Deacon Stephen James
Deacon Stephen James was born in Connecticut, August 8, 1767, but moved to Stockbridge, Massachusetts, when young. He, Levi Shepard and Sylvester Barnum were the first families to come into Brownhelm in July of 1817. He was prominently identified with the church for many years in Brownhelm, and also in Stockbridge, where he was first elected to the office of deacon. He instituted the first known religious services held in Brownhelm township, holding meeting at Judge Brown’s house the Sunday immediately after their arrival. He married, at the age of twenty-seven, Hannah Schofield, of Stanford, Connecticut, who died in 1811, leaving five children, three sons and two daughters. His daughter Hannah married Ezekiel Goodrich. He died Sept 11, 1841 at age 74.