Michael Stump II (1744 - 1799)

Born 8 Apr 1744 in South Fork Magisterial District, Hardy, Colony of Virginia

Ancestors

Husband of Sarah (Hughes) Stump — married 1763 in Harrison County, West Virginia

Descendants

Died 17 Jun 1799 at age 55 in Hardy, Bedford, Colony of Virginia

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Biography

Lieutenant Colonel Michael Stump II served with Virginia Militia during the American Revolution.

Michael Stump Jr. (aka Michael II) was the eldest child of Hans Michael and Catherine Stumpf's 6 children. He is oftentimes referred to as "the Colonel" by is descendants. He was born at his parents home on the South Fork, in Frederick County VA, which became Hampshire County VA, then Hardy County VA, and finally Hardy County WV. His date of death in this memorial corresponds with the date on which his estate was appraised, as reported to the County Court (Will Book 1, p. 157-160).

From "The Stumps, Descent of the Four Michaels" by Paul Hardman, (Charleston WV: 1940): "Michael Stump II. attained his majority in 1765, and the event was celebrated by his parents by a gift and conveyance by deed of Lot Two, containing 400 acres, dated October 8, 1755. This same lot was later devised to him in the Will ot his father two years later. He had not only come into man's estate measured by years, but he now possessed all the other elements requisite to the establishment of a home - namely, a wife of two summers and a son in his first year, Michael III, who was also remembered in the last Will of his grandfather, for whom he was named, in the sum of twenty pounds as an aid to his schooling. Miohael II. had selected tor his life companion the handsome maiden Sarah Hughes, a daughter of Thomas Hughes, and a sister of the famous Indian scouts Jesse and Elias.

"Michael II received a very liberal education for one of his day and the limited educational facilities of his surroundings. He located on the 400-acre tract conveyed to him by his father and mother, and we believe that he and Sarah spent their lives in this home of their youth. Very early in his career he was initiated into public service which continued unrelentlessly until the time of his death. The beginning of this service was as a justice of the peace and consequently member of the County Court of Hampshire County, and later when Hardy county was erected out of Hampshire, this same service was tranmitted to the new county, and continued throughtout his life. He was a very active and conscientious member of the court, and appears to have been an ardent supporter of all measures tending to public progress and betterment of local conditions.

"He enlisted in Lord Dunmore's War and after the Battle of Point Pleasant and the peace treaty with the Indians, returned to Hampshire County where he was recommended and received the commission of Lieutenant Colonel of the county's militia. In this position he found himself responsible for the training and outfitting of the troops for the Continental Army in that section of Virginia. He resigned his command of the militia in the spring of 1781 in response to the urgent call of Governor Thomas Jefferson to meet the exigencies of the situation in Virginia. He enlisted a selected company of light infantry and as captain, led them to Fredricksburg, where they were absorbed in General Weeden's army. This service continued until after the surrender of the British at Yorktown. Details will be given in the Chapter, The Revolutionary Period.

It was also noted that he was stationed at newly built Fort Culbertson in present day Summers County, WV. In September 1774, he was at the Battle of Point Pleasant. After his return home, he was commissioned a Lieutenant Colonel in the VA militia, with the responsibility of organizing and training new recruits in the Romney area. In response to a call from Governor Thomas Jefferson of VA, Michael resigned his militia commission in 1781 and enlisted a company of light infantry and led them to Fredericksburg, where they were absorbed into General Weeden's Army. Michael was commissioned a Captain in General Weeden's army. He participated in the siege of Yorktown and was present for the British surrender. Captain Stump and his company were discharged in New Kent County VA in May 1781. On April 3, 1782, a claim was presented to the court in Orange County on their behalf. After the Revolution, Michael served his county as a gentleman justice until his death. He helped emumerate the Census of 1782/84.

"After independence had been obtained, Michael II returned to his home but was soon engrossed in the duties as a gentleman justice of the new county of Hardy. He was recommended for sheriff, and just prior to the divison of Hampshire, had served as enumerator of the first federal census (1790). It has been said that he was a very considerate and likeble man but when aroused by a sense of duty or decorum, possessed the infectious quality of having his commands obeyed instantly. Michael II and Sarah Hughes Stump sleep in the old Stump burial ground, near his father and mother."

Michael married Sarah Hughes in 1763 or 1765. Sarah, a daughter of Thomas and Mary (Baker) Hughes, and a sister of the well known pioneers, Jesse and Elias Hughes, was born in 1746 and died in what is now Hardy County in 1821.

Michael passed away 8 June 1799, in South Branch, Hardy, Virginia (West Virginia), USA and is buried at Moorefield, Hardy County, West Virginia, USA. ^[1]This cemetery is located on private property that was once called Lot 3 of the 20 South Fork lots, which were part of the Lord Fairfax's Manor of Wappacomo. Hans Michael Stumpf (aka Michael Stump I) received his first grant from Lord Fairfax in 1749, though he settled there with his wife and children before 1746. It is located on Stump Run, off the South Fork of the South Branch of the Potomac River.

Apparently, Michael died unexpectedly, since he left no will. An extensive sale bill of the property of Michael Stump deceased, sold June 12, 1799, is recorded in Hardy County, WV Will book 1, page 169. His father left him a farm of about 400 acres (as he had his brothers Leonard Senior and George). He had 9 living children who are identified in deeds as they sold their 1/9th interest of this farm to Leonard, son of Michael II. We find no deed for Elizabeth and she has not been proven to be a child of this family.

Notes

Hans Michael Stump II, Lt. Col The suffix II, Lt. Col. is non-traditional and may be too long for the WikiTree suffix.

Michael Stump (originally Stumpff) was born about 1730 in Hesse, Germany.

