Second Generation  

2. (William) John Stephenson Jr. (John Sr.¹) was born on 12 May 1650 in Isle of Wight Co., Virginia, USA and died on 24 Nov 1727 in Isle of Wight, Virginia, USA at age 77. {FSID: L7JS-QVH}

General Notes: **The following information was taken from Rebecca Leach Ddozier's book, "Twelve Northhampton County, North Carolina Families 1650-1850, published by Gateway Press, INC., Baltimore, MD 2004; page 325:

During the 1700s and into the 1800s, the surnames "Stephenson" and Stevenson" and the even shorter versions Stevens" and "Stephens" were used simultaneously in most legal documents found in courthouses both in Virginia and North Carolina. In Northampton Co., NC, the surname "Stephenson" was the spelling that seemed to have survived during the lateter part of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, and because of this, "Stephenson" will be used when referring to either of these surnames in this family sketch.

John Stephenson, who was born around the 1640/50s, was from the Upper Parish of the Isle of Wight Co., VA(1). Several Stephenson researchers have said that he was born in England and then came to Virginia at an early age, but this author has not found any information proving or disproving that he came from England or was born in England. John married Elizabeth Edwards, a daughter of Charles and Mary Edwards of Isle of Wight Co., VA(2). This marriage was proven by an Isle of Wight deed in which Charles Edward and his wife Mary left 100 acres to their grandson George Stephenson on 24 October 1713(3). That same year Charles and Mary left land to their grandson Charles "Stephens" and stipulated that should Charles die, the land was to go to grandson George "Stephens" or to grandson James Briggs(4). "Stephens" in this instance was referring to the surname "Stephenson."

On 3 April 1680 John bought 150 acres from John Wakefield and his wife Sarah in Isle of Wight Co., VA(5). On 22 September 1682 John was granted 330 acres near Cursrawaugh Swamp in Isle of Wright County(6). He was recorded on the 1704 Quit Rent roll in Isle of Wright County as having 150 acres of land(7). John Stephenson, Sr. wrote his will on 23 November 1726, and it was registered in Isle of Wight County Court on 27 February 1726(8). John named his wife as Elizabeth and his children as John, Abraham, Thomas, Charles, George, Mary, and William Stephenson. Some of John's children and their descendants were later found in several North Carolina counties, including Edgecombe, Johnston, and Northampton. John and Elizabeth's son Abraham Stephenson was the "father" of the Northampton Co., NC Stephenson families that lived in the Conway and Pendleton communities, so this author will follow his family in depth, including brief sketches of John and Elizabeth's other sons.


(1)Valsame, James Mark, "Nimord and Amanda (Johnson) Stephenson of Pleasant Grove Township, Johnston Co., NC, Their Ancestors and Descendants, 1991."

(2)Chapman, Blanche Adams, "Wills and administrations of Isle of Wight Co., VA., Vol. II, 1938", p. 79, Will of Charles Edward, in which he named daughters Elizabeth Edwards and Sarah Briggs.

(3)Isle of Wight, Co., VA. Will and Deed Book 2, p. 248.

(4)Ibid., p. 249.

(5)Boddie, John B., "Seventeenth Century Isle of Wight Co., VA.", p 585.

(6)Valsame, James Mark, "Nimord and Amanda (Johnson) Stephenson of Pleasant Grove Township, Johnston Co., NC. Their Ancestors and Descendants, 1991."

(7)Boddie, John B., "Seventeenth Century Isle of Wight Co., VA.," p. 701.

(8)Chapman, Blanche Adams, "Wills and Administrations of Isle of Wight Co., VA., Voll. II," 1938, p. 28.

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The following information was provided by Alan C. Stephenson, from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, March 25, 2010:

Deeds and Land Grants:

See item 1 under Deeds and Land Grants in the notes for John Stephenson Sr.

1. John Stephenson of Isle of Wight County County to Robert Griggs and Thomas Payne dated February 10, 1678, 12,400 pounds of tobacco for land on Slaughters Creek in Lancaster County, witch his father John Stephenson bought from William Clapham deceased according to a covenant recorded in Lancaster County Court dated July 12, 1654, and according to the patent granting said land to Epaphroditus Lawson, deceased, on September 1649, situated on Slaughters Creek which divides said land from the land of Coll. Jno. Carter; witnessed by Thomas Lewis and James Ridley; recorded February Court 1678. Lancaster DB 4:307.

