In 1878 John Lindsey STEPHENS, from Greene County, Pennsylvania, settled in Section 13. John Lindsay operated a large threshing outfit for many years, and the raucous whistle of the steam engine routed many a farmer from his bed in the pre-dawn darkness.

In 1880 he married Catherine JARVIS, daughter of Philip and Ann JARVIS. The STEPHENSES were the parents of 14 children: Laura LINK, Mary POLLEY, Zella BLUNCK, Vinnie GARRETT, Gladys THARP, Lela HARVEY, Ona KASTER, Walter, Marion, Allen, Roy, Ray, Jess, and Paul. All the children attended Dryden School.

While John Lindsay farmed like his neighbors, his chief interest was the huge steam engine and all the things he could accomplish with it. It powered not only the threshing machine, but also a silo filling outfit and saw mills. All the sons assisted at one time or another in these enterprises.

Allen later moved to Diagonal and operated a saw mill. Then as much road work was being done in the county, he turned to large earth-moving machines. His son Gaylon inherited the love for engines and, among other things, helped built the Alcan Highway.

NOTE: The Alcan Highway, a.k.a. Alaska Highway, a.k.a. Alaska-Canadian Highway, was constructed during World War II for the purpose of connecting the contiguous United States to Alaska through Canada. It was completed in 1942. ~ en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaska_Highway

Marion STEPHENS enjoyed a colorful career, mostly in law enforcement. Like his brothers, he at first farmed with his father; then in 1918 war was declared, and Marion hurried to Des Moines. He was the first Iowan to register in the famed Rainbow Division, the first division to see action in France. He was an infantry mess sergeant and served for two years. Following the war, he returned to the farm where he stayed until he was elected sheriff in 1923.

After four years, he became a business man when he purchased the Cevrolet garage. After seven years, he sold out to his partner, Eugene CARR, and subsequently served the public in the following positions: agent for the Iowa Bureau of Criminal Investigation, guard at the state penitentiary in Fort Madison, National Parks policeman (under civil service) and finally insurance agent. He died in 1982 at the age of 96.

Laura married Joe LINKin 1907, and they made their home in Section 13 in Benton township. They were the parents of two children, Opal (Mrs. Cecil BAILEY) and Floyd. Opal and Floyd began school at Dryden, and graduated from Maloy.

Mary married Guy POLLEY. Their home was in Section 27 about 1 1/2 miles south of Maloy. Their two children, Gladys (Mrs. Howard SHAW) and Lee spent all of their school years at Maloy. Mary's mother, Catherine, spent her declining years with the POLLEYS where she died in 1946.

Jess Lesan farmed for many years about one-half mile west of his father's place. Following his retirement he moved to Mount Ayr. He was married to Grace ULLERY.

Following John Lindsay's death in 1927, Vinnie and her husband Charles GARRETT moved to the STEPHENS farm and lived there until Charles' death. Their two daughters, Kathleen (Mrs. Robert SEFRIT) and Geraldine (Mrs. Jake DAILEY) live in Delphos and Mount Ayr respectively.

Kathleen's son Robert lives in Fairfax, Missouri. Her daughter Barbara married Barton SHIELDS, and they and their family farm south of Mount Ayr. Her younger daughter, Nancy BROUCH, lives in Des Moines.

Geraldine and Jake also have three children: Diane (Mrs. Kenny WOOD) lives in Muskogee, Oklahoma; Monte lives and works in Grant City, Missouri; and Martha (Mrs. Ronnie LANDPHAIR) teaches music and reading in the Mount Ayr Community Schools.

NOTES: John Lindsey STEPHENS was born in Greene County, Pennsylvania June 6, 1858, the son of Allen and Martha (STEELE) STEPHENS. His middle name has been spelled either "Lindsay" or "Lindsey." He died at the age of 68 years on May 14, 1927 at the Lutheran Hospital in Des Moines from complications of influenza. He married Catherine JARVIS on November 19, 1880. Catherine, the daughter of Phillip and Ann JARVIS, was born in Ringgold County, Iowa on February 19, 1862, and died at the age of 84 years on June 10, 1946. They were interred at Rose Hill Cemetery, Mount Ayr.

