Stephen M. ARCHER ¹

  General Notes:

1850 OH CENSUS, Monroe Co, Union Twp:
Stephen Archer, 12, b. OH, attended school.
He was living with James &Cintha Archer, Jr. and other children.

U.S., CIVIL WAR DRAFT REGISTRATION RECORDS., 1863-1865:
Name: Stephen M Archer
Residence: Stock, Ohio
Class: 1
Congressional District: 16th
Age on 1 July 1863: 25
Race: White
Marital Status: Married
Occupation: Farmer
Place of Birth: Ohio

History of Noble County, Ohio : with portraits and biographical sketches of some of its pioneers and prominent men. Chicago: L.H. Watkins & Co., 1887
pages 460-462:
STEPHEN M. ARCHER, son of James and Cynthia Archer, was born June 28, 1838, on the land entered and owned by his grandfather, near the site now occupied by the town of East Union, Noble County, Ohio.
His father, eldest son of James, Sr., was born in 1805, and came to Ohio from Greene County, Pa., when four years of age. He married Cynthia Morris, who was born in 1809, a grand-niece of Robert Morris, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, and daughter of Isaac Morris. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, in which he zealously labored as exhorter and preacher for many years, doing much good for the church in those early times. He died Aug. 14, 1856. His wife survived him several years. She also was an earnest Christian, and on the 5th of March, 1884, fell asleep in the hopes of a happy resurrection.
A local newspaper says:
"Died, March 5, 1884, Mrs. Cynthia Archer, wife of Rev. James Archer. She raised a family of thirteen children - seven boys and six girls. The loved and loving sister, wife, mother and friend died where womanhood's morning sun touches the evening star, while the shadows were falling toward the west. She had passed on life's highway the stone that marks the seventy-fourth year, four months and twenty days, but being weary for a moment, she lay down by the wayside, and using her burden for a pillow, fell into the dreamless sleep that kissed down her eyelids still. Yet, after all, it may be best; the end of each and all, and every life, no matter of its every hour is rich with love, and every moment jeweled with a joy, will, at its close, be a sad and deep and dark mystery. This tender woman in every storm of life was brave, but in the sunshine she was vine and flowers. She was the friend of the poor. She left all spite and malice far below, while on her forehead fell the golden dawning of a grander day. She sided with the weak, and with a willing hand gave alms with a kind heart, and with the purest hands she faithfully discharged all her duties. She added to the sum of human joy, and were every one for whom she did some kind and loving service to bring flowers to her grave, she would sleep beneath a wilderness of flowers. She leaves a family of six children, and two brothers and many friends to mourn her loss."
They had thirteen children - seven boys and six girls. The boys were George W., John W., Stephen M., Isaac b., James, Jonas and Robert, of whom Stephen M. and Isaac B. are living. The girls were Amelia, Sophia, Celia, Elizabeth, Catharine and Cynthia are still living. Stephen M. married Rachel, daughter of Cyrus and Lucinda Matheny, May 7, 1857. She was born July 29, 1840. Their children are Lucinda L., born Feb. 18, 1858, died June 26, 1858; Mary E., born Mar. 2, 1859, died Aug. 19, 1859; Martin B., born Aug. 26, 1860, married Arabelle A., daughter of Joseph and Caroline Rutherford, Oct. 29, 1881, by whom he has two children (Bertie May, born Sept. 11, 1883, and Jessie Rosa, born May 16, 1885). He is a Marion Township farmer. Milton W. was born Mar. 19, 1862. He has taught several terms of school but is now engaged in the mercantile business in East Union, where he has a good store-room filled with a fine selection of merchandise. Odell was born April 11, 1864, died Sept. 21, 1864; Martha, born Dec. 15, 1865, died Mar. 13, 1867; Neal, born Dec. 5, 1867, died May 20, 1868; Rosa, born July 6, 1869, is a teacher; Cicero M., born Aug. 12, 1871, and Esther L. and Eastman W., twins, born Sept. 9, 1873; Stephen M. born Oct. 17, 1880. Mr. Archer received one hundred acres of land from his father's estate, but his father afterward becoming somewhat involved, he paid $1,000 for him, which was near one-half the value of the land inherited. To the tract mentioned he has added from time to time, until he now has four hundred acres of as fine agricultural and pasture lands as can be found on the East Fork of Duck Creek, a stream noted for the fertility of the soil in the country bordering on its banks. As an example of thrifty farming we will give one instance told us by Mr. Archer. In 1871 he bought one hundred acres of land, and borrowed the money of William J. Young to pay for it, going in debt $6,000, and paying ten per cent interest. In four years he had his land paid for, and was out of debt. When we remember the panic of 1873 this is a remarkable example of successful financiering under adverse conditions, which requires sound judgment and keen penetration. He has been somewhat extensively engaged in dealing in stock, horses, cattle and hogs, for many years, and is one of the few who have made money at it. He tells a good story of one of his early deals: "When I was about fifteen years old," says he, "my father sent me out one day to look up some fat hogs four or five miles from home. I chanced upon a man who said he had three for sale. Dismounting and going to his lot, I found three very fine hogs, which would weigh, as I judged, 250 pounds, or upward. I inquired the price. After much hemming and hawing, he wanted me to make him an offer. I told him I would give him $12 for them; he said he could not take it; he had decided that nothing less than $10 would buy them. I told him I would not give it, but I would split the difference with him and give him $9, which he finally consented to take, and I drove the hogs home." In 1862, in partnership with Naaman Harris, he engaged in the mercantile business in East Union, but went out in 1866. He has bought tobacco since 1860, averaging, he thinks sixty-five hogsheads per year.
Mr. Archer, like most men of his age, had very few educational advantages in his youth, but judging by the facility with which he attends to his varied business interests, he improved them to their utmost. He is not only a liberal supporter of schools, but an earnest advocate of advanced thought in all literary and scientific departments. Upon his center table we found, beside the Bible, Darwin's complete works, a noted orthodox paper and the Boston Investigator. In politics he is a Republican, yet charitable in his strictures upon parties and policies. Mr. Archer occupies the old homestead, the home of his father and grandfather, the buildings of which are in a remarkable state of preservation, though standing for half a century; by having good foundations and by a liberal use of paint they seem little the worse for wear. His has been a busy and a useful life. Beginning as a poor boy, by industry and economy he has accumulated considerable wealth, and while his varied business transactions have brought him in contact with men of all classes, yet so honorable have been his dealings with his fellow-men, that he has the esteem and confidence of all who know him.

