MY ANCESTORS

JOHN THOMAS and CATHERINE HOBACK STEPHENS

Buchanan Cemetery, Johnson County. Texas

JOHN THOMAS STEPHENS  SR.  was born 11 Sep 1797 in Shenandoah Valley, Montgomery County, Virginia, and died 27 Jan 1870 in Buchanan, Johnson County, Texas.  He married CATHERINE HOBACK 23 Jun 1820 in Crawford County, Indiana (Marriage recorded as: John Stephenson and Catharine Hoback married  23 JUN 1820).  She was born 1800 in Kentucky, and died 1860 in Buchanan, Johnson County, Texas.

                                    Written by: Tommy Hunt  

Thomas Stephens Sr., the writers great-grandfather, was born Sept. 11, 1797 in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, but the exact area is not yet known. He was a great-grandson of Peter Stephens who came from Holland to the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia in 1732, and founded the town now known as Stephens City, Virginia. It isn't known yet where he spent his young years, but on June 23, 1820 he was married to Catherine Hoback in Crawford County, Indiana. Catherine Hoback was born ca 1800 in Kentucky, and little else is known about her early life, except that the names of two of her brothers were Mark and Andrew Hoback..

After the birth of their first child, John Thomas Stephens and Catherine Hoback Stephens left Indiana and migrated to Cole County, Missouri where they resided until ca 1844, when as Peter Colonist's, they loaded their wagons again and headed for Texas this time. We know they arrived in Navarro County, Texas sometime in 1845. As Peters' Colonist, John Thomas Stephens Sr.,his sons John Jr., James Absalon, and two son-in-laws, Lewis Tanzey and James A. Mackey were all issued land grants as colonists. The names of John Sr., John Jr., Lewis Tanzey and James A. Mackey were all found on the petition that was sent to Austin, Texas to formulate another county out of Navarro County and later became known as Johnson County.

No documented evidence has been found where John Stephens used the middle name of Thomas, but indirect evidence has been found that points to that belief. The land grant issued to his son John Jr. was issued under the name of Thomas Stephens. One can only surmise this was done to distinguish between father and son. The only child born to his daughter Elizabeth and George W. Miller was named John Thomas Stephens Miller, Johnson County, Texas History-1986)

John Thomas Stephens was said to have been a large man in statue, well over six feet in height. His occupation was farming and stock raising. He was a Methodist in his religious beliefs. He lived in the Old Buchanan community of Johnson County, Texas from 1845 until his death on Jan. 27, 1870. John is buried in the Buchanan Cemetery. His wife Catherine Hoback Stephens , died sometime between 1850-1860, prior to the death of her husband, but no stone has been found that marks her grave. Most likely her burial was on the family farm, prior to the establishment of the cemetery in Buchanan community, in an unmarked grave.

Marriage Source: Marie Thomas Cruz; Have a copy of original marriage record of one Andrew Hobaugh mrd to Mary Stewart in Mercer Co., KY July 9, 1796---Witness' were Thomas Williams, PETER HOBAUGH and John Goodnight. Marriage bond book 1786-1797, page 587. Peter Hobaugh, witness on bond was in Warren Co., KY in 1800, and in Barren in 1810 according to census.

Father: Andreas HOPPACH b: abt1737 

Mother: Catherine Elizabeth UNKNOWN

Marriage 1 Mary STEWART

Married: July 19, 1793 in Mercer Co., KY

Children of JOHN STEPHENS and CATHERINE HOLIBAUGH are:

WILLIAM HENRY STEPHENS, b. 1822, Indiana; d. Texas, between Buchanan, Johnson County, Texas and Fort Belknap, Young County, Texas..

NANCY ANN STEPHENS, b. 1824, Cole County, Missouri.

JOHN THOMAS STEPHENS, b. 05 Jul 1826, Cole County, Missouri; d. 06 Sep 1877, Buchanan, Johnson County, Texas.

NISA STEPHENS, b. 1828, Cole County, Missouri.

JAMES ABSALOM STEPHENS, b. Abt. 1830, Cole County, Missouri.

ANDREW JACKSON STEPHENS, b. 1832, Cole County, Missouri; d. Abt. 1875, Johnson or Erath Counties, Texas ?.

CATHERINE STEPHENS, b. 1835, Cole County, Missouri; m. MEREDITH PRICE.

ELIZABETH ROSE STEPHENS, b. 01 Apr 1836, Cole County, Missouri; d. Abt. 1869.

MURREL WILLIAMSON STEPHENS, b. 01 Apr 1836, Cole County, Missouri; d. 06 May 1893, Erath County, Texas.

GEORGE WASHINGTON STEPHENS, b. 1840, Cole County, Missouri; d. Jan 1898, Texas.

SUSAN STEPHENS, b. 1843, Cole County, Missouri; d. 12 Dec 1875, Texas.