Notizen zu dieser Person
There are no written family records, letters, or documents of an earlydate, to settle beyond doubt the ever-pressing query, who was the fatherof Henry Stephens or Stevens of Stonington, Connecticut. A very commontradion is that three brothers, Thomas, Richard, and Henry Stephens, Cameto New England about the year 1660 and that Henry settled in Stonington,Connecticut. No mention is made of father or mother, or the place whencethey came. In a history of a county in New York State, the following is given: "Thesubject of this sketch is of English origin. It is related that as earlyas 1660 three brothers, Thomas, Richard and Henry Stevens, settled inthis country; that they distinguished themselves as soldiers in KingPhilip's war, and served as colonels." In another appears: "The subject of this is of English origin. It isrelated that three brothers--Thomas, Richard and Henry Stephens--came toAmerica from Ireland sometime during King Philip's war, served said waras colonels. There is no doubt that Henry was a private in King Philip's War, but Ican find no record of the service of either Thomas, or Richard in anycapacity. Another story is given after this fashion: "Nicholas Stevens, orStephens, who had been a Brigadier General in Oliver Cromwell's army,came to Taunton in Massachusetts in the year 1669. He had three sons,Nicholas, Thomas and Henry. Nicholas settled in Taunton or Dighton, andhis son, Nicholas resided there with his family. One of his sons,according to the best information to be obtained, settled near Boston.His name was supposed to be either Thomas or Ebenezer." Both of these traditions agree that one of the brothers was named Thomas,and there was a Thomas Stephens, whose name appears on the list of freeinhabitants of Westerly, Rhode Island, and removed to Stonington,Connecticut, where he died May 14, 1736. His will was probated June 4,1736. No children were mentioned in the will, nor are any found recorded atWesterly, Rhode Island, or Stonington, Connecticut. He is believed to beone of the brothers of the traditions and this view is confirmed by thelate Honorable Richard A. Wheeler, historian, of the town and church ofStonington, Connecticut, who has reportedly stated that Henry Stephens,of Stonington, and Thomas Stephens of Westerly were brothers. Richard Stephens of Taunton, Massachusetts, a contemporary of HenryStephens of Stonington, Connecticut, married about 1666, Mary Linkon, thewidow of William Hacke, and daughter of Thomas Linkon of Taunton. Their children were: Richard, b. March 6, 1667; accidentally killed in 1785/86. Nicholas, b. February 23, 1669; m. Remember Tisdale; m. 2nd, Annie Spier. Mary, b. June 8, 1672; m. May 24, 1694, Ephraim Miner of Stonington,Connecticut. Thomas, b. February 3, 1674; m. September 28, 1699, Mary Caswell; livedin Norton, Massachusetts. Tamasin, b. July 3, 1677; m. May 5, 1698, Edward Wilcox of Westerly,Rhode Island. Nathaniel, b. July 4, 1680; m. Hannah; removed to Roxbury, Massachusetts. Dighton, Massachusetts, formerly a part of Taunton, was incorporated in1712. Nicholas, the son of Richard, lived there. He married first,Remember Tisdale, Born July 8 1675, daughter of John Tisdale. Children of Nicholas and Remember (Tisdale) Stephens: Richard, b. April 21, 1698; m. MAy 14, 1725, Priscilla Jones. Nicholas, b. February 24, 1702; m. August 21, 1724, Rachel Andros Joseph, b. April 23, 1704; m. Lydia Isaac, b. October 22, 1706 Josiah, b. November 23, 1707; m. March 20, 1734/35 Sarah Pool; m.September 27, 1739, Mary Tuels, daughter of Benjamin Tuels of Dighton,Massachusetts. Hannah, b. October 6, 1710 Nicholas Stephens married second, Anna Spier March 12, 1712/13. Theirchildren were: Annie, b. May 8,, 1715; m. Joseph Jones of Taunton Mary Robert, m. January 3, 1745, Mary Hathaway. Mrs. Mary L. Paige of Taunton, Massachusetts, a descendant of RichardStephens of Taunton, and his son Nicholas, writes: "As is well known, ourRichard was son of Thomas, who came later, but it is not thought stayedor died here." Mrs. Paige furnished the following affidavit: "Jonathan Lincoln of Norton, in ye County of Bristol, in ye providence ofye Mass Bay, in New England, being in ye eighty