STEVENS, George Richard ^{1 3 4 5 6}

  General Notes:

George Richard Stevens was likely to be the son of Joseph & Mary Stevens. This is because he was age 50 in the 1881 census records for co. Surrey, England. His place of birth was listed as Chelsea, co. Middlesex, ENG. According to I.G.I records, the only match for a George Richard Stevens is the son of Joseph and Mary Stevens who was christened the 17th of Oct., 1830 in Chelsea, St. Lukes's Parish, Chelsea, London, ENG. London was in co. Middlesex, England. This record gives his birth date. Whereas his birth date looks like Sep. 20, 1830 to me, the I.G.I files interpreted it as Sep. 28, 1830. I do not know which is correct.

In the 1851 census, George appears to be living on his own. He is the only George born in Chelsea and of the correct age. He was age 19 on Mar. 30, 1851 when the census was taken. He was listed as a salesman. He was employed by George Fitch who was a Power Broker. He lived in District 1, St. James Clerkenwall, Clerkenwall, Middlesex, England. His likely parents, Joseph and Mary, lived in the same place, had children born in Chelsea, but were only 13 or so years older than him.

George named a son Joseph after his father. In the christening record for his son Joseph dated 1858, he is listed as a "Bookseller" by trade as he was also called in his marriage record dated 1854. My father remembers that his great grandfather who lived in England owned a book stall (store) there. He sent his granddaughter, Maude Stevens Coate, a picture of the Roman Forum and a large sailing vessel which hung on the wall of my father's home while he was growing up. In the 1861 census, he and his family lived in Rugby, Warwickshire, England. He is listed as a book (dealer?) at age 30, his wife was age 29 and sons John and William were listed at ages 4 and 1 respectively. George Richard Stevens is listed as a Commercial Clerk in his son John Steven's wedding certificate in 1875. He is listed as a Commercial Clerk Book Seller in the 1881 census records for Lambeth, co. Surrey, ENG. They lived at 59 Stockwell Green in Lambeth at the time. (C-3, 1900, EL)

I've found some of the children I have for him by finding John's birth place in the 1881 English Census and then locating other children born in the same place to the same parents in Mormon I.G.I files and christening records. I found two more children when the 1881 census record for George R. Stevens was found that matched this family perfectly. In the 1891 census, George is listed as George R. Stevens, a booksellers assistant born in Chelsea, London, England. His wife is listed at age 69, also born the same place as him. This doesn't agree with the 1881 census as far as her birth place goes and is likely false. The address where they live looks something like 82 Eolm Poste Hotel. I have not been able to find George R. and his family in the 1871 census.

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  Noted events in his life were:

• Occupation. Clerk

George married Annie TONKIN, daughter of John TONKIN and Isabella STRANGEWAYS, on Sep 3, 1854 in St. John the Baptist, Haxton, Shoreditch, London, Middlesex, ENG.^{1 2} (Annie TONKIN was born on Sep 15, 1832 in Shoreditch, Middlesex, ENG ^{7 9 11}, christened on Nov 11, 1832 in City Road Chapel Wesleyan, Finsbury, Shoreditch Parish, London, ENG ¹¹ and died after 1891 of Lambeth, Surrey, ENG ¹⁰.)

  Marriage Notes:

He and his wife lived on Shaftesbury Street in Haxton, Shoreditch, London, England when they married. ²