William I - brother of John, Thomas, David, Robert (probably)
emigrated 1735
married Sarah LNU ~1740
children Adam, William, David, Elizabeth, James, John, Matthew, Sarah
From Mike Taylor: According to records found in Chalkley's Chronicles, William had land in two different areas of old Augusta Co. VA. First was in the area of the Old Augusta Stone Church near supposed brothers David, Thomas, and Robert. Second, near the head of Dry River at a place called Gum Run Meadow. This latter place was where Dry River enters the mountains on the western side of present day Rockingham County. William also bought land from Robert Green in Nov. 1747 near the present day site of Fort Seybert WV, "on the southermost branch of the south branch of Potomac." This latter parcel bought in 1747 for 8 Pounds was sold in 1757 for 90 Pounds.
1735 Nov 19 -
William Stephenson . . . imported immediately from Great Britain into this colony. (p. 46)
Orange Co Importations (in Magazine of Va Genealogy - v26 #3 Aug 88)
1747 Nov 5
£8 current money Virginia. Robert Green to Wm. Stephenson, 200 acres, same as above. Tested and proved as above. (Deed Book 1 - 404) [“above” = on the southermost branch of the south branch of Potomac, part of 2,643 acres patented to Rob. Green, 12th January, 1746]
1747 Nov 5
Robert Green to John Patton, Sr. £18 current money Virginia, 453 acres adjoining Wm. Stephenson as above. Tested and proved as above. (Deed Book 1 - 420)
1748
Rob't Stevenson, Constable; Ro. Stephenson, not found; Silas Stephenson, no effects Wm. Stephenson, twice charged Is this because he had more than one pieces of land? According to Mike Taylore, one near the Stone Church, one further west, and the one purchased from Green, above?
1748 (mention of Wm Stephenson’s line) - case much later)
Dunkle vs. Hull--O. S. 215; N. S. 76--Deed 15th March, 1789, by George Dunkle of Pendleton County to John Dunkle, 7-1/2 acres on South Fork of South Branch of Potomac. Recorded in Pendleton 4th May, 1789. Orator is John Duncle, son of John Duncle. Original deed 22d May, 1755, by John Patton, Sr. to John Dunckle and Ludwick Waggoner, 455 acres conveyed to John by Robert Green, 5th November, 1748, Wm. Stephenson's line. Recorded in Augusta. Will of George Dunkle, Sr., of Pendleton. Sons, George and Jacob; son John's heirs, infants; daughters, Mary Gragg, Elizabeth Hoover, Barbara Hoover. John's children are Elizabeth, Margaret, and John. Dated 27th May, 1802. Recorded in Pendleton
From Mike Taylor
This following entry in Chalkley's Chronicles leads one to believe that William and Sarah did live on the property near Ft. Seybert. They probably moved there shortly after the purchase and returned to Gum Run Meadow upon selling the property in March 1757. No Stephenson's were in the area during the Ft. Seybert Massacre in 1758.
1751 -
Petition for road from Widow Cobern's Mill, on the South Branch, to John Paton's Mill, on the South Fork, at least 30 miles nearer than the road we formerly traveled. A bridle road asked for: William Stephenson, Mathew Patton, Jeremiah Calkin, George West, Peter Reed, Jr., Samuel Patton, Benjamin Patton, Leonard Reed, John Reed, John Knowles, Alexander Crockett, John Patton, Luke Collins, Jacob Reed, Daniel Richardson.
1755 May 22
John Patton, Sr., to Jno. Dunkle and Ludwick Waggoner, £100, 453 acres granted to Patton by Ro. Green, 5th November, 1748, west side of said (?) river; corner tract sold to Wm. Stephenson. Delivered to grantees, June, 1765. (Deed Book 7 - 150)
1756
200 acres on the Bare Spring, a branch of the Dry River, at a place called the Maple Swamp, patented to William Stephenson, deceased, 16th June, 1756, 10th November, 1757, and devised to son Mathew. Teste: Robert Davis and John Stephenson. (Deed Book 19 - 429)
1757
page 14, Mathias Tise, South Branch, (March), Stevenson's deeds to you
1757 March 15
Wm. Stephenson and Sarah ( ) to Mathias Tise, £90, 200 acres on southernmost Fork of South Branch Potomac, part of 2640 acres patented to Ro. Green, 12th January, 1746, and conveyed by Green to William, 5th November, 1747; cor. tract sold to Jno.Patton, Jr. Delivered: Mathias Tice, March, 1769. (Deed Book 7 - 437)
1757 Sept 24
William Stephenson's will--Wife, Sarah; ratifies former gifts to children; sons, David and Mathew; daughter, Sarah. (John Davis to advise about division of land.) (Tract of land on the Gum Run Meadow.) To sons, Adam and John, what Arthur Trader owes testator. All children, viz: Adam, John, James, William, David, Elizabeth, Mathew, Sarah, probably all infants (girls under 18). John Davis to have the care, guardianship and tuition of children. Executors, wife Sarah and son Adam. Teste: Silas Hart, Henry Smith, Jno. McCoy.
