Elam was born on September 24, 1787 in North Carolina. In 1805, Elam Stevenson married Lydia Catherine Payne. Lydia was born on August 16, 1787 in Burke County, North Carolina and is the daughter of William Payne and Catherine (Arnold) Payne. Elam was a Methodist minister and founded the Old Bee Spring Church where they were buried. Elam and Lydia Stevenson lived near Bunker Hill, Tennessee.

McFerrin’s History of Methodism in Tennessee includes the following information: “Reverend Elam Stevenson was the son of James Stephenson of Iredell, now Alexander County, North Carolina, who was a Captain in the Revolutionary War. Elam was the third son (?) and the first of the family to join the Methodist Church. He professed religion in 1804 and joined the church in 1806. He was much opposed by his parents, who were Presbyterians, and honestly thought he was being deceived by the false teachers who were to come in the last days. He was licensed to preach in 1813 and the same year moved to Tennessee.”

In the Bee Springs Cemetery, Bryson, Tennessee, is the tombstone of the Rev. Elam Stevenson and his wife Lydia. This stone bears the following inscription "Erected to the memory of Reverend ELAM STEVENSON, born September 24, 1787, died March 13, 1875. Nearly 62 years a Minister of the Gospel. He was pure in heart and life". On the reverse side of the same stone appears the following inscription: "Erected to the memory of LYDIA STEVENSON, born August 16, 1787, died March 6, 1872. Nearly 70 years a Methodist. She consecrated her household to God and the Church".

LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT
In the records of Giles County TN appears the following Will : Probated in the April Term, County Court, 1875: "I, ELAM STEVENSON, of the county of Giles and state of Tennessee being of sound mind and memory and considering the uncertainty of human life do therefore make and ordain and declare this to be my last Will and Testament, scrapping all former Wills by me made, viz. First, after all my just debts are paid and discharged together with my funeral expenses which I desire to be paid as soon as possible after my death. It is my sincere desire that all of my children shall have an equal share of my estate, therefore, I have charged each of them with the amount I have advanced them which they are to account for without interest on final settlement with the Executor the advancements to each of them as shown in my Account Book is as follows: CATHERINE A. HAMILTON, seven hundred and eighty dollars 75/100 dollars. To JOHN B. STEVENSON seven hundred and twenty four and 65/100 dollars. To THOMAS C. STEVENSON nine hundred and thirty three and 64/100 dollars. To ELAM A. STEVENSON one thousand and six and 66/100 dollars. To GILBERT W. STEVENSON and WILLIS M. STEVENSON to be divided by them and valued by two disinterested men on a credit of one and two years and they are to account to the heirs for the amount and if they or either of them should refuse to receive the land at the valuation then the land is to be sold to the highest bidder one and two years credit and the proceeds to be divided among the legatees equally together with the residue of my estate. And as my son THOMAS C. STEVENSON has become involved in debt and is unable to pay at present his brother JAMES C. STEVENSON what he justly owes him my son GUS C. having paid off a judgment for him amounting to about three hundred and six dollars and as it is the desire and request of THOMAS C. STEVENSON it is my will that the amount with the interest thereon be paid out of my estate to GUS C. STEVENSON and deducted from THOMAS C. STEVENSON'S interest in my estate. I hereby constitute and appoint my son, WILLIS M. STEVENSON, my Executor to this my last Will and Testament in testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and offered my seal this 30th day of March 1874. ELAM STEVENSON (Seal). Witnesses : A.M. WILSON, JOHN W. YOUNG.

Rev. John Baxter Stevenson was born in Giles County, Tenn., December 17, 1821. He was the son of Rev. Elam and Lydia Stevenson. His father was one of the pioneer local preachers in that part of Tennessee. Four of Elam Stevensons sons were ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ. John Baxter Stevenson, wrote, “My mother was born in Burke County, North Carolina to William Payne and Catherine Arnold. Her ancestry was of English extraction. Her father belonged to the militia during the Revolutionary War, and was in the service six months. She made a profession of religion in August of 1802 and soon after joined the Methodist church. Her ancestry was of the Episcopal church though her parents were both of the Methodist Church. Elam Stevenson, the husband of the above named lady, and grandfather of Eliza C. Andrews, wife of W. T. Andrews, came to Giles County, Tennessee from North Carolina, and settled near Bunker Hill when the county was a little less than a vast canebrake.”