Charles Stevens Sr (abt. 1615 - bef. 1662)

Born about 1615 in England

Husband of Susannah (Norwood) Howard — married 1653 in England [uncertain]

Descendants

Died before 1662 before about age 47 in Anne Arundel County, Province of Maryland

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Biography

Birth and Parentage

Charles Stevens, Sr, was born in England about 1615 and died in Maryland about 1662, aged 47.^[1]

The spelling "Stephens" appears in some genealogies, but the most prevalent spelling in original documents appears to be "Stevens".

Where in England he was born, and who his parents might be, is unknown.

Marriage to Susannah Norwood

Charles Stevens was born in England, prior to Immigration to Maryland. While there has been some suggestion that he knew his wife Susannah Norwood when both were in England, the evidence is mounting that she was not born until her parents had settled in Virginia.

Was he married at this time? William and Anna Rutherford report that Charles and Susanna married about 1640 in England, which if Susanna married at 18, would place her birth at 1622. ^[1] They then would have come together to Lower Norfolk County, Virginia.

But Marion Norwood Callam reports that Susannah was only born in 1639. ^[2] A review of Susannah's father's profile shows that her father's children were born between 1634 and 1646. Susannah's father John Norwood came to Virginia bout 1643, and received land for transporting his wife and two children (John and Andrew). This would suggest that Susannah was either old enough to have been on her own, or -- more likely, that she was not born until her parents arrived in Virginia, say, 1644.

In 1662 John Norwood created a document important for tracing relationships. In that year, he demands land for transporting John Horrington into the province -- and he assigns the land to Susanna Howard, for the use of her son Charles Stephens, son of Charles Stephens, deceased.

Estimating backwards, one develops these plausible dates:

• 1662, Susannah is married to her second husband John Howard.
• 1661, Susannah marries John Howard
• 1660, Susannah's first husband Charles Stevens, Sr, dies.
• 1659, the last of Susannah and Charles' four children is born.
• 1657, the third of the children is born
• 1655, the second of the children is born
• 1653, the first of the children is born
• 1652, Susannah and Charles Stevens are married.
• 1644, Susannah's birth, making her 12 at her marriage.

This timeline allows two years between children. If there were twins or the children were born closer together, the date of marriage might have been a year or two later.

It is the 1662 document which suggests that John Norwood's wife Ann was the daughter of John Horrington, which would make John Horrington the grandfather of Susannah.

Eleanor McSwain places the birth of Susanna in 1639. ^[3] However, if she were born in 1639 in England, then her father would have claimed land in her right when the family moved to Virginia, but there is no mention of Susannah in connection with immigration to Virginia.

1659 Immigration to Maryland

Gust Skordas's extracts from Maryland's earliest land records (liber 9, folio 499) shows that Charles Stevens, Sr, immigrated to Maryland prior to 1666. Skordas' notes indicated that Charles Stevens is "of Anne Arundel County. Widow married Jno Havard (liber 10, fol 499). The family that immigrated to Maryland from Virginia was comprised of (also shown at liber 9, folio 448):^[4]

• Susan, transported 1666, Wife of Charles, married Jno Howard liber 9, folio 448)
• Charles Jr, transported 1666, son of Charles (liber 9, folio 448)
• Elizabeth, transported 1666, daughter of Charles (liber 9, folio 448)
• Sarah, transported 1666, daughter of Charles (liber 9, folio 448)
• Susan, transported 1666, Daughter of Charles (liber 9, folio 448)

Skordas' extract apparently reflects a claim filed by John Howard on May 30, 1666, in which he "demanded 600a of land due to Charles Stevens for having brought 12 persons into the Province of Maryland, himself, Susannah, their children, Elizabeth, Susan, Sarah, and Charles and six others. John Howard demanded this land in the right of his wife Susannah Howard, the relict of Charles Stevens. ^[5]. This indicates that Susanna was an adult with four children, when she and Charles came to Maryland.

If one follows the timeline above, there is only one year, 1659, during which she is married, has four children, and her husband Charles has not yet died. If all the other estimates are correct -- and there are certainly reasons they might not be -- this would place the year of their immigration to Maryland as 1659.

Occupation

Charles Stevens was a Planter of the upper Severn ^[6]

1662 John Howard Immigrates to Maryland

"In 1662, the sons of Matthew Howard, came up to the Severn and seated themselves near their father's surveys. John, Samuel, and Cornelius Howard, all transported a number of settlers, and received grants for the same upon the severn. They located adjoining each other, near Round Bay." ^[7] Note that 1662 is probably the date the land was recorded and their arrival in Maryland was probably earlier.

1663 Charles Stevens partners with John Howard

"John Howard, heir at law of Matthew and namesake of his grandfather, John, was a progressive surveyor of lands. He located at Round Bay.

Warfield notes that in 1663 John Howard, with Charles Stephens, took up "The Woodyard" and "Charles Hills" on the south side of the Severn.^[7], 1663 is probably the year the property was recorded, and the actual taking up of the land was earlier, because Charles Stevens' widow had already remarried by 1662.

The Woodyard later became owned by John Howard.

