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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:
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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
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