Stevens Family

The Stevens' came to Indianola, Calhoun Co., Texas, from Indiana. Obadiah/Obediah Stevens died in Calhoun County in 1852. His wife Mary C. Stevens went to live with one of her children and is buried in the Hochheim Cemetery. The brothers and sisters and spouses are listed below. The relationships following the names are their kinships to me, the writer, Nancy Stevens Page, daughter of Madison (M. ) "Roy" Stevens.

Obediah STEVENS, GG Grandfather
b. 9 Oct 1787, Beasontown, Pennsylvania
d. 11 Nov 1852, Indianola, Calhoun Co., TX

& Mary CARBAUGH(?), GG Grandmother
b. 8 Jul 1792, KY
d. 28 Jun 1881, Hochheim, DeWitt Co, TX
m. ca 1820, ca Dearborn Co., IN

| Eliza STEVENS, GG Aunt
| b. 28 Apr 1822, Ripley Co. IND

| & Joseph HAMILTON
| m. 19 Sep 1841, Ripley Co. IND

| Christena W. STEVENS, GG Aunt
| b. 26 Feb 1824, Ripley Co. IND
| d. 29 Nov 1903

| & Samuel D. CLARK
| b. 4 Sep 1825, Indiola, Calhoun Co., TX
| d. 8 Dec 1880, Hochheim, Dewitt Co, TX
| m. 29 Oct 1850, Port Lavaca, Calhoun Co., TX

| Fidelia Bertha STEVENS, GG Aunt
| b. 3 Oct 1826, Ripley Co. IND
| d. 10 Oct 1908, Yoakum, Dewitt Co., TX

| & William Johnson GLASS, Sr.
| b. 1824
| d. 5 Nov 1905, Hochheim, Dewitt Co, TX
| m. 10 Jul 1850, Indianola, Calhoun Co., TX

| Obediah Truax STEVENS Jr., GG Uncle
| b. 21 Apr 1829, Ripley Co. IND
| d. 25 Sep 1917, Sidney, Fremont Co., IA

| & Mary Ann DAUGHTERS
| b. 1 Dec 1829, Moscow, Clermont Co., OH
| d. 29 Nov 1911, Milan, Ripley Co., IN
| m. 29 Apr 1852

| Sarah H. STEVENS*, GG Aunt
| b. 12 Sep 1831, Ripley Co. IND
| d. 6 Mar 1904

| & William ROBERTSON
| m. 12 Jun 1854, Indianola, Calhoun Co., , TX

| Sarah H. STEVENS*, GG Aunt
| b. 12 Sep 1831, Ripley Co. IND
| d. 6 Mar 1904

| & Matthew SURMA

| Charles STEVENS, GG Uncle
| b. 8 Jan 1834, Ripley Co. IND
| d. 23 Dec 1919, Port Lavaca, Calhoun Co., TX

| & Caroline BRUSWITZ
| b. 15 Feb 1845, Frankenstein, Selisia, Germany
| d. 14 Sep 1939, Port Lavaca, Calhoun Co., TX
| m. 31 May 1867, Indianola, Calhoun Co., TX

| Samuel STEVENS, G Grandfather
| b. 11 Jan 1837, Ripley County, Indiana
| d. 27 Oct 1907

| & Amanda Matilda DOOLITTLE, G Grandmother
| b. 6 Jul 1839, Gonzales Co., Colorado River, TX
| d. 16 May 1908
| m. 7 Feb 1864, Gonzales, Co., TX

This last child, Samuel, is my great grandfather. He married Amanda Doolittle who had inherited quite a lineage. Since she was orphaned at 12 years of age she was probably unaware of all the history of her family. For over twenty years I have complied her story which was part of the Dewitt Colony.

Beriah DOOLITTLE, Amanda's father, came to Texas in 1834 while it was still a province of Mexico. He, for some reason, used the name Berry when he got here. He had been married (2 Mar 1830) to Massau White while in Hancock Co., IL. In 1836, he fought in the Battle of San Jacinto. In his military file at the Texas Archives is this physical description of him: He was five feet, eight inches in height; was of dark complexion and had dark eyes and brown hair. By occupation he was a clothier.

He married Susan Ann BLAIR (Susannah/Susanna is sometimes used, but every legal document I have found in Gonzales County lists her as Susan. ) Susan was the daughter of George BLAIR (1789-1840) and Sarah Ann LOCKHART FULTON BLAIR. (1794-ca 1865). Susan's mother Sarah was the daughter of Byrd LOCKHART I [* mine] (the Indian Fighter 1750-ca 1813). Byrd I had died at Fort Russell, Madison Co., IL ca 1812 or 13. Byrd's wife, also named Sarah, was brought to Texas by her son the Surveyor Byrd LOCKHART II [* mine]. The famous letters of Catherine Wise BARTON LOCKHART are written from Texas to her mother in Missouri during the Republic and they detailed the hardships that they faced against weather and Indians. For more in depth information on the LOCKHART family go to the Sons of DeWitt Colony Website at http://www.tamu.edu/ccbn/dewitt/dewitt.htm. Select People, then Andrew LOCKHART which will take you to the whole family.

Berry received a Headright certificate on Feb 5, 1838 for a league and labor of land by the Gonzales County Board. However in his short lifetime he seems to have lived on the LOCKHART land of his wife. His heirs after his death in 1849 received Bounty Certificate #539 for 320 acres for his service in Republic of Texas Army (1 Mar 1836-23 May 1836). He was part of W. W. Hill's Company of Volunteers.

As stated before, Beriah married Susan in 1838. They had 3 children who are recorded in probate: Amanda Matilda DOOLITTLE b. 6 Jun 1839, George William DOOLITTLE b. 17 Mar 1843, and Mary Jane DOOLITTLE b. 3 Jun 1845. Amanda was born as the Texans fled for their lives during the Runaway Scrape. She stated that she was born in a wagon close to the Colorado River. Her middle name, Matilda, came from her cousin Matilda LOCKHART who was kidnapped by the Comanche Indians in 1838, was tortured, and released in San Antonio at the Council House Fight of 1840. Here is Catherine's letter (Yanaguana Society ofSan Antonio) about this incident.

Letter about Matilda Lockhart

Pecan Fort, Texas
April 9th 1840
Dear Mother,
I again write you not having received no letter from you for several months. I am happy to inform you that Andrew LOCKHART at last has succeeded in getting his daughter from the Indians. They brought in a little boy to Bexar who was taken at the same time she was, and proposed a treaty to which the whites agreed on condition they would fetch in all the prisoners in their possession. They Returned to their camps and in a few days returned with Matilda Lockhart only. The American officers met them in the Council house, and the Indians being informed that they were to consider themselves prisoners until all were brot in, they drew their bows and arrows which they had concealed under their buffalo skins and commenced using of them. The Americans being quite unarmed were obliged to use rock axes or anything they could get hold of. There were six Americans and about thirty Indians killed, and twenty one squaws kept to let them know the result. Since which time they have returned with two American children and seven Mexicans. They exchange equal number and will retain the wrest until they are all brot in- or as many as they have in their possession. A Mrs. Webster made her escape about the same time Matilda Lockhart left, carrying with her a doughter four years old a sickly child and living on prickly pear apples and being twelve days in reaching Bexar. We still look forward to the time when we will be at peace with all our enemies and our country free. Love from each to you all.
Affectionately your daughter
Catherine W. Lockhart.