----Source: Greenwood Gleaner 12/15/910

JACK L. STEVENS

Jack Louis Stevens was born Oct. 10, 1836 in St. Lawrence County, N.Y. He was the second son of a family of five children. In the year 1847, he came west with his parents and settled at Janesville, Wis., where his body now lies, having died Tuesday, Dec. 6, 1910 at the National Soldiers Home in Milwaukee, at the round old age of 74 years.

At the breaking of the Civil War he was in Illinois and was one of the first volunteers to respond to the call of Abraham Lincoln. He served in the 9th Illinois infantry until the second battle of Corinth, when he was shot through the left thigh. After his disablement he returned to his old home at Janesville, where he remained until his wound was healed, when he re-enlisted in the 12th Wisconsin Battery, and served until the end of the war.

After the war in 1865, he went to St. Joe, Mo., and joined an overland caravan and drove six mules to Salt Lake City, Utah, with a load of merchandise. On this expedition many encounters were had with Indians in which a few companions were taken.

From Salt Lake City, deceased went on to California, where he remained until 1888, when he returned to Janesville, Wis. A year later he came to Greenwood, Clark County, where he made his home with his brother, P.M. Stevens, until 1906, when he was taken to the National Soldiers Home in Milwaukee.

For sixteen years he was janitor at the school building, and never was there one who met with such favor and had the good will of the children, as did Old Jack.

Funeral services were conducted at the Home by his remaining comrades, after which the body was taken to his old home by his brother, Chas.

The news of his death came last week as a shock, barbed with pain and sorrow. Today all that was mortal of our friend and townsman is at peaceful rest in the silent city.