Aaron Drake Stephens

Source: History Morris County New Jersey, Volume II, Lewis Publishing Co., 1914

Aaron Drake STEPHENS, a prosperous farmer and dairyman and a prominent citizen of Roxbury township, Morris county, New Jersey, a member of an old New Jersey family, was born in Randolph township, Morris county in that state, December 10, 1858. His birthplace is in that most picturesque region of northern New Jersey where are situated such lovely bodies of water as Lake Hopatcong and Budd’s Lake, near the old DICKERSON iron mine, and about a half a mile from Mount Arlington railway station. He is the descendant of a family of farmers, his father and grandfather having been engaged in that occupation before him. The paternal grandparents, Samuel G. and Clara STEPHENS, were inhabitants of the region and lived to advanced ages, Mr. STEPHENS dying when eighty-two years old. William STEPHENS, the father of our subject, was reared in Mount Olive township, Morris county, near Budd’s Lake, and was a farmer and also engaged in the hotel business, having kept the hotel now known as the Brooklyn House, in Sussex county, New Jersey. He was married to Miss STILL, and theirs deaths occurred respectively in the years 1883 and 1904. To them were born ten children as follows: Samuel, a resident of Kingland, where he is employed in the car shops; Aaron, the subject of this sketch; Frederick, died in childhood; William, a resident of Emporium, Pennsylvania, where he was engaged in the trade of carpenter, deceased June, 1910; Charlotte, now Mrs. Hampton KISHPAUGH, of Roxbury township; Estella, deceased wife of Mr. McCONNELL; Amelia, now Mrs. Grant STRAIT of Reynolds, Pennsylvania; Anson, died in early youth; and Charles, who died of injuries received at the age of eight or nine years.

Aaron Drake STEPHENS obtained his education in the public schools of Fairmont, but left at the age of seventeen and employed himself in work on his father’s farm, and for a time in the carpenter’s trade. He purchased his present farm from Mrs. Catherine HART in 1895, in Mount Arlington, and for the past seventeen years has opened a dairy there. The farm contains 103 acres, and upon it Mr. STEPHENS has made manifold improvements, rebuilding the house, erecting additions to the barn, and making many minor alterations. He keeps on the average from twenty to twenty-five head of cattle, and has developed a fine and paying orchard there. Mr. STEPHENS may congratulate himself that all the advantages which he now enjoys have been accomplished through his own efforts and hard work. He is a large man, easy of access, of a fine address, and very popular, altogether a citizen of which the community may be proud. He is a Republican in politics and very active in public affairs, having served his fellow citizens in the capacity of councilman in Mount Arlington. He is a member of the Roxbury Lodge, No. 184, I. O. O. F., of Succasunna, having joined that fraternity January 11, 1883.

Mr. STEPHENS was married, February 8, 1881, to Miss Annie ZEEK, a daughter of Charles ZEEK of Sussex county, New Jersey, who was killed while serving in the union army during the Civil War. To Mr. and Mrs. STEPHENS were born two children as follows: William, died April 28, 1909, at the age of twenty-eight years; Frank, died when sixteen years of age. Mr. STEPHENS married (second) Miss Maria VAN DYKE, daughter of Robert S. VAN DYKE, also a veteran of the Civil War. Mr. STEPHENS was married March 29, 1888. They had born unto them four children, of whom two are living – Annie, aged twenty-one years, now the wife of E. Frederick MANN, employed as a secretary with the jewelry firm of Newark, New Jersey; and Robert Aaron, born January 28, 1909. Mr. STEPHENS and his family are members of the Presbyterian church.

Transcribed by John Cresseveur (1949-2003)