Memorials › Mary Cassander "Cassie" Stephenson Chitwood

Mary Cassander "Cassie" Stephenson Chitwood

23 Apr 1858 – 16 Mar 1932

Birth23 Apr 1858
Death16 Mar 1932
CemeteryCorona Cemetery
Corona , Lincoln County , New Mexico , USA
Added byJack Yankee on 30 May 2009
FaGhttps://www.findagrave.com/memorial/19278768

Bio

Mary Cassandre "Cassie" Stephenson (1858–1932) Birth and Family Heritage Mary Cassandre Stephenson, known as Cassie, was born on April 23, 1858, in Bonham, Fannin County, Texas, to William Benjamin Stephenson (1824–1888) and Sarah Ann Angeline Rogers (1821–1861). She descended from a prominent Stephenson family of early America, tracing her lineage back through her father's line to Moses Dunlap Stephenson (1795–1870), her grandfather, and further to Moses Stephenson (1759–1802), and ultimately to John Stephenson (1718–1785), her great-great-grandfather, who immigrated from Scotland and settled in Georgia and South Carolina during the colonial period. The Stephenson family was part of the early wave of Scottish immigrants to America, contributing to frontier settlement, agriculture, and community development in the Southern colonies and later in Tennessee and Texas. This heritage of pioneering, resilience, and adaptation to new frontiers was a defining influence on Cassie's life. Childhood and Early Family Life Cassie grew up in a large, blended family in Fannin County, Texas, during a period of early statehood and post-Republic Texas. She had several older siblings and younger half-siblings: Harriet Eugenia Stephenson (1853–1900) – sister Frances Elizabeth "Fannie" Stephenson (1860–1947) – sister Olivia T. Stephenson (1865–1933) – half-sister (from her father's second marriage to Mary Josephene Garner, 1864) Silas William Stephenson (1867–1904) – half-brother John Dyer Stephenson (1869–1947) – half-brother Helen Elwood Stephenson (1871–1885) – half-sister Cassie's early years were marked by the death of her mother around 1861, during the outbreak of the Civil War, leaving her father William to manage a large household and navigate the challenges of wartime Texas. In 1864, William married Mary Josephene Garner (1837–1925), expanding the family further. Marriage and Family Life At age 20, on December 29, 1878, Cassie married Sparrell Hale Chitwood (1847–1911) in Bonham, Fannin County, Texas. They had ten children, including: Pearl Gertrude Chitwood (1880–1898) – died from complications of childbirth Eulla Lee Chitwood (1882–1883) Clyde Timothy Chitwood (1883–1943) Floyd Clinton Chitwood (1886–1959) Bernice Shedrick Chitwood (1889–1966) Dona Gay Chitwood (1891–1985) Bruce Chitwood (1893–1963) Earl Chitwood (1898–1976) Leonard Leondus "Lyn" Chitwood (1902–1971) Bluford Blanton Chitwood (1907–1986) Her family faced frontier challenges, including the early deaths of Pearl Gertrude and Eulla Lee, illustrating the dangers of childbirth and childhood in rural Texas during the late 19th century. Adult Life and Texas Frontier Experience Cassie lived most of her adult life in Fannin County, raising her children and managing her household. By the 1880s, the family was well-established in Precinct 1, Fannin County, participating in the agricultural economy and contributing to the growth of Bonham and nearby Ector. Her father, William Benjamin Stephenson, continued to reside in Bonham until his death on August 16, 1888, having helped establish the family's presence in Texas while preserving the legacy of their American and Scottish roots. After the death of her husband Sparrell in 1911, Cassie remained as the matriarch of the extended family, guiding her children and maintaining strong family ties. Visit to New Mexico and Death In 1932, Cassie traveled to Corona, Lincoln County, New Mexico, to visit her daughter Dona Gay Chitwood Montgomery. While there, she unexpectedly passed away on March 16, 1932, at age 73. Her death away from home highlights the continued mobility and enduring connections of her family across Texas and New Mexico. Legacy Cassie Stephenson embodied the strength and resilience of frontier women, managing a large household through hardship, loss, and social change. Her lineage, tracing back to John Stephenson, an early Scottish-American settler, demonstrates a family tradition of pioneering, adaptation, and enduring influence. Through her children, her descendants extended her family's impact across Texas, and the Southwest, continuing the Stephenson-Chitwood legacy. Historical Context Scottish-American Heritage: Cassie's ancestry reflects the migration of Scottish families to the American colonies and the Southern frontier. Civil War & Reconstruction (1861–1877): Her early life shaped by maternal loss and social upheaval in Texas. Texas Frontier (late 19th century): Managed household and children amidst agricultural development, railroads, and town growth. Health and Mortality: Daughter Pearl's death highlights maternal risks in rural Texas. Westward Mobility: Later travel to New Mexico reflects ongoing family connections and pioneer movement across the Southwest. Sources Birth and Death Records: Bonham, Fannin, Texas; Corona, Lincoln, New Mexico U.S. Federal Census: 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920 Family Records: Stephenson and Chitwood genealogies Historical Context: Texas frontier history, Reconstruction-era studies, Scottish-American settlement in South Carolina and Tennessee Obituary At Rest - Friends and relatives were grieved by news of the death, on March 16, 1932, of Mrs. M.C. Chitwood, at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Frank Montgomery, at Corona, New Mexico. Mrs. Chitwood came here two weeks ago from her home near Bonham, Texas. She had been ill for some time. Mrs. Chitwood was born April 23, 1958, in Bonham, Texas; was married there on December 29, 1878 to S.H. Chitwood, of Bonham, where they lived until his death on January 2, 1910. Ten children were born to this union, eight of whom survive her. She was the kind mother whose children called her blessed; the kind of friend whose handclasp means comfort. She became a member of the Methodist church at the tender age of six years, and her life was a shining example of consecration, and her unwaivering faith, a light, pointing the way to God. Deepest sympathy is given to those who mourn. Her going leaves a deep shadow on the hearts on all who knew her. Funeral services were held at Corona, with Rev. Lawson, of Carrizozo, presiding.

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