Stephen Bemis, the son of Stephen and Achsah Pollard Bemis, was born in Westminster, Worcester County, Massachusetts on March 26, 1804. He had eight siblings who grew to adulthood: Dolly, Hannah, Sylvia Achsah, Betsey, William, Samuel, and Zaccheus Bemis.
At the age of three years his parents moved to Ashburnham, Massachusetts. When Stephen was sixteen, he removed to Fitchburg, and was apprenticed to a chair maker.
On April 30, 1827, Stephen married Miriam Thurston Farwell. They had three children: Stephen Allen, Mary Hepsey and Judson Moss Bemis.
In 1833, the family moved from Fitchburg to Big Flats, near Elmira, New York, and in August 1838 they came to Illinois accompanied by the family of his brother-in-law, Henry Farwell. According to historical accounts, "they traveled by boat from Buffalo to Detroit, making the rest of the journey by wagons. They settled at Lighthouse point near Daysville in Ogle County, near that of Mr. Farwell, now owned by Col. Frank O. Lowden and there acquired a tract of government land at the regular price of one dollar and twenty five cents per acre."
Stephen built a frame home on the sight of the present Bemis home. His wife, Miriam, died there on January 24, 1840.
Stephen then married Mary Early Neville, who had moved with her mother from Ohio. They were married at Lighthouse Church near Daysville, on April 23, 1840 according to the written record. They resided on the Bemis homestead, and in 1850, Stephen built a brick home where the original home stood, along what is now known as Watertown Road.
Mary had a son from a previous marriage. His name was William, and he was six years old when she married Stephen Bemis. The couple had six children of their own: Henry Harrison, Achsah Ann, Cassius Clay, George Washington, Joseph Clinton, and John Early Bemis. Stephen was a successful farmer, and kept his young sons busy on the farm.
According to historical accounts: "In 1849, Stephen Bemis in company with John V. Gale, John B. Chaney, lawyer, George Shipman, Sr., and Mr. Richard Mulkins, Sr., with Capt. Hancock, general manager, with two ox teams started for the gold fields of California, landing there September, 1849, and there met his brother, Samuel. Samuel later resided in Colorado and died there in 1878. At St. Joseph, MO, the United States troops held them for a time on account of Indians and their lack of ammunition, later 100 soldiers accompanied them from St. Joseph to Fort Larimee, Wyoming. They were drilled to resist the attacks of the Indians and from there another detachment of 100 soldiers accompanied them to the end of the journey. John Chaney, a member of the party, died at Fort
Larimee.
An incident is told of Mr. Bemis that one of the dogs that accompanied the party got footsore and fell behind, and while the rest of the party slept that night at the camping place, he hoofed it back sixteen miles for the dog and carried it forward to meet the party in the morning. He returned from California in the fall of 1851 by the way of the Isthmus of Panama."
Stephen died at home on March 1, 1889, and was laid to rest at Daysville Cemetery.
At the age of three years his parents moved to Ashburnham, Massachusetts. When Stephen was sixteen, he removed to Fitchburg, and was apprenticed to a chair maker.
On April 30, 1827, Stephen married Miriam Thurston Farwell. They had three children: Stephen Allen, Mary Hepsey and Judson Moss Bemis.
In 1833, the family moved from Fitchburg to Big Flats, near Elmira, New York, and in August 1838 they came to Illinois accompanied by the family of his brother-in-law, Henry Farwell. According to historical accounts, "they traveled by boat from Buffalo to Detroit, making the rest of the journey by wagons. They settled at Lighthouse point near Daysville in Ogle County, near that of Mr. Farwell, now owned by Col. Frank O. Lowden and there acquired a tract of government land at the regular price of one dollar and twenty five cents per acre."
Stephen built a frame home on the sight of the present Bemis home. His wife, Miriam, died there on January 24, 1840.
Stephen then married Mary Early Neville, who had moved with her mother from Ohio. They were married at Lighthouse Church near Daysville, on April 23, 1840 according to the written record. They resided on the Bemis homestead, and in 1850, Stephen built a brick home where the original home stood, along what is now known as Watertown Road.
Mary had a son from a previous marriage. His name was William, and he was six years old when she married Stephen Bemis. The couple had six children of their own: Henry Harrison, Achsah Ann, Cassius Clay, George Washington, Joseph Clinton, and John Early Bemis. Stephen was a successful farmer, and kept his young sons busy on the farm.
According to historical accounts: "In 1849, Stephen Bemis in company with John V. Gale, John B. Chaney, lawyer, George Shipman, Sr., and Mr. Richard Mulkins, Sr., with Capt. Hancock, general manager, with two ox teams started for the gold fields of California, landing there September, 1849, and there met his brother, Samuel. Samuel later resided in Colorado and died there in 1878. At St. Joseph, MO, the United States troops held them for a time on account of Indians and their lack of ammunition, later 100 soldiers accompanied them from St. Joseph to Fort Larimee, Wyoming. They were drilled to resist the attacks of the Indians and from there another detachment of 100 soldiers accompanied them to the end of the journey. John Chaney, a member of the party, died at Fort
Larimee.
An incident is told of Mr. Bemis that one of the dogs that accompanied the party got footsore and fell behind, and while the rest of the party slept that night at the camping place, he hoofed it back sixteen miles for the dog and carried it forward to meet the party in the morning. He returned from California in the fall of 1851 by the way of the Isthmus of Panama."
Stephen died at home on March 1, 1889, and was laid to rest at Daysville Cemetery.
