Joseph Milus (some sources say Milas) Stevenson was born in Missouri. Find-A-Grave contributor Dan Stevenson has been working on a huge Stevenson family tree for many years. The most likely parents for Joseph Milus Stevenson (1827-1905) is William Osbourne Stevenson (b. c1796 in North Carolina, moved with his parents to Kentucky and then Missouri, and died before 1850 probably in Arkansas). William had a brother, Joseph Milus Stevenson (1799-1862), perhaps further evidence of Joseph Milus Stevenson (1827-1905) being a son of William Osbourne Stevenson. A family history written by a grandson of Joseph Milus Stevenson (1827-1905) in 1951 mentions that Joseph lost his mother when he was 4 (c. 1831) and the became an orphan when he was 11 (c. 1838). A Stevenson family history written in the early 1900's list children of William Osbourne Stevenson as Robert Montgomery Stevenson (b. c1821), Martha Amanda Stevenson (b. c1825) and Samuel Milton Stevenson (b. 1829), thus no mention of a Joseph.

Other records show Joseph Milus Stevenson (1827-1905) to be the son of William Stevenson (1812-1915) and Jane Campbell Stevenson (1812-1915), with William being born in England. This is highly unlikely given the census records for Joseph.

Joseph married Hannah Elizabeth (went by Eliza) Temperance Arnold (1829-1900) on 31 Jan 1849 at supposedly Arkadelphia, Clark County, Arkansas. Joseph and Eliza were the parents of ten known children, namely:

1. Laura C. Stevenson (1850-1902)
2. Milas (Milus?) Edwin Stevenson (1852-1941)
3. Robert Milton Stevenson (1843-1927)
4. Thomas Hamilton Stevenson (1856-1928)
5. Roscoe Garrett (Jennings?) Stevenson (1858-1926)
6. Rebecca Ann Stevenson (1862-1884)
7. Martha Lura Stevenson (1863-???)
8. Temperance Carrilla Stevenson Ross (1865-1959)
9. Mary Frances Stevenson (1868-1900)
10. Wrightman Chappell Stevenson (1871-1873)