William Stephens : Short Biography

References

	Stadelmann Edwards Family Tree .	Australia	VIEW SOURCE
		Australia

William Stephens 1829

Killinkere (Cavan) County Cavan

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Place of migration

Migrated to/Born in Australia

All documents of proof are on Ancestry.com.au Stadelmann Edwards Family Tree

Additional Information
Date of Birth	1st Jan 1829 (circa)
Date of Death	28th Dec 1913
Father (First Name/s and Surname)	James Stephens
Mother (First Name/s and Maiden)	Jane Smith
Number of Siblings	6
Names of Siblings	Anne, Theresa, Jane, Thomas, James, Sarah
Townland born	Killinkere
Occupation	In Ireland, Land Steward In Australia became an elected member of the NSW Legislative Assembly 1887-1891 & 1894-1895
Place of Death	Botany, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Spouse (First Name/s and Maiden/Surname)	Mary Ann Montgomery
Names of Children	James Henry Stephens, William David Stephens, Robert Thomas Stephens, Eliza Jane Stephens, Mary Stephens, Louisa Isabella Stephen.
Place & Date of Marriage	Presbyterian Church, Pitt Street, Sydney Australia. 14th April 1857

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William Stephens was born in Killinkere, Cavan, Ireland. He migrated to Australia at age 19 years onboard the Canton arriving in Sydney New South Wales on 12 th June 1848 with his parents Jane & James Stephens & his 6 siblings. Reference- The New South Wales Assisted Immigrants Passenger Lists. 1828-1896/ Immigrant Ship Canton, 12th June 1848. This document states that his mother Jane (maiden name Smith) & the children were all born in Killinkere Cavan & father James was born in Dinn Cavan. Father James was listed as a Land Steward & William as a Farm Servant.

After arrival in 1848 some members of the family spent unsuccessful time in the Goldfields, ( Reference- New South Wales Parliamentary Records). Williams attached photo is also from these records.

William married Mary Ann Montgomery of Cavan, Ireland on the 14th April 1857 at the Presbyterian Church, Pitt St, Sydney, New South Wales. Mary had arrived in the Colony of New South Wales from Cavan, Ireland about 1857 as a 20 year old. William & Mary had 6 children.

William was a Market Gardener as well as a Wool Scourer & Fellmonger in Botany, Sydney before becoming elected as a Member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1887-1891, & then 1894-1895. In 1887 he received a NSW Commission Appointment for the Centennial International Exhibition in Melbourne Australia. He was still active politically in 1901 as he became Alderman & Mayor of Botany Municipal Council, Sydney. His other attributes were 1867 Member of the Public School Board Botany NSW. 1869 Church Warden at St Matthews Church of England, Botany, Sydney NSW.

About 1868 he changed his & the families surname to Stephen dropping the 'S', reason unknown.

William died on the 29th December, 1913 & is buried in the Church of England Section, Eastern Suburbs Memorial Park Botany, Sydney Australia. An Obituary in the Watchman Newspaper Sydney, Thursday 22nd January, 1914 by the Loyal Orange Institute said "He was a warm hearted genial man, with a sunny smile and cheery voice, but a retiring disposition".