Farmer. Occupation listed on 1860 census for Marion County, Oregon.
His wife died in 1859.....Three years later married Elizabeth Fuller, according to marriage records in Yamhill Co., Oregon.
HISTORY OF STEVENS FAMILY TELLS OF WAGON TRAIN TREK by Lulu Newton.
Biographical Sketch of Hanson Stevens
Hanson Stevens was born in Dearborn County, Indiana, on March 14, 1818. His parents were of English descent and they were farmers. On March 1, 1838, at the age of 20, he married Lavina Wickard. They were married in Ripley county, Indiana, and made their home there until 1846, when the family moved to Iowa. Six years later, in April of 1852 Mr. and Mrs. Stevens, with seven children, the oldest, Isaac, being 13 years old, started from Keokuk, Iowa, in a train of 23 wagons, drawn by oxen, for Oregon.
They brought all their household goods and a large herd of cattle, which they drove along the way. The grass was scarce and the stock suffered a great deal. At this time, it was considered a very hazardous undertaking to cross the plains with ox teams, and required a great deal of courage for a man to take his all, at such a risk on such a journey.
The plains were infested with Indians, and marauders, and the only wonder is that more of these pioneers were not killed.
The Stevens family was about six months making the journey. One day, while driving along, they saw a big cloud of dust, and through the dust, they imagined hundreds of Indians riding toward them. They stopped the train, corralled the wagons and got ready to defend themselves.
When the cloud of dust got nearer, they discovered that instead of Indians on horseback, it was a big herd of buffalo. The men went out on horseback after them and killed enough that they had all the fresh meat they needed for some time.
This wagon train was called "The Dickson Train" and of the 23 wagons starting from Keokuk, Hanson Stevens was the only one to reach Oregon. Some of the men quarreled and parted company, most of the trains going to California.
When the Stevens family got to the The Dalles, Stevens and the oldest son, Isaac, took their cattle down the trail to the mouth of the Big Sandy river, while Mrs. Stevens, with six children, two of them, Rebecca and Christine, sick with mountain fever, and another, Sarah, badly burned from a camp fire near Pendleton, came down from The Dalles to the upper Cascades in an open scow paddled by Indians. They transferred around the Cascades and took another scow on which they went to the Big Sandy.
The Stevens family went on to Silverton landing with only five dollars in cash. Stevens found that wheat was $5 a bushel and potatoes were $3.
He took up a donation land claim of 308 acres near the Newsome sawmill, five miles from Silverton, Oregon, and after building a cabin to live in, he went to work splitting rails to earn enough to feed his family. This first winter was so cold and with no feed for his cattle he lost them all.
This was the winter of 1852-1853. Mrs. Stevens died in 1863 at the age of 40, and two years later Stevens married Elizabeth Jane Bently Fuller.
After his second marriage, he rented his land to his son, Isaac, who afterward bought out the other heirs. The property was still owned by members of his family as late as 1944.
Stevens bought a ranch in Yamhill county where he lived with his second wife until his death in 1880.
The Stevens children were a s follows; Isaac Stevens, Rebecca Stevens Mount, Sarah Stevens McCubbins, Rispy Stevens Ringo, Christine Stevens Esson, Millard Stevens, Mary Stevens Smith, all born in Indiana; Emma Stevens, Martha Ann (Mattie) Stevens Cahill, born in Oregon and of the second marriage, Keithly Boles, Lyman Davis Hall and Alice Fidellia, born in Oregon.
At one time, Steves came to Washington for a while, but eventually went back to Oregon. This was about 1858.
Mrs. Lena Parsons of Dayton, a great granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Stevens, has in her possission the spinning wheel, a pair of wool cards and a set of candle molds, brought across the plains in 1852.
Mr. and Mrs. Stevens are buried at Bethany, near Silverton, Oregn.
Mrs. Lulu Newton and Mrs. George (Lida) Jackson, both of Dayton, are granddaughters of Hanson and Lavina Stevens. The Stevens family reunion will be held in July at the Esson home at Silverton, Oregon, this year. Reunions have bee held each year with the first held in July, 1891.
