Stephen Caudill (abt. 1680 - aft. 1764)

Born about 1680 in Argyll, Scotland [uncertain]

Ancestors

Husband of Mary Elizabeth (Fields) Caudill — married [date unknown] in Lunenburg, Virginia

Descendants

Died after 1764 after about age 84 in Lunenburg, Colony of Virginia [uncertain]

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Biography

Stephen Caudill was a Virginia colonist.

Stephen Caudill is accepted as the progenitor of our line of Caudill's who settled in America. Stephen was probably born in Scotland about 1680. Some say he came from Argyll, Scotland, but his date and place of birth are unknown, as are his parents.

It is thought that Stephen came to America about 1707.

He married Mary Elizabeth Fields about 1716, maybe in Scotland ot possibly in Lunenburg, Virginia. They had as many as 15 children (although many of the connections to this profile are uncertain), including:

• James

On August 5, 1731 Stephen Caudill paid twenty shillings for a King George II patient for 195 acres on the North Side of Nottaway River in Old Surry County Virginia, which later became Brunswick and then Lunenburg County. A patent to the people then was the same as a deed today.

Deed Book 3, Page 165 – 8/4/1747 – mentions an earlier 446 acres land grant in Brunswick County, Virginia made to Stephen Caudle from the King’s Office. Stephen Caudle appears to have settled in Brunswick County, Virginia following his immigration to the colonies.

On the tax list for 1752, Stephen Caudill appears on the list with his son James paying two tithes. Tithables are men who are eligable for military service.

On 8/10/1759, Stephen Caudle was granted another land patent of 400 acres in Lunenburg County, Virginia. Lunenburg County, Virginia Deeds: Deed Book 6, 1760-61, Pages 339-341: 1/31/1761 – Stephen Caudle to Nathaniel Laffone, both of Lunenburg County, 10 lbs for 100 acres … Lunenburg County branch of Great Creek … part of Caudle’s 400 acres patented on 8/10/1759. Witnesses: Joseph Parrish, James Dicks, & Thomas Harding. Signed: Stephen (S) Cordl … Received 2/3/1761.

Deed Book 6, 1760-61, Pages 339-341 – 1/31/1761 – Stephen Caudle to Nathaniel Laffone, both of Lunenburg County, 10 lbs for 100 acres … Lunenburg County branch of Great Creek … part of Caudle’s 400 acres patented on 8/10/1759. Witnesses: Joseph Parrish, James Dicks, & Thomas Harding. Signed: Stephen (S) Cordl … Received 2/3/1761.

Deed Book 9, Pages 434-436 – 11/28/1763 - Stephen Caudle to William Gallemore, both of Lunenburg County … 100 lbs for 200 acres in Lunenburg County, Great Creek …adjoining Thomas Harding, Matthew Laffoon, & Nathaniel Laffoon. Witnesses: Nathaniel Laffoon, Matthew Laffoon, & Thomas Harding. Signed: Stephen (S) Caudle & Mary (X) Caudle. Received: 4/12/1764 [Mary’s signature along with her husband’s indicates a portion or all of this land is included in the dower legally reserved for the wife’s use following her husband’s death. At age 84, Stephen appears to be preparing for his and Mary’s death.]

Stephen died after 1764, proabably in Lunenburg, Virginia

Info Copied from Website "Pathway to Ascension"

Pathway to Ascension: online tree The Caudles of Anson County, North Carolina, Chapter 1: Stephen Caudill/Caudle, father of Benjamin Caudill/Caudle

STEPHEN CAUDILL:

Born: 1680 in Argyll, Argylishire Parish, Scotland. Married: Mary Elizabeth Fields. Died: after 1764 in Lunenburg County, Virginia. Buried: Brunswick County, Virginia

MARY ELIZABETH FIELDS:

Born: around 1698 in Scotland, Died: 1763 in Lunenburg County, Virginia. Mary Elizabeth was the daughter of Matchett & Elizabeth (Betsy) Rhodes Fields. Matchett was the son of Bartholomew Fields; Elizabeth the daughter of Joseph Edward Rhodes. It is believed that Stephen married Mary Elizabeth Fields in 1716 in Scotland. This would mean that around age 36 Stephen returned to Scotland to marry Mary Elizabeth and brought her back to America with him. This is entirely possible; however, it needs further verification. If the birth year we have for Stephen is correct, he was age 12 when his family immigrated to the colonies. If Mary Elizabeth’s birth year is correct, Stephen left Scotland 6 years before her birth. The marriage would have to be an arranged one, which again is not out of the question for 18th century Scotland. It would, however, indicate that the families were well off financially.

LUNENBURG CO, VA DEEDS

See above

CHILD OF STEPHEN & MARY ELIZABETH CAUDILL/CAUDLE

JAMES CAUDILL/CAUDLE, SR. Born: around 1720 most likely in Brunswick County, Virginia Married: Mary Yarborough on 1/1/1749 in Lunenburg County, Virginia. They had 11 children. Died: 5/30/1820 in Roaring River, Wilkes County, North Carolina. James fought in the Revolutionary War. In payment for his military service, he was granted 95 acres of land by the newly created United States Congress.The land was located in what is now Big Cowan, Kentucky—still a part of Virginia at the time of the grant. James’ son, Stephen, (also a soldier in the Revolutionary War) is buried in a family cemetery located near Blackie, in Letcher County, Kentucky. James appears not to have settled on the land granted to him in Kentucky. Instead, in 1784, he followed some of his children across the Virginia border into Rowan County, North Carolina and purchased a 180 acre farm. Later he moved to the Roaring River section of Old Wilkes County, North Carolina, where he brought a 250 acres farm on Middle Creek Fork of Roaring River. Source: Collins Family Notes on RootsWeb.com. Some researchers believe James became minister of Old Roaring River Baptist Church in Wilkes County, N.C. In reading the minutes of this church, I think it more likely that he was a lay minister, if a minister at all. The actual minutes of Old Roaring River Baptist Church gives us a very realistic glimpse into the workings of church presbyteries during colonial days. We can see the stern role played by the churches in the lives of parishioners. Lack of education was prevalent, especially in rural areas. I include additional portions of these minutes at the end of this chapter.

Sources

• "Family Tree," database, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org : modified 03 June 2020, 21:12), entry for Stephen James Caudill(PID https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/4:1:LRLN-NW5); contributed by various users.