The above deed is followed by (I) a statement dated October 27, 1677, of Christian Stephenson, widow of John Stephenson, consenting to the sale by her son John Stephenson of land on Slaughters Creek and relinquishing her dower rights and appointing John Lawson and Rowland Lawson as attorneys to consent for her in county court; witnessed by Josiah Harrison and Richard Bdd [?]; recorded February Court 1678; and (ii) a statement dated October 27, 1677, of Christian Stephenson certifying that her son John Stephenson was 21 years of age on May 12, 1677; recorded February Court 1678. Lancaster DB 4:308.

2. John Wakefield and wife Sarah to John Stephenson dated April 3, 1680, [no consideration stated] for 150 acres in Isle of Wight County, Virginia, adjoining a branch and the main branch, part of a patent of 755 acres: witnessed by John Jones and James Baron. IW DB :431.

Court Records:

1. The Isle of Wight County, Virginia, court records contain the following entry in June 1694: "John Stevenson being summoned as evidence for Nicholas Wilson against Capt. Robert Randolph and Anne his wife executrix of Col James P??? deceased and the said Stevenson not appearing, he is thereupon fined for his default according to law." IW DB 1:court orders, p. 37.

Will dated November 23, 1726 (proved February 27, 1728) (IW WB 3:16) (spelling and punctuation as in the original):

"In the name of God amen I John Stevenson of the Upper Parish of Isle of Wight County being very sick and weak in body but in perfect mind and memory thanks be to almighty God for it and calling to mind the certainty of death and the uncertainty on the earth [?] wish to make this my last will and testament in manner and form following first and principally I commit my soul to God my creator and redeemer and have through the birth and death of my own beloved saviour and redeemer Jesus Christ to have full redemption of all my sins and my body to the earth to be decently buried at the discretion of my executrix hereafter named. First and principally I do give and bequeath unto my son John Stevenson one heifer of about two years old.
Item. I do give and bequeath unto son Abraham Stevenson one loose coat.
Item. I do give and bequeath unto son Thomas Stevenson one old flock [?] bedd with one small rugg and one sheet of bolster and one ???? saw.
Item. I do give and bequeath unto my son Charles Stevenson ye value of 20 shillings.
Item. I do give and bequeth unto my son George Stevenson one pare of letther gloves.
Item. I do give and bequeath unto my daughter Mary Stevenson one feather bed and bedsted one byde [?] rugg and all other furniture thereunto belonging and one pine chest and one small pine box and one iron pott of about three gallons and pott hooks and three pewter dishes and two pewter plates and one young cow and calf by her side and two heifers of about two years old and three young ewe.
Item. I do give unto my son William Stevenson all my lands to him and his heirs and half of my cattle being equaly divided after legaties paid and other half of my cattle to my loving wife being equaly divided between my son William and my wife.
Item. I do also desire that my son William Stevenson shall have full possession of the said cattle by the fourth day of May next.
Item. I do give and bequeath unto my beloved wife Elizabeth Stevenson three sows and piggs and all the rest and residue of my estate when all my just debts and legaties are paid. I do apoint my wife to be my full and lawfull executrix of this my last will and testament disannulling and revoking all wills and testaments by me made as witness my hand this 23rd day of November 1726.
Thomas Sherrard [?] Abraham Baggitt John (his mark) Stevenson"

Estate Records:

1. An inventoryof the estate dated March 25, 1727, included 18 head of cattle, 15 hogs, 9 sheep, 1 hare [?], 3 iron pots, 9 pot hooks, 2 pair of pot racks, a brass kettle and a brass skillet, an iron spit, a set of iron wedges, a frying pan, 3 saws, 3 schythes, 2 narrow axes, a broad axe, 10 old wood and 3 feather beds and furniture, 8 bedsteads, 3 chests, 2 boxes, 1 trunk, a spinning wheel, 12 cidar casks, fire tongs, 1,300 nails, 2 pairs of cotton cards, 2 pot racks, 4 water pails, a wishing tub, 4 tankards and 2 pewter cups, a candlestick, 3 pewter basins, 9 pewter dishes, 7 pewter plates, a dozen pewter spoons, an old chair, a bridle and saddle, a grinding stone, a pair of cart wheels, 2 pair of wound yarn stockings, a pair of men's worsted, 3 men's coats, 3 jackets, 4 pairs of men's britches, a looking glass, 10 glass bottles, a table cloth and 6 napkins, a pair of men's shoes, 2 muslin neck clothes, a spade and a mare filly. IW WB 3:19.
[The apparent discrepancy between the 1727 date of this inventory and the 1728 date when John's will was proved was probably the result of the court clerks' use of the year of the old calendar for the date of the inventory and the year of the new calendar for the date the will was proved.]

