Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1915-11-05
J. B, Stephenson
Dies Suddenly

given In the telegram, when an
nounced simply that he had died
suddenly and that the funeral
would be held in Harrisonburg.
Mr.. Stephenson left for Illinois
on October 10 for visit to rela
Uyes. At that time he appeared
to be in the best of health and said
he would return to Harrisonburg
in about ten day. The news Of his
death came as a great shock to his
numerous friends and was received
with sincere sorrow Ivy the many
who knew and respected him.
MIR. Stephenson was son of the
late Adam Stephenson, for many
years prominent farmer and
| Clerk If The Circuit Court of High
land County. He was about htty
uine years old. He was brother
OF John w. Stephenson. of Warm
Spri gs, and of the late l.. II.
Stephenson, of Highland County
His wife, who was Miss Julia
Cramer, died several years ago.
After taking an academic course
at Roanoke College, Mr.. Stephen
son entered the law school of the
University of Virginia at Charlottes
vile. He was a classmate oil
Woodrow Wilson. Mr.. Stephenson
received his law degree in 1881, and
a year later he opened an office in
Harrisonburg. For some years he
vas a partner of Judge George 6.
'ir~ttan and when this firm was
dissolved he continued his practice
alone
Mr. Stephenson was staunch
Democrat. He was the nominee OF
lis patty for Commonwealth S
\ttorney in the early SOS and in
800 he managed the campaign III
Rockingham of United States
Senator Thomas S. Martin, who
defeated A. J. Montague in the
Democratic primary. Judge Nc
ulaughlin appointed him one of the
commissioners in chancery of the
Circuit Court of Rockingham
County and he continued to hold
this. office until the time of his
death.
James B. Stephenson was n t
only lawyer of extraordina y
ability and learning, but deep
tudent of history and literature
Few men in the practical affairs of
life have more intimate know
ledge OF history. particularly the
history of Virginia and the Nation
than had Mr.. Stephenson. Trained
in legal lore and precedent, he was
an authority among his fellow al
torneys. With a ready grasp OF
fundamentals, a rare vein of hu
NOR and gifted as an orator, he
had few equals at The bar and was
particularly effective with a jury.
Mr. Stephenson read literature
and loved it.. His intim tie friends
say that rarely a day passed THAI
he did not read his Bible and his
Shakespeare.
He was member of the Presby-
terrain church.
Surviving Mr.. Stephenson are
four sons, Page Stephenson, of
West Virginia; Ambrose, James c..
md Donald Stephenson, of North
Dakota, and one daughter, Miss
Susan Stephenson, of Lake Forest,
illinois.
Arrangements for the funeral
have not been announced.
The above notice is from the
Harrisonburg News Record of Oct.
|2S. Since then it was learned that
Mr.. Stephenson died of pueu-
monia, being i'll but three days.
Mr. Stephenson was one of this
county's distinguished men and
her people have reason to be
proud of his career as a lawyer
and public man. He frequently
pra ticed at the Monterey bar,
where his ability was fully appreci-
ated and recognized. 1t should be
encouraging to village and country
boys to learn that the foundation
for this prominent public life was
laid here at Monterey in the little
adobe school house that used to
stand on the hill overlooking the
town, and before the birth Of the
splendid high school system of the
present day.
Mr.. Stephenson was born near
Meadow Dale, this county, and has
one surviving brother, O. A.
Stephenson, still residing in High
and.
TIE funeral, which took place in
Harri5cnburg on Sunday, was at
ended by Mes5's Boyd, Homer
ind Miss Josephine Stephenson.