Captain Julian is the son of Isaac and Nancy (Wood) Julian, and was born, in Monroe county, Tennessee, April 4, 1822. When he was fifteen years of age his parents moved to Greene county, Missouri, and settled the farm in Cass township, where they both afterwards died. Stephen grew to manhood upon the farm, and on May 15, 1842, was married to Miss Sarah L. Vestal, of Putnam county, Indiana, but a native of North Carolina. They were blessed with six children, Flavius C., Melcena M., Mary L., John C. (deceased), Robert F. and William R. He built a house where he now lives, and in 1852, he took a drove of cattle across the plains to California. He returned by the isthmus of Panama to New Orleans and reached home in 1853. In 1857, he made another trip for the same purpose, returning via New York, reaching home in 1858. When the war came he espoused the Union side, and raised a company of cavalry for three years’ service in April, 1862, for the M. S. M. He commanded that company a year, and, was then appointed recruiting agent for this district. In January, 1864, he was elected captain of a battery, and was with Gen. A. J. Smith, who followed Price when that general was on his last raid into Missouri. In the fall of 1864 his battery was ordered to Paducah, Ky., and from there to Nashville, Tenn., and was at the battle of Nashville against Gen. Hood, and followed him into Mississippi. He was at Johnsonville, Tenn., when Lee surrendered and was mustered out at St. Louis, Mo., Sept. 5, 1865, and since that time has been engaged in farming and stock raising. In politics he is a Greenbacker, though before the war he was elected justice of the peace on the Democratic ticket, and served twelve years, and elected upon the Republican ticket in 1872, as public administrator of Greene county, serving eight years. He owns a large ranch in Kansas, besides his property here in Greene. He is a member of the I. O. O. F., and he and wife are members of the Presbyterian church at Cave Spring.
