Third Generation  

4. Samuel Walter STEPHENSON, son of Samuel Charles STEPHENSON and Margaret Lucinda Carricker GARRETT, was born on 24 Feb 1878 in Augusta, Woodruff County, Arkansas, died on 24 Jan 1953 in Spur, Texas at age 74, and was buried in McAdoo, Texas.

General Notes: His death certificate says Jan 24, 1953...The family Bible in the possession of Jenk Stephenson says he died on January 23, 1953.

Samuel Walter Stephenson

by Lila Murphree and Mamie Martin (Sisters to Mrs. Stephenson)
Taken from History of Dickens County, by Fred Arrington, 1971, pp. 325-326

At the age of 26, Walter Stephenson came from Woodruff County, Arkansas, by train to Quannah, Texas, then traveled on the mail hack on to Tap, Texas in Dickens County. From Tap he rode three miles on horseback to the home of Clint Garrett where he claimed as his bride the second daughter of Mr. Garrett, a pioneer of Dickens County.

The wedding ceremony was performed November 15, 1905, after Walter and Annie had ridden four miles on horseback to the home of a friend and minister of the gospel, W. E. Cross, in the Red-mud community.

Annie had expected a few close friends to be present for her wedding, but was surprised when they got in sight of the preacher's house to see the whole countryside dotted with buggies and horsebackers. There were many congratulations and good-bys exchanged that day. For in a few days Walter was to return with his young bride to Augusta, Arkansas to make their home.

The second year of the Mr. And Mrs. Stephenson's marriage a little ray of sunshine came into their lives, little Bennie was born to their pride and joy for six short years. Then, God chose him to join his little angels.

Annie never could accept Arkansas as their home, so in a few years, they brought their three older children, Edna, Annie Grace, and Nath to west Texas to live, and lived the first few years on a farm eight miles west of Spur.

Walter also brought along an Uncle Ben Stephenson to live with them, but the west didn't appeal to Ben, so he soon returned to his old home in Woodruff County, Arkansas, near Grays to live.

Opportunities seemed better on the plains to Walter, so he bought a farm two miles east of McAdoo, where the other children were born (except John, he had been born west of Spur). Jim, Lucille, Charlie and Robena were born and reared. Nath still operates the farm.

Some of the close neighbors were: the Hickmans, Formbys, Bartons, Pullens, Eldridges, Ethridges, Cyphers, McLaughlins, Tookes, and Mr. Rumfield and others.

Mr. And Mrs. Stephenson spent most of their life in helping others. In the twenties his brother Vick, became ill and Walter thought the West may be a more suitable climate for Vick, so persuaded Vick and his family to move to McAdoo on a farm so he could assist in his illness. With Walter's large family and Vick's large family, he had a large crew of farmers. Vick's family later moved to Ft. Worth, except two daughters Helen and Annie T. had married Dickens County boys and are residents of Dickens County.

Again when his half-brother Jim Garrett became ill in Arkansas, he moved him west to McAdoo in hopes of better health conditions. He spent his remaining days in Walter's home and he is buried in the McAdoo cemetery.

He also gave three orphaned nephews the Yarbrough boys, Jenk, Minor and Marvin, home for a time, and Mrs. Stephenson's niece Rachel Johnson spent a school term in their home in the early 1920s.

As mentioned before, Mr. Stephenson was a cotton farmer and during the harvest season, in those days, all cotton was picked by hand, so many families would stop by to pick cotton in the fall of the year. It will be remembered that one year a family by the name of Waldrop, picked during a season when they left their little five-year-old boy, Roland with them. Mr. and Mrs. Stephenson gave him a home and sent to school and reared him to be grown. They treated him like their own and Roland loved them dearly. Their eight children are (Edna) Mrs. M. J. McCoy, Lubbock; (Annie Grace) Mrs. Carmie Findley, Port Lavaca; Nath, McAdoo; John, California; Jim, Paducah; (Lucille) Mrs. Kermit Stanley, Paducah; Charlie, Lubbock; and (Robena) Mrs. Bamey Watts, Lubbock.

