Elton R Stephens Elton Stephens (1933 - 2006) Jump to: . Named by Forbes as the 66th richest family in America, the Stephenses of Birmingham reportedly had a net worth of $4 billion as of last year. All rights reserved (About Us). Enter Founder and chairman of the board of EBSCO Industries, Inc., Elton Bryson Stephens was born August 4, 1911, to parents Clara Stuckey and James Nelson Stephens in Clio, Alabama. If it were split equally between her three children, they would walk away with a cool $600 million each before taxes and fees. Spina said he is confident Marshals or other law enforcement agencies will apprehend Burke if he does not surrender. A pair of kidnappers has been arrested after abducting a retired Alabama businessman and forcing him to pay a $250,000 ransom to gain his freedom, AL.com reports.. Once at the suspects home, Stephens called his banker, a call which was recorded, and asked him to wire $250,000 to Hodges bank account. Elton was a truck driver and worked with Southeastern Paper in Vidalia until his recent retirement. (Click on the pins for more information.). You can take any business, any product, anything and sell it, he says. Matthew Amos Burke (Jefferson County Jail). If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Survivors include his wife, Kathy Stephens of Tarrytown; two sisters, Claudette Stephens Drury and husband Kenneth of Fernandina Beach, Florida, and Jessie Stephens Cook and husband Kenneth of Kilgore, Texas; one brother, William Stephens of Gwinnett County; and several nieces and nephews. Keely on Tuesday, however, said the U.S. On the way to Remlap, the group stopped at a Full Moon Bar-B-Que drive-thru to get lunch. Controlled Demolition, Inc. (CDI) of Phoenix, Maryland, USA (acting as Explosives Subcontractor to Main Demolition Contractor, Lindamood Demolition of Irving. Enter At one point, earlier testimony showed, Burke told Stephens if he did anything to make Hodges feel uncomfortable, it wont end well for you.. It was Eltons frustration with borrowing money early in his business career that led him in 1981, at the age of 70, to begin a second career as a financier. Elton Bryson Stephens Sr. (19112005) was an American businessman from Alabama, who founded EBSCO Industries. What Elton did fall for was a love of business. A former employee of the Justice Department, Hoover accepted his new position on the proviso that the bureau was to be completely divorced from politics and that the director report only to the attorney general. Vernon where he lived until moving to Tarrytown in 1989. He was a member and deacon of Voice of GraceMinistries in Vidalia. Once the money was deposited, the suspects drove Stephens back to his rental house. October 11th, 2021. To send flowers There is no early parole in federal court. The man accused of kidnapping prominent Birmingham businessman Elton B. Stephens Jr. has pleaded guilty to federal charges in last years abduction. ELTON STEPHENS OBITUARY. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. "I was just obsessed with bicycles and motorcycles and cars." In short, he was all about anything with wheels. Those who knew him believe his philanthropy was driven by his own struggles growing up in Clio in Barbour County and living through the Great Depression. can stop at any time. Elton has been found in 13 states including Alabama, North Carolina, Florida, Texas, Utah. Friends can be as close as family. Elton Stephens, Sr.'s wife, Alys Robinson Stephens, passed away in 1996, leaving the couple's four children, Elton B. Stephens, Jr., James T. Stephens, Jane S. Comer and Dell S. Brooke, as the only remaining members of his nuclear family. At the time transfer from the neighboring agency, there was no documentation left to notify jail personnel that Burke had been sentenced by another court and was not to be released.. Refresh this page to see various historical events that occurred during Elton's lifetime. He served four years in the U.S. Army and returned to Mt. The man convicted federally of kidnapping Birmingham businessman Elton B. Stephens was released from the Jefferson County Jail because his state charges had been dismissed and jail officials had . Elton B. Stephens 1911 - 2005 2020 Inductee. What is Elton's ethnicity and where did his parents, grandparents & great-grandparents come from? Elton Stephens, age 71, of Tarrytown, died Thursday, January 21, 2021, in Meadows Health in Vidalia after an brief illness. He was a native of Montgomery County, growing up in Mt. A 2014 report on the world's super-rich by the wealth research firm Wealth-X listed her fortune at $1.8 billion. Tabatha Nicole Hodges (Jefferson