The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1881-08-16
A Brief Sketch of the Life of
one of the Leading Citi-
zens of Central
Missouri.
The Tall Oak Has Fallen An
other Life Has Been Extin-
guished- Another Man
has Been Called over
the Dark, Gloomy
River.

vile. he news WAS lnmct1latcly flashed
To this city. where he was we'll known. a,
first it was received with increduliry, be-
cause Wednesday he As in the city in good
health and cheerful lie left his home ri
Boonville, "Wednesday morning, to 20 to
Warsaw, but the train left him here, and
he remained few hours, when he took
. the train for Upton, where he spent the
dav. lie returned home last night in good
health. but excessively warm. lie talked
until Ia o'clock at h:s house with friends.
lie retired soon after, and slept we'll. At
t;:3O a. M. he was taken suddenly with
pains in his lungs and heart. doctors
we're sent Tor, but death claimed him in u
few moments after their arrival.
Mrs. Dr. Depp, II sister OF the colonel,
and brother. John II. Stephens. OF
Bunccton, are at Aurora Springs. Miller
county. Mrs. Stephens, mother Of the de-
ceased. resides in Scdalia with her daugh-
ter, Mrs. DePp. is seventy-nine years Oi
age. and Is now on a visit IL friends ut
Bunceton, in Cooper county.
The funeral Of Col. Stephens will take
place Saturday morning 1T ten o'clock.
Joseph Lafayette Stephens was born in
Cooper county, Missouri, January Is, 1876
His father, Hon. Lawrence {. Stephens,
WAS native Of Virginia. His mother,
Carolina. and at the time the subject vi
this sketch was born, wereengaged 10 farm-
ing in Cooper county.
The education of Joseph was commenced
mt the common schools oi the county,
During the vacations he assisted his father
on the farm and employed his leisure
hours in study. When sufficiently sdvsnc-
ell he entered the high school ut Boonyille,
from which he graduated with high honors
at the age OF eighteen.
In 1874, he commenced the study Oi Law
in the Office OF Hon. John &. Miller, y
man we'll known Throughout, the country
for his legal attachments, and who repre-
scnted his district for two terms in the
United States congress. During the next
two years Joseph applied himself closely
to his legal studies, spending few months
OF each year in teaching public schools.
In the month OF May. 1916. call was
made for one company from Cooper conn
t. to join the troops in Mexico. J. l..
Stephens responded to that call, and was
unanimously elected captain. Although
but twenty years Of age, he made m elO-
quent aud spirited address upon that occa-
sion. lie assembled his company in Boom
Vile on the following Wednesday, and
tailed them in military duties and on
Thursday they embarked on the steamer
L. +. Linn for 81. Louis.
During the trip the Linn went aground
on a sandbar about two miles above
Hermann. The provisions OF the company
were greatly exhausted by the delay. lie
ID kA 1...s
proceeding q short distance he found deep
water between the bar and the town. He
ut once tied his clothes in . bundle and
SWAN over to the town, where he OBJ
tanned 4 boat load OF provisions.
Gen. Taylor having gained an impor.
ant victory in Mexico, it was thought no
more troops were needed, aud she company
were ordered back to Boonville, and short
ly aiicrward disbandcd. much to their re-
gret.
In lsi. he completed his legal studies
and Immediately commenced practice, with
great success. At this time the BOonville
bar ranked with the ablest in the state.
among its members, Washing
ton Adams, afterward elevated to the
Supreme bench, Peyton X. Hayden, John
q. Miller, Hon. BENJAMIN Tompkins.
Emmett X HAYDEN and Others oi equal
celebrity.
In 1867 ne became associated with
George q. Vest, with whom h. practiced
until the outbreak oi the war. lie was
lasc connected with the banking house ri
W. II. Trigg 4 Co., acting rs advisor and
attorney but taking no par, in the hlsi-
ness. lie afterwards practiccd in the
Court III Claims in Washington CITY. and
in the Supreme court oi
the United States until lS6.,
when a painful disease OF the throat
forced him to seek medical advice and
abandon profession which he had honor
ri and in which he had become distin-
guished.
His health improving, he opened pri-
vate banking house in Boonville, and. in
1866. organized the Central National
bank. The bank has continued under his
ever since, and is classed
among the most solid institutions OF the
Mr.. Stephens Was q democrat. He was
, man Of profound and accurate judgment
md inspired the greatest confidence. He
vas noble-hearted, pure-minded and gen.
erous, giving largely to charitable insti- |
Eutions, and many have grateful memories
IF his bounty.
In 1856, ct the earnest solicitation Of his |