clear space clear space clear space white space
A
 r c h i v e s   o f   M a r y l a n d   O n l i n e

PLEASE NOTE: The searchable text below was computer generated and may contain typographical errors. Numerical typos are particularly troubling. Click “View pdf” to see the original document.

  Maryland State Archives | Index | Help | Search
search for:
clear space
white space
A Biographical Dictionary of the Maryland Legislature 1635-1789 by Edward C. Papenfuse, et. al.
Volume 426, Page 776   View pdf image (33K)
 Jump to  
  << PREVIOUS  NEXT >>
clear space clear space clear space white space

STE BIOGRAPHIES

mittee of Observation, Talbot County, elected
March 1775; justice, Orphans' Court, Talbot
County, 1777; judge, Court of Appeals under the
Act to Procure Troops, Talbot County, appointed
May 1778; St. Peter's Parish Vestry, Talbot
County, elected 1781, 1794; commissioner to es-
tablish the town of Easton, Talbot County, 1786;
associate justice, Talbot County, appointed No-
vember 1792. STANDS ON PUBLIC/PRIVATE ISSUES:

one of four men who took livestock from Oxford,
Talbot County, to governor Robert Eden (1741-
1784) aboard the H.M.S. Fowey as Eden was
leaving the province in June 1776. The men were
called before the Convention in Annapolis to an-
swer why they had defied its orders against com-
munication with Eden on the Fowey, but they
were absolved of guilt when it was found that
they had not known of the restriction. WEALTH

DURING LIFETIME. PERSONAL PROPERTY: assessed

value £787.6.8, including 10 slaves and 56 oz.
plate, 1783. LAND AT FIRST ELECTION: probably
ca. 450 acres in Talbot County (possibly 180 acres
acquired through marriage, remainder by pur-
chase). SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN LAND BETWEEN
FIRST ELECTION AND DEATH: purchased 50 acres

in Talbot County in 1779, but probably sold it by
1783; inherited ca. 300 acres in Talbot County
from his father, 1782; acquired lots in Easton by
his death. WEALTH AT DEATH. DIED: between De-
cember 6 and December 16, 1794, probably at
"Kingston," his dwelling plantation in Talbot

County. PERSONAL PROPERTY: TEV, £3,506.19.3

current money (including 19 slaves, at least 75
oz. plate, and books); FB, £2,828.5.7 current
money. LAND: ca. 750 acres, plus a house and lots
in Easton, all in Talbot County.

STEVENS (STEPHENS), ROBERTSON (RO-
BINSON) (by 1745-?). BORN between Decem-
ber 1739 and 1745, in Queen Anne's County;
elder and possibly only son. NATIVE: at least sec-
ond generation. RESIDED: in Dorchester County
by 1769; Cambridge, Dorchester County, by 1778.

FAMILY BACKGROUND. FATHER: Francis Stevens

(Stephens, Stephes) of Queen Anne's County, a
planter. STEPFATHER (first name unknown) Hill.
MOTHER: Isabella (Esobel, Isobell, Isoble) (?-by
1771), daughter of Patrick Robertson (?-1745)
of Queen Anne's County, a planter, and wife
Jane. SISTER: Christian (by 1745-?), who married
by 1766 Robert Brody (Brodie). Possibly other
siblings. MARRIED by 1779 Janet (Jennet). PRIVATE

CAREER. EDUCATION: literate. RELIGIOUS AFFILI-
ATION: Anglican. SOCIAL STATUS AND ACTIVITIES:

Gent., by 1775. OCCUPATIONAL PROFILE: planter;
had a privateer during the Revolution. PUBLIC

CAREER. LEGISLATIVE SERVICE: Lower House,

Dorchester County, 1782-1783. LOCAL OFFICES:
sheriff, Dorchester County, 1773-1776, 1777-
1779; militia recruiter, Dorchester County, com-
missioned 1781; commissary of purchases, Dor-
chester County, in office 1782 and 1783; justice,
Dorchester County, 1783-at least 1787; Great
Choptank Parish Vestry, Dorchester County,

1788-1789. WEALTH DURING LIFETIME. PERSONAL

PROPERTY: assessed value £555.16.8, including 12
slaves and 14oz. plate, 1783. LAND AT FIRST ELEC-
TION: 706 acres in Dorchester and Caroline coun-
ties (100 acres inherited from grandfather, 86 acres
inherited from father, 520 acres by purchase).

SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN LAND BETWEEN FIRST

ELECTION AND DEATH, resurveyed a Dorchester
County tract he had owned at first election for a
net gain of 20 acres, 1789; sold 186 acres in Car-
oline County, 1790. WEALTH AT DEATH. DIED: after
1790; size of estate unknown.

STEVENS (STEPHENS), WILLIAM (1630-1687).
BORN: in 1630 in Buckinghamshire, England; eld-
est son. IMMIGRATED: by 1665 as a free adult from
Northampton County, Virginia, where he had
settled by 1664/65. RESIDED, at "Rehoboth," Po-
comoke Hundred, Somerset County. FAMILY

BACKGROUND. FATHER: John Stevens of Lle-

bourne, Buckinghamshire, England. BROTHER:
Richard (?-1667). MARRIED Elizabeth (?-ca.
1695), probably the daughter of George Keyser.
Her brother was probably Benjamin (?-1691).
Her sister was probably Sarah, who married John
White (?-1685). Elizabeth subsequently married
ca. 1689 George Layfield (?-1703). CHILDREN.
Died without progeny. PRIVATE CAREER. EDUCA-
TION: literate. RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION: Anglican,
but was largely responsible for introduction of
Presbyterian ministers into Somerset County and
was also a close friend of Quakers. SOCIAL STATUS
AND ACTIVITIES: Mr., by 1666; Gent., by 1676;
Esq., by 1679; brought two others on arrival in
Maryland; one of the few Protestants appointed
to high provincial office by Charles Calvert, 3rd
Lord Baltimore (1637-1714/15). OCCUPATIONAL
PROFILE: called "formerly of London, ironmon-
ger," 1687; planter; merchant; land speculator.

PUBLIC CAREER. LEGISLATIVE SERVICE. Lower

House, Somerset County, 1669, 1676-1678 (Ac-
counts 1; appointed to the Council by the 3rd
session of the 1676-1682 Assembly); Upper House,
1681-1682 (appointed by the 3rd session of the

776



 

clear space
clear space
white space

Please view image to verify text. To report an error, please contact us.
A Biographical Dictionary of the Maryland Legislature 1635-1789 by Edward C. Papenfuse, et. al.
Volume 426, Page 776   View pdf image (33K)
 Jump to  
  << PREVIOUS  NEXT >>


This web site is presented for reference purposes under the doctrine of fair use. When this material is used, in whole or in part, proper citation and credit must be attributed to the Maryland State Archives. PLEASE NOTE: The site may contain material from other sources which may be under copyright. Rights assessment, and full originating source citation, is the responsibility of the user.


Tell Us What You Think About the Maryland State Archives Website!



An Archives of Maryland electronic publication.
For information contact mdlegal@mdarchives.state.md.us.

©Copyright  October 06, 2023
Maryland State Archives