James B. Stephens

James B. Stephens (November 9, 1806 – March 22, 1889) was a pioneer of the U.S. state of Oregon. A cooper by trade, he operated one of the first ferries across the Willamette River at what was East Portland, Oregon. His father was the first burial at Portland's Lone Fir Cemetery. A native of Virginia, he was the founder of East Portland and Stephens Street in Portland, Oregon is named in his honor.

Early life James Stephens was born on November 19, 1806, in Brooke County, Virginia (later West Virginia) to Emmor Stephens. When he was eight, his family moved to a farm in the Indiana Territory. He learned the cooper trade, and practiced for several years in Indiana and in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Stephens refused Overton's offer to sell him his Portland land claim for 300 new salmon barrels because he planned to bid for another claim, which he secured in 1845 and on which East Portland was founded. It began operations in 1846, and was the first ferry in what became Multnomah County (it was part of Twality District at that time). Stephens laid out the town from the Willamette River to East First Street, and from Glisan Street to Hawthorne Street.

Cemetery

James’ father Emmor died in 1846 and was buried on the family land in East Portland. When Stephens sold the land to Colburn Barrell in 1854, he required Barrell to maintain the grave site. On April 8, 1854, Barrell's ship Gazelle exploded and killed his partner and several others, all buried next to Emmor Stephens. Stephens Street in Portland is named for him.