Obadiah Stillwell (abt. 1737 - abt. 1778)

Born about 1737 in New Jersey

Ancestors

Husband of Eleanor (Truax) Warford — married about 1756 in Pennsylvania

Descendants

Died about 1778 at about age 41 in Bedford County, Pennsylvania, United States

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Biography

John E. Stillwell wrote^[1]:

"Obadiah Stillwell, son of Elias Stillwell, 15, died during the lifetime of his father, who in his will 1785, mentioned him as deceased, leaving children. He married Eleanor____, who survived him.

1762. Obediah Stillwell had one hundred and seventy-five acres near the Maryland line.

1762, June 10. Cumberland County, Pa. Obediah Stillwell held one hundred acres of land.

In pursuance of a warrant dated June 10, 1762, there was surveyed to Obediah Stillwell a tract of land called Stillwell’s Hazard, situated in the Tonalaways Settlement, in Air Township, Cumberland County, Pa., containing one hundred and seventy-five and one-half acres. Obediah Stillwell and his wife Eleanor by deed dated Sept. 1, last past, sold for £27.4.0, the same to Edward Comb, of Air Township. Recorded June 5,1767.

1773. Ayr Township, Bedford County, Pa. Obediah Stillwell taxed £0.5.6.

1777. Obadiah Stillwell was a Captain of Militia in Bedford County, Pa. Letter of Mrs. Gore.

1778, Oct. 13. Administration was granted upon his estate to Elinor Stillwell, his widow. Inventory to be exhibited on or before the 17th of January next, and an account on the 16th day of April next. Will Book, No. I, Bedford Co., Pa., p. 22.

1778, Nov. 1. Ellenor Stilwell received a note from John Stilhvell for £9.7.3; witnessed by Jeremiah Stillwell and Fras Reynolds.

1788, Apr. 21. Eleanor Stilwell for £28,6.0, is granted a tract of land called Widowhood, in Bethel township, Bedford County, which tract was entered Apr. 1, 1767, by Obadiah Stilwell, who died intestate, leaving the said Eleanor and several children, containing one hundred and fifty-two acres and twenty-seven perches.

Issue:

154 Elias Stillwell

155 Elinor Stillwell

156 Susanna Stillwell

157 Obadiah Stillwell"

Deed of 20 May 1780 recorded 23 Jun 1780 :

Edward Combes and Rebecca his wife of Bethel Twp., Bedford Co., PA sold to Benjamin Abbett of the township county and state aforesaid of the same a tract of land that “Obadiah Stillwell did on the tenth day of June one thousand seven hundred and sixty two obtain (sic) from the honorable The Proprietaries Land office in Philadelphia a warrant for surveying and taking a Certain Peice (sic) or Parcel of vacant and uncultivated land Situate in Conolloways Settlement then Air (Ayr) Township Cumberland Township by Virtue Which there was surveyed unto him the said Obadiah Stillwell in the Place Above Mentioned one hundred and Seventy five Acres of land with the Allowance of Six… for Roads to be called and known by the Name of Stillwell's Hazard and was by him the sd Obadiah Stillwell and Eleanor his wife Conveyed by Deed of Conveyance unto the said Edward Combs for Certain Considerations therein Mentioned bearing date the first day of September one Thousand seven hundred and sixty six As will by said Deed more fully and Clearly … and to which Reference may be had and that upon Return of Which Deed and Survey being Returned and made known in said land office in the said City of Philadelphia Pattent (sic) did Gave theron for in the Name of him the said Edward Combes his heirs & bearing Date the first day of June one thousand seven hundred and Sixty seven Recorded in the Office for the … and City of Philidelphia in Patent Book AA,… H Page 337” Edward Combs Rebeca Combs her mark in presence of Moses Reed Sarah Reed^[2]

Date of Patent: 5 June 1767

Page 337

Patentee: Coomb, Edward

Acres: 175

Prs.: 80

Warrantee Obadiah Stillwell

Name of Tract: Stillwell's Hazard

Date of Warrant: 10 June 1762

County: Cumberland^[3]

On 1 April 1767, 152 acres (in Ayr Township, Bedford County, Pennsylvania) were surveyed for Obidiah Stilwell. This was adjacent to land of Elias Stilwell, other land of Obidiah Stillwell, and lands of Joseph Warfford, Samuel Graves, and Benjamin Abbott.

