Stevens Hardware
James E. Stevens (standing with the pitch fork) was the son-in-law of Cyrus Campbell, the man who made the leg irons for Santa Anna. He had married Ann F. Campbell sometime before 1870 and by the census of that year they had a three month old son and were living near Campbell in Austin County. They had three children by 1880. They apparently remained in Austin County until sometime after 1880 when they moved to McLennan County (Waco).
On January 21, 1883 Stevens purchased a full city block in De Leon and on May 30, sold half that block to Cyrus Campbell. By that time, his brother-in-law James I. Campbell had purchased land in De Leon was operating a lumber yard in De Leon probably in (or soon to be in) partnership with John D. Ham.
He was one of the early members of the First Methodist Church and helped build the 1883 building.
Stevens’ Hardware was located on the east side of Texas Avenue almost directly across from Weaver Drug. He operated the store in De Leon until 1889 when the family relocated to Coleman. In 1981, at the time of the De Leon Centennial, that store was still being operated by his descendants after five generations. This is one of the oldest photographs of a De Leon store that has been located. It and the note shown below were loaned to the Centennial Committee by Ralph Terry of Coleman.
Stevens apparently borrowed $100 from his mother-in-law Minerva T. Campbell on August 21, 1883. On September 12, 1883 his father-in-law Cyrus Campbell died and and 18 days later Mrs. Campbell died at age 59. It is pure speculation, but perhaps there was some type of epidemic that took both their lives.