John "Tom" Stephens was a charter member of the Juneau Men's Igloo.

Stephens came to Juneau first in 1885 from his home in upper New York State.

Although he was a carpenter by trade, he prospected most of the time while in the North. He first went to the interior during the gold rush of 1897 and three years later went to Nome where he remained for about four years, prospecting and working his trade.

From 1904 to 1920 his home was in Juneau. In 1920 the Juneau Elks Lodge wished to send Mr. Stephens to the
Elk’s Home in the states but he refused to leave Alaska preferring to spend his last days in the Pioneers Home in Sitka where he died on April 11, 1927.

He is buried in Evergreen Cemetery.

Daily Alaska Empire, April 13, 1927