James Solomon Stephens Photo
Contributed: February 2009
Submitted by Sandra Stephens
James Solomon Stephens
James Solomon Stephens was born 31 December 1850 in Van Buren, Mississippi, and died 20 May 1921 in Itawamba County. He married (1) Martha Jane "Mattie" Cooper, and (2) Susan Caroline Shields.
From his biography for the state Senate:
James Solomon Stephens' paternal ancestors were of Scotch-Irish descent, his maternal were of English, and both located in South Carolina before the Revolutionary War. His grandfather was in the war of 1812 at the battle of New Orleans, and helped cut the Jackson Military Road from New Orleans to Nashville. He was educated in the common schools of Itawamba County, and was a farmer. He was elected to the State Senate November 7, 1911. He was a Democrat, one of the Executive Committee of Itawamba County, but affiliated with the People's Party 1892-96. He was a Methodist, a Steward and Sunday School Superintendent. He belonged to the Masonic order, in which he was a Chaplain. He was a member of the Farmers' Union and served as trade agent for the County before his election to the Senate. He was a member of the following State Committees: Claims (Chairman), County Affairs, Fisheries and Game, Public Health and Quarantine, Finance, Agriculture, Commerce and Manufactures.