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James Stephenson (1755 - 1835)

James Stephenson
Born in Eastern USmap [uncertain]
Son of and [mother unknown]
Husband of — married about 1776 in Cumberland Co NJmap
Descendants descendants
Died at about age 80 in Verona, Boone County, Kentuckymap
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Profile last modified | Created 30 Dec 2010
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Contents

Biography

James was born in 1755. He is the son of Robert Stephenson and Elizabeth Dean. [1]

s/o Robert Stephenson and possibly Elizabeth Dean. (this is uncertain and unverified)

Born about 1755, probably in Maryland or Delaware. Living in Cumberland County, New Jersey when he married and later enlisted for service in the New Jersey Militia during the Revolutionary War.


James Stephenson (son of Robert Stephenson , who immigrated to the US about 1740) was born about 1755 in the U. S.(probably Delaware or Maryland, and died September 7, 1835 in Verona, Boone County, Kentucky. He married Mary Colley in 1776 in Cumberland County, New Jersey. He is buried in the Old Salem Baptist Cemetery, Walton, Boone County, Kentucky. He was one of five Stephenson brothers who fought for the U. S. in the American Revolution.

James served as a private volunteer militia man in the County of Cumberland, State of New Jersey under Captain George McGlaughlin and in the County of Cape May, State of New Jersey under Captain Henry Young Townsend. He was much engaged as a soldier in and around Philadelphia and was in battles of Philadelphia, Elizabethtown, Brandywine, Ft. Mifflin (or Mud Fort Island) and Haddonfield. He was a prisoner on British ship for three months and personally applauded by General Washington for his successful escape. He relocated from New Jersey to Kentucky about 1780. He lived in Jessamine and Harrison Counties before moving to Boone County, Kentucky. His wife recalled in 1833 that while moving to the "western country" his trunk or drawer "was knocked off the boa t and into the Ohio River....and all his papers was lost. " A great-grandson of James, Nathaniel Stephenson, later gave the following account of James: "About 1785, he moved t o Kentucky and settled on the Kentucky River. He built hi s cabin in a cane-break for fear of the Indians. His nearest neighbor lived six miles away. He must have known Danie l Boone.....". His cabin was undoubtedly in what is now Jessamine County, Kentucky and his son, Zadock, was born in Jessamine County in 1791. A great-great grandson of James, Joseph Henry Stephenson, gives the following account, stating that his Stephenson ancestors "were followers of Daniel Boone. One in particular had his name carved in a big tree in southern Indiana, where he made camp in company with Daniel Boone, several different times. He was considered a confidential friend of Boone's" At some time, James moved from Jessamine County to Harrison County, Kentucky. His son, Dudley Stephenson, in 1835 testified that James Stephenson had resided in Harrison County prior to his move to Boone County about 1824. His son, William, who married in Harrison County in 1801 and his daughter, Sarah, was married in Harrison County in 1802. Records abound of early Stephensons in Kentucky. Early tax lists for Harrison County (1790s) include the names of John, James, Robert, Marcus, Zadock, David, Hugh, Joseph and Richard Stephenson. Undoubtedly James was one of a large family, a number of which settled in old Kentucky. James applied for a pension in Boone County, Kentucky in March of 1833 and was awarded eighty dollars per annum for his revolutionary services. His son William said of his father in an1833 court deposition; "James Stephenson is in a helpless condition, not being able from bodily infirmity to labor and from mental infirmity he is not able to attend to business. He is in very indigent circumstances entirely dependent upon his friends for support. He has no family except his wife who is seventy large odd years old and is very infirm and in a helpless condition also”. Grace Stephenson, a great granddaughter of James, gave a further description of James' condition; " his teeth were all out and he was almost blind because of the confinement and harsh treatment he had received when he was prisoner on board a British ship during the Revolutionary War".