Michael's first records are in 1744 as Hans Michael Stumpf der Jung. He was an indentured woodworker in the town of Eberbach. His year of birth has been estimated based on his age at the time of apprenticeship.

When Michael attained his majority, his parents celebrated by a gift and conveyance by deed of the land in Lot two containing 400 acres on October 8, 1765. This same lot was later devised to him in his father's will. (See below.).

Deed Book 1, page 310; Stump to Stump, Junr.; Lease:

This Indenture made the Seventh Day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and sixty five between Michael Stump Senr. of the county of Hampshire in the Colony of Virginia Gent. of the one part and Michael Stump Junr. of the same place of the other part. Witnesseth That the said Michael Stump Senr. for and in consideration of the sum of five shillings current money of Virginia to him in hand paid by the said Michael Stump Junr. at or before the sealing and delivery of these presents the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged hath granted bargained and sold and by these presents doth grant bargain and sell unto the said Michael Stump Junr. a certain tract or lot of land known distinguished by the number (2) upon the South Fork of Wappocomo or Great South Branch of Potomack River in the said county of Hampshire bounded as followeth to wit Beginning at a white oak and hiccory on a mountain side corner to the first lot and running along the line thereof south sixty six degrees east three hundred poles to two Spanish oaks and a white oak on the top of a hill thence north thirty degrees east two hundred and fourteen poles to two white oaks near a branch thence north sixty degrees west two hundred and twenty four poles crossing the South Fork three hundred poles to a ledge of rocks on the mountain side thence to the beginning south thirty degrees west two hundred and fourteen poles containing four hundred acres which was granted to the said Michael Stump Senr by deed from the proprietor of the Northern Neck of Virginia bearing date the twenty third day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred fifty five as by the said deed may appear and all houses buildings orchards ways waters water courses profits commodities hereditaments and appurtenances whatsoever to the said premises hereby granted or any part thereof belonging or in any wise appertaining and the reversion and reversions remainder and remainders rents issues and profits thereof to have and to hold the lands hereby conveyed and all and singular other the premises hereby granted with the appurtenances unto the said Michael Stump Junr his executors administrators and assigns from the day before the date hereof for and during the full term and time of one whole year from thence next ensuing fully to be complete and ended yielding and paying therefore the rent of one peper corn on lady day next if the same shall be lawfully demanded to the intent and purpose that by virtue of these presents and of the statute for transferring uses into possession the said Michael Stump Junr may be in actual possession of the premises and be thereby enabled to accept and take a grant and release of the reversion and inheritance thereof to him and his heirs. In witness whereof the said Michael Stump Senr hath hereunto set his hand and seal the day and year first above written.

Michael Stump SEAL.

Sealed and Delivered in the.

Presence of.

At a Court held for Hampshire County the 8th day of October 1765 This Deed of Lease from.

Michael Stump Senr to Michael Stump Junr was acknowledged by the said Michael Stump Senr.

and ordered to be recorded.

Teste

Gabriel Jones Cl. Crt.

An aside: There is a persistent myth that a Michael Stump may have been the father of Lucy Hank's illegitimate daughter, Nancy, born 5 Feb. 1784. This shouldn't be given much credence; there are many theoretical genealogies of Nancy Hanks, but no proven ones. (Nancy was the husband of Thomas Lincoln, mother of President Abraham Lincoln.) Lucy's father, Joseph Hanks, was born in Berks County, Pennsylvania to John Hanks and Sarah Evans. He left Berks County and was on the Tax Rolls of Hampshire County, Virginia by 1782 (a son, Thomas, having been drafted into service in the Revolution in 1780). In 1784, Joseph Hanks mortgaged 108 acres of land in Hampshire County, but by Feb. 23, 1787 had migrated to Kentucky where he contracted to purchase 150 acres in Nelson County. His will was entered for probate in 1793. Abraham Lincoln told his law partner, William Herndon, that his maternal grandfather was a "prominent" or "well-bred" Virginia farmer or planter.

From a Mineral County pamphlet regarding Nancy Hanks: "In 1782, she was born in a log cabin near the headwater of Mikes Run, Hampshire County, Virginia, now Mineral County. The Hanks, a migratory frontier family, consisted of the father, Joseph, his wife, Ann, several sons and daughter, Lucy. During the two years the Hanks lived near Doll's Gap, Nancy Hanks was born. The stay of the Hanks was not prolonged, for in March, 1784 Joseph Hanks mortgaged his land and traveled west over the Alleghenies along the Wilderness Road into the Hills of Kentucky. A replica cabin is open to the public. It is located on the southside of New Creek Mountain near Doll's Gap near Antioch.".

"Mike's Run" is located in present-day Hampshire County, approximately 7 miles north of Stump Run in Hardy County. It drains to the South Branch of the Potomac at Doll's Gap, a distance of about 10 miles across the ridge from the Stump homestead in present-day Hardy County.

Further documentation is available online as an October 8, 1998 registration form of the National Register of Historic Places. It includes an extensive bibliography, as well as a summary of the first two generations of this Michael Stump famly in northern Virginia. According to that form, an estimated 40 family members were believed to be buried in this cemetery; but only the stones of Catherine and Michael Stumpf I and their son Leonard and Catherine Stump were still visible. The registration form also includes a map which shows the 20 lots in proximity to Moorefield and the South Fork of the South Branch of the Potomac River.

Sources

1. ↑ Find A Grave Memorial# 85100580

• Daughters of the American Revolution Genealogy Research Database, accessed April 17, 2020

Ancestry Family Trees Publication: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA

Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970 P

Pennsylvania Church Records - Adams, Berks, and Lancaster Counties, 1729-1881

Godfrey Memorial Library, comp. American Genealogical-Biographical Index (AGBI)