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Subject-Joseph Lawrence Stephens Paris Kentucky 1827-c.1832 (mark in photos):







Problem 1: All kinds of dates ascribed to this individual ranging from about 1810-onward.
Problem 2: Joseph Lawrence Stephens, born 12 April 1764 Shenandoah County Virginia, died 14 February 1848, 83 years old. Sergeant rank, service Revoultionary War. Slaveholder. No known history related to silversmithing? Died at Ruddell's Mills, Bourbon County Kentucky just north of Paris KY. Son Joseph was a "clerk" at some date. Is this guy a retailer with a store?? Two guys with this name living in the same area? Did he start a smithing career at 60+ years?! Anyone got insight on this?

Joseph Lawrence Stephen's son Joseph Lawrence was in the jewelry business in the first quarter of the 19th century in Paris, Kentucky.
Reference: https://books.google.com/books?id=0jZVA ... is&f=false

Right, # 29 Joseph Stephenson (1798-1885) is son of #16 Joseph Lawrence Stepenson and father of #38 Joseph Lawrence Stephenson (1821-)...so the mark should not be attributed as Joseph Lawrence Stephenson the way it has been...nothing shows him having this middle name. (The mark is always J. Stephenson, with additional mark for Paris.) Beyond that, he appears to be solely a merchant, first in jewelry, then in dry goods/groceries/etc. with nothing supporting any skills or training in silversmithing or watchmaking. There was a listed silversmith operating in Paris, I believe up to c.1825, so perhaps Joseph was trained by him?

Sorry, should all read Stephens, not Stephensons..too many "sons" on the mind.

It might be worth noting that Eljah Clark, later a prominent jeweler in Lexington, came to Paris from Ohio in 1850 to learn the jewelry trade. In 1854, he married Ella Louisa, Joseph Stephen's daughter, which may indicate a master/apprentice relationship or at least an employer/employee one.

Joseph lived to 1885, a full 87 years. No middle name on gravestone. Noted as a retired "Grocer". Another operating in Paris, Bourbon, KY from before 1825 to death in 1839 is Benjamin McKenny Riggs (with his own mark) trained on the east coast: http://freepages.rootsweb.com/~silversm ... te_mod.htm

There was also Thomas Phillips, working 1800-1805. There is a teaspoon in the Winterthur collection marked "TP" and "Paris"

A total of 1217 residents in 1830 and a lot of log structures still...could they need more than one operating silversmith at a time?

Will transcribe this later when my fingers thaw out, but we also have a David H. Riggs in Paris (G-books source on swordmaking with entry for Benjamin McKenny Riggs and father): https://books.google.com/books?id=HKDVC ... gs&f=false
[Ouch, I'm violating the rules, so copy it before it gets blanked out!]

Might not mean anything, but should point out that similarities of the few common letters in Riggs and Stephens marks could suggest the same source produced these.

silverly wrote:Joseph Lawrence Stephen's son Joseph Lawrence was in the jewelry business in the first quarter of the 19th century in Paris, Kentucky.
Reference: https://books.google.com/books?id=0jZVA ... is&f=false

Meant to say Joseph Lawrence Stephens' son Joseph Stephens, but I think it was understood.

Traintime wrote:A total of 1217 residents in 1830 and a lot of log structures still...could they need more than one operating silversmith at a time?

Just an opinion, but I believe Paris, Kentucky in its early years ranked much higher with other towns in the County than it does now and would have provided services for a significant portion of Bourbon County. I've had at least a couple spoons with an identical Paris stamp and different silversmith's names.

Was notable as an important early postal center in the region.

Story continues with new sample inquiry: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=60448&p=201978&sid= ... 86#p201978