English Duplicates of Lost Virginia Records (The Learning Company 2001):

1. "A List of her Maj'tys Qt. Rents in the Isle of Wight County 1704" includes Jno. Stevenson as owning 150 acres. Others listed include Edw'n Boykin and Arthur Allen [see deeds 2 and 3 under Deeds in the Notes for John (d. 1737), John's son] Charles Edwards and James Briggs [see Deeds in the Notes for John (d. 1737)], Thomas Sherrer [who follows John in the list and may have been one of the witnesses to his will set forth above], and William West, Nehemiah Joyner and Thomas Joyner [see Virginia Deeds and Land Grants in the notes for Abraham].

2. "The Present State of virginia for the Year 1714" lists 168,026 acres and 1,223 tithables in Isle of Wight County.


Bacon's Rebellion

In 1676 the Virginia colony erupted in armed rebellion against the royal government. The immediate cause of the rebellion were Indian raids on the frontier against which Governor Berkeley would not allow reprisals. However, the grievances of the rebels extended back to 1660 when Parliament passed the Navigation Acts following the restoration of the monarchy. The Navigation Acts ended the free trade previously enjoyed by Virginia and required that all goods imported into the colonies come from England and all products produced in the colonies be exported only to England. As a result, prices of tobacco, Virginia's principal product, dropped substantially to a level at which it was no longer economic to grow tobacco.

In 1676, following the continuation of Indian raids, Nathaniel Bacon of Henrico County raised a force and marched into North Carolina to fight the Indians without the authority of the Governor. Upon Bacon's return, Governor Berkeley proclaimed him a rebel and set a reward for his capture. On June 23, 1676, Bacon's force captured Jamestown without resistance. The House of Burgesses was in session and the presence of Bacon and his force of small planters and frontiersmen obtained the passage of a number of bills establishing new rights against the royal government. In the face of the support of Bacon, Governor Berkeley and a few of his supporters fled to the Eastern Shore. At the end of December 1676, a fleet with a regiment of royal troops arrived from England carrying three commissioners of King Charles II to investigate and report on the causes of the rebellion and attempt to restore order. Berkeley sailed for England, and the commissioners announced that the king would protect all informers and petitioners who came forward to state their cases.

In March 1677, a list of 26 grievances were presented by certain residents of Isle of Wight County. A number of residents of Upper Parish in Isle of Wight County replied by dissassociating themselves from the ist of grievances. Among the signers of ths reply was Charles Edwards, the fathler-in-law of John Stephenson. In April, a little over a month after the list of grievances, the signers reccanted in the Isle of Wight court and requested mercy from the royal government.

In January 1677, William West, was captured leading a rebel force to attack a loyal fort. In October of that year, a number of people, including John Stevenson, signed a petition praying that West's life be spared and that his estate be restored to his wife and children. It is likely that the signer of the petition were either active rebels or sympathized with the rebels. After being condemned to death, West escaped.

It would seem that the signers were either active rebels or sympathized with that lost cause. John Wakefield was also a signer.

See J. Boddie, Seventeenth Century Isle of Wight County Virginia (1938), Vol. 1, pp. 144-166.

It should be noted that a William West owned land adjacent to the land received by John Stephenson's son Abraham in his 1715 land grant. See item 1 under Virginia Deeds and Land Grants in the Notes for Abraham.

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John Stephenson (1656-1726/27) of Isle of Wight County, VA
Posted by: Mark <http://genforum.genealogy.com/cgi-genforum/email.cgi?960209222> (ID *****9222)Date: April 12, 2011 at 02:09:05
In Reply to: James H. Stevenson (Stevensone) - 1601- Edinburgh,Scotland <http://genforum.genealogy.com/stevenson/messages/3136.html> by Don Stephenson3160"> of 3219
If the ancestry you are referring to pertains to that of John Stephenson/Stevenson (b. May 12, 1656; Isle of Wight County, VA will devised November 23, 1726, proven February 27, 1726/27), then you should know that much of what is being perpetuated on the internet through Ancestry and other sites has little basis in fact. John Stephenson of Isle of Wight County, VA was not the son of John Stevenson and Elizabeth Boyd of Glasgow, Scotland, nor the grandson of James Stevenson and Janet Hunter.

