John Stephens Sr. (abt. 1600 - 1670)

Born about 1600 in England

Descendants

Died 2 Sep 1670 at about age 70 in Guilford, New Haven, Connecticut

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John Stephens Sr. migrated to New England during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640). Join: Puritan Great Migration Project Discuss: pgm

Biography

Estimated Birth. Parents and Origins Unknown

John Stephens/Stevens was an early settler in Guilford, New Haven Colony.^[1] The first firm vital record date for this family is the birth of John's grandson, James, in 1651.^[2] James' father, Thomas, was on a list of planters in Guilford about 1650.^[3] It is probably ok to assume that Thomas was born by 1630. 1600 is a nice round estimate for the birth of John and reasonable considering his death in 1670.

He was born in England perhaps in Kent or Surry, where other Guilford settlers came from.^[4] Some say that he is the son of Robert Stevens and Dionis Dunes.^[5] However, there presently doesn't seem to be any evidence to back this up. He certainly was not the son of Sir Edward Stephens as claimed.^[6] That son died in Oxford, England in 1643.^[1]

One possible clue to the origin of John Stephens/Stevens might be found in the origins of John Bishop, another founder of Guilford, Connecticut, who also arrived in 1639. Bishop's wife is supposedly an Ann Stevens, so if she was a sister of our John Stephens/Stevens, that would provide an important clue. However, according to Anderson's 2015 Great Migration Directory, the origins of John Bishop are also unknown.^[7]

Isabel MacBeath Calder author of The New Haven Colony suggested that John Calder might be from Ockley, where the Rev. Henry Whitfield was from.^[8]

Spouse

John, no doubt, had a spouse who was the mother of his children. No records for this wife have been found in New England. Several published genealogies call her Mary ____.^[1][9] Why? John did have a daughter Mary, perhaps suggesting the name of the mother.

Immigration

The town of Guilford, Connecticut, was founded in 1639, by men who were mostly farmers, many of them coming from Surrey and Kent, near London. The only surviving records from this early are the deeds purchasing the land from the native Americans (signed by only a handful of settlers) and a covenant signed by 25 men aboard the first ship to arrive. John Stevens' name is not among these. The early settlers numbered 40 men, but no list exists.^[4] It is believed the Stevens family arrived on the second ship, also in 1639.^[10][8]

Guilford

Early Guilford records were kept by the church. Unfortunately these records are long since lost.^[11] Microfilmed existing town records begin in 1645. ^{[12] [13]} The first reference to John Stevens is on page 2, on 4 Sept 1645, which refers to work on the mill and dam. "... also Goodm: Stevens is apointed to get ye timber," and on page 3, 9 Oct 1645, Goodm: Stevens was fined for neglecting his fence. He served on some committees and was on the ballot to serve as overseer of highways in 1647.^[14] He and William were on the 1646 tax list, and in Feb 1649 at a town meeting Thomas and John Stevens agreed to continue to help as they could toward supporting the minister. John was unsure if he would be able to continue in the future at the same amount.^[15] John was sued, by Mr. Jacob Sheaffe for damages and lost. John had agreed to take care of Sheaffe's fence, but it wasn't done in a timely manner and Sheaffe's hogs damaged John Bishop's corn, for which Bishop sued Sheaffe.^[16] At this point John's name is no longer mentioned in the extant town records until shortly before his death in 1670. A list of freeman of Guilford dated 24 Sep 1669 contains the name of John Stevens.^[17] In 1670 he gave land to his son Thomas,^[18] and gave consent for his son William to sell other land.^[19]

The History of Guilford informs us that the first land division was in 1643.^[20] John Stevens owned first division land.