Stephen Bemis, the son of Stephen and Achsah Pollard Bemis, was born in Westminster, Worcester County, Massachusetts on March 26, 1804. He had eight siblings who grew to adulthood: Dolly, Hannah, Sylvia Achsah, Betsey, William, Samuel, and Zaccheus Bemis.
At the age of three years his parents moved to Ashburnham, Massachusetts. When Stephen was sixteen, he removed to Fitchburg, and was apprenticed to a chair maker.
On April 30, 1827, Stephen married Miriam Thurston Farwell. They had three children: Stephen Allen, Mary Hepsey and Judson Moss Bemis.
In 1833, the family moved from Fitchburg to Big Flats, near Elmira, New York, and in August 1838 they came to Illinois accompanied by the family of his brother-in-law, Henry Farwell. According to historical accounts, "they traveled by boat from Buffalo to Detroit, making the rest of the journey by wagons. They settled at Lighthouse point near Daysville in Ogle County, near that of Mr. Farwell, now owned by Col. Frank O. Lowden and there acquired a tract of government land at the regular price of one dollar and twenty five cents per acre."
Stephen built a frame home on the sight of the present Bemis home. His wife, Miriam, died there on January 24, 1840.
Stephen then married Mary Early Neville, who had moved with her mother from Ohio. They were married at Lighthouse Church near Daysville, on April 23, 1840 according to the written record. They resided on the Bemis homestead, and in 1850, Stephen built a brick home where the original home stood, along what is now known as Watertown Road.
Mary had a son from a previous marriage. His name was William, and he was six years old when she married Stephen Bemis. The couple had six children of their own: Henry Harrison, Achsah Ann, Cassius Clay, George Washington, Joseph Clinton, and John Early Bemis. Stephen was a successful farmer, and kept his young sons busy on the farm.
According to historical accounts: "In 1849, Stephen Bemis in company with John V. Gale, John B. Chaney, lawyer, George Shipman, Sr., and Mr. Richard Mulkins, Sr., with Capt. Hancock, general manager, with two ox teams started for the gold fields of California, landing there September, 1849, and there met his brother, Samuel. Samuel later resided in Colorado and died there in 1878. At St. Joseph, MO, the United States troops held them for a time on account of Indians and their lack of ammunition, later 100 soldiers accompanied them from St. Joseph to Fort Larimee, Wyoming. They were drilled to resist the attacks of the Indians and from there another detachment of 100 soldiers accompanied them to the end of the journey. John Chaney, a member of the party, died at Fort
Larimee.
An incident is told of Mr. Bemis that one of the dogs that accompanied the party got footsore and fell behind, and while the rest of the party slept that night at the camping place, he hoofed it back sixteen miles for the dog and carried it forward to meet the party in the morning. He returned from California in the fall of 1851 by the way of the Isthmus of Panama."
Stephen died at home on March 1, 1889, and was laid to rest at Daysville Cemetery.
At the age of three years his parents moved to Ashburnham, Massachusetts. When Stephen was sixteen, he removed to Fitchburg, and was apprenticed to a chair maker.
On April 30, 1827, Stephen married Miriam Thurston Farwell. They had three children: Stephen Allen, Mary Hepsey and Judson Moss Bemis.
In 1833, the family moved from Fitchburg to Big Flats, near Elmira, New York, and in August 1838 they came to Illinois accompanied by the family of his brother-in-law, Henry Farwell. According to historical accounts, "they traveled by boat from Buffalo to Detroit, making the rest of the journey by wagons. They settled at Lighthouse point near Daysville in Ogle County, near that of Mr. Farwell, now owned by Col. Frank O. Lowden and there acquired a tract of government land at the regular price of one dollar and twenty five cents per acre."
Stephen built a frame home on the sight of the present Bemis home. His wife, Miriam, died there on January 24, 1840.
Stephen then married Mary Early Neville, who had moved with her mother from Ohio. They were married at Lighthouse Church near Daysville, on April 23, 1840 according to the written record. They resided on the Bemis homestead, and in 1850, Stephen built a brick home where the original home stood, along what is now known as Watertown Road.
Mary had a son from a previous marriage. His name was William, and he was six years old when she married Stephen Bemis. The couple had six children of their own: Henry Harrison, Achsah Ann, Cassius Clay, George Washington, Joseph Clinton, and John Early Bemis. Stephen was a successful farmer, and kept his young sons busy on the farm.
According to historical accounts: "In 1849, Stephen Bemis in company with John V. Gale, John B. Chaney, lawyer, George Shipman, Sr., and Mr. Richard Mulkins, Sr., with Capt. Hancock, general manager, with two ox teams started for the gold fields of California, landing there September, 1849, and there met his brother, Samuel. Samuel later resided in Colorado and died there in 1878. At St. Joseph, MO, the United States troops held them for a time on account of Indians and their lack of ammunition, later 100 soldiers accompanied them from St. Joseph to Fort Larimee, Wyoming. They were drilled to resist the attacks of the Indians and from there another detachment of 100 soldiers accompanied them to the end of the journey. John Chaney, a member of the party, died at Fort
Larimee.
An incident is told of Mr. Bemis that one of the dogs that accompanied the party got footsore and fell behind, and while the rest of the party slept that night at the camping place, he hoofed it back sixteen miles for the dog and carried it forward to meet the party in the morning. He returned from California in the fall of 1851 by the way of the Isthmus of Panama."
Stephen died at home on March 1, 1889, and was laid to rest at Daysville Cemetery.
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Aged 84 yrs,. 11 mo., 1 ds.
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