Proved, Kith May, 1759, by Hart and McCoy. Executors qualify, with Abraham Smith, Mathew Patton. (Will Book 2 - 299)
1757 Nov 10
200 acres on the Bare Spring, a branch of the Dry River, at a place called the Maple Swamp, patented to William Stephenson, deceased, 16th June, 1756, 10th November, 1757, and devised to son Mathew. Teste: Robert Davis and John Stephenson.
(Deed Book 19 - 429)
1759 Nov 21
William Stephenson's appraisement, by John Malkem, Thos. Gordon, Ephraim Love. (Will Book 2 - 333)
1767 March ___
John ( ) Davis and Judey ( ) to Samuel McKee,£45, 230 acres on Walker's Run, a branch of Middle River, between William and Robert Stevenson's lands. (Deed Book 13 - 206)
1768 Nov 15
John Davison and Martha to James Dunn, £33, 225 acres on a branch of Dry River of Shanandore; Abraham Smith's line, corner on Stevenson's land. Delivered: Ben. Forsythe, April, 1777. (Deed Book 15 - 156)
I don’t know that the corner referred to here is William’s (or Matthew’s) but he did get a patent for 200 a on a branch of Dry River in 1756 (which he gave to Matthew).
Does anyone have record of an Elizabeth Stephenson (b. 1722) m. William Herring (b. 1718) parents of Francis "Franky" Herring who married William Jolly Sr. The Jolly's were in Union Co. SC in the late 1700's. I don't have a clue as to where the Stephensons or earlier Herrings were. Would love to find out
Stephenson Genforum Message 2081 - Jan Makemson - Aug 1, 2000
See Settlers by the Long Grey Trail by J. Houston Harrison (1984). According to that, Elizabeth Staphenson Herring was the daughter of William Stephenson (from Augusta Co., VA--see Chalkey's Chronicles)
reply from Ann Andrews - Message 2084 - Aug 1, 2000
If Elizabeth was the daughter of this William, she wouldn't have been an infant in 1757 - or she wouldn't have been born as early as 1722??? Mike Taylor has her born in 1745 or so.Matthew is only mentioned twice in Chalkley, both times in connection with the Maple Swamp property - so I am thinking he died without issue. I haven’t figured out which of the Johns is William’s son yet, but he may have had no children or he may have been on bad terms with the rest of the family (he sued Adam’s wife after Adam died).
William II - son of David - bp 1740 but born earlier (listed with father on importation order of 1735) - moved to SC in about 1764 (possibly to NC or TN first) served in Rev War (SC Militia, York Co) - taken prisoner by the British. Married Unknown, children James, David, Mary (Lee)
1750 Aug 28
Hugh Lawson, Ludwick Bakon, David Stokes, Roger Dyer, Wm. Dyer, Moses Campbell, John Patton, Wm. Stevenson, Saml. Patton, Alexr. Crockett, Matthew Patton, added to list of tithables. (CO Book 1 or 2 - 419)
1758 Nov 16
Hance Reager's appraisement, by Abraham Smith, William Stephenson, Robt. Harrison. (Will Book 2 - 294)
1760 Oct 9
James Hamilton to Thomas and William Stevenson, £14, household goods. Teste: David, James and Mary Stevenson (Deed Book 10 - 190)
~1764 - family moved to South Carolina
1764 March 26
Wm. Stevenson returned not found in bailiwick (CO Book 8 - 436)
William III s/o William 1
b 1742 - m Alice Todd Houston - moved to TN - children Matthew, Elizabeth, John
brothers Adam, David, James, John, Matthew
sisters Elizabeth, Sarah
1816 March 5
Mary Stephenson's will, widow of Major D. Stephenson--All slaves to be liberated and transported to some free State; all estate to be divided into two equal parts, one to David's relations and one to Mary's; 1st, to Adam Stephenson's (deceased) children, to James Stephenson's (deceased) family, to William Stephenson's (deceased) family (all three brothers to David), and to Elizabeth Herring (sister to David), and to Robert Shanklin (son to David's sister); 2d, to Catherine Gordon (Mary's sister), Mrs. Ruth Davis (Mary's sister), James Davis, Walter Davis; and the children of Robert Davis (all Mary's brothers). Executors, Charles A. Stuart. Proved, February Court, 1818. Executor qualifies (Will Book 12 - 307)
When my gggg-grandfather William Stephenson died in Washington Co, TN (circa 1796) his will says that he had land in Rockingham County, VA, which was to be sold and the money divided between son John and daughter Elizabeth. He also had a son named Matthew. The will also mentions a brother, David Stephenson, of Augusta County, VA.