As a boy, Mr. Stephenson's one desire was to be a doctor, and he was in school studying medicine when his father passed away. He was of great assistance to his neighbors and family in assisting with minor illnesses for doctors were farapart and scarce in the early days.

Mr. Stephenson was a talented musician, one of the best old time fiddlers in this area. Some of his children followed in his footsteps. He had a string band of this own. Mrs. Stephenson had a beautiful voice. In the early days, neighbors and friends gathered in their home for an evening of music, singing and fun. Their home was well known for its gracious hospitality and never a dull moment there.

Mr. Stephenson was a Methodist, Mrs. Stephenson a member of the Church of Christ. Both remained true to their faith.

They are buried in the McAdoo cemetery.

Samuel married Annie Marinda Elizabeth GARRETT on 15 Nov 1905 in Dickens County. Annie was born on 19 Jan 1889 in Dickens County, Texas, died on 3 Aug 1962 in Lubbock, Texas at age 73, and was buried in McAdoo, Texas.

Children from this marriage were:

          i.  Benjamin Thomas (Benny) STEPHENSON was born on 19 Aug 1907 in Grays, Revels Community, Woodruff County, Akansas, died on 15 Oct 1913 in Grays, Revels Community, Woodruff County, Akansas at age 6, and was buried in I assume the Stephenson Cemetery.

         ii.  Edna Lila Mae STEPHENSON was born on 25 Mar 1909 in Grays, Revels Community, Woodruff County, Arkansas and died on 9 Jan 1990 in Lubbock, Lubbock County, Texas at age 80.

        iii.  Annie Grace STEPHENSON was born on 9 Dec 1911 in Grays, Revels Community, Woodruff County, Arkansas, died on 13 Feb 1994 in Lubbock, Lubbock County, Texas at age 82, and was buried in McAdoo, Dickens County, Texas, USA.

         iv.  William Nathan STEPHENSON was born on 29 Aug 1913 in Grays, Revels Community, Woodruff County, Arkansas and died on 6 Mar 1972 in Lubbock, Lubbock County, Texas at age 58.

          v.  Samuel Jenkins (John) STEPHENSON was born on 22 Feb 1916 in Tap, Red Mud Community, Dickens County, Texas, died on 13 Jun 1987 in Upland, California at age 71, and was buried in Belleview Cemetery, Ontario, California.

2        vi.  Walter James (Jim) STEPHENSON (born on 18 Jan 1918 in McAdoo, Dickens County, Texas - died on 6 Feb 1996 in Lubbock, Lubbock County, Texas)

        vii.  Lynda Lucille STEPHENSON was born on 26 Apr 1920 in McAdoo, Texas, died on 26 Nov 2003 in Lubbock, Lubbock County, Texas at age 83, and was buried in Resthaven Memorial Park, Lubbock, Texas.

       viii.  Charlie Clinton STEPHENSON was born on 18 May 1923 in McAdoo, Texas, died on 12 Aug 1991 in Dickens, Dickens County, Texas, USA at age 68, and was buried in Dickens Cemetery.

         ix.  Dollie Robena STEPHENSON was born on 7 Jul 1925 in McAdoo, Dickens County, Texas, died on 7 Sep 2009 in Lubbock, Lubbock County, Texas, USA at age 84, and was buried on 11 Sep 2009 in McAdoo Cemetery, McAdoo, Texas.

          x.  Roland WALDROP (FOSTER CHILD) was born on 24 Apr 1932 in Lampasas, Texas.

Samuel next married Henrietta (Nettie) Lee WATSON CARIKER, daughter of William Pinkney WATSON and Henrietta Reid ADAMS, 16 or 18 Apr 1902. Henrietta was born on 18 Mar 1877 in Arkansas, died in 1903 in McCrory, Woodruff County, Arkansas at age 26, and was buried in Odd Fellows Cemetery, McCrory, Arkansas. Another name for Henrietta was Nettie Carriker.