second year of my age,testifies and says that he well remembers on Richard Stephens of Taunton,in said County, and he appeared to be an old man when I was young, andthat it was always said that he came from Plymouth, in old England, andthat he was a Cloather and worsted comber by trade, and that some timeafter ye said Richard came, his father, whose name was Thomas, andmother, and sister Catharine, and some time, others of ye family cameover to Taunton, ye said Richard married a person whose maiden name isMary Linkon, and had by her four sons, to wit, Richard, Nicholas, Thomasand Nathaniel, and two daughters, to wit. Mary and Tamsin, all these Iknew except Richard. I then understood, died young and unmarried, theother three, Nicholas, Thomas, and Nathaniel are deceased and leftchildren: the said Nicholas had six sons to with, Richard and Nicholas(who are both now deceased) and Joseph, Isaac, and Josiah, who are nowliving, and Robert who I know nothing of but by heresay, the said Josephbeing ye eldest son of ye said Nicholas who is now living. The Deponantfurther says, he lived in s'd Taunton in s'd County until he was 26 yearsof age, tghe he moved to Norton, which is joining to Taunton and furthersaith not. Jonathan Lincoln Norton, Nov. 9, 1768" (Bristol Co. Records, Vol. 53, P.514.) Katharine Stephens, the "sister Catharine", mentioned in the abovedocument, married, January 5, 1669/70, Thomas Deane. Children: Thomas, b. February 1, 1670;d. February 26, 1670 Hannah, b. 14 February 1671; d. January 2, 1749 Thomas, b. 1673; d. September 10, 1747; m. January 7, 1696/97, MaryKinsly of Milton Deborah, m. John Tinsdale Katharine, m. April 17, 1701 Lydia, m. George Hull of Easton Mercy, m. Daniel William February 1, 1719 Elizabeth, b. 1688, d. in Norton, March 18, 1758 m. December 4, 1707,Dea. Benjamin Williams The first tradition, the Taunton, and Dighton records, the affidavit ofJonathan Lincoln, and the account of Thomas Stephens, of Westerly, RhodeIsland, are consistent, and would afford a reasonable solution of theimmigrang ancestor and kin, were it not for the second tradition aboutthe father named Nicholas, of whose existence no written record has beenfound among any of the families decended from Henry Stephens ofStonington, and no tradition respecting him among the decendants ofRichard Stephens of Taunton. It is well known that many of the settlers of New England, who came overafter the accession of Charles the Second, as King of England, in 1660,had taken part under Cromwell and Parliament against the forces of KingCharles the First and it is very probable that some of our family were ofthat number. It is very easy in the absence of written records, tomisplace names and to give that of a son to the father, or brother.Military titles are frequently magnified in our day and there is noreason to believe that it is confined to our era. So far, circumstantial evidence favors the first tradition and would nameRichard of Taunton, as the brother of Henry Stephens of Stonington, andwould make Thomas the Ancestor. But the factg that Thomas returned toEngland and died there, prevents us from calling him the ImmigrantAncestor, so we begin our American Ancestry with a most worthy sire, thatsturdy New England pioneer, Henry Stephens or Stevens of Stonington,Connecticut. If Henry Stephens came to New England about 1660 the Fones record whichis here given is a probable clue to his place of abode before he settledin Stonington, Connecticut. "Naraganset 3, July 1663 "We whose names are under written, being the inhabitants and proprietorsof the lands lying in the Naraganset, have and doe desire (according tohis Majesties grant) to be under the Government of Conecticot Colony, andRequest there protection according to a letter sent in June last. Mr.Bradstreet and others have desired the same in ye Letter formerlymentioned. "Richard Smith Edward Hutchinson and for his son, Elisha his Henry (1 T) Tibit Joshua Hawes Will Hudson mark his Sam (W) Waite Waite Winthrop George Dennison mark Jno Crabtree his ye mark of Sam (M) Eldred Alexander Al ffinck Thomas (S) mark Sewell his Tho Stanton Sen Time Mather Saml (S) El- mark dred Jr Jno Cole Richard Smith Jun Ambras (A) Leach Ruben (R) Willis his mark his mark Richard Lord Ames Richisen Enoch Plais Walter (H) House his mark Tho Stanton Jun Increase Atherton George (B) his mark Palmer Hen Steavens John Green James Brown Richard Smith Jun Richard Smith in behalf of 8 children "This was subscribed by those persons upon notis given to all the Inhabitants to meet this day. All scribed that met."