(Ed. Note--This is the latest of the family histories which are being prepared by members of the Columbia county chapter, Daughters of the Pioneers of Washington.)
HISTORY OF STEVENS FAMILY TELLS OF WAGON TRAIN TREK by Lulu Newton.
Biographical Sketch of Hanson Stevens
Hanson Stevens was born in Dearborn County, Indiana, on March 14, 1818. His parents were of English descent and they were farmers. On March 1, 1838, at the age of 20, he married Lavina Wickard. They were married in Ripley county, Indiana, and made their home there until 1846, when the family moved to Iowa. Six years later, in April of 1852 Mr. and Mrs. Stevens, with seven children, the oldest, Isaac, being 13 years old, started from Keokuk, Iowa, in a train of 23 wagons, drawn by oxen, for Oregon.
They brought all their household goods and a large herd of cattle, which they drove along the way. The grass was scarce and the stock suffered a great deal. At this time, it was considered a very hazardous undertaking to cross the plains with ox teams, and required a great deal of courage for a man to take his all, at such a risk on such a journey.
The plains were infested with Indians, and marauders, and the only wonder is that more of these pioneers were not killed.
The Stevens family was about six months making the journey. One day, while driving along, they saw a big cloud of dust, and through the dust, they imagined hundreds of Indians riding toward them. They stopped the train, corralled the wagons and got ready to defend themselves.
When the cloud of dust got nearer, they discovered that instead of Indians on horseback, it was a big herd of buffalo. The men went out on horseback after them and killed enough that they had all the fresh meat they needed for some time.
This wagon train was called "The Dickson Train" and of the 23 wagons starting from Keokuk, Hanson Stevens was the only one to reach Oregon. Some of the men quarreled and parted company, most of the trains going to California.
When the Stevens family got to the The Dalles, Stevens and the oldest son, Isaac, took their cattle down the trail to the mouth of the Big Sandy river, while Mrs. Stevens, with six children, two of them, Rebecca and Christine, sick with mountain fever, and another, Sarah, badly burned from a camp fire near Pendleton, came down from The Dalles to the upper Cascades in an open scow paddled by Indians. They transferred around the Cascades and took another scow on which they went to the Big Sandy.
The Stevens family went on to Silverton landing with only five dollars in cash. Stevens found that wheat was $5 a bushel and potatoes were $3.
He took up a donation land claim of 308 acres near the Newsome sawmill, five miles from Silverton, Oregon, and after building a cabin to live in, he went to work splitting rails to earn enough to feed his family. This first winter was so cold and with no feed for his cattle he lost them all.
This was the winter of 1852-1853. Mrs. Stevens died in 1863 at the age of 40, and two years later Stevens married Elizabeth Jane Bently Fuller.
After his second marriage, he rented his land to his son, Isaac, who afterward bought out the other heirs. The property was still owned by members of his family as late as 1944.
Stevens bought a ranch in Yamhill county where he lived with his second wife until his death in 1880.
The Stevens children were a s follows; Isaac Stevens, Rebecca Stevens Mount, Sarah Stevens McCubbins, Rispy Stevens Ringo, Christine Stevens Esson, Millard Stevens, Mary Stevens Smith, all born in Indiana; Emma Stevens, Martha Ann (Mattie) Stevens Cahill, born in Oregon and of the second marriage, Keithly Boles, Lyman Davis Hall and Alice Fidellia, born in Oregon.
At one time, Steves came to Washington for a while, but eventually went back to Oregon. This was about 1858.
Mrs. Lena Parsons of Dayton, a great granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Stevens, has in her possission the spinning wheel, a pair of wool cards and a set of candle molds, brought across the plains in 1852.
Mr. and Mrs. Stevens are buried at Bethany, near Silverton, Oregn.
Mrs. Lulu Newton and Mrs. George (Lida) Jackson, both of Dayton, are granddaughters of Hanson and Lavina Stevens. The Stevens family reunion will be held in July at the Esson home at Silverton, Oregon, this year. Reunions have bee held each year with the first held in July, 1891.
(Ed. Note--This is the latest of the family histories which are being prepared by members of the Columbia county chapter, Daughters of the Pioneers of Washington.)