Recent research has revealed that John Stephenson/Stevenson was in Lancaster County, VA prior to his appearance in Isle of Wight County, VA. On October 27, 1677, Christian Stephenson, widow, granted consent to her son John Stephenson to sell the land of his late father John Stephenson located on Slaughters Creek in Lancaster County, VA. She relinquished her right of dower and thirds to Thomas Paynes, and appointed John and Rowland Lawson as attorneys to acknowledge the consent in court. She further certified on the same date that her son John was 21 years of age on May 12th last, indicating that he had been born on May 12, 1656. Christian's consent does not state that she was a "of Lancaster County" nor where she resided, and the fact that she appointed attorneys to acknowledge her consent in court suggests that she may have lived elsewhere or abroad.

It appears that John Stephenson (1656-1726/27) came to Virginia to settle his late father's affairs, and was in Lancaster County, VA prior to May 8, 1678. On that date, a certificate was issued to Francis Emmanuell for some headrights assigned by Robert Griggs. One of them was a John Stephens. On September 11, 1678, Robert Griggs, who was a member of the court, presented a certificate that John Stevenson, a servant to Lt. Col. John Carter, had been brought before him for running away, and that he had been absent from his master for 14 days. The court ordered that John Stevenson serve Carter another 28 days. Then on February 12, 1678/79, the court ordered that John Steventon, a servant of Robert Griggs "comeing into this Countrey wth:out Indenture," serve seven years indenture from his arrival.

Two days previous on February 10, 1678/79, John Stephenson "of Ile of Wight County in Virginia" conveyed to Robert Griggs and Thomas Paynes the 700 acres on Slaughters Creek formerly belonging to his late father John Stephenson. The land had been conveyed to the elder Stephenson on July 12, 1654 by William Clapham, Jr., and had formerly been a patent granted to Epaphroditus Lawson on September 3, 1649. William Clapham, Jr. had married Elizabeth (Madestard) Lawson, the widow of Epaphroditus Lawson. This deed, together with Christian Stephenson's consent document of October, 1677, were both recorded in Lancaster County, VA during February Court, 1678/79. When Christian Stephenson issued her consent for the sale of the land in October, 1677, she had relinquished her dower and rights to Thomas Paynes. However, Griggs was not mentioned at that time. It is possible that Griggs was included in the February 10, 1678/79 deed as a partial payment by John Stephenson for his indenture to Griggs.

The headright claim for John Stephenson's transportation to Virginia somehow later ended up in the hands of Rowland Bulkly. Bulkly claimed John Stephenson as one of his headrights when he acquired a land patent on Currowaugh Swamp in Isle of Wight County, VA on October 22, 1682. In the Lancaster County court entries of September 11, 1678, Robert Griggs also presented certificates for a number of other servants of John Carter, besides John Stephenson, who had run away. One of them was Titus Turner. Turner was also claimed as a headright by Bulkly in the 1682 land patent. The fact that Bulkly claimed both John Stephenson and Titus Turner as headrights for his Isle of Wight County, VA land patent in 1682 further confirms that the John Stephenson indentured in Lancaster County in 1678 is identical with the man who later appears in Isle of Wight County, VA. We know that John Stephenson was in Isle of Wight County, VA by February 10, 1678/79 based on the Lancaster County, VA deed. On April 3, 1680, John Stephenson acquired land in Isle of Wight County, VA when John Wakefield and his wife Sarah deeded 150 acres to him.

While it remains to be confirmed, the elder John Stephenson might possibly be identical with John Stephens, who appears in the records of Old Rappahannock County, VA. The name Stephenson/Stevenson was often abbreviated as Stephens/Stevens in early colonial records. In some other Lancaster County, VA deed references, our John Stephenson is also referred to as Mr. Stephens or Mr. Stevens concerning the 700 acres he had bought from William Clapham, Jr. in 1654. John Stephens of Old Rapphannock County, VA acquired a patent for 1000 acres of land on the Rappahannock River opposite the land of Col. Henry Fleete on March 13, 1657. John Stephens' will was written March 5, 1661/62 in Old Rappahannock County, VA, and submitted to court on February 5, 1677/78. It was recorded on February 28, 1677/78. The will indicates that John Stephens was bound for England, but makes no specific references to a wife or children. The will left 500 acres from Stephens' 1657 patent for 1000 acres to John Fulcher, son-in-law of Richard Webley, Gentleman. The other 500 acres from the patent was left to Alexander Dudley, son of Richard Dudley. Stephens left Richard Webley 500 acres of land on the Rappahannock, which had been sold by Walter Granger to John Stevens on April 13, 1661. Stephens also left Webley one half of his hogs in Rappahannock, and bequeathed to Webley and Richard Dudley jointly all the remainder of his estate and debts there. Clement Herberts and Thomas Liddle were witnesses to will in 1661, but they were evidently dead in February 1677/78 when the will was submitted for probate. John Stevens apparently also had a patent for 653 acres formerly owned by John Paine granted to him by Governor Francis Morrison on October 16, 1660. On February 25, 1661/62, he sold this patent to Capt. Walter Sherland and David Warren, mariners, of Bristol. The conveyance was witnessed by Richard Webley and Richard Dudley, and recorded on March 5, 1661/62, the same day that Stephens executed his will. On February 2, 1677/78, just three days before the John Stephens' will was submitted to Lancaster County court for probate, Alexander Dudley conveyed to Joshua Lawson the 500 acres which had been bequeathed to him by Stephens.

