Stedman, like his older brothers Sam and Bob, was a Union Army volunteer. He enlisted 7 September 1864 in Mt. Lebanon in the 46th Regiment, Infantry, Company I. His rank was private. He was mustered out 20 May 1865.

In 1890, Stedman applied for an invalid pension for his Civil War service. His disabilities were heart disease and chronic rheumatism. A druggist in a general affidavit which is part of his pension file said "he is suffering from general disabilities, the principal disease is his lungs, he has no good strength or respiration...I frequently give him medicine for his lungs and malarial troubles...I believe his disabilities are permanent and not of his own vicious habits."

Supposedly in 1880, Elias and his family left Ozark Co., heading toward the Oregon Territory. But by 1890, Elias is in Mountain Grove, Wright Co., MO, where he dies at the age of fifty-nine on April 18, 1892. His physician, Dr. Benson, attested in an affidavit that he died of "lung trouble and ulceration of the stomach." His death notice in the Mountain Grove Journal April 22, 1892 is very brief: "Died: April 19, of inflamation of the stomach, E.S. Forest, aged about 65 yrs."

His wife Lusana applied for a widow's pension in 1893 in Ozark Co but by 1900 Lusana has left Missouri and is living in Dallas, TX where she died 28 January 1919. She's buried in the Oakland Cemetery.

Stedman and Lusana had ten children: Mary E.; Margaret J.; Malinda; Rachel; James D.; Nancy B.; Julie; Lucy; Ada; and William.

Descendants

Mary Elizabeth Forrest was born June 1857 in Ozark Co., MO, and died in 885. She married John Bennett. Their children were:

• Ada Bennett, married a Roberts.
• Ida Bennett, married a Tumbleton.

Margaret Forrest was born September 1858 in Ozark Co., MO, and died after 1940. She married John Wesley Haskins September 23, 1877 in Ozark Co. John was born in 1853 and died in 1920. The family appears on the 1880 and 1900 Ozark Co. census. Their children were:

• Edgar Haskins born July 03, 1881 in MO, died November 22, 1967, Isabella, Ozark Co.
• Deliah Haskins born February 1882 in MO.
• Eteyl Haskins born March 29, 1885, MO, died September 3, 1975, married June 27, 1908 Ollie Delp (born 8/28/1888 died 6/30/73)
• Mettie Nell Haskins born January 1887, MO, married MacHolland.
• Lula Haskins born 1879, MO, married Thomas Friend.
  
• Bessie Haskins born August 1891, MO, married Jones.

Malinda "Lindie" Forrest was born August 1862 in Ozark Co. and died September 24, 1933 in Dallas Co., TX. She married (1) Hiram Noe and (2) GR Stewart. Their children were:

• May Noe, married Williams.
  
• Grace Noe married WD Burch, died in 1966, Dallas Co., TX.

Rachel Forrest was born March 13, 1864 in Ozark Co.,and died July 6, 1949 in Ozark Co. She married Isaac Copelin about 1884. Rachel was a member of the Christian Church at Protem. Their children were:

• Hugh Copelin.
  
• Harry Copelin.
  
• Floyd Copelin.
  
• Unknown Copelin.
  
• Lillie Copelin, married George Ridinger.
  
• Herbert Copelin.
  
• Elmer Copelin.

Jim Forrest, who was known as "Speckled Jim", was born March in 1866 in Ozark Co. and died in 1947 in Rocky Ford Cherokee Co., OK. He Married Bammie Sophronia Hutchison September 8, 1887 in Ozark Co., MO. Their children were:

• Lennie Clarence Forrest born January 21, 1890, Ozark County, died July 02, 1950, Mesa, Arizona, married Victoria Elizabeth Tillery, June 25, 1914, Tahlequah, Cherokee Co., OK.
• Ada Forrest born 1892, Ozark County, MO; died California, married Chester Anderson.
• Raymond Gifford Forrest born January 31, 1894, Ozark County, died February 15, 1986, Tahlequah, Cherokee Co., OK, married Julie Amber Hayre, January 16, 1920.
• Gaylord Kenneth Forrest born July 03, 1896, Ozark County, died August 04, 1978, Kingsburg, Fresno Co., CA, married Bertha May Tillery, May 16, 1915, Tahlequah, Cherokee Co., OK.
• Sidney Ruedolph Forrest born September 23, 1900, Taney Co., MO, died March 22, 1946, Locust Grove, Mayes Co., OK, married (1) Rebecca Hart; M. (2) R. Barnett.
• Louie Forrest born April 08, 1904, Cherokee Co., OK, died October 25, 1985, Rocky Ford, Cherokee Co., OK, married Myrtle Grahm, March 13, 1926.
• Ernest R. Forrest born January 23, 1912.
• Unnamed Female Forrest born about 1913.

Nancy "Nan" Forrest was born September 1869 in Ozark Co. and died after 1941 in Rockwell TX.

Julia Forrest

Julia Forrest born February 09, 1870 in Ozark Co. died in 1951 in Ozark Co., married Andrew Jackson Nelson and Herman Wolff.

• Denzil Nelson
• James Nelson
• Jewell Nelson (Lived in Dallas)

Lucy Forrest was born in November 187X and died in 1896 in Joplin, MO. She married John Landman. She had one child

• Velma

Ada Forrest was born May 1874 in MO and died in 1902 in Dallas Co., TX. She married W.D. Burch Sr.; they had no children. Burch's second wife was Grace Noe, who was a niece of his first wife Ada.


William E. Forrest

William E. Forrest was born October 10, 1877 in MO and died April 6, 1936, Dallas Co., TX. He married Cora White McMillan. They are listed on the 1910 Dallas, TX census. Living with them is Cora's daughter Hazel Castell and her husband, Turner. Cora and William had no children.

John Rhodes Forrest