Sidney and Mary Stevens were Weber County Pioneers. The couple married on May 22, 1863 in Liverpool. The very next day they boarded the ship “Antarctic” and sailed for America. By October of 1863 they arrived in Utah, and by 1865 had settled in North Ogden. On arrival in North Ogden, they bought a piece of property in the center of town and set about building a log cabin.
By 1874, they had enough money to replace the log cabin with a nice brick home. The historic Sidney & Mary Steven’s house sat at 2593 N. 400 E. in North Ogden for over 100 years. Originally built in 1874, it was a 2 1/2 story fire brick residence with a steeply pitched gabled roof and corbeled brick chimneys. The front façade was symmetrical and featured central doors on both floors. Originally, three small balconies were situated along the front. Shortly after construction however, the balconies were connected and roofed, giving the house a full-length, second story porch. The home contained 14 rooms and was a very fine and attractive residence. Sidney & Mary lived in this home for 16 years, raising 12 children. (It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in Weber County on December 2, 1977. It has since been demolished.)
Initially, the family operated a tannery, where Mr. Stevens would turn hides into leather and manufacture boots, shoes and harnesses. During this time he also acted as a commission agent for the people of Weber County, sending east to purchase farming implements and machinery for each season. By the time the railroad was completed in 1869, he decided to give up the tannery trade and opened an implement business on 25th Street in downtown Ogden City. They continued to operate a General Store in North Ogden where they sold winter goods, clothing, boots, shoes and other small notions.
The 25th Street location of Sidney Stevens Implements sat on the south side of the 300 Block (on the land where the Municipal Building stands today). It was here that he became the first Utah businessman to order & receive a full railcar shipment of farm wagons over the Union Pacific railroad. At that time the railroad ended near the mouth of Weber Canyon, so Mr. Stevens sent men out on horseback to meet the train. At the railhead, they would assemble three of the wagons and load them with the “knockdown” parts of the others. They would then drive it all down to the store on 25th Street for assembly and sale.
In 1888, Mr. Stevens purchased a large section of property on the est side of Washington Blvd, midway between 25th and 26th Streets, and all the way east to Adams Avenue. He erected a three-story building for his Implement business and opened a lumber yard. He held all patent rights to the Ludlow spring wagon, and built thousands of them in his Ogden shop. At one time, this location was the largest of its kind in all of Utah.
In 1890, Sidney, Mary and eight of their children moved from North Ogden to 261 27th Street. They resided in this home through 1907.
This new home was a 2-story Victorian Eclectic, with a side passage entry hall and single-story porch. Side passage houses were often 1½ to 2 stories high, having rectangular floor plans with the entrance on one side, a couple of rooms on the other side and room(s) on the rear. The main structure is brick with a gable decorated by original wood shingling and embellishments.
This home contained a classic staircase, railing and newel post and sat behind the original sandstone wall complete with charming iron gates.
Sidney Steven’s was my great great grandfather, Sidney O Steven’s my great grandfather, Max D Steven’s my grandfather, Paul L Steven’s my father. MPStevens