Children

1. William Stephenson b: ca. 1778 in NJ

2. Elizabeth Stephenson b: ca. 1780

3. Sarah Stephenson b: ca. 1783

4. Aaron Stephenson b: 8 SEP 1784

5. Zadok Stephenson b: 8 JAN 1791 in Jessamine, KY

6. Ruben Stephenson b: ca. 1794 in Jessamine ????, KY

7. Johathan Stephenson b: ca. 1795 in KY

8. Dudly Stephenson b: 2 MAR 1798 in KY

9. Mary Stephenson b: ca. 1799

10. Anna Stephenson b: 11 FEB 1802

The Stephenson Story Compiler Gerald L. Stephenson, 1976

Printed in "The Falmouth Outlook" Friday, December 10, 1982 , page 27- Friday, December 24, 1982, Page 28-

The following account was written by Reuben W. Stephenson , a grandson of James Stephenson, on January 29, 1902:

"The origin of this Stephenson family to the United States was Robert Stephenson of England. He was of Scotch-Irish descent but raised principally in England. He was sandy complexioned. He married a dark complexioned English lady . He left England on account of his liberal principles which made him a fit subject for the independence of the U.S. . Robert Stephenson, my great-grandfather, was the father o f five boys. All five of the boys participated in the Revolutionary War. Two remained in Virginia; the other three emigrated - David to Ohio, Reuben to North Carolina, and my grand father, James, to Kentucky. I cannot remember the names of the other two. David was a Baptist preacher. He visited my father (William Stephenson) since I can remember. My grandfather's name was James Stephenson. His wife's name was Mary Colley. They raised six boys. They were William, Aaron, Zadock, Reuben, Jonathan and Dudley. They all lived in Kentucky with the exception of two, Reuben went to Texas and Jonathan to Indiana. Their children are well scattered over the southern and western states."

James Stephenson was a resident of Cumberland County, New Jersey during the Revolutionary War. According to his wife , James served under Captains McLaughlin and Townsend, who she stated, "lived in the same neighborhood". Henry Young Townsend was Captain of a company of militia from Cape May County, New Jersey in June of 1777. His home was at Seaville, New Jersey, on the Atlantic coast. Colonial records indicate more Stephenson families living in Cape May County than Cumberland County. These include James, Joseph, Richard , Aaron and Enoch Stephenson. Aaron died there in 1794 an d Enoch was still living there as late as 1809. The fact that James Stephenson served in the Cape May County Militia may indicate some connection to these other Stephensons. James also served under George McLaughlin, who was captain of a company of Cumberland County militia in 1778. His company was comprised of men from Maurice River township of Cumberland County.

William Stephenson, oldest son of James, gives the fol lowing account concerning some of his father's war experiences. He states that "on some severe action in which he was engaged all the man near him was shot down and also the ensign who carried the stand of colors and when he saw the American Eagle and colors fall he sprang to them and hoisted and carried them during the remainder of the engagement."

Another glimpse of Jame's war service is provided by Reuben W. Stephenson, a grandson, who states that James "fought in one battle in a bayonet charge. He was slightly wounded by a bayonet thrust by an Englishman. The Englishman fell and grandfather ran the bayonet through him before he could get up in the battle. In this battle there were one hundred Americans taken prisoner. The English made an effort t o poison these prisoners, many of whom died." After his capture, according to his son, William, James was "carried t o sea on a British vessel and there kept three months or more and he...with six other prisoners, while it was very dark and late at night secretly left the prison ship and got i nto the British long boat and made their escape and got safe to land and went and reported personally to General Washington, who was not far distant from where they landed, an d who personally applauded them for their hazardous and successful overture, and gave them money to bear their expense home." Concerning this same event, his wife Polly, in her deposition, states that "General Washington gave them (James and the other escapees) under his own hand a writing approbating of their conduct and permitted them to go home. " Speaking of this writing she also states that it "was noticed by many soldiers and officers and highly regarded and was pronounced to be General Washington's own hand writing."

The musket, shot pouch and powder horn used by James i n the war were later preserved after his death by his son Dudley.

