G, in Jefferson County, Alabama at the age of 31. He was a private and detailed as a teamster (wagoner) in May of the same year by order of General Withers. He is listed in the book Those Gallant Men of the Twenty-Eighth Alabama Confederate Infantry Regiment. His records show he continued to serve as a teamster throughout his years as a soldier. John was honorably discharged in May 1865, according to his application for Confederate pension records.

After John’s civil war service, the family is found on the 1870 Winston County census near the Houston area. Between 1870 and 1880, John’s first wife Mary died. Although family members believe she is buried in the Mt. Hope area of Lawrence County, Alabama, we have not located her grave. By 1870 John Benjamin married Lucinda C. Brown, daughter of Isaac and Elizabeth (Looney) Brown. Lucinda was born on July 28, 1845 in Alabama. John and Lucinda had six children: Mary Elizabeth, born October 1873; Benjamin Lloyd, born July 28, 1874; Margaret Derusha, born November 25, 1876; Christopher, born 1879; James Isaac, born January 10, 1882; and Martha Jane, born 1884. Mary Elizabeth married Isaac West. Benjamin Lloyd married Julia Ann Barnett in Winston and later moved to Van Zandt, Texas. His second wife was Rosa Giddis Patterson. Margaret Derusha married Alonzo Grant Taylor. It is believed that Christopher died at a young age and was buried in the Town Creek area. James Isaac married Armindia Elizabeth Davis. Martha Jane married Henry Allen Cagle.

In 1894 John applied in Winston County for a pension for the relief of Confederate and Alabama soldiers. At the time he was 64 and described as partially paralyzed. The pension records show he was living in Delmar. After John died, Lucindy made application for widow benefits.

John and Lucinda were living on Biler Road in Winston in 1900. Seven years later he died on May 27, 1907 at the age of 76. He is buried in the Union Grove Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery. A few years later, Lucindy passed away on January 24, 1911. She is buried alongside her husband. On both tombstones is the verse,“I Know My Redeemer Lives.”


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