John & Ipsa Stephens
| Town/City | Mackay |
|---|---|
| First name | John & Ipsa |
| Last name | Stephens |
| Country of Origin | England |
| Date of Birth | 1794/1795 |
| Year of Arrival in Australia | 1854 |
| Submitted by | Judy Wallace |
Story
John Tresidder Stephens was born at Helston, Cornwall, England, and baptised there on 26 December 1794. He was one of six sons born to Robert Stephens and his wife Jane (nee Tonkin). Ipsa Michell was born in the fishing village of Mevagissey in Cornwall and baptised there on 31 May 1795. She was one of at least five children of Benjamin Michell, a watchmaker, and his wife Rachel (nee Bawden). John and Ipsa were married in Mevagissey on 22 May 1821.
They lived at Helston where John farmed part of the estate of Merthyr Sithney, owned by Sir Samuel Thomas Spry. Their house was just near the Sithney Church. They had nine children, all born at Helston. They were John (born 1822), William (born 1824), Thomas (born 1826), Jane (born 1828), Richard (born 1830), Samuel Beaumont (born 1832), Ipsa (born 1834), Henry (born c. 1837) and Edward (born c. 1839). John and Ipsa must have joined the Baptist Church as the births of their children were registered at the Coinagehall Street Baptist Church, Helston.
On the occasion of his son William’s marriage in 1851, John was described as a butcher on the marriage certificate.
John, Ipsa and three of their children (Jane, Ipsa and Henry) migrated to South Australia on the sailing ship “William Prowse” which left Plymouth on 25 May 1854, and arrived at Port Adelaide on 20 August. John’s occupation was listed as “labourer”. They were preceeded to South Australia by their sons Thomas and Samuel, and followed by William, Richard and Edward. The family settled at Strathalbyn where John worked as a butcher. He retired at the age of 70.
John Stephens died at Strathalbyn on 20 March 1874 at the age of 79. His wife Ipsa died on 7 March 1886, also at Strathalbyn, at the age of 91. They are both buried in Strathalbyn Cemetery.