THE PHILADELPHIA CAMPAIGN

The British objective in the Philadelphia Campaign was to capture the city of Philadelphia, establish a stronghold there, and from there move out to the surrounding area s and destroy the weary American army. The route the British took under General William Howe is indicated by a series of arrows on the map above. George Washington, the American general, determined the best place to stop their march w as at a place called Brandywine Creek. His strategy was to keep the British from crossing the creek. Of the approximately 15,000 American troops who engaged in this battle on September 11, 1777 about 5000 of them were militia forces. One of these was James Stephenson, the prime subject of this book, who was at that time serving in the New Jersey Militia. The Americans were defeated at Brandywine and the British Army moved on to take over the city of Philadelphia on September 25th. Howe's next objective was to clear the Delaware River below the city of American strongholds so that his fleet of British vessels could come up and bring supplies. After defeating the Americans at Billingsport on November 2nd, the last American stronghold was at a place called Ft. Mifflin on Mud Island in the river . To history buffs, Fort Mifflin is the Alamo of the Revolution. Here, a small garrison, never numbering more than 50 0, stood up for forty days to everything the British army and fleet could bring to bear on them, which was considerable even in those days. James Stephenson was one of the defenders at Ft. Mifflin. the Americans finally were forced to evacuate the fort on November 15th. By the time Howe received his supplies winter had set in and it was no longer possible to destroy the embattered American army, now licking their wounds at Valley Forge, Pa. James Stephenson also served at Haddonfield, N.J. probably in the spring of 1778 . A number of minor skirmishes took place in that area about that time and he may be been involved in some of them. There is a good possibility this may have been where he was captured by the British. James lived near Maurice River, N.J .

JAMES STEPHENSON, KENTUCKY PIONEER

After the American Revolution, James Stephenson and hi s family moved again from Cumberland County, N.J. to Kentuc ky. His wife recalled in 1833 that while moving to the "wes tern country" his trunk or drawer "was knocked off the boa t and into the Ohio River....and all his papers was lost. " A great-grandson of James, Nathaniel Stephenson, later ga ve the following account of James: "About 1785, he moved t o Kentucky and settled on the Kentucky River. He built hi s cabin in a cane-break for fear of the Indians. His neares t neighbor lived six miles away. He must have known Danie l Boone.....". His cabin was undoubtedly in what is now Jes samine County, Kentucky and his son, Zadock, was born in Je ssamine County in 1791. A great-great grandson of James, Jo seph Henry Stephenson, gives the following account, statin g that his Stephenson ancestors "were followers of Daniel B oone. One in particular had his name carved in a big tree i n southern Indiana, where he made camp in company with Dani el Boone, several different times. He was considered a conf idential friend of Boone's" At some time, James moved fro m Jessamine County to Harrison County, Kentucky. His son, D udley Stephenson, in 1835 testified that James Stephenson h ad resided in Harrison County prior to his move to Boone Co unty about 1824. He is probably the James Stephenson who re ceived a 500-acre land grant on Mill Creek in Harrison Coun ty in 1801 and July 23, 1794. His son, William, who marrie d in Harrison County in 1801 and his daughter, Sarah, was m arried in Harrison County in 1802. Records abound of earl y Stephensons in Kentucky. One John Stevenson served as a m ajor in the Revolutionary War in Kentucky with George Roger s Clark. Several of the Stephensons were murdered by the In dians, and one apparently was murdered and his bones place d in a hollow tree by the Indians. In 1791 a company raise d to fight Wiaw Indians by James Brown included John, Rober t and Thomas and Samuel Stephenson among its 80 men. John , Robert and Thomas Stephenson were among signers of a peti tion for better government in 1784. Signers of petitions i n Fayette County (then quite large) in 1787 included the na mes John, Robert, William, Thomas, Benjamin and Samuel Step henson. One petition, signed by John, Robert and William St ephenson was also signed by Daniel Boone. The petition requ ested that the government establish a tobacco inspection st ation on the Kentucky River near the mouth of Craig's Creek . So many records of James Stephenson exist that it is diff icult to determine which pertain to the subject of our inve stigation. One James Stephenson obtained land on Cartright 's Creek in 1782, while another obtained land on Floyd's Cr eek in 1783, and still another on Harrod's Fork in 1784. On e James Stephenson signed a petition in August of 1790 "req uesting....the right to erect grist mills on the Stoner an d Hinkson's forks of the Licking River". Opposing citizen s got up a counter-petition against the establishment of mi lls and curiously included among it's signers one Jonatha n Stephenson. Early tax lists for Harrison County (1790s) i nclude the names of John, James, Robert, Marcus, Zadock, Da vid, Hugh, Joseph and Richard Stephenson. Undoubtedly our a ncestor was one of a large family, a number of which settle d in old Kentucky.