The town of Guilford kept a record, called a terrier, of the lands held by the residents. It contains records beginning as early as 1643 and as late as 1684, but not everything is dated. John Stevens held the following properties: a one and a 1/2 acre homelot, 36 1/4 acres upland, 7 1/2 acres of marshland, 11 acres of upland and 55 acres of upland.^[21] The homelot of John Stephens Sr. in Guilford was on the east side of Fair Street.^[1]

11 Mar 1669/70 John gave Thomas a piece of property. The description does not include the acreage but is probably the 36 1/4 acres of upland. Both mention a boundary with Edward Benton.^[18]

Colony of New Haven Became the Colony of Connecticut in Dec 1664
The court records for New Haven and Connecticut Colonies do not always tell the whole story. Putting together the various surviving documents, one can conclude that John, Thomas and William Stevens were among the citizens of Guilford who eagerly leapt at the chance to leave the jurisdiction of New Haven Colony to join the Colony of Connecticut.

• 7 May 1662,Thomas and his brother, William, were examined at the New Haven court regarding a "writing" by Bray Rossiter, which they signed, stating some grievance against the government.^[22] The record doesn't actually tell us what the grievance was.
• 9 Oct 1662, just a few months later, the Colony of Connecticut had received a charter from Charles II, which included the territory of New Haven Colony. The record says "Severall inhabitants of Guilford tendring themselves their p^rsons and estates under the government and Protection of this Colony. This Court doth declare that they doe accept and owne them as members of this Colony, and shalbe ready to affoard what protection is necessary."^[23] The record doesn't name any of these persons.
• 29 Mar 1664, a petition to the General Assembly of Connecticut was signed by John, Thomas and William Stevens and fourteen other Guilford residents. They begin, "Such is our deplorable condition." And continue "Gentlemen, if y^e haue no power to ptect us from the iniury of others, why did you admit us under the shadow of youre winges? & ingage to be reall in ptecting & defending our persons & estates?^[22]

Death and Probate

John Stevens was buried on 2 Sep 1670 in Guilford, Connecticut. ^[24]

John Stephens, signed his will by "mark". The will was written 27 Aug 1670, when John was sick & ill. He named his son, Thomas, first in the will leaving him the mare he rode, his biggest brass kettle, also "my best sute & my cloake, & my bed & one payre of sheets & all my other bedding." He named Thomas as executor. He left his son, William, his house, homelot and meadow land at the east river. William was to pay £10 pounds to John's son, John, in England and £10 to John's daughter, Mary Collins. He made bequests of £5 to grandchildren "James & John my son Thomas his sons, & John and Samuell the sons of my son William Stephens: ffurther I give to Mary Stephens daughter to my son Thomas a payre of sheets: And I give to judith Stephens the daughter of my son William a payre of sheets." The rest of his estate was to be divided equally between Thomas, William and Mary.^[25]

Two inventories were taken one in Killingworth, containing household items, clothing, tools, a bed, one mare, one cow, valued at 32 : 15 : 00. The other was taken in Guilford and had his homelot, buildings, orchards, and meadow at East River valued at £65:00:00 and animals, woodworking tools, household items clothes etc. for a total of £93: 05: 06, in Guilford.^[25]

We can surmise from the inventories, that although John maintained his residence in Guilford, he spent considerable time in Killingworth at the home of one of his children, where he kept a bed.

Children

He had the following children named in his will:

1. Thomas STEVENS,
2. William STEVENS,
3. John STEVENS Jr., and
4. Mary (STEVENS) KINGSNORTH-COLLINS.

Research Notes

Note that in his 1670 will he left 10 pounds "to my sonne John Stephens in old England"^[25], which casts doubt on claims that John Stephens Jr. was the John Stevens of Connecticut who was married in 1662 to Mary Coit. According to the genealogy by Charlotte Holmes that John Stevens was probably a son of William Stephens of Gloucester.

