The Stephens family line came westward from North Carolina following the rides of their faith by going to Commerce, Illinois. Julian R. Stephens can remember his mother telling the story of the migration which led them to Nauvoo, Illinois as the Saints followed the Prophet westward. She told him of the day that Grandfather and his brother (both youngsters), my grandfather, David H. Stephens, having been baptized shortly before, saddled up their horses and left Nauvoo long before daylight and rode silently along the road towards Carthage.  As they rode not a word was said about the purpose of their ride...to follow the Prophet and his brother Hyrum as their bodies were brought back for burial after the assasination. Finally they saw a little twinkling light on the road ahead, made by a lantern hung on the wagon bringing them home for the last time. By that time there was a procession of men on the road and though they were urged to go back, they silently followed the group until they met the wagon. Nothing was said but they turned back and followed the wagon to Nauvoo, the weeping and wailing was audible to all. Their father found them and sent them to their home...they had added their tribute to the brethern. David H. had just been made a fife and drummer boy to the Nauvoo Legion and had hardly participated in any stately review. He did however join his comrades in the death march around the parade gounds.  As the events progressed, his family was one of the first to be asked to go ahead to Winter Quarters {end of Evan Stephens Page 1].

John Stephens and wife, Elizabeth Briggs Stephens

John Stephens was born 31 Mar 1811, Rowan County, North Carolina. His father was Alexander Stephens born October 1773. His mother was Mary Daily / Daley born 19 November 1787 [or 1778]. His grandfather was Richard Stephens born 1750. His grandmother was [Martha Roberts or Robards from North] Carolina and moved northward. Sometime later they settled in Brown County, Illinois. This was where they heard the Gospel. John was taught the Gospel by Alonzo Foutz and converted by him. He was baptized by the Prophet Joseph and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Hyrum Smith.

John married Elizabeth Briggs on May 1, 1833 at Nauvoo, Hancock, Illinois. Elizabeth Briggs was born on 9 May 1812 in , Davidson, North Carolina, the daughter of John Lemuel Briggs and Constance Peacock Briggs.
Schuyler County 1833 - Marriage License #179 Issued: September 27, 1833 to John Stephens and Elizabeth Briggs

John Lemuel Briggs (1787-1877) and Constance Peacock Briggs (1789-1877)

They had received the gospel and had received the kingdom of God established on the earth. The date of endowment being 6 February 1846. We feel they received their endowments in the Nauvoo Temple before their exodua from Nauvoo.

John Stephens and Elizabeth Briggs Stephens had the following children:

1- James Otha STEPHENS b. May 1, 1834 Brown County, Illinois ; md (1) Mary Catherine Stubfield -she died Mar 15, 1855 in Ogden at age 19 ; md (2) Martha Ann Wilson in Mar 1856 -five children; md (3) Dorthula Catherine Shupe after Sept 1863 in Ogden..
James Otha Stephens

2- David Henderson STEPHENS b. Oct 22, 1835 Brown County, Ill; .md. Albertine Peterson; md. Sophia L. Jensen

3- John Cornelius STEPHENS ( see photo below) b. Jul 4, 1837 Brown County, Ill; md. Harriet Orrilla Shaw.
John Cornelius Stephens

4- Almira Caroline(a) STEPHENS b. Feb 17, 1839 Brown County, Ill. ; md. William Baker .

5- Alexander Nephi STEPHENS. (http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~raymondfamily/WWRaymond.html); md. Sarah Geen; md. Amina Ann Raymond

6- Daniel Monroe STEPHENS b. Oct 4, 1842 Brown County, Ill..; md. Mary Clark
Daniel Monroe Stephens

7- Elizabeth Jane STEPHENS b. on 14 Mar 1845 (Brown County or) Nauvoo, Hancock, Illinois; d, 14 Aug 1906.

8- Thomas Jefferson STEPHENS b. Mar 15, 1847 Brown County, Hancock, Illinois; md. Susan Shupe.

9- Constance Ann STEPHENS b. Feb 17, 1849 Council Bluffs, Ptwtm, Iowa.; md. Orson Eggleston ; md. Ether McBride. (See bio-obit. below)

10- Solomon Clinton STEPHENS b. Sept 17, 1850 Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie, Iowa.; md. Mary E. Pincock; md. Zilpha J. Heninger
. Solomon Clinton Stephens

11- William Jesse STEPHENS -twin b. Apr 1, 1853 Ogden, Weber, Utah.

12- George Washington STEPHENS -twin b.1 Apr 1853 in Ogden, Weber, Utah; d.1 Sep 1853 Ogden, Weber, Utah; d. day of birth..

During the early days of the Church the Saints were persecuted and suffered much affliction at the hand of mobs and wicked men. The Prophet Joseph Smith made the statement that the Saints would continue to be persecuted or loose their lives and finally be driven out to the Rocky Mountains. "He also aid some of them would live to build cities in the midst of the Rocky Mountains." The Church had grown to an estimated 20,000 attendance at a Conference in April 1844.

