S. E. Stephen, a citizen of Amity, De Kalb County, and manager of the general merchandise establishment of G. Y. Crenshaw, of that place, was born in Morrow County, Ohio, on April 9, 1854. He is the son of Abednego and Harriet (Higgins) Stephen. The father was also born in Morrow County, Ohio, about 1817, and removed to Missouri in the spring of 1877, locating at Fairport, De Kalb County, where he now resides. He is a highly respected citizen, and has been a very successful farmer. The mother was born in Ohio about 1820. Both parents are devout Christians, and members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Twelve children were born to them, of whom S. E. was the sixth. He was reared on the farm and received his education in the public schools of Pulaskiville, Ohio. He left the farm about 1873, and entered the store of J. B. Robinson at Fairport, Mo., as clerk, where he remained over two years. He next took a position in the store of A. A. McIninch, in St. Joseph, Mo., where he remained six months, and returned to Fairport, and engaged in merchandising under the firm name of Stephen, Hull & Co., but he sold his interest after fourteen months and again resumed clerking in A. A. McIninch's store. Four months later he engaged in business at Fairport, the firm being Stephen, Drain & Co., but later Stephen & McIninch, and still later S. E. Stephen. In a short time he went to King City, and took charge of a store for A. A. Mclninch, but after six months returned to Fairport, and remained for fourteen months in the employ of Hull & Sons. April 26, 1886, he took his present position. October 21, 1880, he was united in marriage with Allie J. Ross, who was born in Morrow County, Ohio, in 1859. She is the daughter of George E. and Jane Ross. They have one child, Glenn Ross, born May 29, 1884. Mr. and Mrs. Stephen are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Source: History of Andrew and DeKalb Counties, Missouri (Chicago: Goodspeed Publishing Company, 1888), p. 586.