The fact that John Stephens devised a will in 1661 to dispose of his lands and wrap up his affairs in Virginia so that he could return to England, together with the fact that the will was probated and recorded in Old Rappahannock County, VA in February, 1677/78 makes a potentially compelling case for John Stephenson (md. Christian) and John Stephens of Old Rappahannock County, VA possibly being the same individual. The will of John Stephens was probated only about four months after Christian Stephenson gave her consent in October, 1677 for her son John Stephenson to sell the land of his late father in Lancaster County, VA, and would have roughly coincided with the time of the younger Stephenson's arrival in Virginia.

In Peter W. Coldham's "The Complete Book of Emigrants," there is a reference in the records of the PRO to a John Steventon being aboard the ship "Ann" commanded by Benjamin Cooper and bound from London to Virginia. The ship sailed sometime between October 14-December 6, 1677. There could possibly be a problem with this, because Christian Stephenson's consent was issued on October 27, 1677, which may possibly be after the "Ann" had sailed. Presumably, son John Stephenson would have carried a copy of his father's will and his mother's consent document with him to Virginia. This record could conceivably be reference to John's voyage, though it is very difficult to say for certain.

In the parish of St. Dunstan and All Saints Church in Stepney, Middlesex, England, just on the eastern outskirts of the City of London, there are parish register entries for a John Stephenson, shipwright, with a wife named Christian. St. Dunstan and All Saints was known as being the parish church of mariners. The register records the burial of an infant daughter on September 9, 1642, and the burial of another infant daughter on July 12, 1643. In both burial records, John and Christian Stephenson are recorded as living on King Street. In the case of the 1643 infant, the surname is rendered as Stevens, but it is the same couple. There is also a record of the baptism of their daughter Anne Stevenson on November 1, 1648. At that time, John and Christian lived on Pope's Lane. I have found no christenings for any other children of this couple, nor a burial for John Stephenson/Stephens. Much later in the same register, there is a burial recorded for a Christian Stevens of Ratcliffe, widow, on April 29, 1685. Ratcliffe was a hamlet in Stepney Parish. The fact that she is called a widow at that time is interesting, since we know Christian Stephenson was a widow by October, 1677. Of course, none of this evidence proves that the family in Stepney is identical with the family of John and Christian Stephenson referenced in Lancaster County, VA records, but it is certainly a lead worth further investigation.
Source: http://genforum.genealogy.com/cgi-bin/pageload.cgi?3160::stevenson::3160.html
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John STEPHENSON -- Isle of Wight Co, VA
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Replies: 18
Re: John STEPHENSON -- Isle of Wight Co, VA
mv66nc <javascript:$Anc.load(%7btype:'miniprofile',%20onSuccess:function(config)%7b$MP.showMiniProfile(config);%7d,ucdmid:'0010dd33-0004-0000-0000-000000000000',contextType:3,contextValue:'ms%3dMB%253ambp%26uaction%3dmbp',id:'02d8dc75'%7d);> (View posts <http://boards.ancestry.com/authorposts.aspx?uname=mv66nc&uid=0010dd33-0004-0000-0000-000000000000&uem=&rurl=http%3a%2f%2fboards.ancestry.com%2fsurnames.stephenson%2f155.356.1.1.1%2fmb.ashx>) Posted: 17 Jan 2012 7:31PM GMT
Classification: Query

Dear Don,

DNA testing has already been performed on our shared Stephenson line. Gary Stephenson of Baltimore, Maryland, a direct descendant of Solomon Stephenson, Sr. of Johnston County, NC, was DNA tested at my urging through FamilyTreeDNA in 2010. His test results confirm that we are descended from John Stephenson (d. 1727; md. Elizabeth Edwards) of Isle of Wight County, Virginia, as his results closely match several individuals who descend from John's son Charles Stephenson. Gary's DNA tests show that our Stephenson ancestors were Haplogroup I1.

