Captain Elisha Stephens: A Cupertino Pioneer
historical marker
In Cupertino, Santa Clara County, a historical marker commemorates Captain Elisha Stephens, who lived from 1804 to 1887. The marker, erected in 1995, recognizes him as a true pioneer. Elisha Stephens was the captain of the Stephens-Townsend-Murphy Party of 1844. This group was the first wagon train to successfully cross the Sierra Nevada mountains into California. They pioneered a route near what later became Donner Pass. The party of about 50 people, with 11 wagons, left Council Bluffs, Iowa, in May 1844 and arrived safely at Sutter's Fort by early March 1845. Captain Stephens later settled in the Cupertino area. In 1848, he became the first American resident to homestead 160 acres in what was then called 'Westside,' naming his property Blackberry Farm. Stevens Creek, a prominent local feature, is named after him, though with a change in spelling. He sold his properties in 1862. The historical marker was dedicated by the CA-NV chapter of the Oregon-California Trail Association, the Cupertino Historical Society, the City of Cupertino, and the Mountain Charlie Chapter of E Clampus Vitus. It stands as a reminder of his significant role in California's early settlement.