• The Woodyard (John Hayward) (Howard) 6/10/1671 - 150/159 acres. *L14/242SR7356. Know yee that we for and in consideration that John Howard of the County of Anne Arundel in our Province of Maryland hath due unto him one hundred and fifty acres of land by afsignment from Matthew Howard part of a warrant for two hundred and thirty acres formerly granted to the s'd Matthew Howard and Cornelius Howard and the remaining fifty acres due to him bring part of his own share of the s'd warrant for two hundred thirty acres above mentioned as appears upon record. And upon such considerations and terms as are exprefsed in our Conditions of Plantation do hereby grant unto the s'd John Howard all that parcell of land lying on the south side of the Severn River near the Round Bay, called The Woodyard. Adjoins Wayfield and the sw boundary meets Wyatt's Ridge and Howard's Interest. Begins at a marked White Oak. Note: The certification (L6/109 SR7346) issued for this land was to John Hammond and Charles Stevens. The intended acreage certified (150 acres) and basic landmarks are the same as those in the patent. However, the courses vary slightly resulting in a twenty acre increase in size in the later description. ^[8]

Death of Charles Stevens, Sr. and Remarriage of Susannah

Charles died prior to the remarriage of his wife Susanna to John Howard, and was deceased in 1662 when his father in law John Norwood placed a claim for transporting John Horrington into the province and assigns the land claimed to to Susanna Howard, for the use of her son Charles Stephens, son of Charles Stephens, deceased.

Warfield states that "Upon the death of Charles Stephens, John Howard married Susannah Stephens, the widow. She was the heir of Captain John Norwood. ^[7]

1666 John Howard neighbor of Charles Stevens' property

Howard's Thickett (John Howard) 10/2/1666 - 50 acres. L10/186 SR7352.Know ye that we for and in consideration that John Howard of this Province, Gent, hath due unto him fifty acres of land within this Province part of a warrant for five hundred fifty acres formerly granted to the s'd Howard as appears on record. And, upon such conditions and terms as are exprefsed in our Conditions of Plantation of our Province of Maryland, doe hereby grant unto the s'd John Howard a parcell of land called Howard's Thickett lying in Anne Arundel County on the south side of the Seaverne River. Begins at a bound White Oak on the Land of Charles Stevens. Note: This tract (and a portion of the Woodyard) was eventually resurveyed into The Good Mother's Endeavour. The tract cannot be drawn because the second course gives conflicting direction and the fourth final) course lacks direction. ^[8]

Children of Charles Stevens and Susannah Norwood

As shown above, 1652 is the estimated marriage date for Charles Stevens and Susannah Norwood, allowing for their four children to be born in 1653, 1655, 1657 and 1659 just prior to their immigration to Maryland. Assigning these birth years at random to the children gives this result:

1. Sarah Stevens, daughter (9:448), born, say, 1653
2. Susan Stevens, daughter (9:448) born, say, 1655
3. Elizabeth Stevens, daughter (9:448) , born, say, 1657
4. Charles Stevens, Jr. son (9:499) , born, say, 1659.

Skordas has another reference to a Charles Stevens; this Charles Stevens (5:485) was living in 1662, son of Charles, who died 1658. Whether this is Charles Stevens, Immigrant, and his father, or some other Charles, can't be deduced from the available information. If this does refer to Charles Sr and Jr, however, a death date of 1658 further crowds the amount of time available to have children, immigrate to Maryland, get settled, and make friends with John Howard.

Research Notes

Was Charles Stevens in Lower Norfolk Co, Virginia in 1645?

On 15 August, 1645 a court in Lower Norfolk County, Virginia, determined that "the difference between Charles Stevens and Thos: Browne is referred to the next court to bee determined by the request of both Parties." ^[9]. From this we may guess that Charles Stevens had made his way from England to Virginia. Regrettably, there were multiple immigrants named Charles Stevens in Virginia and Maryland and we do not know to whom this reference applied.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} William Kenneth Rutherford and Anna Clay Zimmerman Rutherford. Genealogical History of our Ancestors. By the authors, 1977. Vol 1, p. 770
2. ↑ G. Marion Norwood Callam, Norwoods III, pg178, cited by Kitty Crowley
3. ↑ Eleanor Davis McSwain, The Norwood Family, pg 437, and G. Marion Norwood Callam, Norwoods III, pg182, cited by Kitty Crowley
4. ↑ Gust Skordas. The Early Settlers of Maryland. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co, 1968. p. 440
5. ↑ Patents 9, f. 448, Dorsey Family, p. 198
6. ↑ Debbie Krause, Ancestry.com, "Debbie Franklin Family" File 2218842
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1 7.2} J. D. Warfield, The Founders of Anne Arundel and Howard Counties, Maryland: A Genealogical and Biographical Review from wills, deeds and church records. Originally published, Baltimore, 1905. Reprinted, Regional Publishing Company, Baltimore, 1967 and 1973. Page 69
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1} Research of Robert Hall for Middle Neck, Anne Arundel County via Mike Marshall, email to Jack Day 5/4/2022
9. ↑ Alice Granberry Walter, Lower Norfolk County Court Records. Page 179. Accessed April 23, 2015