<http://www.worldfamilies.net/surnames/stevenson/results>

See Haplogroup I - Lineage II

Our ancestor John Stephenson/Stevenson (1656-1727; md. Elizabeth Edwards) of Isle of Wight County, Virginia was not the son of John Stevenson and wife Elizabeth Boyd of Glasgow, Scotland. This claim has been circulated widely on Ancestry and other places, and has no basis in fact whatsoever. John and Elizabeth (Boyd) Stevenson's son John married Janet Jack in Glasgow in 1679, and they had at least five children christened in Glasgow between 1682 and 1689, well after our ancestor John Stephenson was already established in Isle of Wight County, Virginia. Recent research has shown that our ancestor John Stephenson was in Lancaster County, Virginia as early as 1678. His parents were John Stephenson/Stevenson/Stevens and wife Christian. In 1677, Christian Stephenson gave her son John Stephenson consent to sell his late father John's patent land on Slaughter's Creek in Lancaster County, Virginia. The elder John had acquired the land by patent in 1654. Christian Stephenson certified that her son John was 21 years of age on May 12th last, thus establishing his birth date as May 12, 1656. Lancaster County, VA Court Orders in May, 1678 show that John was present in that county by that time, and that he subsequently became indentured to John Carter and then later Robert Griggs, an official of the court. John sold his father's land to Thomas Paynes and Robert Griggs in February, 1678/79, by which time he was already residing in Isle of Wight County, VA. John acquired his first lands in Isle of Wight County, VA from John and Sarah Wakefield in 1680. John was claimed in 1682 as a headright by Rowland Bulkley for a land patent on Currowaugh Swamp in Isle of Wight County, VA. Bulkley also claimed as a headright in the same patent Titus Turner, who had also previously been an indentured servant to John Carter in Lancaster County, VA.

Circumstantial evidence strongly suggests that the elder John Stephenson/Stevenson who patented land in Lancaster County, VA in 1654 may be identical with John Stevens/Stephens of Old Rappahannock County, VA. Old Rappahannock County, VA was just north of Lancaster County, and later became the counties of Essex and Richmond. John Stephens patented land in Old Rappahannock in 1657, and left a will upon his pending return to England in March, 1661/62, disposing of his lands in Old Rappahannock County. There are no family members mentioned in the will, only individuals with whom Stephens was associated. Stephens will was probated in Old Rappahannock County, VA in February 1677/78, which is almost exactly the same time frame when the younger John Stephenson would have arrived to sell his late father's land in Lancaster County. There is also a record of a John Steventon sailing on a ship named "Ann" from London to Virginia between October and December, 1677. This may or may not be identical with our John Stephenson.

The jury is still out on the origins of the elder John Stephenson and his wife Christian, although I have found a couple with those names living in the correct time frame in Stepney Parish in Middlesex County, just outside the City of London, England. Stepney Parish was a parish in which many mariners resided, and the John Stephenson/Stephens there was listed as a shipwright. It would not be a stretch that he and his family might have ventured to Virginia, especially since the last reference to them in the Stepney Registers is the christening of a daughter born in 1648. While there is no proof that this couple is identical with the John and Christian mentioned in Lancaster County, Virginia records, the parish register of Stepney does record the burial of widow Christian Stevens of Ratcliffe in April, 1685. We know that the elder John Stephenson of Virginia was deceased by October, 1677 when his wife Christian executed her consent for the sale of her husband's Virginia land, so she certainly would have been a widow in 1685. Again, this is not proof of a connection, but certainly one strong possibility for the UK origins of our Stephenson line.

All of this information is described in greater detail in a GenForum message which I made in response to your posting there last year.

<http://genforum.genealogy.com/stevenson/messages/3160.html>

Mark (Valsame)
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Familysearch.org says his name was William John Stephenson Jr., born 12 May 1656 and died November 1727, Isle of Wight, Virginia, British Colonial America
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(William) married Elizabeth Edwards, daughter of Charles Edwards and Mary Gladhill, about 1680 in Isle of Wight, Virginia. Elizabeth was born about 1654 in Isle of Wight, Virginia, USA and died after 23 Nov 1726 in Isle of Wight, Virginia, USA. {FSID: M56Y-NXF}

General Notes: Familysearch.org has a duplicate ID for Elizabeth of L6TK-YBY
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Children from this marriage were:

+ 3 M    i. Abraham Stephenson Sr. was born about 1682 in Isle of Wight, Virginia, USA and died after 1762. {FSID: L7J7-4N1}

