Amanda Melvina Ashley was the daughter of G. B. (Greenberry) Ashley and Maria Louise Curtis/Custis Ashley. Maria and Greenberry were both born ca. 1808. Maria is buried in the Nashville City Cemetery. Greenberry was in Civil War, 1st/27th Consolidated Infantry Regiment representing Nashville, TN and believe died in the war 1861-1863. 

1826, September 23, Amanda Melvina Ashley was born, Nashville, Davidson, TN. 

1850 Census, Nashville, Davidson, TN, Dwelling 479, Family 479: 

• Maria Louise Custis/Curtis Ashley (41), f., b. TN (b. 1808, d. March 5, 1871) 
• Amanda Melvina Ashley (23), f., b. TN (b. September 23, 1826, m. James 
• Charles Stevens, Jr.-January 4, 1857, d. March 28, 1901) 
• Mary Elizabeth Ashley (21), f., b. TN (b. August 12, 1829) 
• William Custis Ashley (17), m., coppersmith, b. TN (b. February 7, 1834, d. March 8, 1904 
• Richard Mar Ashley (15), m., b. TN (b. April 27, 1836) 
• Martha Elizabeth Ashley (13), f., b. TN (b. January 28, 1838) 
• Margaret Louise Ashley (11), f., b. TN (b. February 10, 1841)

 

Amanda Melvina Ashley married James Charles Stevens, Jr. on January 4, 1857 in Nashville, Davidson, TN. Both the marriage bond and the marriage license were dated December 29th, 1856. James Charles Stevens, Jr. was born ca. 1825 in London, England. 

The children of Amanda Melvina Ashley Stevens and James Charles Stevens, Jr. were: 

• James Wharton Stevens, b. June 25, 1858, Nashville, Davidson, TN and died January 16, 1930, age 71, Memphis, Shelby, TN.
•  William George Stevens, b. April 12, 1860, Nashville, Davidson, TN and died July 3, 1932, Memphis, Shelby, TN. 
• Charles “Charlie” Richard Stevens, b. April 2, 1862, Nashville, Davidson, TN and died July 20, 1863, Nashville, buried Nashville City Cemetery in plot with Maria Louise Custis/Curtis Ashley (his grandmother). 
• Emma Stevens, b. July 10, 1864 (6 years 1870 census, b. TN, not listed 1880). 
• Charles George Stevens, b. June 15, 1868/1869, TN.

 

 1860 Census, Nashville, Davidson, TN, pg. 476, dwelling 103, family 125:

•  Maria Louise Ashley (52), f., b. TN, seamstress, (can not read of write), property value, $100 
• Richard Mar Ashley (24), m., b. TN, farmer 
• Martha Elizabeth Ashley (22), f., b. TN 
• Margaret Louise Ashley (19), f., b. TN

 

1860 Census, Nashville, Davidson, TN, 8th Ward of Nashville, D-5-171 

• James Charles Stevens, Jr., (34), machinist, b. England 
• Amanda Melvina Ashley Stevens (33), b. TN 
• James Wharton Stevens (2), b. TN 
• William George Stevens (2/12), b. April 1860, TN

 

1870 Census, Nashville, Davidson, TN, pg. 503, dwelling 512, family 645: 

• Maria Louise Ashley (62), w .f., b. TN, keeping house
•  Richard Mar Ashley (34), w. m., b. TN, tinner 

 

1870 Census, Nashville, Davidson, TN, 8th Ward of Nashville, D-443 (584/706) 

• James Charles Stevens (Stephens), Jr., (43), railroad machinist, b. England 
• Amanda Melvina Ashley Stevens (Stephens) (40), b. TN 
• James Wharton Stevens (Stephens) (12), b. TN, attending school 
• William “Willie” George Stevens (Stephens) (10), b. TN, attending school 
• Charles Stevens (Stephens) (7), b. TN, attending school 
• Emma Stevens (Stephens) (6), b. TN 
• Charles George Stevens (Stephens) (2), b. TN 

 

1880 Census, Nashville, Davidson, TN, 10th District, E.D. 70, page 12 (133) 

• James (Jos.) Charles Stevens, Jr., (55), machinist, b. England, parents b. England
• Amanda (A.M., Mrs.) Melvina Ashley Stevens (53), wife, b. TN, parents b. TN
•  William George Stevens (20), son, apprentice, b. TN 
• Charles George Stevens (11), son, b. TN 
• James Wharton Stevens, (22), son, machinist, b. TN 
• Emma Ann Williams Stevens (24), wife of James Wharton Stevens, b. TN 
• Emma Gertrude Stevens (5/12), their baby b. July 1879 in TN

 

 1880 & 1885 Nashville City Directory 

• James Charles Stevens, Jr., foreman at Penitentiary, lived Bilbo Ave. and Waller. William George Stevens lived at the same address.

 

1888 Nashville City Directory 

• James Charles Stevens, Jr., machinist, lived at Spruce and Bass. 
• Charles William Stevens, machinist, at same address. 

 

1890 Memphis City Directory 

• James Charles Stevens, Jr., engineer, lived at 141 Looney Street. 
• Charles George Stevens, laborer, at same address.

  

1891 Memphis City Directory 

• James Charles Stevens, Jr., engineer, at 141 Looney St. 

 

1892 James Charles Stevens, Jr. and Amanda Melvina Ashley Stevens divorced. 

 

1900 Memphis, Shelby, TN census, 5th Civil District, E.D. 90, p. 1 (129/34/41) 

• Amanda Melvina Ashley Stevens (Stephens) (73), b. Sept. 1826 in TN, widowed 
• (“Grass Widow”, divorced, husband not dead, still above ground), mother of seven children, three living. Amanda was b. TN, her father b. NC, her mother b. TN. 
• Charles George Stevens, son, (30), b. June 1869, single, engineer in sawmill. They lived at 129 Looney Street. 

 

Amanda Melvina Ashley Stevens died March 28, 1901, age 79, in Memphis, Shelby, TN and is buried in Forest Hill Cemetery-Midtown, Memphis, section A Adult, Lot F 90, burial #365 on March 29, 1901. Female, white, cause of death, Senility La Grippe, place of death, 129 Looney Street, physician, J. F. Cochran, undertaker, Holst Bros., Shelby County Pre-1902 Death records, File # P.151. 

 

Obit for Amanda Melvina Ashley Stevens, Memphis Commercial Appeal, March 30, 1901, page 5. —-  Stevens-At residence, No. 129 Looney Street, Chelsea, Thursday evening, March 28, 1901, Amanda A. Stevens, aged 79 years, mother of James W., W.G., and C.G. Stevens. (Nashvile and Chattanooga, Tenn., and Birmingham, Ala. Papers please copy). Remains were interred in Forest Hill Cemetery Yesterday (Friday) afternoon. 

 

James Charles Stevens, Jr. died November 2, 1915 at 7:30 p.m., age 91, in Memphis,Shelby, TN, and is buried in Forest Hill Cemetery-Midtown, Memphis, section B Adult, Lot 883 single, burial # 3917, November 4, 1915. Male, white, married, cause of death senility, general debility, place of death, 337 W. Johnson Place, physician, S.W. Thorn, undertaker, Jno. J. Collins. State of TN Board of Health file #2756, registered # 2757, showed length of residence at address as 4 yrs., in the state 20 yrs., father was James Stevens, b. England, mother, unknown, birthplace unknown. It showed his age 74 (91). Death certificate informant was Mrs. J. C. Stevens.

 

submitted by Peggy Rhinerson