Eleanor Honora (Grimes) Stephenson (bef. 1695 - abt. 1776)

Born before 1695 in Ballymoney, Ireland

Wife of William Valentine Crawford — married 1716 (to 1736) in Virginia, British Colonial America

Wife of Richard Stephenson Sr. — married 1736 (to 21 Mar 1765) in Orange, Virginia

Descendants

Died about 1776 after about age 81 in Berkeley, Virginia, United States [uncertain]

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Biography

Honora was born about 1695, possibly in Orange County, Virginia according to her memorial at Bullskin Presbyterian Churchyard, Summit Point, Jefferson County, West Virginia, USA. ^[1]

She was also known as Honora Stephenson (Grimes) , "Hannah", "Eleanor", "Honora (Grimes) Crawford Stephenson", "Honora Crawford", "Onora", "Honora Grymes Stephenson"

Honora and her husband, William Valentine Crawford were farmers of Scottish-Irish descent. Honora was a Presbyterian of Scottish descent from Ballymoney, Ireland. ^[2]

Bio: In Edward Aiken Crawford's article "Col. William Crawford," published in The West Virginia Historical Magazine Quarterly, vol. 4, no. 4, October 1904, pp. 261-272, Onora [sic.] Grimes [sic.] Crawford is said to be a daughter-in-law of John and Elizabeth Crawford of Northumberland County, Virginia. John Crawford purchased land there in 1683, sold a portion to John Legg in 1692, and in 1706 sold to Meredith James another portion "except ten yards square where my father and mother were buried." John and Elizabeth Crawford were the parents of four sons, John, George, William, and David, as well as two daughters. The same article claims John's father was George Crawford, a descendant of Capt. Thomas Crawford (c.1527-1603) of Jordanhill, an estate in the West End of Glasgow. (History of Crawford County, Pennsylvania (1885), page 193). As this county was named in honor of Col. William Crawford, the friend of Washington, and one of the most distinguished frontiersmen of Western Pennsylvania. He was born in 1732 in Orange (now Berkeley County), Virginia, his parents being of Irish extraction. His father died when William was four years old, leaving another son, Valentine, who was younger than our subject. His mother, Onora, married for her second husband Richard Stephenson, to whom she bore five boys and one girl: John, Hugh, Richard, James, Marcus, and Elizabeth, the last mentioned dying young. The seven boys were all remarkable for their size and physical prowess. In 1749 the youthful George Washington became acquainted with their family and it was while surveying in the Shenandoah Valley that his acquaintance with William Crawford ripened into a friendship that lasted until

In 1716 when she was in her early twenties she married [[Crawford-4613 William Valentine Crawford] at an unknown location.

Honora was the wife of Richard Stephenson, who was indentured to Hugh Crawford^[3]

Children

By her marriages she had ten known children, seven sons and three daughters:

1. Mary (Crawford) Munn
2. Martha (Crawford) Sutton
3. William Crawford (1722-1782)
4. Valentine Crawford (1724-1777),
5. Elizabeth Rebecca Crawford
6. Hugh Stephenson (Unknown-1776)
7. John Stephenson (1736-1801)
8. Richard Stephenson (1740-1776)
9. James Stephenson (1738-1813),
10. Marquis Stephenson

Research Notes

Birthdate: circa 1695; Birthplace: Norfolk, Virginia ; Death: 1777 (78-86), Shephardstown, Berkley, Virginia; Place of Burial: Shephardstown, Berkley, Virginia.

I can find no evidence that she was the daughter of John Grymes and Alice (Towneley) Grymes: Conway-3024 21:02, 7 July 2022 (UTC)

:Daughter of Colonel John Grymes, of Grimesby and Alice Grymes; Wife of Valentine Crawford, Sr. and Richard Stephenson ; Mother of Elizabeth Ross; Martha Sutton; Mary Margaret Munn; Col. Valentine Crawford; Elizabeth Crawford, Colonel William Crawford; Mary Crawford; John Crawford; James Stephenson; Richard Stephenson and Marcus Stephenson; sister of Maj John Grymes, II; Elizabeth Lucy (Grymes) Holcombe; Charles Grymes of Morattico; Anna Wortham and Thomas Grimes.^[4] Hugh Crawford, Honora's first husband, was an Indian trader; Gen. George Washington was a frequent visitor at this home, often taking part in athletic contests with the sons. The early friendship ripened with the passing years, and when Gen. Washington rose to prominence in military life, James Stevenson was yet his dearest friend and constant companion.^[5]

: Honora died about 1777 of unknown causes, perhaps in her early eighties, in Shepherdstown, Berkeley County, Virginia. For a larger view of the map below, click here.

Map showing location of the hamlet of Western in present-day Giles County, Virginia

Norfolk, Norfolk County, Virginia,^[6] the older of two known children, both daughters, of John and Honora Valentine Grimes.

Twenty years later, in 1736, she married Richard Stephenson in Essex (later Western, Giles) County, Virginia. (I think it is virtually impossible that the marriage took place so far west at such an early date. Prickett-120 ,15 July 2018.)

Sources

1. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #143604686
2. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "William Crawford (soldier)," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=William_Crawford_(soldier)&oldid=1078401896 (accessed [7 July 2022]).
3. ↑ "The Frontiersman" by Allen Eckert. Richard Stephenson.
4. ↑ Anon., comp.,"Honora Stephenson (Grimes)," Geni.com. URL: https://www.geni.com/people/Honora-Stephenson/6000000003931963449 Accessed 18 Mar 2019
5. ↑ https://www.facebook.com/472475302788160/posts/495853890450301
6. ↑ Anon., comp.,"Honora Stephenson (Grimes)," Geni.com. URL: https://www.geni.com/people/Honora-Stephenson/6000000003931963449 Accessed 18 Mar 2019

• Larche, Migonon. Pioneers on the Bullskin.

Acknowledgments

• Thanks to Judith Meagher for starting this profile. Click the Changes tab for the details of contributions by Judith and others.