+ 4 M    ii. Thomas Stephenson Sr. was born about 1684 in Isle of Wight, Virginia, USA and died in 1770 in Southampton County, Virginia, USA about age 86. {FSID: LCX6-SMS}

   5 M    iii. Charles Stephenson was born about 1686 in Isle of Wight, Virginia.

General Notes: **The following information was taken from Rebecca Leach Ddozier's book, "Twelve Northhampton County, North Carolina Families 1650-1850, published by Gateway Press, INC., Baltimore, MD 2004; page 341:

Charles ((John Stephenson(1)), a son of John and elizabeth Edwards Stephenson, was born in Isle of Wight Co., VA. Just before his father's death, Charles was found in Bertie Co., NC in 1725, where he was granted a patent of 1280 acres on the north side of the Roanoke River at the mouth of Long Gutt, adjacent to the land of James Castellows(98). This land eventually fell into Northampton County when Bertie County was split in 1741. Charles sold and bought land in Bertie County from 1727 until 1741, when he sold his 1280 acres granted him in 1725(99). Charles's will was recorded with the Secretary of State and in Northampton County during the 1751 November Court session(100). When Charles wrote his will on 4 July 1748, he mentioned his wife Mary and gave to his son Benjamin the 100 acres, which Charles had bought from Samuel Cannady, but he instructed Benjamin that his brother Willilam was to have full use of this land for ten years. He gave to his son George all of his land on the north side of Casiah Road. To his son William, he gave the land where "I now dwell." Charles left his wife Mary 100 acres, land that waws to revert to his son Jesse after his wife's death. H instructed his executors, his osn William and elias Wills, to divide the rest of his estate between the following children: Ellizabeth, Marstha, Jesse, Susannah, and Olive Stephenson(101). In 1755, Charles' wife Mary exchanged with her son Willilam Stephenson her natural lifetime rights in certain properties left to her by her deceased husband for a tract of land on Fishing creek in Edgecombe County(102). It is assumed that Mary moved to Edgecombe County about 1755 and lived there until her death. A search of the Edgecombe County records did not provide a will or an estate record for Mary. The date of her death is unknown. Charles and Mary's children were William, George, Benjamin, eliabeth, Martha, Jesse, Susannah, and Olive Stephenson(103).

(98)Bell, Mary Best, Colonial Bertie Co., NC, Deeds Books A-H, 1720-1757, pp. 67, 169.

(99)Bell, Mary Best, Colonial Beretie Co., NC, Deed Books A-H, 1720-1757, pp. 53, 56, 67, 96, 158.

(100)Bradley, Jr., Stephen E., Early Records of NC, Vol. II: Wills, 1750-1755, p. 97, #503: Charles "Stevenson" will.

(101)Bell, Mary Best, Colonial Bertie Co., NC, Deed Books A-H, 1720-1757, p. 96 -- Samuel Canady was of Edgecombe Co., NC and this land was situated on the north side of the Morratock River in Bertie County. The Morratock River is known as the Roanoke River today.

(102)Northampton Co., NC, DB 2, p. 197.

(103)Bradleyh, Jr. Stephen E., Early Records of NC, Vol. II: Wills, 1750-1755, p. 97, #503: Charles "Stevenson" will.

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The following information was provided by Alan C. Stephenson, from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, March 25, 2010:

See "Deeds" in the notes for Charles Edwards.

   6 M    iv. George Stephenson was born about 1688 in Isle of Wight, Virginia.

General Notes: **The following information was taken from Rebecca Leach Ddozier's book, "Twelve Northhampton County, North Carolina Families 1650-1850, published by Gateway Press, INC., Baltimore, MD 2004; page 342:

George ((John Stephenson(1)), a son of John and Elizabeth Edwards Stephenson, was born in Isle of Wight Co., VA. He was referred to as a "planter." George was living in North Calorlina by 1724 because he received a land grant on 1 February 1725 in Bertie County. The location of George's Bertie County 1725 land grant would eventually become part of Northampton Co., NC when Northampton County was formed in 1741(104). By 1737, George was found buying land in Edgecombe Co., NC. He bought 320 acres of land from John Stewart on 9 January 1737(105). On 20 October 1745, George sold to James Stephenson 375 acres of land located on the sough west side of Fishing Creek(106). On 25 February 1746, he bought 100 acres land on the North side of Fishing Creek between the lands of George Stephenson and Michael Dorman(107). He acquired more land a few years before his death on 26 January 1752 when he bought 140 acres on the south side of the Tar River(108). George wrote his will on 25 June 1753, and it was probated in August Court 1754(109). He named his heirs as Joseph Stephenson, son of brother William Stephenson, Jesse Stephenson, son of brother Charles, and Willliam Stephenson, son of brother Charles Stephenson. He made his nephew William Stephenson his executor. George sold his nephew Joseph land in Edgecombe County in 1749, and this Joseph was found buying and selling land as will as witnessing deeds in that county until about 1758(110).

