164 



Vol. XX 



FRANK STEPHENS— AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY 



WITH PHOTO 



THE EDITOR of The Condor is planning to publish a series of autobiogra- 

 phies of the older ornithologists of the west. He insists that I initiate the 

 series, and promises to get others to follow. I do not like the task, but 

 as I see some justice in his argument that I begin the series, I will "do my bit". 

 I was born in a log house on a farm in Livingston County, New York, April 

 2, 1849. As a small boy I attended a country school pretty regularly until 



Fig. 33. Frank Stephens. 



thirteen years old, when the family moved to Michigan. After this time my 

 school days were few. I never attended other than country schools and not 

 even these after I was sixteen years old. Among my boyhood recollections 

 those pertaining to the Civil War then in progress are prominent. The drain of 

 men to supply the army was so great that every one's help was needed, so that 

 by the time I was fifteen years old I was taking a man's place in the fields to 

 the extent that I was able. I remember following the reaper in the wheat field 

 when the binding crew consisted of two of us "men" and four young women. 



