Hugh and Bessie Stephens House

Architects Evart Tracy and Egerton Swartout, who had gained fame for designing the Missouri State Capitol building, built the historic Hugh and Bessie Stephens House in 1913. The house's size and prominence reflect Stephens' wealth and status. Stephens, an heir to the Tribune Printing Company and publisher of the Daily Tribune, was a local businessman and civic leader with ties to local and state government. The home arose as one of the few French Eclectic designs in Jefferson City before the 1920s when the style peaked nationally. The Stephens lived in the house for almost fifty years, and the house has served as the Lincoln University President's residence since 1965. 

The French Eclectic style had yet to appear in Jefferson City before 1913 when construction of the Stephan's house began. Inspired by French farms and manor houses, the French Eclectic style included little ornamentation. Its post-WWI peak in popularity likely stemmed from returning veterans who had seen the style while serving in France. But, it is unknown why or how Stephens chose the French Electic design in 1913. Evart Tracy and Egerton Swartout, a New York architectural team designed the Stephens House; they also oversaw the design and construction of the Missouri State Capitol building (1912-1916). 

Hugh Stephens was a successful entrepreneur in Jefferson and a prominent Columbia, Missouri business family member. His grandfather, James L. Stephens, served as a state senator from 1880 to 1884 and strongly supported the Columbia Baptist Female College; the trustees renamed the school Stephen's College after James gifted the college $20,000. James' son and Hugh's father, Edwin W., owned the Tribune Printing Company in Jefferson City and published the Daily Tribune.

The Tribune Printing Company also took care of the printing needs of the state government. Edwin also served as president of the Missouri Press Association in 1890, and in 1896, he called for establishing the University of Missouri School of Journalism, which came to fruition in 1908. Furthermore, Edwin Stephens proved instrumental in establishing the State Historical Society of Missouri. He also happened to chair the 1911 State Capitol Board Commission that selected Tracy and Swartout to design the new State Capitol building, creating a connection that would serve Hugh well. 

Hugh and Bessie Stephens possessed extensive wealth and influence. Hugh took over management of the Jefferson City Tribune Printing Company in 1897 after his father became ill. By 1905, he had built a new office building for the company and renamed it the Hugh Stephens Printing Company. By 1911, the Jefferson City Commercial Club elected him its president, and Hugh became responsible for leading the $3.5 million state bond issue to rebuild the state capitol. He served eight terms as president of the Commercial Club, which later became the Chamber of Commerce, served on the commission that evolved into the State Highway Commission, and served on the board of Exchange National Bank (now Hawthorn Bank), among many private and government duties. 

Meanwhile, his wife Bessie was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution and a women's literary club founded in 1895 by wives of local business elites; they helped build a free library with the help of funds obtained from the Andrew Carnegie fund.

The home changed hands several times during the early 1960s. Hugh died in 1960, followed by Bessie in 1962. They bequeathed the house to their daughters, who first rented it before selling it to the Jefferson City Housing Authority under its Urban Renewal program. Finally, in 1965, Lincoln University purchased it to use as a permanent residence for its presidents; with renovations occurring after the board approved to fund a renovation plan in 1988. 

Greene, Debra Foster and Tiffany Patterson. "Registration Form: Stephans, Hugh and Bessie, House." National Register of Historic Places. mostateparks.com. 2009. https://mostateparks.com/sites/mostateparks/files/Stephens%2C%20Hugh%20and%20Bessie%2C%20House.pdf.

"Jefferson City, Lincoln histories meet in president's residence: Jackson Street home receives Golden Hammer recognition." News Tribune (Jefferson City), July 10, 2017.