William's wife was Alice Houston/Huston, a cousin of TX General Sam Houston's father. Sons John and Matthew both died in Washington Co, TN--Matthew around 1838 and John in 1842.
Stephenson Genforum Message 3241 - Ted Strain - March 15 2002
William IV s/o Adam, s/o William I - married Sarah Forsyte
siblings: Ann, Sarah, James, Rebecca
These first two might not be this particular William - he would have been only ~14 at the time of his sister’s marriage.
1786 June 27
James Waddle and Ann Stephenson, daughter of Adam Stephenson; surety, Thomas Waddle; witnesses, John Hair, Wm. Stephenson
1796
Edward Erwin vs. William Stevenson--Libel (Chalkley v 2)
1797 March 1
Snapp vs. Stephenson--O. S. 28; N. S. 10--Rockingham. William, James and Rebekah (children and heirs), and Rebekah Stephenson (widow), heirs of Adam Stephenson, 1st March, 1797
1797 March 13
Wm. Stephenson and Samuel Forsythe, surety. Wm. Stephenson and Sarah Forsythe, daughter of said Samuel
1797 March 14
By Rev. Wm. Wilson: Wm. Stephenson and Sarah Forsythe
Other Williams
William - wife Jane (Campbell?)
1798
Walker vs. Reyburn's executors--O. S. 241; N. S. 65--John Walker of Augusta County, in 1798, bought land from Robert Reyburn of Kentucky, son of John Reyburn of Augusta. Robert Campbell set up claim and is dead, leaving heirs, viz: Hugh Campbell, James, John, Robert, William, Wilson, Stephen, Sally Campbell, Jane, wife of William Stephenson; (186 ) Elizabeth, wife of Samuel Rochester. Robert Reyburn is also dead, leaving, viz: John, William Robert, James, Polly, Betsy, Susan, Rebecca and Sally Reyburn. (Chalkley v2)
William - wife Ann Morgan
1802 January
Morgan vs. Stealey--O. S. 82; N. S. 28--Bill in Monongalia, January, 1802. Orator, Levi Morgan. Defendants are viz: Morgan, James, Uriah, Lodock, Horatio, Zackquill, Sarah, Hannah, Drusilla, and Rachel Morgan, William Stevenson and Anne, late Morgan, James Cochran and Temperance, his wife, late Morgan, Jacob Scott and Catherine, late Morgan, children, heirs, and legal representatives of Zackquill Morgan, Robert Minnis and John Stealey. Zackquil Morgan, Sr., laid off town of Morgantown.
Orator took a trip to New Orleans and was believed to be dead when his father sold the lot in Morgantown in controversy.
Defendant Stealey came to reside in Monongalia in 1787.
Deed by Robert Minnis of Monongolia to John Stealey of Monongalia, dated September, 1800; proved at Monongalia District Court, September, 1800. Benj. Reeder deposes; mentions Major Jno. Williams and his son, Isaac. Catherine Evans deposes. Her husband, Thomas Evans. Noah Linsley deposes. Levi Morgan from 1787 to 1795 was generally in service when the Indians were troublesome. John Davis deposes he has lived in Morgantown since 1787
1803
Insolvents and Delinquents, 1803: Wm. Stephenson, to Monroe
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Page last updated 14 Feb 2011
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