(Fones Record, Page 25.) The Narraganset Country was anciently bounded weserly by Paucatuck River,southerly by the Atlantic Ocean, easterly on the Narraganset Bayembracing the Island, and on the See Konk River, and northerlyh andwesterly as far as the present bounds of Rhode Island extend, but howmuch further in that direction cannot now be ascertained. DATES From the 13th Massachusetts Report on Public Records, 1901, Pages 33-34,is taken the following: "Until 1752, when Parliament fixed January 1 as the commencement of thelegal year, it commenced with March 25 (the Feast of the Annunciation),and the custom was quite general of calling a month by its numbered name.The months were numbered as follows: March 1, April 2, May 3, June 4,July 5, August 6, September 7, October 8, November 9, December 10,January 11, February 12. Under this plan the following forms of entrywere common: 10. 7 mo. 1641; 10-7-1641; 10-7ber 1641; meaning September10, 1641. The legal year, until and including 1751, commenced with March25, the year 1752 with January 1. Prior to 1752, as the legal year didnot terminate until March 24, it is often the custom to continue thefigures belonging to the months of the chronological year from March 25,to December 31, inclusive, through January. February and March to the25th of the next legal year. To illustrate: following the date December31, 1641, will be found entries in regular succession dated January,1641, February 1641, and March to the 26th, 1641. Consequently, todetermine the correct historical or chronological date in January,February or March prior to 1752, it is necessary to look back to thepreceding December or forward to the following April. A more generalcustom, however, was to double dates in January, February, and March tothe 25th, and the following forms of dating will be found: 1641/42. TITLES "The title Mr. was applied to captains, and sometimes to mates ofvessels; to military captains; to eminent merchants; to schoolmasters,doctors, magistrates, and clergymen; to persons who had received a seconddegree at college, and who had been made freemen. The wives and daughtersof such individuals were called Mrs. To be deprived of this address wasdeemed a serious degradation. The usual appellations of adults, who werenot Mr. and Mrs., were goodman and good-wife before their respectivesurnames. Taking these terms in their radical meaning, it is not strangethat they were sometimes, if not often, misapplied. "Distinctions of this sort generally continued, till the Colony wasmerged in an extensive province, under Joseph Dudley, 1686, when thecustom of making and recording freemen seems to h ave ceased, hence thesedistinctions gradually fell into disuse." (From the History of Ipswich,Essex, and Hamilton, Massachusetts.) Some of the unmarried granddaughters of Henry Stephens of Stonington usedthe prefix of Mrs. as late as 1743. THE SPELLING Henry Stephens and Henry Stevens are both used in the Stonington,Connecticut records, but on the land-books, where the deeds andagreements are copied, the name is more frequently written Stephens. Thomas, the eldest son, who settled in Plainfield, Connecticut, used theStevens mode and so did all of the sons, there and at Canaan,Connecticut, and all the famiy, except the descendants of Uriah ofCanisteo, have continued to use that form, so far reported. At Canisteo,all use the Stephens form. Richard, the second son, used the Stephens form, but his son, Ebenezer,changed to Stevens and all of his decendants continue to spell that way. Henry, the youngest son, generally spelled his name Stephens, butsometimes Stevens. Most of his decendants, except the Abel Stevens branchat Canaan, use the Stephens form. CANAAN, CONNECTICUT In 1739, Uriah and Samuel Stevens, sons of our Thomas of Plainfield,Connecticut, settled