Story of John's life and children is detailed in Lawrence County, Illinois History book Pg. 744 available in ancestry.com - States that John Steffy was born in Virginia and moved to Knox County, Indiana in young manhood with his parents. He is the son of John Steffy Sr a pioneer farmer of Indiana of Dutch descent.

Weekly Western Sun Fri, January 18th, 1895
"...Mr. Steffy was born in Wythe county, Virginia in 1812. He has five sisters living in Knox County, Ind. of whom three are older than him. He also has a brother In Henderson, Ky. and has living near Fallsburg, Kan. Hischildren all reside in Lawrence County, excepting two, D.R. Steffy and H. R Steffy who live in Chicago. The youngest of his sisters is 69 and the oldest is 93. Grandpa Steffy, with his companion, who is still living reared a family of eleven all of whom are still living but one, Leander who died in 1879..."

Weekly Western Sun, published in Vincennes, Indiana Page 1 on Friday, January 13th, 1893
"UNCLE JOHN STEFFY
Big Eighty-First Birthday Celebrated BY His Many Friends At His Home Near Birds, ILL, Thursday, Jan 10, 1893
The 81st birthday of Uncle John Steffy was celebrated Tuesday, Jan. 10th, 1893. Uncle John was born in Wythe county, Va., Jan. 10, 1812. In 1835 he and his father's family moved to Knox county, Ind, where he married his wife Aneliza Wampler, who is 61 years old, and is in good health for a person of her age.
In 1861 he and his family consisting of wife and seven boys moved to Lawrence county, Ill., where he and his wife reared their family of eleven children, ten boys and one girl, all of whom are alive excepting (Leander) who departed this life March 12th, 1879.
Those of his family and friends where were present were:
..."