Some of the Saints had left the Church and were much more wicked than those enemies without. In July 1846 the Stephens family like many others felt they could endure the persecutions no longer so they left Nauvoo with seven children and all their earthly possessions in one wagon drawn by one yok of oxen. They went from Nauvoo to Missouri where they stayed with Phillip Priggs, Elizabeth's uncle. He gave Grandfather work for the winter which helped them very much. March 16, 1847 another baby was born to them. Soon after they moved to Council bluffs, Iowa. They took up a piece of land and farmed it for four years and raised crops to help other saints and to make preparation for the journey to the Salt Lake Valley.

The children who were old enough went to school in Council Bluffs. The teachers were Mrs. Garlick and John Baker. In 1850 Grandfather loaned Brigham Young a yoke of oxen to help him to Salt Lake. The oxen were sent back the same year.

September 1, 1850 another son was born, Solomon Clinton Stephens. In 1851 they started for the Salt Lake Valley with a large group of Saints. They were in the Bates Company. Orson Pratt was also in the same Company. John Stephens was appointed Captain of ten families. They suffered many hardships during their long trek across the plains. They traveled with two wagons two yoke of oxen. Before reaching Independence Rock their ten families were about one days drive ahead of the main company and brother Woodward's wagon was about a mile behind the rest, when they camped for the night. So John and his son James Otha Stephens went back to help them, and found about fifty Crow Indians surrounding the wagon taking what they wanted. He told them to leave things alone. Brother Woodward drove on with the Indians following. One going arm in arm with Grandfather and one with James Otha, they went on to camp. One of the Indians went to one side and fired his gun as a sign of peace. They came to camp with them....[end of Evan Stephens account]

In 1870, an epidemic of smallpox visited Ogden. The Stephens families were among those stricken. So terrible was the disease, that rows of tents were erected east of the city and those ill were taken there. John Stephens was numbered among the dead. He died on December 3, 1870.

Elizabeth Briggs Stephens died on 13 Mar 1886 in Ogden, Weber, Utah. She was buried on 16 Mar 1886 in Ogden, Weber, Utah

Ogden City Cemetery

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CONSTANCE ANN STEPHENS EGGLESTON MCBRIDE
Daughter of John Stephens & Elizabeth Briggs Stephens

The following biographical sketch was given by E.J. Seastrand on occasion of the funeral of Constance Ann, July 18, 1926, American Fork, Utah.

Mrs. McBride is the daughter of Elizabeth Briggs and John Stephens, and was born February 17th, 1849, at Council Bluffs, Potawatami County, Iowa. She crossed the plains with her family when she was three years of age and made their home in Ogden Valley where they lived for ten years. During the Johnson army scare she went through that harrowing experience of the "move down south," and bravely and joyfully met all the hardships incidental to pioneer life.

The family later moved from Ogden Valley to Star Valley, Wyoming, and helped settle that far off country. During all her life she was endeared and beloved by everyone who ever knew her and she was always on hand to administer relief without regards of her own welfare.

At the age of 16, Constance Ann md.,(1) Orson Hyde Eggleston on 4 Dec 1864 in SLC; [Orson died on 9th of February 1917]. From that union there were l1 children born, six survived childhood, 39 grandchildren, and 30 great-grandchildren. The five children whom survive her are as follows: Orson Burgess Eggleston, of Grover, Wyoming; William Jesse Eggleston also of Grover, Wyoming; Elizabeth J. Welch of Afton, Wyoming; Walter Moroni Eggleston, of Cornish, Utah; and Mrs. Laura Cutler (Elijah), of Salt Lake.

Constance divorced Orson H. Eggleston on 29 Sep 1902, recorded in Evanston, Uinta, Wyoming. Two years later on 22 Sep 1904 Constance married (2) Ether Enos McBride, at which time Ether, father of ten children by Mary Jane Moffett [1852-1901], still had two young sons living at home, Lewis Ezra McBride [1887-1907, Lewis died at age nineteen [1887-1907] and Vestel Cyril McBride [1889-1955].

Constance was very apt in the capacity of a nurse and was the means of bringing into this life some 500 babies. She was a good neighbor and a faithful Latter-day Saint all her life and remained so to the end.

Constance's and Ether's life together was full of love and service until her death, July 16,1926. It could be truly said of Constance Ann that she had been a faithful wife and mother, being held in high esteem by all who knew her - noted for her untiring and unselfish services for the sick and afflicted.
(http://www.surnames.com//sponsored_websites/arminta/constance_ann_stephens_.htm)
http://www.surnames.com/featured_surnames.htm

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John Cornelius Stephens, Son of John Stephens and Elizabeth Briggs Stephens. Father of Celestia Jane Stephens md. Nephi F. Brown	Harriet Orrilla Shaw Stephens	Celestia Jane Stephens dau of John C. Stephens and Harriet Shaw Stephens. Wife of Nephi Francis Brown, son of James Morehead Brown
	Picture and story about Harriet Orilla Austin Shaw, mother of above Harriet, in DUP "Women of Faith and Fortitude" Vol IV, Page 2737.	See also at: http://www.OrsonPrattBrown.org/ NewFiles/unidentifed.html AND http://www.OrsonPrattBrown.org/CJB/ 1834-1924-James-Morehead/nephi-francis-brown.html

Picture and story about Harriet Orilla Austin Shaw in Women of Faith and Fortitude Page 2737

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Sketch of John Stephens - Bates Company 1851 - Arrived in SL Valley 4 October 1851

The Stephens' Family American Ancestry.

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