The child from this marriage was:

          i.  Maggie Lou STEPHENSON was born in 1903 in Woodruff County, Arkansas, died in 1904 in Woodruff County, Arkansas at age 1, and was buried in Stephenson Cemetery.

5. Annie Marinda Elizabeth GARRETT, daughter of William Clinton GARRETT and Malinda Ann JONES, was born on 19 Jan 1889 in Dickens County, Texas, died on 3 Aug 1962 in Lubbock, Texas at age 73, and was buried in McAdoo, Texas.

General Notes: Burried McAdoo, Texas. Liked to read.

Annie married Samuel Walter STEPHENSON on 15 Nov 1905 in Dickens County. Samuel was born on 24 Feb 1878 in Augusta, Woodruff County, Arkansas, died on 24 Jan 1953 in Spur, Texas at age 74, and was buried in McAdoo, Texas.

6. Joseph Benjamin RICH, son of Robert Alvis RICH and Zora Bell DAVIS, was born on 16 Apr 1898 in Rice, Navarro county, Texas, died on 31 Oct 1959 in Rotan, Fisher County, Texas at age 61, and was buried in Afton, Dickens County, Texas.

General Notes: Occupation: Farmer

"J.B or Jodie"

Died of cancer.

Gravestie location:
N33 45.911
W100 48.361

Joseph married Lydia Mae BRADFORD on 1 Dec 1923 in Afton, Texas. Lydia was born on 3 May 1902 in Afton, Dickens County, Texas, died on 9 Nov 1951 in Rotan, Fisher County, Texas at age 49, and was buried in Afton, Dickens County, Texas.

Children from this marriage were:

3         i.  Jewel Etha RICH (born on 25 Jun 1925 in Afton, Texas (Glenn, Texas) - died on 25 Apr 1992 in Lubbock, Lubbock County, Texas)

         ii.  Joe L. RICH was born on 8 Nov 1928, died on 31 Jan 2000 in Lubbock, Texas at age 71, and was buried on 4 Feb 2000 in Afton, Texas.

        iii.  William Franklin (Pots) RICH was born on 4 Nov 1932 in McAdoo, Texas, died on 10 Jun 2012 at age 79, and was buried in Odessa, Ector County, Texas, USA.

         iv.  Mae Laverne RICH was born on 8 May 1936 in McAdoo, Dickens County, Texas.

          v.  Bernice Syrilda (Bernie) RICH was born on 20 Sep 1938 in Afton, Dickens County, Texas.

Joseph next married Velma Elizabeth BRADFORD, daughter of Clad BRADFORD and Ellen Alvaretta "Alvie" NEWCOMB,. Velma was born on 12 Sep 1904 in Afton, Dickens County, Texas, died in 1992 in Odessa, Ector County, Texas at age 88, and was buried in Afton, Dickens County, Texas.

The child from this marriage was:

          i.  Billy Joe RICH was born on 8 Oct 1930 and died on 3 Nov 2003 in Roswell, New Mexico at age 73.

7. Lydia Mae BRADFORD, daughter of Clad BRADFORD and Ellen Alvaretta "Alvie" NEWCOMB, was born on 3 May 1902 in Afton, Dickens County, Texas, died on 9 Nov 1951 in Rotan, Fisher County, Texas at age 49, and was buried in Afton, Dickens County, Texas.

General Notes: Enjoyed sewing, crochet, tatting, quilting.

Nickname: "Sis"

Married at the home of the bride's parents.

Died of cancer.

Church affiliation: Methodist

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This information was taken from the book: Our Kin by Patsy Rich Fuchs. 2003. page 67

Lydia Mae Bradford was called "Sis." She was married at the hom of her parents. She was a maember of the Methodist Church. Her husband was a farmer and they lived all their lives in Texas. Both of them died of cancer.

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Lydia married Joseph Benjamin RICH on 1 Dec 1923 in Afton, Texas. Joseph was born on 16 Apr 1898 in Rice, Navarro county, Texas, died on 31 Oct 1959 in Rotan, Fisher County, Texas at age 61, and was buried in Afton, Dickens County, Texas.