William H. Stephens
William H. Stephens, one of the best known fire insurance men of Lima, was born in Washington County, Tennessee, in 1842, but has been a resident of Lima since 1865. His parents were Rev. Samuel and Eliza (Strain) Stephens. His maternal grandfather, Robert Strain, was a soldier of the War of 1812 and his maternal great-grandfather was a soldier of the Revolutionary War.
Rev. Samuel Stephens was born in Virginia and in his youth served an apprenticeship to the trade of carriage-making. He was a devout Methodist and preached the Gospel for several years. After the birth of his son, William H., he removed to Arkansas, where, under contract with the government, he engaged in the manufacture of wagons for the Indians. He died within two years of his arrival in Arkansas.
After the death of his father, the subject of this sketch accompanied the family to the old home in Washington County, Tennessee, where he obtained his education through attendance in the common schools. Later in life he moved to Indiana. He worked on a farm for some time in his youth and later was clerk in a store until he came to Lima, when he secured employment on the C. H. & D. Railway. He continued on the road for nearly 20 years and rose to the position of passenger conductor. He was a trusted and efficient employee, and only left the service of the railroad company because of an accident that deprived him of the use of his right limb and forced his retirement from railroading. Since that time he has been engaged in various lines of
business and is at present successfully representing a number of fire insurance companies.
Mr. Stephens was married in 1870 to Lucy Havil, whose father was born in Maryland and moved to Lima about 1856, where he became a prominent brick and stone contractor. Mr. and Mrs. Stephens have two children: Bert R., who is located at Springfield, Illinois, traffic manager of the Illinois Traction Company; and Mary E., who recently married Louis W. Laudick, son of J. W. Laudick, of Lima, a well-known dealer in agricultural implements. Mr. and Mrs. Stephens are by faith Presbyterians. Mr. Stephens has taken a leading part in all movements that pertain to the welfare of the city. He has served as director on the of two banking institutions of the city, was councilman two years, was a member of the board of trustees of the Lima Water Works four years, and a member of the Sinking Fund Trustees two years.