Roswell Stevens was born October 17, 1809, at Grand River, Upper Canada, a son of Roswell and Sybil Spencer Stevens. He was converted to the Mormon faith through the teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon, and was baptized in the spring of 1834 by John Y. Greene. Mary Ann Peterson became his wife. Some years later he moved his wife and their five children to Nauvoo where he served as a member of the police force. After the exodus of the Saints from that city, he was among those men who enlisted in the Mormon Battalion, serving as a 4th corporal in Company E. He traveled with his company as far as Santa Fe, New Mexico, when he and Samuel Gully, a 3rd lieutenant in the same company, were appointed to accompany John D. Lee and Howard Egan back to Winter Quarters to take money contributed by members of the Battalion to assist the Saints to the Valley. From the book Pioneering the West by Howard Egan we quote: October 16th. "In the afternoon Company B. drew 1 1/2 months pay, $2.60 to each person in money, the rest in check." October 17th: "Bros. Lee and Egan were making preparations to return to the Bluffs. They received $4000 from the Battalion to take back with them to the Church. About a month later, November 21st, John Lee and Howard Egan arrived at Winter Quarters, as special messengers from the camps of the Mormon Battalion beyond Santa Fe." — Deseret News.

In the spring of 1847, Mr. Stevens was selected as one of the pioneer company. He returned to Winter Quarters later the same year with Brigham Young, where he was appointed to help care for the families of the men of the Mormon Battalion until such time as they could be reunited with husbands and fathers in the valley of the Great Salt Lake.

After his return to Utah, Mr. Stevens moved his family to Alpine, and in the spring of 1855 moved them to Weber Valley. A daughter, Martha, was the first white child born in this place. His son, Charles Russell, was also born there. In the spring of 1879 President John Taylor, of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, sent an expedition into southern Utah to explore possible sites for future settlements. Roswell Stevens was a member of that party. The men selected a place on the San Juan River in southeastern Utah which they named Bluff. Shortly after their arrival Mr. Stevens passed away, May 4, 1880. Since there was no lumber available a crude coffin was made out of his wagon box and he was buried in a spot selected for the pioneer cemetery. Throughout his life he remained faithful to the principles of the Church of his choice.

— Harriet Stevens
Our Pioneer Heritage, Vol. 2, p. 508

Married 1st Spouse: Vallie Mariah DOYLE in 1827 in Canada (DIV)
Married 2nd Spouse: Mary Ann PETERSON on Aug 4, 1854 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, UT

HOLE-IN-THE-ROCK-PIONEER
VETERAN - Pvt, Co. E., Mormon Battalion, Mexican War;
FIRST BURIAL IN BLUFF