Laura LINK, Mary POLLEY, Zella (STEPHENS) BLUNCK was born in 1890, and died in 1965. She married Benjamin Franklin "Frank" BLUNCK, the son of Julius Henry and Margaret A. "Maggie" (WATSON) BLUNCK. Frank BLUNCK was born January 24, 1888, and died June 27, 1946. Their son, Leo Donald BLUNK, was born near Benton on September 14, 1918, and died at the age of 8 near Delphos on December 3, 1926 from a school truck accident. Another son, Lowell Eugene BLUNCK, was born in 1930, and died in 1934. They were interred at Rose Hill Cemetery, Mount Ayr.

Vinnie Inez (STEPHENS) GARRETT was born October 3, 1898, and died at the age of 74 years on November 2, 1972, Mount Ayr. She married Charles L. GARRETT on March 11, 1923. Charles was born on March 19, 1899, and died at the age of 68 years on December 8, 1967. They were interred at Rose Hill Cemetery, Mount Ayr.

Gladys (STEPHENS) THARP SELLERS was born in 1904, and died on October 15, 1996, Ames, Iowa. Gladys married second Everett SELLERS on February 26, 1952.

Lela Myrtle (STEPHENS) HARVEY was born December 12, 1900, and died at the age of 95 years on April 25, 1996. She married James Gerald HARVEY, the son of Clinton James and Mary Etha (KNOX) HARVEY. James was born on July 23, 1902, and died at the age of 50 years on June 29, 1953, Plattsmouth, Nebraska. Marilyn Joan HARVEY, daughter of Lela and James, was born on February 17, 1932, and died May 4, 1933. They were interred at Rose Hill Cemetery, Mount Ayr.

Ona (STEPHENS) KASTER was born on January 27, 1893 and died at the age of 103 years in July of 1996, Des Moines. She married Robert Henry KASTER, son of Wayne and Ida Viola (GLENDENNING) KASTER. Robert was born in Mount Ayr on May 14, 1893, and died at the age of 65 years on September 28, 1958, Iowa Methodist Hospital in Des Moines, Iowa. They were interred at Rose Hill Cemetery, Mount Ayr.

Walter STEPHENS was born on September 4, 1882, and died April 6, 1967, Diagonal. He married Viola May BYERLY, the daughter of Millard Fillmore and Alice Viola (SCHLAPIA) BYERLY. Viola was born on April 5 1888, Benton, and died February 8, 1941, Diagonal. Walter and Viola's infant son died on December 6, 1909, and another son, Lyle Vernon died at the age of 11 months on May 30, 1918. They were interred at Benton Cemetery, Benton, as were their parents.

Marion STEPHENS was born on February 22, 1885, and died at the age of 99 years on November 13, 1984, Des Moines, Iowa. He married Elisa "Roena" MOORE on June 3, 1939. Elisa "Roena" was born October 12, 1893, and died at the age of 74 years on September 6, 1968. They were interred at Rose Hill Cemetery, Mount Ayr.

Allen STEPHENS was born in Benton on November 3, 1883, and died at the age of 94 years on August 5, 1978. He married Lena Lee LINK on March 25, 1906. Lena was born on May 23, 1888, and died at the age of 70 years on May 6, 1959. They were interred at Rose Hill Cemetery, Mount Ayr.

Roy STEPHENS was born November 1, 1896, and died August 1, 1968, Waterloo, Iowa.

Ray STEPHENS was born in 1889 near Benton, Iowa.

Jesse Lesan STEPHENS was born in Delphos on November 25, 1894, and died at the age of 84 years on December 21, 1978. He married Grace D. ULLERY on November 13. 1918. Grace was born on January 10, 1893, and died at the age of 85 years on June 23, 1978. They were interred at Rose Hill Cemetery, Mount Ayr.

Paul John STEPHENS was born in Maloy on May 11, 1907, and died at the age of 70 years on March 29, 1978, Ames, Iowa. He married Goldie Marie MATTHEWS on April 22, 1925. Goldie, the daughter of Fletcher and Beulah Rose (RAY) MATTHEWS, was born in Clearfield on September 25, 1904, and died at the age of 89 years on December 4, 1993. They were interred at Rose Hill Cemetery, Mount Ayr, Iowa.

SOURCE: Maloy, Iowa Centennial History: 1887 - 1987 p. 190.

Courtesy of Mount Ayr Public Library

Transcription and Notes by Sharon R. Becker, August of 2011