in Canaan, and nearly all of this family within afew years were located there. Uriah, Andrew, and Benjamin were veryprominent in the town affairs, holding the positions of Selectmen, TownClerk, Representative to the Colonial Legislature, Incorporator of thetown, and Captain of Militia. In 1748 Ebenezer, the son of Richard was an inhabitant. Between 1750 and1752 Henry and Jedediah Stephens, sons of Henry, settled there, and werefollowed by many others from Stonington. There are still members of the Stevens family residing in Canaan who aredecended from the early settlers. THE STILLWATER, NEW YORK COLONY From the old record-book of the Church of Christ of Canaan, Connecticut,is taken the following: "April in ye year 1762--At a fast appointed to know our duty in respectof this Church moving to Stillwater, it was fully agreed this churchshould remove from Canaan to Stillwater and pursuant to sd agreement yegreater part of sd church members have removed to sd Stillwater." The old record-book was taken along and used by the church after itlocated at Stillwater. The house of worship is located some distance fromthe Village of Stillwater, and is called the old Yellow Meeting House. Itis now united with the Presbyterian body. Most of the Stevens family who went to Stillwater were children of thebrothers, Thomas, Uriah, and Samuel. THE WYOMING VALLEY The General Assemblyh of Connecticut passed an Act early in January 1774,erecting all the territory within her charter limits from the riverDelaware to a line fifteen miles west of the Susquehanna into a town, tobe called Westmoreland, with all the corporate powers of other towns inthe Colony, attaching it to the County of Litchfield. It extended fromthe Lehigh north to Tioga Point, now Athens. The section above mentionedwas the Wyoming Valley country, which was claimed by Connecticut andsettled by people from Connecticut. It was the scene of the Indianmassacre in 1778. HENRY STEPHENS Henry Stephens, also written Stevens, was an early settler in Stonington,Connecticut, though not one of the very earliest. His name is on thefirst census list, taken, February 2, 1668, as given by Honorable RichardA. Wheeler, in his history of the town of Stonington, from which I quote: "In 1667 the planters convened in town meeting, and decided to set apartand lay out five hundred acres of land, to be styled the ministry land,the avails of which were to be applied to the support of the gospelministry." "In July of the same year the town established what they called a townplot, and appointed a committee to lay out as many lots as there wereinhabitants then living in the town. Their home lots contained twelveacres each and were so arranged that each lot had a street front." Two hundred acres of this ministry land was laid out around the placewhere the road meeting house now stands, the eastern line of whichextended along a few feet east of said meeting house running nearly northand south. The western boundary was Mistuxet brook. The northern andsouthern lines cannot now be traced, but the form of the plot can nearlybe seen when we look at the distance between the east and west line andthe number of acres that were laid out." "The home lots were laid out around and upon each side of the ministryland; they extended as far east as Smith mill, one tier was located northand the remainder west and south of said land." "In 1668 a census of the inhabitants of the town was ordered to be taken,embracing those only who were inhabitants or heads of families; February2 there were found to be forty-three inhabitants, viz. Thomas Stanton,Samuel Cheesbrough, Thomas Stanton Jr., George Dennison, Thomas Miner,John Gallup, Ames Richardson, James Noyes, Elisha Cheesborough, EphraimMiner, Moses Pamer, James York, John Stanton, Thomas Wheeler, SamuelMason, Joseph Miner, John Benett, Isaac Wheeler, John Dennikson, JosiahWitter, Benjamin Palmer, Gershom Palmer, Thomas Bell, Joseph Stanton,John Fish, Thomas Shaw, John Gallup Jr., John Frink, Edmund Fanning,James York Jr., Nathaniel Beebe, John Reynolds, Robert Sterry, John Shaw,John Searls, Robert Flemin, Robert Holmes, Nathaniel Cheesbrough, forMrs. Anna Cheesbrough, his mother, Gershom Palmer