William F. Stevens was the son of Charles Wesley and Polly Wallace Stevens. He married Sarah E. Ward 6 Feb 1854. She died in May 1871 and he married Dorcas Imbler 28 Nov 1872. She died 30 July 1877. His third wife was Amanda Tyler whom he married 4 Nov 1880.

The Wichita Eagle, Tuesday Morning, May 19, 1914.
PIONEER OF 1870 IS DEAD
William Stevens, Who Helped Crowd Buffalo Out of Sedgwick County, Succumbs at 80 Years
William F. Stevens, 80 years old, who came to this county in 1870, died at his home 901 North Main Street, Monday morning. Mr. Stevens came to Sedgwick county when there was little here other than buffalo and Indians, settling at that time on a homestead 15 miles northwest of Wichita. His experience as a pioneer was one of hardship. One winter all the substantial food the family could get was buffalo meat and bread. Another winter he freighted from Wichita to Fort Dodge on which trips he at times saw buffalo herds so large that a whole day was required for them to pass.

Mr. Stevens was one of the first subscribers to the Eagle when it was established here as a weekly paper. From the time of the first issue in 1872 until his death, Mr. Stevens did not miss a single issue.

He was born on a farm in Ohio County, KY, later moving to Gibson County, Indiana. He enlisted in the Union army, serving in Company B, Sixty-fifth Indiana Infantry. The regiment was mounted in 1862, a year after enlistment, and sent to Tennessee. In 1864 it was dismounted, joining Sherman' army for the famous march to the sea.

In this campaign, the regiment was sent after General Hood, pursuing him through Alabama and Tennessee. Mr. Stevens had enlisted as a private, but was color sergeant during the seige of Atlanta, receiving his discharge as a sergeant at the close of the war. He took part in the following engagements: Kenesaw Mountain, Peach Tree Creek, New Hope Church, Jonesboro, Walker's Ford, Bean Station. Mr. Stevens was very proud of his army record and was fond of telling his children stories of his campaigns.

Fourteen children were born of three marriages, six of them being alive now. They are: Mrs. Priscilla Merkle, Norman, Okla.; Mrs. Mattie Little, Maize, Kan.; S. M. Stevens, San Francisco, Cal.; G. V. and H. A. Stevens, Wichita; Francis Stevens, Muskogee, Okla.

Funeral services will be held from the residence, 901 North Main Street, this afternoon at 2:30 o'clock. The services at the home will be conducted by the Masons, of which Mr. Stevens was a member for 50 years. Garfield Post, GAR will have charge of the services at the grave, in Maple Grove Cemetery.

In addition to the children who have been linked below, William had son Guy V.(by wife Dorcas Imbler) who lived to maturity. Guy in Los Angeles in 1962.