Smyrna times., 1926-02-17
DEATH RECORD OF THE WEEK
William A. Stevens, Prominent Re-
tired Farmer of Smyrna, Dies of
Pneumonia After a Brief Illness

tired Farmer of Smyrna, Dies of
Pneumonia After a Brief Illness
William A. Stevens, aged 78, a
prominent retired farmer of Smyrna,
died at his residence on west Com
merce street Friday last after
brief illness of pneumonia. To many
who did not know he was i'll his death
was a severe shock. Mr.. Stevens was
a son of the late William and Mary
(WellS) Stevens and was born and
raised over in Maryland. He became
a prominent farmer of Kenton Hun
dred and owned a nice farm near
3lackiston's Cross Roads. Some
years ago he gave up farming and
moved to Smyrna, purchasing the
John B. Cooper residence on West
Commerce street where he continued
to live until his death last Friday.
Quiet, unObtrusive, he lived a life of
devotion to his family and friends.
He was a member and faithful at
tendant of Asbury Methodist EpiscO-
pal Church. In early life he married
Miss Elizabeth Crawford and their
life was one of singular devotion.
Their only son, Crawford Stevens,
died several years ago. In recent
years Mr.. and Mrs. Stevens had been
spending their winters in Florida but
owing to Mrs. Stevens health they did
not go this year. Mrs. Stevens, who
nurSed her husband in his recent ill
ness contracted pneumonia last week
and is in d critical condition. Because
of her condition the funeral services
of Mr.. Stevens were not held at home
but at Asbury NJ. E. Church yester-
day afternoon. The Rev. r. X. Steph-
enson had charge of the services and
intement was in the family lot in
Odd Fellows Cemetery.
J. w. Chapman Dies in Chestertown
James w. Chapman, who spent his
bOyhood days in Smyrna, but for the
last so years a resident of Chester
town, Nd, died at his home Satur-
day morning, in his 87th year. He
was a son of the late Thomas N. and
Mary Chapman and was born near
Thomas Chapel, near Dover. When
a young man he moved with his par
ents to Smyrna, and after making his
home here, for several years, he went
to Chestertown, Nd. He engaged in
the carriage building business there
with James w. Lambert as his part
, ner, under the firm name of Chapman
d Lambert. He was vice-president of
the Chestertown Bank of MARYLAND
for many years and was a member of
the board of trustees of Christ Meth
odist Protestant Church of Chester
I town. He was a member of the build
/ ing committee of that church, which
erected the present fine edifce in that
/ town in 1886. Two sons, William
! Walter Chapman and James w. Chap
man, the latter a Baltimore attorney
survive him. Mr.. Chapman, rated as
one of the wealthiest residents of
ChestertOwn, leaves an estate valued
at between S25O,OOO and 100000. He
was an uncle of Colonel James C.
Wickes, owner and editor of the Del
aware State News, of Dover. He
was the oldest Odd Fellow in Kent
county, Md, and was also a member
of Reeds Rihers, a unit of the old
Maryland National Guard.
W.R. Sperry, Formerly of Wilmington
Watson R. Sperry, 83, retired journ-
alist, formerly editor of the Whining
ton Morning News and known tc
many Delawareans, died at Hartford
Conn.,, Saturday. He was managing
editor of the New York Evening Post
from 1875 to 1881, proprietor of the
Wilmington Morning News from 1881
to 1900, and from 1901 to 1918 he was
on the staff of the Hartford Courant
He was United States minister tt
Persia from 1882 to 1893.
Death of Little George Bedwell, Jr.
Mr.. and Mrs. George C. Bedwel
(nee Miss Edith Ennis), of near Ken
ton, have the sympathy of theil
friends in the loss Of their infant sor
George, Jr., who died last Wednes
day after a lingering illness. Fun
eral services were to have been helC
Friday but owing to impossible snow
drifts the interment did not take place
until Sunday. The Rev. Mr.. Parker
of KentOn had charge and intement
was in Odd Fellows Cemetery
Smyrna.