for Mrs. RebeccaPalmer, his mother, Henry Stevens, and Ezekiel Maine." "A home lot was laid out for each inhabitant and title was obtained bylottery on the following conditions, namely if built upon within sixmonths and inhabited, the title would be complete, except that proprietormust reside on his lot two years before he could sell it, and then hemust first offer it to the town and be refused before he could sell thesame to any person and give good title." The New England General Register, Vol. 47, pages 459-460, bives thesecond census, contributed by George A. Gordon, A. M., from which Iquote: "The town record reads as follows: The record or register of theInhabitants names Taken this 29th of December 1670: by the select men ofStoneington according to a town order fformerly made th 15th of November1670, Mr. Stanton, senior 21. Captaine george Denison 41 Tho. minor 16John Gallop, senior 18 Mr Samuel Cheesbrough 30 Mr Ames Richardson 32nehemiah palmer 28 nathaniel Cheesbrough 34 Mr James noyes 23 Elishacheesbrough 33 Tho. Stanton, junior 38 Ephraim minor 43 moses palmer 14James York senior 24 John Stanton 7 Tho. Wheeler 27 leftenant SamuelMason 15 Joseph minor 2 John Benit 29 Isack Wheeler 10 William Johnson 12John Denison 12 Josia Witer 8 Benjamin palmer 20 gershom palmer 40 senior35 Edmund ffaning 26 John Gallop junior 5 John ffink James York Junior 19Nathaniel Beebe 31 John Renols senior 4 Roger Steere 37 John Sha 6 JohnSearles 9 Rober ffleming 22 Robert Holmes 42 Mrs Anna Cheesbrough 36 MrsRebecca plamer 17 Henriie Steuens 3 Ezekiel maine 13." The number after each name refers to the number of the lot drawn. HenryStephens was admitted as inhabitant July 1, 1672. At the outbreak of King Philip's War, Henry Stephens was near Swansea,Massachusetts, and hastily wrote to hiks friend and neighbor, ThomasStanton Sr., of Stonington Connecticut, the letter which is here given,as printed in the 3d series, Massachusetts Historica Collections, Vol.10, Page 117. "Mr. Stanton-- "Sar-- "Thes are to give you notis of ye News I say you with ye rest of myhNebors and frinds that 12 housis of Swanse are borened and on of them wasa garison hous and sivera men killed Saiconke also is baroned or a goodpart of it and men killed by Nepmuck indean hear on hous robed as wesopos and the last night another house brooken up and another boroned onNeare Mr Smeths and intend to have two heads from Suamacott the pepelheare are gon and going towords Island I wish and desier you to take carof your silvs I have hird this barer i hear filip is bound for Mohigin Iam in hat for fear of ye messenger "Yours Yet "Henrey Stephens "Jun 29 '75 "My man is gon toward Island, "(Labelled "Hen Stevens" rec'd July 1, 1675, in a letter from Mr.Stanton. The hand writing of the original is as good as the spelling. J.B. (This is, perhaps the first report of the breaking out of hostilitiesin Philip's War sent to Connecticut. J.S.)): Henry Stephens served in the war, and was one of the volunteers whoreceived a grant of land in the town of Voluntown, Connecticut, for suchservices. For a complete list of those who were recogniczed as having served, see"The History of King Philip's War", by Henry M. Bodge, pages 441-446;Narraganset History Register Vol. I pages 144 to 147; and the Voluntown,Connecticut Records. Henry Stephens was Selectman in Stonington, Connecticut for the years1696-7-8-9, 1702-3-4-7, and represented the town in the General Court ofColonial Legislature for the years 1699, 1700-1-2-6-7. He was one of theincorporators of the town of Stonington, October 24, 1716. He marriedElizabeth, one of the daughters of Captain John and Hannah (Lake) Gallup.She was born at Stonington, but the dates of her birth, death, andmarriage have not been found.She and her husband were admitted to theCongregational Church, February 6, 1726. He was an extensive land owner,having property in Stonington, North Stonington, Plainfield, andVoluntown. Part of his land he settled on his children during hislifetime, and the remainder he bequeathed to his widow and sons, Richardand Henry in equal parts. The date of his death is not given, but hiswill was probated in New London, August 9, 1726. Elizabeth, widow