My Genealogy Hound

JAMES STEVEN. In making up a list of the representative business men of Shelton mention must of necessity be made of James Steven, the harness and agricultural implement dealer. Mr. Steven is not a pioneer settler nor is he, strictly speaking, a new-comer. He located in the town in 1880, but had previously visited the county and made some investments, coming West first in 1873. He came from Ontario, Canada, his native place, being then young and unmarried. He believed that this country had a good future before it, but he thought that he could afford to wait about taking up his residence here, and in the meantime could spend a few years to good advantage further east. He returned home to Ontario, afterward crossed again into the States, and went to Monmouth, Ill., where he took a position with the Weir plow company of that place and was in their employ for a period of five years. His business was mainly gathering material for the factory and he spent most of his time in the timbers. He quit this position in 1880 and came West, locating as stated in the town of Shelton. His first and only business enterprise was his present one, namely — harness and agricultural implements. In this line he was a pioneer, opening the first establishment of any consequence in the town. His business has grown steadily from the beginning, and he now owns and runs a house which is a credit to his town and to himself. What he has, he has made by his own exertions, and it is the result of patient industry, economy and strict attention to business. He not only carries a full stock in his line, such as implements, carriages, harness, organs and sewing machines, but he owns the large two-story brick building where he does business — a building he erected in 1885, and which also represents part of his earnings since embarking in trade ten years ago. It is not the purpose of this article to elaborate on Mr. Steven’s success as having been anything phenomenal, for it has not; but it has been exceptional and it is doing violence neither to truth nor good taste to say so. Success is what every one desires, and every rightly constituted man is glad to hear of others succeeding, even though he fail himself. Mr. Steven succeeds simply because he sticks to his business and manages his affairs in accordance with business principles.

“Stick to thy business, young man, and thy business will stick to thee,” was the honest old Quaker’s advice, and there are hundreds of men all over this country, besides the subject of this sketch, who are demonstrating the correctness of this maxim. Yet it is no more than right that he should be allotted credit for the point and practical force he has given it. As stated above, Mr. Steven is a native of Ontario, Canada, and was born January 17, 1851. He was reared in his native place and brought up to the plain life of a farmer. He is of Scotch extraction, his parents both being natives of Lanarkshire, Scotland. His father, James Steven, emigrated to Canada when a lad sixteen years of age and settled in the Province of Ontario, where he now resides, having led the quiet, uneventful life of a farmer all his years. He is a fair type of his race and his calling, being honest, frugal and industrious, and a man of serious views of life.

Mr. Steven’s mother bore the maiden name of Jean McGibbon, carrying in her name satisfactory evidence of her nationality. She was brought by her parents when an infant to the Province of Ontario, Canada, where she was reared, married and yet lives. Like her husband she is now well advanced in years, having led a life of activity and usefulness, the chief incentives to which have been her family and her church. She and her husband are of the religious faith of their native country — Scotch Presbyterians.

James Steven, the subject hereof, is one of a family of eight children, six of whom reached maturity and are now living. These, in the order of their ages, are as follows — Jennette and Walter, in Shelton; James, Jean, Allen and Robert. Mr. Steven married, Oct. 1, 1879, Miss Jessie J. Nichols of Monmouth, Ill. To this union have been born four children — J. Ralph, Glenn A., Laureen A. and Effie L. While personally pleasant, Mr. Steven shows by his conduct and conversation that he is strictly a man of business, and his methods are the short, direct methods of the business man. He is plain and pointed in his address, sees quickly, acts promptly, and is matter of fact in all things. He is progressive and public spirited, entering with zeal and energy into all public enterprises which his judgment approves of. He is member of a number of benevolent associations and his charitable impulses take the practical turn inculcated by these.