County Jail). Mr. Elton L. Tebo Stephens, 89, of Wadesboro, NC, went home to be with the Lord on Sunday, March 3, 2019. [7] They had two sons, Elton B. Stephens Jr. and James T. Stephens, and two daughters, Jane S. Comer and Dell S. He was born in Birmingham, Alabama and is a graduate of Yale University and the Harvard Business School. A small-town boy, 11 Elton quickly learned the value of money. EBSCO Industries is now so diverse it deals with everything from investments to library periodicals, plastic fishing lures to steel joists, indoor advertising to realty, with Eltons love of selling seemingly forever moving the company forward into new markets. Who were the people in Elton's life? View Elton L. Tebo Stephens's obituary, send flowers and find service dates or sign the guestbook. "The business is as much a part of the family as the family is part of the business," explains founder, 90-year-old Elton B. Stephens. The kidnapper of Birmingham businessman Elton B. Stephens Jr. has been sentenced to 12 years in federal prison. Burke went on to say, according to testimony, that he had bought the house two weeks before which was not true. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Elton Stephens. To cover the rest of his costs, the enterprising young man worked full-time as a salesman in a local dry goods store. That led them to the location where Stephens had been taken. Stephens is the son of Elton B. Stephens, Sr., who started EBSCO Industries in the 1940s and became one of the most successful businessmen in Alabama history. He once tried to swap me a nickel for a dime saying it was bigger and had more value. He is approximately 5'7 tall, 170 lbs. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Stephens told Burke he was scaring him and asked Burke how much money it would take to leave him alone. Stephens, then 75, was abducted in the morning hours of Sept. 11, 2020, from a house he was renting from fellow businessman and philanthropist George Barber while he was waiting for his new house to be ready. U.S., Newspapers.com Obituary Index, 1800s-current. Elton Stephens believes anyone can successfully sell anything. Elton had continued selling subscriptions as he worked to complete his education, even hiring other students to work for him, including fellow Barbour County boy George Wallace, who would later become governor of Alabama. In addition to a lifetime of business and financial endeavors, Elton has committed his life to enrich the world around him. 2023 Ronald V. Hall Funeral Home. He also left one of his grandsons a few hundred thousand dollars' worth of stock. - After four decades at Elton B. Stephens Co. (EBSCO), President and CEO F. Dixon Brooke Jr. announced his plans to retire at the end of this current fiscal year, June 30, 2014. Joni Money said sheriffs officials are investigating the circumstances surrounding Burkes release but said they did not have any documentation that Burke was to remain in custody. Elton B Stephens of Birmingham, Jefferson County, Alabama was born on August 4, 1911, and died at age 93 years old on February 5, 2005. He was a member and deacon of Voice of GraceMinistries in Vidalia. Biography ID: 59996224 . [2] The Red Mountain Expressway was renamed the Elton B. Stephens Expressway by the City of Birmingham on September 11, 1975. Brooke. Roughly two hours of the abduction were recorded on Stephens sleep apnea app. AncientFaces is a place where our memories live. They had two sons, Elton B. Stephens Jr. and James T. Stephens, and two daughters, Jane S. Comer and Dell S. Brooke. In Birmingham his name is perhaps most commonly associated with Barber Motor Sports Park and Museum, home to the world's largest collection of motorcycles, to which he has contributed tens of millions of dollars. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Voice of Grace Ministries, 1221 Orange St., Vidalia, GA 30474. James Stephens, Elton Stephens, Jane Comer, Dell S Brooke - $4 billion. Liberty County. Death and legacy. Burke and his girlfriend, Tabatha Hodges, both pleaded guilty to federal charges of kidnapping and bank fraud. