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Mary Armstrong Steven's father, followed his daughter and son-in-law to Dallas in about 1871 and lived down Coombes Creek from them, approximately west of the modern intersection of Fort Worth Avenue and Sylvan.

Diploma with remnants of wax seal, verifying the ordination of Samuel Armstrong as Deacon in the Methodist-Episcopal-Church;
Charleston, South Carolina;
February 14th, 1836

Rev. Samuel Armstrong (1809-1890) served in annual appointments for the Methodist-Episcopal Church in the North Texas area, among other things helping to establish the Floyd Street M.E. Church, (later reorganized as GraceMethodist in East Dallas, which Annie and Walter Stevens later attended). Reverend Armstrong was an active private land speculator. His name is recorded in about 150 Dallas County real estate transactions.

Walter A. Stevens

Walter Stevens (left) and a friend

Annie L. Stevens

Dr. George Clark Rankin
(1849-1915)

Lauraette's grandfather came to Dallas in 1896 as minister of the First Methodist-Episcopal Church (South); in 1898 he was elected Editor of that denomination's regional newspaper (serving Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico). (Rankin Street in University Park is probably named in his honor.)

Laura Rankin Stevens
(1876-1961)

Like his father, Walter Stevens married the daughter of a Methodist minister. She moved into Walter's family home where his sister Annie, and his parents, Mary and Charles Stephenson, already lived.

Laura R. Stevens with baby daughter Mary Frances

Laura R. Stevens with infant daughter Mary Frances

Walter and Laura Stevens had four children, two boys and two girls. The boys died as infants, while Mary Frances Stevens (1909-1912) lived only slightly longer. Laura Eleanor Stevens ("Lauraette") alone survived to adulthood.

Laura Eleanor Stevens
(1913-1997)

"Lauraette", as she appeared at about the time the Stevens Park Estates street was named after her.

Laura E. Stevens

(Lauraette Baccalaureate)

Laura and Bill Chadwick

Hattie Rankin Moore (1879-1953) was Lauraette's aunt. Because of her social work in West Dallas, the city named a park there in her honor.

In 1889, widow Mary Stevens married Col. Charles B. Stephenson. They built a new home at 4103 Swiss Avenue where Charles, Mary, Annie, and Walter lived until they each died, and where Lauraette was raised. I suspect that this may be a photograph of that house, now demolished.

Susan Boren Fitch

Granddaughter of U.S. Senator Dr. Horace Chilton, Susan Boren grew up at 4117 Swiss Avenue, close to Lauraette . Was it she, as Mrs. Susan Boren Barber (Barbie?), for whom Barberry Drive in the Stevens Park Village was named?

Laura Eleanor Stevens Chadwick's Archive Armstrong / Stevens family of Dallas, Texas
Point your Mouse and 'Click' on the Image to See an Enlarged View
Images provided by Donna Chadwick, step-daughter of Laura Eleanor Stevens (Sternberg) Chadwick.
Reverend Samuel Armstrong Mary Armstrong Steven's father, followed his daughter and son-in-law to Dallas in about 1871 and lived down Coombes Creek from them, approximately west of the modern intersection of Fort Worth Avenue and Sylvan.	Diploma with remnants of wax seal, verifying the ordination of Samuel Armstrong as Deacon in the Methodist-Episcopal-Church; Charleston, South Carolina; February 14th, 1836	Rev. Samuel Armstrong (1809-1890) served in annual appointments for the Methodist-Episcopal Church in the North Texas area, among other things helping to establish the Floyd Street M.E. Church, (later reorganized as GraceMethodist in East Dallas, which Annie and Walter Stevens later attended). Reverend Armstrong was an active private land speculator. His name is recorded in about 150 Dallas County real estate transactions.
Annie Lucille Stevens	Walter Armstrong Stevens	This pair of photographs were made by a studio in Chicago. Though neither photograph is marked, I feel certain that these are Annie and Walter Stevens, probably taken at a visit to the Chicago World's Fair of 1893. Walter would have been about 19 years old, Annie around 18 years of age.
Walter A. Stevens	Walter Stevens (left) and a friend	Walter A. Stevens (1874-1932) was the son of Dr. John H. and Mary Stevens. He and his sister Annie grew up on their parents farm which is now Stevens Park. Walter attended Southwestern College in Georgetown, Texas. He was a publisher and later involved in the development of Stevens Park Estates. He lived in the same house with his sister Annie from the time she was born until he died.
Annie L. Stevens	Annie L. Stevens	Annie L. Stevens (1875-1941) was younger than Walter. She never married, nor had children, but lived with her parents and her brother Walter's family throughout her life. She died in 1941 at age 66. Annie alone actually inherited all of widow Mary Stevens' land. It was she who signed the contracts that gave the park lands to the city and established Stevens Park Estates, Stevens Park Shopping Center, and Stevens Park Village.
Dr. George Clark Rankin (1849-1915) Lauraette's grandfather came to Dallas in 1896 as minister of the First Methodist-Episcopal Church (South); in 1898 he was elected Editor of that denomination's regional newspaper (serving Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico). (Rankin Street in University Park is probably named in his honor.)	Laura Rankin Stevens (1876-1961) Like his father, Walter Stevens married the daughter of a Methodist minister. She moved into Walter's family home where his sister Annie, and his parents, Mary and Charles Stephenson, already lived.	Laura R. Stevens with infant daughter Mary Frances Walter and Laura Stevens had four children, two boys and two girls. The boys died as infants, while Mary Frances Stevens (1909-1912) lived only slightly longer. Laura Eleanor Stevens ("Lauraette") alone survived to adulthood.
Laura Eleanor Stevens (1913-1997) "Lauraette", as she appeared at about the time the Stevens Park Estates street was named after her.	Laura E. Stevens (Lauraette Baccalaureate) Laura attended Hockaday, then Agness Scott College in Georgia; but when her father died in 1932, she returned to finish her college education at S.M.U. in Dallas.	Laura and Bill Chadwick Laura married twice, first as Mrs. Sternberg, then as Mrs. William Chadwick.
Hattie Rankin Moore Hattie Rankin Moore (1879-1953) was Lauraette's aunt. Because of her social work in West Dallas, the city named a park there in her honor.	Unidentified House In 1889, widow Mary Stevens married Col. Charles B. Stephenson. They built a new home at 4103 Swiss Avenue where Charles, Mary, Annie, and Walter lived until they each died, and where Lauraette was raised. I suspect that this may be a photograph of that house, now demolished.	Susan Boren Fitch Granddaughter of U.S. Senator Dr. Horace Chilton, Susan Boren grew up at 4117 Swiss Avenue, close to Lauraette . Was it she, as Mrs. Susan Boren Barber (Barbie?), for whom Barberry Drive in the Stevens Park Village was named?
4 March 2002: last revised on the 19th of March 2002 with minor alterations on the 27th of April2017 Jim Barnes