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J. D. and H. N. Stephens,
owners 'of the Stephens Department Store, are pioneer merchants of
Vermilion. They were both born at Glencairn, in the province of Ontario,
Sons of Marshall N. and Margaret (Frame) Stephens. The father was a
native of' Ontario, while the mother was born in Scotland. Both parents
are deceased. For many years Mr. M. N. Stephens engaged in the lumber
business in his native province. He was a successful business man and
enjoyed well-merited success.
J. D. Stephens was born
on the 18th of March, 1857, and received his early education in private
schools and later enrolled in the Upper Canada College. In 1899 he went
to Manitoba and engaged in the conduct of a general mercantile business
at Swan River until 1909. In the meantime his brother, H. N. Stephens,
had established a mercantile business in Vermilion, in which he had an
interest. After disposing of his store interests at Swan River in 1909
he moved to Vermilion and has since been active in the conduct of the
Stephens Department Store in that town. Mr. Stephens married Miss Grace
M. Rioch, of Hamilton, Ontario. He was for five years chairman of the
local school board and is a zealous supporter of the Church of Christ.
H. N. Stephens was born
on the 7th of September, 1863, and received his early education in the
public schools of the Province of Ontario and was graduated from the
Upper Canada College. He married Miss Jean R. Wilson, a native of
Ontario, and they are parents of several children, the oldest son being
lecturer in chemistry at the State University of Minnesota. Mr. Stephens
held the office of mayor of Vermilion for a two-year term and during his
administration gave to this community efficient and businesslike
service, inaugurating and bringing to completion many movements for the
'development and improvement of the community at large. He and his
family are likewise members of the Church of Christ and active workers
in its support.
The Stephens brothers are
held in high confidence and esteem by all who know them, They devote
their ctire time and attention to the store, which was established here
in 1904 on a very small scale. They located here some time before the
railroad was extended to this place, traveling by rail as far as
possible, then by water on the Saskatchewan river as far as Lea Park,
Alberta, and thence by team to Vermilion. They brought with them enough
supplies for the establishment of their store and this was the first
enterprise of its kind in Vermilion. For some time they were located in
a frame building but that was burned to the ground in the fire which
destroyed the Vermilion district in 1918. Today they occupy quarters in
a handsome brick building which has all up-to-date improvement, etc.
They handle a complete and high-grade line of stock, covering every
department of general merchandise and they enjoy an extensive and
important patronage. The Stephens brothers represent that type of
citizen who is regarded as an acquisition to any community, for- warding
its development by their diligence and enterprise in matters of
business, and promoting its general progress by maintaining a high
standard of citizenship and cooperating in every commendable public
movement. |