Y-DNA. The Y-DNA results in the Stephens-Stevens Y-DNA Testing Project at FTDNA shows one supposed descendant in Haplogroup R-CTS11962, and another supposed descendant in Haplogroup Q-M242. Clearly one of these two descendants is not actually a descendant of John Stephens. Testing of more descendants is needed to clarify in which Haplogroup he actually belongs.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3} Charlotte (Steevens) Holmes, A genealogy of the lineal descendants of John Steevens, who settled in Guilford, Conn., in 1645, 1906 starting on page 2, p. 11 refers to homelot on Fair street.
2. ↑ Lucius Barnes Barbour and Lucius A. Barbour, "Barbour Collection of Connecticut Vital Records prior to 1850," 50 vols. (bound transcripts, 1874-1934, Connecticut State Library, Hartford), Town of Guilford, Stevens (and alternate spellings) Family, pp 222-224; digital images, Link at AmericanAncestors ($)
3. ↑ Atwater, Edward Elias, and Lucy M. Hewitt, and Bessie E. Beach. History of the Colony of New Haven to Its Absorption Into Connecticut (Meriden, Connecticut: 1902) p. 167.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} Smith, Ralph Dunning, The History of Guilford, Connecticut, From its First Settlement in 1639, (Albany : J. Munsell, printer, 1877) pp. 10-24
5. ↑ https://www.geni.com/people/Robert-Stevens/6000000001712767785
6. ↑ Stevens, Charles Ellis, Stevens genealogy. Some descendants of the Fitz Stephen family in England and New England, (New York, Priv. print. 1905) p. 52; digital image Internet Archive
7. ↑ Anderson, Robert Charles. Great Migration Directory (The). Immigrants to New England, 1620-1640. A Concise Compendium. (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2015.) p. 31
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1} Calder, Isabel MacBeath, The New Haven Colony, (Archon Books, 1970, reprint), (Original, Yale University Press 1934), p. 72
9. ↑ Smith, R. D. (compiler), "John Stephens of Guilford (Conn.) and His Descendants." New England Historical and Genealogical Register vol 56, (Boston: NEHGS, 1902) p. 356+; digital image, Link at AmericanAncestors ($). Note: this is the same author that wrote The History of Guilford.
10. ↑ Atwater, History of the Colony of New Haven p. 150.
11. ↑ Manual of the First Congregational Church, Guilford, Conn. January 1, 1875., (New Haven: Tuttle Morehouse & Taylor, 1875) p. 5; digital images, FamilySearch Image Group Number (DGS) 008431426, (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS1R-S3G7-K : February 6, 2023), image 12 of 58.
12. ↑ Guilford, Connecticut. Guilford Register of Vital Records Vol. A. 1645-1664 (Town Hall of Guilford) Bound Volume of Records, originals; digital images, FamilySearch, Film # 007833596, (https://www.familysearch.org/search/film/007833596?i=3&cat=358853 : accessed Jan 2023).
13. ↑ Guilford, Connecticut. Guilford Vital Records Vol. A. (Town Hall of Guilford) Bound Volume of Records, transcript; digital images, FamilySearch, Film # 007731271, (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9BY-F3CQ-M?i=120 : accessed Jan 2023).
14. ↑ Guilford Vital Records Vol. A. pp 2, 3, 4, 21, 25
15. ↑ Guilford Vital Records Vol. A. pp. 16, 40, 41
16. ↑ Guilford Vital Records Vol. A. pp 43, 44.
17. ↑ Trumbull, Colonial Records of Connecticut, Vol II p. 525
18. ↑ ^{18.0 18.1} Guilford, Connecticut, Deeds, Vol B 1649-1702, p. 114; digital images, FamilySearch, (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS3F-N3KD-8?i=168&cat=358853  : accessed Feb 2023).
19. ↑ Guilford, Connecticut, Deeds Vol C p. 49; digital image, Family Search, (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS3F-N3KG-L?i=334&cat=358853 : accessed Feb 2023).
20. ↑ Smith, Ralph, History of Guilford, p. 150
21. ↑ Guilford, Connecticut, Register of Terrier, Vol 1, 1648-1684, p. 44, John Stevens; digital images, Family Search, Film # 008662050, (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QHV-F3CF-VZ2B : accessed Jan 2023) image 92 of 524.
    • A homelot containing one acre & a half, more or less, "abuting to the __ _____ _____ West & ___ing to the land of Henry Dowd on the east _____ between the homelots of Thomas Hugh[?] at the North & of William Dudley on the South." This item was left by Will & Testament to his son, William who sold it to John Collins see Guilford. (See p. 79)
    • A piece of upland "lyeing on the SouthSide of the Alderswamp _____asted by the Common woods & on the East & the highway on the South. the land of Edward Benton on the West containing thirty six acres & a quarter more or less allowed for thirty six Acres
    • A piece of "Marshland lyeing by this side of the EastRiver, containing Seaven Acres & a half more or lesse allowed for Six Acres, next the land of William Dudley . West by the river North and East by the common Woods Southerly." This item was left by Will & Testament to William who sold it to John Collins. (See p. 79)
    • A piece of "Upland there adjoining containing eleanon acres & a halfe more or lesse allowed for leaven acres & thirty rods. [11 acres]
    • [written in the margin] March 24. 68/69 A piece of "upland containing fifty five Acres Alowed for thirtynine more or less Bounded by Norton's quarter And AlderSwamp west by the common land North the lands of Thomas Stevens Easterly by the highway to the east crepe[?] Andy[?] Southeast And by the Common Southwest."
22. ↑ ^{22.0 22.1} Hoadly, Charles J, MA. (editor) Records of the Colony or Jurisdiction of New Haven, From May 1653 to the Union. (Hartford: Case, Tiffany and Company, 1858.) p. 431-435, 539.
23. ↑ Trumbull, J. Hammond. (transcriber). The Public Records of the Colony of Connecticut Prior to the Union with New Haven Colony May 1665. (Hartford: Brown and Parsons, 1850.) AKA Colonial Records of Connecticut. Volume I. 1636-1665, p. 387; Google Books
24. ↑ Guilford, Connecticut. Guilford Vital Records Vol. A. p. 67 ; digital images, FamilySearch, Film # 007731271, (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9BY-F3HT-L : accessed Jan 2023).
25. ↑ ^{25.0 25.1 25.2} Guilford, New Haven Probate District, Connecticut, Book Spine: "New Haven Probate Record 1647-1687 Vol 1 Part 2 . (Connecticut State Library State Archives 1989) Inside Title page: "2nd Part of First Book from 1666-1687 Containing Wills Inventories &C, pp 36, 37; digital images, Family Search, FHL microfilm 007626739, image 160 of 452, (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L92K-G9N2-W : accessed Jan 2023)

