Flora Rawson's family moved from Chicago to Los Angeles when she was about 13 years old. Her father opened the Cable Grocery at 42 South Spring Street, which was very successful. In 1888, Flora graduated from the Normal School in Los Angeles, which later became University of California, Los Angeles. She moved to Poway, where she taught at the Poway School for a year. William and Flora were married in Poway near San Diego in 1891. Later, they moved to Los Angeles, where their daughter, Barbara, was born in 1893.
When William was elected as Governor, the family moved into the Governor's Mansion. Flora was active in her community, her church and the Friday Morning Club of which she was a lifetime member. Local bridge clubs often invited Flora as a special guest. In 1921, the Stephens hosted their daughter’s marriage to Dr. John N. Osborne – it was the first time a governor’s daughter was married in the mansion.
After William's term as governor, the Stephens returned to Los Angeles, where they lived in the Chancellor Hotel. For the last several years of Flora’s life, she was bed ridden. She died on April 21, 1931.