1910 OH CENSUS, Noble Co, Stock Twp:
Stephen M. Archer, 72, wd, b. OH, parents b. OH, own income:
Sherb Johnson, 15, boarder, b. OH, father b. PA, mother b. OH, laborer, on farm.

OH, DEATHS, 1908-1953:
Name: Stephen M Archer Sr.
Event: Death
Event Date: 14 Dec 1911
Event Place: Stock, Noble, Ohio
Residence:
Street Address:
Gender: Male
Death Age: 73y 10m 16d
Marital Status: Widowed
Race: White
Occupation: Farmer
Birth Date: 28 Jan 1838
Birthplace: Noble Co., Ohio
Burial Date: 17 Dec 1911
Burial Place: East Union, Noble, Ohio
Father: James Archer
Father's Birthplace: W. Va.
Mother: Cynthia Morris
Mother's Birthplace: Noble Co., Ohio
Informant: C. M. Archer, Whigville, OH
Reference Number: fn 66550
Film Number: 1953094
Digital Folder Number: 4021121
Image Number: 1185

Stephen married Rachel MATHENY, daughter of Cyrus MATHENY and Lucinda BALIS, on 7 May 1857 in OH.^{1 2} (Rachel MATHENY was born on 29 Jul 1840 in OH,^{1 3} died on 20 Jan 1910 in Stock Twp, Noble Co, OH ⁴ and was buried on 22 Jan 1910 in East Union Cem, Noble Co, OH ^{4 5}.)