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials be made to First United Methodist Church, 118 E. Morgan St., Wadesboro, NC 28170. Stephens was taken to the suspects home in Remlap and held against his will for eight hours. Wadesboro Mr. Elton L. "Tebo" Stephens, 89, went home to be with the Lord on Sunday, March 3, 2019. Outstanding Student in Biomedical Equipment Technology - Justin Hollis . STEPHENS, ELTON BRYSON, was born August 4, 1911, and died February 5, 2005. Elton Stephens, Sr.'s wife, Alys Robinson Stephens, passed away in 1996, leaving the couple's four children, Elton B. Stephens, Jr., James T. Stephens, Jane S. Comer and Dell S. Brooke, as the . Roughly two hours of the abduction were recorded on Stephens sleep apnea app. Another potential candidate for the title of richest Alabama resident is Garry Neil Drummond, one of seven original heirs to the Drummond Co. fortune left behind by Heman Drummond when he died in 1956. Hodges gave them consent to search the residence and thats when authorities found several guns, a Yeti cooler, a camera and cash that had been taken from Stephens home. Stephens, and his son-in-law, F. Dixon Brooke, married to Stephens' daughter, Dell, both went on to lead EBSCO and have followed him in philanthropy through scholarships, charitable campaigns and support of the arts. According to previous testimony and court records, the suspects entered Stephens Crest Road rental home about 2 a.m. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Eventually the group left the house with Stephens in a vehicle with Burke, and Hodges following in another vehicle with her two kids. Where we share as we remember & make discoveries and connect with others to help answer questions. Tired of lenders who would refuse to lend against accounts receivable or not discuss long-term debt, he went looking for cheap banks in small towns, and purchased Citizens Bank in Leeds, Alabama, with $21 million in assets, for $2 million in borrowed funds and $600,000 of his own money. BIRMINGHAM, AL Prominent Birmingham businessman Elton B. Stephens, Jr. was kidnapped from his Birmingham home Friday and ordered to pay $250,000 ransom to be released, according to police . On December 14th, he succeeded. So now that Harbert has passed away, there is no clear heir to the title of wealthiest Alabama resident. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. After waking Stephens, Burke asked the victim how much money he had and if he had any real estate holdings, according to the plea agreement. Stephens became one of the first members of the United Way's Million Dollar Roundtable of top contributors and he established the Alabama Percent Club, which honors businesses that give 10 percent, 5 percent or 2 percent of pre-tax income to charity. As EBSCO grew into a worldwide empire, Elton was very clear about his goals. John Thomas Elton Stephens. Summers were spent working for Butterick, selling subscriptions to that once-famous dress pattern makers magazine, and in 1930 Elton and five friends hitchhiked north to Michigan to sell subscriptions door-to-door all day. in memory of Elton Stephens, please visit our floral store. But the former racecar driver is also undoubtedly one of the richest residents of Alabama, having succeeded his father at the helm of Barber's Dairy. They are also charged in state court and awaiting indictment consideration by a Jefferson County grand jury. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). According to previous testimony and court records, the suspects entered Stephens Crest Road rental home about 2 a.m. [2] For charitable contributions to the Birmingham Museum of Art, the Stephens Family Gallery is named in his family's honor. All rights reserved. BIRMINGHAM Two people from Remlap are being held in the Jefferson County Jail on no bond following the kidnapping and ransom demand of Elton B. Stephens, Jr. She also initially said that the kidnapping was all her idea, not her boyfriends, but later said that was a lie. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. What started as Military Service Co. selling magazine subscriptions to military bases evolved to become EBSCO Industries, a global company with nearly 6,000 employees and nearly 50 different companies operating in 23 countries. Stephens, then 75, was abducted in the morning hours of Sept. 11, 2020, from a house he was renting from fellow businessman and philanthropist George Barber while he was waiting for his new house . He was a native of Montgomery County, growing up in Mt. The U.S. After they left, he went to a friends home to call police. [2][6], Stephens was married to Alys Robinson. your email below for our complimentary daily grief messages. There is no early parole. ", The map above shows some of the various connections to the Stephens family in the Birmingham area. "I can't say enough about what the Stephens family has done and continue to do for this community," she said. Stephens was born on August 4, 1911, in Clio, Alabama. At one point, Stephens tried to jump out of the vehicle, but Burke pulled him back in by his shirt. and you'll be alerted when others do the same. She was Alabama's first female governor and was the