Emile Algernon Arthur Keppel Cowell Stepney was the second son of John Cowell Stepney and Euphemia Jemima Murray, the daughter of General John Murray from Ireland. He was born in 1834, ten years after his older brother James Charles Murray, who was later killed in action fighting in the Crimea War.

Emile Cowell Stepney, known as Arthur, is said to have inherited his father’s looks and fine soldierly physique, and in later years showed signs of his father’s eccentricity and generosity.

He was educated at Eton and developed literary tastes. Following his time at Eton he was attached to the Foreign Office and was a member of the Special Mission of the Earl of Clarendon to Berlin when Kaiser Willhelm was crowned King of Prussia in 1861.

1871 The Baronetcy was recreated and Arthur’s father became known as Sir John Stepney Cowell Stepney Baronet.

1873 After serving at the Foreign Office for about 20 years he resigned and returned to Britain.

1874 His mother, Lady Euphemia Jemima Murray Stepney, died.

Sir John retired from politics and Arthur’s political career started with the election for the Carmarthen Boroughs when he followed his father as Liberal MP for the Carmarthen and Llanelly Boroughs. As Liberal candidate he was supported by James Buckley senior and the Nonconformist ministers but was defeated by Tory Party candidate Charles William Nevill.

1875 Arthur married Margaret Leicester Warren and the following year their only child, Catharine Meriel Stepney, was born in London. His marriage was not a happy one and soon after Arthur seems to have developed eccentric behaviour.

Shortly after the birth of Catharine Meriel (called Alcy) he left his wife and they did not live together again.

1877 When Sir John died, Arthur inherited the title and became known as Sir Arthur 2nd Baronet. He was a Justice of the Peace and Member of Parliament for Carmarthen and Llanelli from 1876 until 1878 when he resigned and Deputy Lieutenant of Carmarthenshire during 1884.

Sir Arthur travelled abroad frequently and although his appearances in Parliament were infrequent he continued to take a great interest in Llanelli. Even though he was separated from his wife he doted on his daughter Catharine and continued his father’s tradition of showing kindness and benevolence to the people of Llanelli.

1889 He invited the Stepney Estate farmers to the Agricultural Show at Windsor and treated them to luncheon where he introduced his daughter Catharine (Alcy) as his heiress.

1890 Sir Arthur travelled to Norwood to try to claim custody of his daughter who was 15 years old. Lady Margaret Stepney was concerned that he would take Alcy abroad so she left with her daughter before her husband arrived. Although the Court of Chancery gave Lady Margaret custody of their daughter, Sir Arthur did visit her over the next few years.

1892 Sir Arthur terminated his political career when he resigned before the General Election of that year.

1901 On 1 January Sir Arthur wrote to Alcy letting her know that he intended to become an American citizen and would hand over administration of the Llanelli Stepney Estate to her. He gave exact instructions on how his affairs were to be managed and all correspondence had to be through Coutt’s Bank in the Strand. Sir Arthur wrote to Lady Margaret and asked her to join him in America but she refused on the grounds of ill health.

Sir Arthur went to Boyes (Bois) City where he stayed periodically until January 1902 and later that year, in the Idaho courts, he petitioned for divorce on the grounds of his wife’s desertion. Lady Margaret applied for a legal separation in 1903 citing her husband’s desertion and was successful when the High Court ruled that the Idaho divorce was invalid.

During these years she was supported by Mr & Mrs Gladstone who were family friends.

1909 By now Sir Arthur had renounced his Baronetcy to take up American citizenship and became known as Mr Arthur Cowell Stepney.

He died in 1909 at Yuma Station, Arizona as a result of heat exhaustion whilst collecting beetles in the desert.

His memorial can be seen at the Old Road cemetery, which is an extension to the Parish Church cemetery.

Sir Arthur’s ‘seats’ were the Dell (formerly Furnace House) Llanelli and Woodend Ascot, Royal Berkshire.

He was a:

Member of the Travellers’ and Brooks Club;

Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society;

Doctor of Civil Law:

Supporter of the Llanelli Mechanics Institute and presented the library with hundreds of carefully selected books and gave financial support to the chapel libraries and the county schools.

The Llanelly Mercury of Thursday October 24th 1895 carried the following:

A GIFT BY SIR ARTHUR STEPNEY

Sir Arthur Stepney, Llanelly, proposes to present the Gorsedd with a beautiful banner for eisteddfodic purposes.

Mr T H Thomas (Arlunydd Penygarn) Cardiff has kindly undertaken to prepare the design like Professor Herkomer and Mr Mansel Lewis who are going to present an expensive new robe to the Archdruid Sir Arthur was enchanted with the Gorsedd proceedings at Llanelly. The new banner will be ready by the time of the Llandudno gathering.