"The following is a complete list of the taxable inhabitants of Bethel township for the year 1774, copied from the Bedford county records:

Benjamin Abbott, William Anderson, Abraham Ausborn, Jacob Brown, George Bishop, John Brathed, John Burd, John Bellew, David Brown, Christopher Bush, Henry Brewer, John Cramer, John Combs,varaham Clavenger, William Carney, Abraham Cares, Thomas Crosson, Edward Coombs, Bethuel Covalt, John Dogood, David English, Goien Eddy, John Fisher, Samuel Greaves, James Graham, Philip Gilleland, Thomas Hines, George Horse, Jacob Hinersheet, Jacob Hough, George Hills, William Hart, William Hunt. George Harman, Evan Jenkins, George Inslow, John Lancaster, Nathan Linn, Jane Linn, Addis Linn, Bartholomew Longstreth, Martin Longstreth, John Maurer, Andrew Mann, John Melott, William Moreton, Edward Moreton, James Mitchell, John Martin, Richard Martin, Barnet Mooney, Jacob Money, John McKinney, George Miller, James McCormick, John Mason, George Maurer, Thomas Newberry, William Pitman, John Pitman (one saw mill), Richard Pitman, John Powell, George Peck, Joseph Powell, Jacob Rush, Sr., Jacob Rush, Jr., Henry Rush, Peter Rush, Francis Reynolds, Moses Reed (two mills), John Smith, Benjamin Stephens, Richard Stephens, Adam Smith, Thomas Stafford, William Steed, Henry Sipes, George Shingledecker, Jacob Shingledecker, Lawrence Slicken, John Stanley, John Simmerman, Emanuel Smith, Christopher Studyheifer, Obadiah Stilwell, Christopher Spelser, Michael Sousel, Peter Steed, Peter Smith, Elias Stilwell, Esq., John Shafer, John Truax, Jacob Truax, J r., Stilwell Truax, Samuel Truax, Benjamin Truax, Joseph Warford, John Wilkins, William Wilkins, John Walker, John Whipze, William Yeates. ...

Obadiah Stillwell came from Frederick county, Maryland, and settled in the present county of Fulton before the revolutionary war. His farm was on the present line between Bethel and Thomson townships, and is now owned by Banner Graves."^[4]

In 1777, Obadiah was captain of militia in Bedford Co, PA.

Oct 13, 1778 - Obadiah's widow, Elinor, received letters of administration on his estate.^[5]

The will of Elias Stillwell, dated August 30, 1785, mentions 4 grandchildren who were the children of Obadiah Stillwell deceased: Elias Stillwell, Elenor Stillwell, Susanne Stillwell, and Obadiah Stillwell.

"At an Orphans court held at Bedford in and for the County of Bedford the twenty sixth day of August the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred eighty before James Martin Thomas Paxton Moses Reed Esquires Justices of the same County Came into Court Elias Stillwell eldest son of Obadiah Stillwell deceased a Minor above the age of fourteen years and choose Edward Coombe and Jeremiah Stillwell to be Guardians over his person and Estate.  ~ Also at the request of Eleanor Warford late Widow of the above named Obadiah Stillwell deceased the Court appoint Edward Coombe and Jeremiah Stillwell to be Guardians over the persons & Estates of Eleanor Susannah & Obadiah Stillwell Minor Children of the said Obadiah Stillwell deceased under the age of fourteen years.  ~"

"Orphans Court Bedford 23 March 1782, James Martin Gideon Ritchie  } Esquires David Espy

James Warford and Eleanor his wife appeared in Court and Exhibited and account of their Administration on the Estate of Obadiah Stillwell deceased and had the same passed by the Register and allowed by the said Court by which it appears to the Court by the said Account that a Ballance [sic] L 90 s7 -2 remains in the hands of the Accountants and distribution being made there appears to be due Elias the eldest son of the said deceased."^[6]

Sources

1. ↑ John E. Stillwell, "The History of Captain Nicholas Stillwell", New York, (1930). (https://archive.org/stream/stillwellgenealo03stil/stillwellgenealo03stil_djvu.txt)
2. ↑ Bedford Co, PA Deed Book A, page 512-513.
3. ↑ from Patent Book AA No. 8 (JMcW Note: It appears that since the letter "H" is the eighth letter in the alphabet that the second identifying symbol for the book was converted from a letter to a number at some more recent time.)
4. ↑ "History of Bedford, Somerset and Fulton Counties, Pennsylvania", Waterman, Watkins & Co., Chicago, 1884, page 652.
5. ↑ Bedford County, Pennsylvania Wills, Volume 1: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L99B-LJNB?i=16&cc=1999196&cat=236671
6. ↑ Pennsylvania State Archives, Orphans Court Dockets (microfilm), Volume 1-3, 1772-1824

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