(104)Stephenson, Charlotte, The Stephenson Reference book, 1973, p. 2.

(105)Hofmann, Margaret M., Abstracts of Deeds, Edgecombe Precinct, Edgecombe County, NC, 1732-1758, p. 21.

(106)Ibid., pl. 207.

(107)Ibid., p. 86.

(108)Ibid., p. 164.

(109)Bradley, jr., Dr. Stephen E., Earlyl Records of NC, Vol VIII, Wills, 1750-1755, p. 96: George Stephenson's will.

(110)Hofmann, Margaret M., Abstracts of Deeds, Edgecombe Precinct, Edgecombe County, NC, 1732-1758, pp. 116, 237.

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The following information was provided by Alan C. Stephenson, from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, March 25, 2010:

See "Deeds" in the notes for Charles Edwards.

   7 M    v. William Stephenson was born about 1690 in Isle of Wight, Virginia and died about 1737 about age 47. {FSID: LC4Y-ZFN}

General Notes: **The following information was taken from Rebecca Leach Ddozier's book, "Twelve Northhampton County, North Carolina Families 1650-1850, published by Gateway Press, INC., Baltimore, MD 2004; page 340-341:

William ((John Stephenson(1)), son of John and Elizabeth Edwards Stephenson, was born in Isle of Wight Co., VA. A William Stephenson's estate was appraised in Isle of Wight Co., VA on 23 May 1737(96). No wife or children were mentioned in this estate appraisal, and a will has not been located for William. This William is assumed to be the son of John and Elizabeth Edwards Stephenson, and if this assumption is correct, then William was the father of one known son, Joseph Stephenson, who was mentioned in William's brother George Stepheons's Edgecombe Co., NC 1753 will(97). More research is needed to prove William's ancestors.

(96)Valsame, James Mark, Nimrod and Amanda (Johnson) Stephenson of Pleasant Grove Township, Johnston Co., NC., Their Ancestors and Descendants, 1991, pl. 17; Isle of Wight WB 4, pp. 166, 248.

(97)Hofmann, Margaret M., Abstracts of Deeds, Edgecombe Precinct, Edgecombe County, NC, 1732-1758, p. 21: George Stephenson's will.

____________________________________________________________________________________________

The following information was provided by Alan C. Stephenson, from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, March 25, 2010:

Estate Records:

1. A will of William has not been found in the records. However, the Isle of Wight Court records do contain an inventory by the administrator (unnamed) dated April 30, 1737, which included 20 sows and sheep, 12 head of young and old cattle, an old horse and an old bridle and saddle, a pair of old cart wheels, a new coat and jacket, various farm implements, cooking utensils, 2 feather beds and furniture, a table, chests, trunks and boxes, half dozen leather chairs, 23 pounds of new pewter and a half dozen pewter plates, 6 pounds of old pewter and a dozen spoons, cidar casks, a spinning whel, a small trading [?] gun and 1 negro boy 14 years old, as well as other items. IW WB 3:166.

2. The records also include an accounting of the estate on November 26, 1739, including 10 shillings owed to Catherine Stephenson "by the hand of Jo. Doles", 1 pound 17 shillings 7 pence to be paid Catherine Stephenson by order of court, and a balance due the estate of 42 pounds 4 shillings 11 pence. IW WB 3:240.

+ 8 M    vi. William Jonathon Stephenson was born about 1691 in Isle of Wight, Virginia and died on 31 May 1737 in Isle of Wight, Virginia about age 46. {FSID: LC4Y-ZFN}

   9 F    vii. Mary Stephenson was born about 1692 in Isle of Wight, Virginia. {FSID: MXSL-GMM}

General Notes: **The following information was taken from Rebecca Leach Ddozier's book, "Twelve Northhampton County, North Carolina Families 1650-1850, published by Gateway Press, INC., Baltimore, MD 2004; page 343:

Mary ((John Stephenson(1)), a daughter of John and Elizabeth Edwards Stephenson, was born in Isle of Wight Co., VA. No other information is know about Mary.

   10 F    viii. Elizabeth Stephenson was born about 1694 in Isle of Wight, Virginia. {FSID: L6S8-L6Z}