andrelict to Henry Stephens, late of Stonington, gave a deed of land to herson, Henryh, Ocober 8, 1736. Children born at Stonington, Connecticut: Thomas b. December 14, 1678; bap. February 18, 1693; m. 1at, May 26,1678, Mary Hall; m. 2nd, March 14, 1719/20, Abigail Wine or Wynne. Richard b. January 25, 1679; bap. February 18, 1693; m. June 9, 1704,Sarah Harker. Henry b. November 20, 1681; bap. February 18, 1693; m. March 2, 1708/09Elizabeth Fellows. Elizabeth, bap. February 18, 1693, m. Henry Elliot. Lucia or Lucy, bap. April 22, 1694. On March 8, 1753, Lucia Stevens was recommended to the Canaan,Connecticut Congregational Church by Oliver Prentis and Walter Hewit, twoelders of the Stonington, Connecticut Church, and February 20, 1760, theStonington, Connecticut Church recommended Lucia, Henry, and SarahStevens, and they were received by the Canaan Church. The following deed from the Voluntown Records proves the identitiy of thewife of Henry Stevens: "These Presents witnesseth to an agreement made and concluded upon by andbetwen John Gallup, of Stonington, and Elizabeth Stevens, relict to Mr.Henry Stevens of said Stonington, deceased, and Margaret Culver relict toMr. Joseph Culver, of Groton, deceased, and John Cole and Mary, his wife,of Voluntown; which John, Elizabeth, Mary and Margaret are four of yechildren of Mr. John Gallup and Hannah, his wife, of Stonington,deceased, and Benadam Gallup of said Groton, in behalf of the heirs ofMr. Benadam Gallup of Stonington, deceased, and John and William ofVoluntown, for and in ye right of Mr. William Gallup of said Stonikngton,deceased, and John Gifford of Norwich, for and in behalf of the rest ofthe heirs of Mrs. Hannah Gifford of said Norwich, deceased; and PeterCrary of Groton, for and in behalf ye rest ye heirs of Christobel Craryof said Groton, deceased which deceased, Benadam, William, Hannah andChristobel are for four more of ye children of ye said John and HannahGallup, deceased; the said Elizabeth Stevens, Margaret Culver, Johna andMary Cole, John Gifford and Peter Crary, do agree that ye third andmiddle hundred acres of land in Voluntown laid out by John Prentiss,surveyor, to ye heirs of said deceased, John and Hannah Gallup shall bethe hundred acres to satisfe the grant to John Gallup, deceased, October12, 1671 and we, the said John Gallup of Stonington, and Benadam Gallupof Groton, and John Gallup and William Gallup of Voluntown do agree toaccept of said third hundred for satisfaction for said grant, and alsowe, the said John Gallup of Stonington and Benedam Gallup of Groton andElizabeth Stevens and Margaret Culver and John and Mary Cole and John andWilliam Gallup of said Voluntown, and John Gifford and Peter Crary, doagree that ye two hundred acres of land laid out by said surveryor tosaid Gallups by virtue of a grant to Mrs. Hannah Gallup and her heirs,dated October ye 10th 1678, shall be and remain to be divided equally toand amongst the said children, or ye heirs of said John and HannahGallup, deceased and so much of said two hundred acres of land that maybe divideable shall be divided at or before the last day of March nextafter ye date hereof, and when divided then for each heir, according totheir right and degree to give and pass such suitable instrument inwriting of equit claims to quiet and settle each other in their rights. " And in testimony that this is our mutual agreement, we the subscribershave hereunto set our hands and seals this ninth day of July A. D. 1731.Signed Sealed and delivered in presence of Joseph Hewit John Gallup Uriah Stevens Benadam Gallup Cornelius White Peter Crary George Denison Margaret X Culver her mark Nathaniel Gallup Elizabeth X Stevens her mark John Cole Mary X Cole her mark "September the first day 1747, then received this instrument to Recordand Recorded by me Ebenezer Dow Recorder. "The above and within is a true copy of Record certified by me "Ebenezer Dow "Recorder." *The above information was obtained from the "Stephens/Stevens Genealogy"by Plowdon Stevens (1909). ------Pamela Gale Davis http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/d/a/v/Pamela-G-Davis/index.html
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