Stephen Bishop, farmer and stock-raiser, P. O. Charleston; was born near Providence, R. I. May 30, 1815; when he was but 2 years old, his parents emigrated to the then Far West, and located in Knox Co.. Ohio, where his father entered land from the Government, and engaged in farming, being among the pioneers in that part of the State; Knox Co. was then comparatively a wilderness; Mt. Vernon, the county seat-now a city of about 10,000 inhabitants-containing at that time but half a dozen houses; Mr. Bishop remained at home on the farm until he was 20 years of age, and then learned the trade of a blacksmith, and going to Mt. Vernon, carried on the carriage-making business there until 1858, when he removed to Illinois, and settled on a farm lying mostly in Coles. Co., his house, however, being situated just over the line in Clark Co.; in the spring of 1863, he removed to a farm in Seven Hickory Tp., containing 248 acres, on which he continued to reside until September, 1876, when he removed to Charleston, still retaining his farm in Seven Hickory Tp., and twenty acres of timber in Charleston Tp.; Mr. Bishop served one term as Justice of the Peace. He was married Feb. 25, 1841, to Miss Joanna Bane, of Knox Co., Ohio, who was born in Washington Co., Penn, Oct. 8, 1822; they have seven children – Jasper N., now of Lovington; Frank L. of Charleston; Anna A., wife of G. H. L., of Newark, Ohio; Minnie M., Lizzie C., Charles E. and Willie B.