only female governor to . Money said it was discovered around 3:30 p.m. Monday that Burke should have been held for transfer to federal prison, where he was to serve an already imposed sentence. BIRMINGHAM, AlabamaForbes may have singled out Birmingham's Stephens family as the state's richest clan with an estimated net worth of $4 billion, but those who live in the Magic City likely know Stephenses better for the things they've done with that wealth. In 1911, in the year that Elton B Stephens was born, Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen became the first man to reach the South Pole, along with four fellow Norwegian explorers. Stephens is the son of Elton B. Stephens Sr., who started the conglomerate EBSCO Industries. The Red Mountain Expressway, Alys Stephens Performing Arts Center, and the 99,500-square-foot Elton B. Stephens Science Center at Birmingham-Southern College were all named in honor of the family's charitable work and donations. The maximum penalty for conspiracy is 5 years in prison. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. But just who will be the benefactor of her fortune remains unknown beyond her inner circle, as her will is not yet available for public perusal at Jefferson County Probate Court. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). The following summer, Elton B. Stephens assembled and coordinated a team of friends to assist him; and he learned that he was not only a good salesman, but also a good manager. Share. Founder and chairman of the board of EBSCO Industries, Inc., Elton Bryson Stephens was born August 4, 1911, to parents Clara Stuckey and James Nelson Stephens in Clio, Alabama. His success and wealth drove him to want to contribute to Birmingham and Alabama in ways that he felt would better the state, family and friends toldThe Birmingham News in a story about Stephens after his death. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. "When I was four, I had pneumonia, and I remember my father often standing over my crib and entertaining . Dr. Sarah B. Kalish officiating. He served four years in the U.S. Army and returned to Mt. He was a loving husband and a faithful friend. After more than 80 years of business and financial endeavors, Elton says working is still his favorite hobby. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Determining the richest person in the state is simply not an exact science. Join Facebook to connect with Elton B. Stephens and others you may know. He was charged with obstruction of justice, failure to uphold laws, and the refusal to produce material subpoenaed by the committee. Online condolences may be made at www.leavittfh.com. Matthew Amos Burke and Elton B. Stephens Jr. The active involvement of the Stephens' family has contributed to the growth of EBSCO. [2] He donated $15 million to the Alabama Symphony Orchestra, where he was chairman of its board of trustees, and where the Alys Robinson Stephens Performing Arts Center was named after his late wife. North America. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. 44 birth records, View BIRMINGHAM, AL the accused kidnapper of prominent Birmingham Businessman Elton B. Stephens, Jr. has pleaded guilty in federal court to multiple charges. In 1924, at the age of just 13 years old, Elton was alive when J. Edgar Hoover, at the age of 29, was appointed the sixth director of the Bureau of Investigation by Calvin Coolidge (which later became the Federal Bureau of Investigation). She also initially said that the kidnapping was all her idea, not her boyfriends, but later said that was a lie. A truck bomb went off outside the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in downtown - killing 68 people, injuring more than 680 others, and destroying one-third of the building. That led them to the location where Stephens had been taken. Stephens told Burke he was scaring him and asked Burke how much money it would take to leave him alone. With headquarters still in Birmingham, EBSCO sells its products throughout the United States and has operations in more than 30 states and almost 20 foreign countries, including Australia, Brazil, Mexico, Korea, South Africa, Taiwan, France, Greece, Canada, and Turkey. As of 2014, the Stephens family had a net worth of over $4 billion, according to Forbes . Tabatha Nicole Hodges (Jefferson County Jail). Founded in 1944 by the late Elton B. Stephens, EBSCO Industries, Inc. has evolved into a global company with businesses in various industries, including Information Services, Outdoor Products . FUNERAL HOME. A memorial service will be held at a later date. 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