Stephen Phifer
Stephen Phifer, farmer, stock-raiser and horticulturist, P. O. London, was born in Madison County in 1833, and is a son of Abraham and Ann (Withrow) Phifer, the former a native of Virginia, of German descent, and the latter a native of Pennsylvania, of Scotch-Irish descent. Our subject was reared on the farm, and remained at home until 1852, when he went to California via Panama. In the next year, he went to Australia via the Sandwich Islands, landing at Sidney, New South Wales. From there he went to Melbourne, in the Colony of Victoria, where he engaged in mining and hotel-keeping for several years. He subsequently returned to America, and bought 215 acres of land in Paint Township. In 1875, he came to Union County, where he is engaged as above mentioned. He was married in Australia, in 1859, to Alice Haub, a native of Germany, by whom he has one child, Anna. Mrs. Phifer is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Phifer is comfortably situated in life, and enjoys the respect of the whole community.
From HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY - W. H. Beers [Chicago, 1883]