In April of 1909, Louis Capner Stover, his wife, Helen Campbell (Lefferts) Stover, and their two year old daughter, Janet moved into the Isaac Stover Family Homestead in Erwinna. Helen's Mother, Helen Campbell (Rich) Lefferts moved with them. They opened the house in the summer to boarders, but had the house to themselves the remainder of the year.
These were the last Stovers to live in the house.
Helen C. (Rich) Lefferts
(1847-1934)
Helen C. Rich's father was Dr. James Rich (1795-1875) and her Mother was Helen (Tod) Rich. She was the youngest of 6 children with three older sisters (Eliza, Caroline and Janette) and two older brothers (Isaac and Judson). She was born in Doylestown near the farm school in "a pleasant house with a long front porch."
Her father retired to Churchville in 1853. Helen attended public school until age 10 and then she and her sister, Janette, were sent to the Roseland Female Institute, a boarding school at Hartsville in Bucks County under Principal, Reverend Jacob Belleville.
Roseland Female Institute
FOUNDED BY REV. JACOB BELVILLE IN 1850. The Institute LISTS PUPILS FROM ALABAMA, GEORGIA, ILLINOIS AND MANY NEIGHBORING STATES. TUITION WAS $75.00 PER SESSION (21 WEEKS), INCLUDING ROOM AND BOARD.
Helen compiled a history of her life with fun details and anecdotes which was donated as a part of this comprehensive collection of photos, documents, and correspondence.
"I came home [from Boarding school] and my father said our education was only begun. so for two hours each day, we read aloud to each other and studied geology, chemistry, and other branches and recited to father in the evening. Our reading comprised history, travels, biographies, and essays." Helen's history
"Just before my school days ended, the Civil War came in 1862. I knitted socks for our soldiers and after coming home, we all worked for the Sanitary Commission sewing, making jellies and so on to fill barrels which were sent to them." Helen's History
History of the Hartsville Ladies' Aid Society. Organized November 15, 1861, Library of Congress
Helen's name is listed in the history as a member of the Society
Among the materials the Society sent to the front were Album Quilts, so called because the individual quilt squares were sewn and signed by each member of the society.
"Let no one think that my days were spent in studying and household duties. We had much pleasure, many gentlemen friends. We did not call them boys in those days. Then, a pair of spirited horses and a handsome buggy was the ambition of our friends and many many rides and visits fell to our lot." Helen's History
Helen's elder sister married and moved to Philadelphia. "My sister Janette and I spent weeks in Philadelphia in the winter. Four young girls, as a matter of course had many gentlemen friends, one apiece of an evening was no uncommon occurrence. The years flew by and I was Bridesmaid for the eldest girl, indeed I was bridesmaid for five of my friends thereby disproving the saying, “three times a bridesmaid never a bride.” Helen's History
Helen was bridesmaid five times before she found her "affinity". Most of her friends' marriages were marriages of convenience. But Helen's was a love match, if the letters from her future husband, John Lefferts, are anything to judge by.
Lover Letter sent from Philadelphia in November 1872 by John Lefferts to Helen C. Rich in Churchville.
On January 15, 1873 she married John Lefferts. a young lawyer. His Father, Simon V. Lefferts, bought them a large 12 room house in Philadelphia for $6,000.
On December 12, 1875 Helen and John's first child was born. They named him Walter. Their second child, Helen Campbell was born 7 years later on January 13, 1882.
The Centennial was held from May though November in Philadelphia’s Fairmount Park. It cost 11 million dollars to produce. 10 million people viewed the works of 30,000 exhibitors. Chinese Exhibit Displayed in this Sterograph.
Now married with a son, his letters were filled with romance and concern at being apart from his family.
Letter from John Lefferts to Helen Lefferts from the Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia, August 2, 1876, part 2
John also took the opportunity to recognize one of the many "firsts" of his son walter's life. His first postal!
The Lefferts lived in the Philadelphia house for 16 years. The family attended the Reformed Church. Helen was Secretary of the Dorcas Society and John was an Elder. In 1888, they retired to the country in North Wales, PA. There, Helen taught at the Sunday School, was President of the Ladies Aid Society and headed the Needlework Guild.
"Then my mother died in February 1889 and in April we moved to a farm Mr. Lefferts had bought at North Wales, Montgomery County, PA, which almost broke my heart, but I rallied from the shock and made the best of it. We had a big house and I threw myself into everything social and otherwise." Helen's History
In 1897, The Lefferts moved back to Philadelphia and rented a house. There, both of Helen's children were married. Walter, now a teacher, married Helen Lauderback on June 30, 1904. Helen married Louis Capner Stover on June 1st, 1904.
Apparently when Louis Stover proposed, Helen did not answer. Instead she directed him to discuss the matter with her mother, which he did.
Letter of proposal from Louis Stover, requesting his soon to be Mother-in-Law's blessing, July 25, 1903, part 1
Letter of Proposal from Louis Stover, requesting his soon to be Mother-in-Law's blessing, July 25, 1903, part 2
His Mother-in-law gave her approval and in fact moved in with her daughter's family to Tioga, PA where Louis Stover had bought a house and where their daughter Helen Janet Louise Stover was born. Five years later, in 1909, the family returned home to the Stover Family Homestead in Erwinna, PA.
Helen C. Lefferts divided her time between Erwinna and Philadelphia where she stayed with her son, Walter and his family. She spent summers in Atlantic City. When Walter's wife passed away in 1916 Helen moved in with him for four years keeping house before he got remarried to Marie Weber in 1920. She returned to Erwinna for a short while.
In her last years, Helen found a boarding house in Philadelphia, returning to the City she loved. Helen died in 1934.
Helen C. (Lefferts) Stover
(1882-1975)
Helen C. Stover (nee Lefferts) was born in Philadelphia on January 13, 1882 and spent the first seven years of her life in the large, 12 room Philadelphia home on North 13th Street.
When Helen was 7 years old the family retired to the countryside. She spent her young years in North Wales, PA. It was only when she was teenager, age 15, that family moved back to Philadelphia.
Picnic along the delaware river with Helen Stover, Standing in the back and Janet Stover, sitting in the front row.
Erwinna was an idyllic place for a child to grow up. The Homestead had a wide porch, a large fenced in yard with a deck for overlooking the Delaware River. The Canal ran along the back of the property and the Stover Mill was visible from the porch. Friends and family lived near by with plenty of cousins for Janet and only child to play with.
The Stover Homestead
Portrait of Helen C (nee Rich) Lefferts, Helen C. (nee Lefferts) Stover and Janet Stover
The Stover Homestead was a welcome home to cats (Zippie, Lady and Peter), dogs (Billy) and even a horse named Bessie. Janet's account of her first meeting with her long time side kick as recorded in a letter.
Pictures of Janet and Billy when she was about the above letter writing age.
Janet with her parents, Helen and Louis
During the 1920s Janet would have been a teenager, embracing the fashion trends. Cutting her hair short and donning the "flapper style" clothing with short skirts and elaborate hats.
Janet spent 10 years as a Stenographer for David Lupton's Sons Company in Philadelphia from 1925 to 1932 leaving with high recommendations form her boss, George W. Scott.
by the 1930s, It is likely that Janet had moved from home and was living near where she was employed. Her Grandmother Helen had removed to Philadelphia by 1930, leaving her mother and father, living alone at the homestead for the following two decades.
Louis Stover died at the age of 87 on October 1, 1950