See also:

• Genealogies of Connecticut Families: From the New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Volume I, pages 443-444.
• Stephens-Stevens Y-DNA Testing Project - Y-DNA Classic Chart. See at: https://www.familytreedna.com/public/Stephens-Stevens/default.aspx?section=yresults

Re: alleged spouse Mary Pellyne

• "England Marriages, 1538–1973 ," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N2SB-FXP : 10 December 2014), John Stephens and Mary Pellyne, 24 Sep 1627; citing Saint Andrew, Plymouth, Devon, England, reference ; FHL microfilm 481,081, 823,684. NOTE: Right time, right country, but nothing to tie this John to New England. In addition a search done at https://www.freereg.org.uk for Stevens (Soundex) children bapt.1627-1647 found several children, of John baptized until 1632 (perhaps children of two different Johns). None of these children were named Thomas, William, John or Mary.

Not Indexed in:

• Anderson, Robert Charles. Great Migration Directory (The). Immigrants to New England, 1620-1640. A Concise Compendium. (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2015.)
• Trumbull, J. Hammond. (transcriber). The Public Records of the Colony of Connecticut Prior to the Union with New Haven Colony May 1665. (Hartford: Brown and Parsons, 1850.) AKA Colonial Records of Connecticut. Volume I. 1636-1665 https://books.google.com/books/about/The_Public_Records_of_the_Colony_of_Conn.html?id=X8VSAAAAcAAJ Google Booksa
• Hoadly, Charles J, MA. (editor) Records of the Colony and Plantation of New Haven, From 1638 to 1649. (Hartford: Case, Tiffany and Company, 1857.)