author
A late-19th-century California newspaperman and family historian, he is best known for compiling a detailed genealogy of the descendants of Joshua Stevens. His writing preserves both family memory and a slice of American regional history.
Born in Lockington, Ohio, on March 5, 1855, he later made his life in California. In The Stephens Family, he identified himself as the son of W. H. Stephens, noted that he adopted "Cecil" from his mother's family, and described early work in Santa Clara before building a career in journalism.
Stephens is best remembered today for The Stephens Family: A Genealogy of the Descendants of Joshua Stevens, written in Los Angeles in 1892. The book traces the line of Joshua Stevens and reflects the strong interest many 19th-century writers had in ancestry, migration, and family record-keeping.
Other historical references describe him as a journalist who also wrote about Southern California. He died in Los Angeles County on January 22, 1913. No suitable verified portrait image could be confirmed from the sources reviewed, so a profile image is not included.