Stevens Family of
Steven's Pottery, Ga.
Henry
Stevens
Founder of Steven's Pottery
Henry Stevens, was the founder of Steven's Pottery
in Southwest Baldwin County. He was born July 21, 1813, the son of Walter
and Elizabeth Stevens of Cornwall, England, where he began working at a
local pottery at a young age. At the age of 18, he became a sailor on a
merchant ship that sailed between Liverpool and New York. At the age of
23 he went to Augusta and worked for the railroad as foreman of hands that
were building the railroad between Augusta and Union Point. That work finished
he was a railroad conductor for a few years. He, with his brothers and
parents, settled in Greene County.
On May 20, 1837 he married
Matilda Stevens in Greene County. She was the daughter of John and
Martha Stevens formerly of N.C. Their eight children were: Martha Jane,
Walter Crawford, Annie E., John Henry, Fannie Matilda, Eliza, William Park,
and one who died as an infant.
He farmed and went into
the sawmill business in Greene County selling and erecting the Page Mill
throughout Middle Ga. In 1854 he purchased a large tract of land in southwest
Baldwin County where he sat up a saw mill plant.The brick and ceramic "pottery
division" was started in 1858. Stevens Pottery was called Whiting at one
time. During the civil war he furnished the troops with knives, shoe pegs
and Joe Brown Pikes. Mrs. Matilda Stevens died in 1862, age 39. Mr.
Stevens married Caroline "Carrie" Torrance, daughter of William & Mary
Torrance, Feb. 28, 1865. They had no children
When Sherman troops came through in 1865
the mills were burned and the pottery works leveled. After the war he rebuilt
his business and it flourished. In 1871 he began making sewer pipe, pottery,
stoneware and brick and his business was known as Kaolin Pottery and Mills.
In 1876 Mr Stevens sold
the business to his sons John Henry and William Crawford and his brother
William P. Stevens, a merchant in Sparta, who was made general manager
and treasurer. The company was called H. Stevens Sons Company,
Macon. When William P. Stevens died the company name was changed to Stevens
Bros Company
Mr. Stevens was a Mason and a devout
Christian of the Methodist faith, a steward nearly all his life and a trustee.
Henry Stevens died Jan. 16,
1883 and Carrie Stevens died June 10, 1883. He, along with
his 2 wives, and other relatives are buried in Matilda Chapel Methodist
Church Cemetery in Stevens Pottery. The chapel was named after Matilda
Stevens.
Walter
Crawford Stevens
Born in 1846 in Green County,
the oldest son of Henry and Matilda Stevens, Walter was eight years old
when the family moved to Baldwin County. He was educated at Emory College
in Oxford.
In 1872 he married Emma
Heard Davis, daughter of Wilson and Mary Wright Davis of Newton County.
They had three children: Mittie Irene, Maria, and one child who died as
an infant. Mr and Mrs Stevens were active members of the Methodist Church.
Mr. Stevens was a steward in the church.
He joined with
his brother John Henry Stevens and Uncle William P Stevens, in 1876,
forming the H. Stevens Sons Company, Macon. When William P. Stevens
died the company name was changed to Stevens Bros Company. In addition
to the pottery business they cultivated about 1,000 acres of land.
John
Henry Stevens
Born April 5, 1851 in Greene
County, the second son of Henry and Matilda Stevens. John was 4 when the
family moved to Baldwin County. He attended Emory College in Oxford for
two years. He married Julia Antoinette Webb in 1873. There six children
were Lemma, Henry A., John H. Jr., Maggie Mell, Julia Pearl and Ruby.
After going in business
for himself, he joined with his brother Walter Crawford Stevens and Uncle
William P Stevens, in 1876, forming the H. Stevens Sons Company,
Macon. When William P. Stevens died the company name was changed to Stevens
Bros Company. In addition to the pottery business they cultivated
about 1,000 acres of land. Around 1890 they built the Stevens home, which
is still standing, in Stevens Pottery.
Henry A. Stevens died as an
infant in 1878. John Henry Stevens, Jr. died at the age of 2 in 1884. Maggie
Mell Stevens died at the age of 3 in 1888. Julia Pearl Stevens died at
the age of 14 in 1904. Mrs. Julia Stevens died Jan. 24, 1919 and is buried
in Matilda Chapel Methodist Church Cemetery next to John Henry Stevens
who died Jan. 25, 1927.
Fannie
Matilda Stevens Glenn
One of Henry Stevens children, Fannie Matilda
Stevens was married to J.W. Glenn Jan 15 1874 they had 2 children Susan
Matilda Glenn Dec 13 1878-Dec 19 1974 and Fannie W. Glenn April 9 1883.
Fannie W Glenn married Parks Rocker of Sparta Ga. and Susan Matilda
Glenn married I. S. Smith, Reidsville Ga.----2 children I.S.Smith jr. and
Richard Glenn Smith Sr. who is my father.
Richard G. Smith Jr.
William Park Stevens
Born in Baldwin
county, Ga. March 31, 1859, of English parentage, and the youngest of three
brothers. His parents were Henry and Matilda Stevens (for whose sketch
see that of Henry Stevens, Baldwin county). After receiving a through education,
he crossed the water and visited his father's old home, and spent
quite a while prospecting among the clay industries of Great Britain. On
he return he accepted a position as superintendent for Stevens Bros. Co.,
Stevens Pottery,Ga., which position he held with credit until his father's
death, at which time he launched out on his own account, in the saw and
planing mill business and merchandising, in which he was successful and
made money. After cutting all the timber contiguous to his mills he disposed
of his interests in this line, formed a company, consisting of himself
and two brothers, W. C. and J. H Stevens, of Stevens Bros. Co., and built
a sewer pipe plant at Macon, Ga, and commenced the manufacture of sewer
pipe, fire brick, flue goods, etc. under the name of Henry Stevens Sons
Co., the subject of this sketch being elected general manager and treasuer.
By never-failing
courage and tenacity, and not knowing what "fail" means, mr. Stevens soon
built and equipped a modern plant, furnished with the best machinery,
and by his shrewdness and foresight, the plant has been a success since
its inception, and has not shut down since it was started, except for repairs.
Mr. Stevens married Miss
Emma G. Stephens, a daughter of John W. Stephens and C. A. Stephens. her
father belonged to a well-known Mississippi family, and died in Nashville,
Tenn., while in the Confederate service. To them three bright and beautiful
children have been born: Estelle, born Sept. 2, 1885; Fannie, born Aug.
27, 1888; and William Park, Jr., born June 25, 1892. Mr. Stevens claims
that to his wife is due a great deal of the credit for his successful business
career. he is charitable and courteous, but stern and positive in business
transactions; says "No" without changing, and is what all practical business
men, with whom he has dealings, term a shrewd and conservative business
man. Mrs. Stevens is a prominent member of the Methodist church.Memoirs
of Georgia Volume 1Historical Society of Georgia, 1895
Sources: Memoirs of Georgia,
Southern
Historical Association;
Marriage Records of Baldwin Co. Ga.;
1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910 Census Records; The Baldwin Bulletin,
May 1 2003; Acts of General Assembly March 3, 1875
Eileen Babb McAdams copyright 2004-2005