James Stephenson applied for a pension in March of 1833 and was awarded eighty dollars per annum for his revolutionary services. His son William says of his father in 1833 ; "James Stephenson is in a helpless condition, not being able from bodily infirmity to labor and from mental infirmity he is not able to attend to business. He is in very indigent circumstances entirely dependent upon his friends for support. He has no family except his wife who is seventy large odd years old and is vary infirm and in a helpless condition also." Grace Stephenson, a great granddaughter of Jame s, gave a further description of Jame's condition; " his teeth were all out and he was almost blind because of the confinement and harsh treatment he had received when he was prisoner on board a British ship during the Revolutionary War ". Dudley Stephenson, youngest son of James, was awarded le gal guardianship of his father by the Boone County court i n 1833. Jame's last pension payment, covering the period fr om September 4, 1833 to September 4, 1835, was made to N.E . Hawes, attorney for Dudley Stephenson, at the Northern Bank, Kentucky, on October 23, 1835. Some records indicate th at James died at Verona, Kentucky, on September 7, 1835 and that Polly died there on February 4, 1838. They are supposed to have been buried at the Old Salem Baptist Cemetary near Walton, Kentucky, although there are no markers. [handwritten on paper transcribing from was "married in Cumberlan d City, N.J. 1776"]


This person was created through the import of Shortened files.ged on 30 December 2010. The following data was included in the gedcom. You may wish to edit it for readability.

Birth

Birth:
Date: About 1755
Place: Eastern U. S.

Removed ABT from Birth Date and marked as uncertain.

Marriage

Husband: James Stephenson
Wife: Mary Colley
Marriage:
Date: About1776
Place: Cumberland Co NJ
User ID: BB78FBF4150744FF8B280FD7B355E739428D
Child: Dudley Stephenson

Could not parse date out of ABT 1776.

Burial

Salem Predestinarian Baptist Church Cemetery Boone County Kentucky, USA [2]

NOTE

James had no middle name. In the late 1970s, someone misread the phrase from The Stephenson Story (G. Stephenson, 1976) "A great-grandson of James, Nathaniel Stephenson,..."; ignoring the commas, they used the name James Nathaniel Stephenson in a family tree and that error has been proliferated on the internet.

Note: @N6464@
@N6464@ NOTE
Son of Robert Stephenson.

Sources

  1. A source for this information is needed.
  2. Find A Grave: Memorial #57507177

Brief Data pertaining to the Kentucky Branch of the descendants of Robert Stephenson by W. T. Loomis

Stephenson family history compiled by Alonso Stephenson

Note: No marker extant in 2009.





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Comments: 5

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What project is protecting this profile and should the profile of his father also be protected, considering the very concerning notes regarding "evolution" of speculated lineage?
posted by Honi Kleine
In the Daughters of the American Revolution, Jan/Feb 1916 newsletter, the report from Bana Weems Caskey, DAR Historian General, gives

more insight into the prison ships and our first POW's. ..........."thousands of Revolutionary soldiers fell into British hands over the course of the war. To solve the problem of a lack of space for all the prisoners, the British navy took a number of derelict vessels in the New York harbor and turned them into prison ships. Each ship crammed in more than 1,000 men. Due to the brutal conditions, more Americans died in British jails and prison ships than in all the battles of the Revolutionary War." Bodies were thrown overboard or buried in shallow mass graves onshore. More than 11,500 prisoners died in captivity aboard 16 British prison ships.

The following account was written by Reuben W. Stephenson, a grandson of James Stephenson, on January 29, 1902:

"The origin of this Stephenson family to the United States was Robert Stephenson of England. He was of Scotch-Irish descent but raised principally in England. He was sandy complexioned. He married a dark complexioned English lady. He left England on account of his liberal principles which made him a fit subject for the independence of the U.S. Robert Stephenson, my great-grandfather, was the father of five boys. All five of the boys participated in the Revolutionary War.”

This is all I know about James Stephenson's father for certain.(Gerald)

posted by Gerald Stephenson
James has no known middle name. Someone missed a comma in my 1976 book and assigned the name Nathaniel to him as a middle name. Nathaniel is actually the name of one of his grandsons. The man who made the mistake years ago sent an email to apologize but sadly multitudes have repeated the error thanks to the internet.
posted by Gerald Stephenson
Stephenson-3126 and Stephenson-108 appear to represent the same person because: They have the same parents, same birth year.
posted by Marsha (Cramer) Baker

S  >  Stephenson  >  James Stephenson

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