Person:John Stephenson (38)

John Stephenson was one of the Early Settlers of Augusta County, Virginia

Contents 1 Early Land Acquisition in Augusta County, VA 2 Processioning List of 1747/8 3 Records of John Stephenson in Augusta County, VA 4 Information on John Stephenson		Welcome to Old Augusta Early Settlers Beverley Manor Borden's Grant Register Data Maps Places Library History Index
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Early Land Acquisition in Augusta County, VA

Acquisition of Land from Chalkley's:

• Page 407.--18th August, 1767. Alexander Hamilton and Margaret to John Stephenson, £90.5, 271 acres on the little river in the Calfpasture, Henderson's line; corner Robert McCutcheon's land; corner said Jones Henderson's land. Teste: John Hays, Jr., James Moore, Jr.

• Page 240 - John Stepenson, 25 acres, Naked Creek. Adjoining the East side of the land he lives on which said land with a larger tract was formerly surveyed for William Blair but on a petition to ye Honorable the Council in June 1773 an order passed which instituted said Stephenson to survey out of said Blair's tract 25 acres so as to include his spring and improvements. Dec. 22, 1774. Note: by P.C.K. this land is the farm of Dr. E.A. Herring on Mill Creek. [Abstract of Land Grant Surveys, 1761-1791, Augusta & Rockingham Counties, Virginia, by Peter Cline Kaylor, pg. 85].

• Page 242 - John Stephenson, 396 acres, branch of Naked Creek. Adjoining Robert McCutcheon, John King, and his own land. December 22, 1774. [Abstract of Land Grant Surveys, 1761-1791, Augusta & Rockingham Counties, Virginia, by Peter Cline Kaylor, pg. 85].

Processioning List of 1747/8

"Processioning" was the periodic review and agreement of property lines between settler's lands. Processioning Lists are useful in determining the general area of a settlers lands and their neighbors at specific time periods:

• Page 27.--James Carlyle and Wm. McCutcheon make return, viz (viz: 1747-8): Processioned for Wm. McCutcheon, present James Waughub; processioned for Robert McCutcheon; processioned for James McCutcheon; processioned for Robert Bratton, present John Stevenson; processioned for Wm. Ellett, present Samuel Gay; processioned for James Gay, present John Carlyle; processioned for Thomas Smith, present Wm. Smith. (Note: this appears that it could be this John Stephenson, although it was probably several years before his marriage to Martha Warwick).

Records of John Stephenson in Augusta County, VA

From Chalkley’s Augusta County Records:

• Vol. 1 - NOVEMBER, 1758 (B). - Fletcher vs. Stevenson.--John Fletcher and Eleanor, his wife, who was sister of John Hyndman, clerk and only sister and heir of her brother, complain of John Stevenson, administrator of Hyndman, for an account. Account filed of effects and general charges of Rev. John Hindman.

• Page 381.--21st May, 1760. Martha Stevenson and John Stevenson's bond as administrators of James Stevenson, with John Gay, James Gay, Wm. Elliott.

• Page 516.--14th June, 1762. Samuel ( ) Gay, of Anson County, North Carolina, and Jean ( ) to James Gay, £70, 354 acres on Little River of Calfpasture in Beverley's patent. Cor. William Elliott; cor. William Gay. Teste: Samuel Crockett, Alex. Hamilton, Jno. Stinson (s/b Stephenson). Proved by witnesses.

• Vol. 2 - FEE BOOKS OF AUGUSTA COURT - 1767 - John Stevenson, Pastures.

• Page 182 - William Blayer (Blair) 132 acres, branch of Naked Creek. Adjoining John Stephenson. January 27, 1771. [Abstract of Land Grant Surveys, 1761-1791, Augusta & Rockingham Counties, Virginia, by Peter Cline Kaylor, pg. 65].

• Page 417.--7th July, 1771. William Elliott's will--To wife; to son, James; to son, John; to son, William; to rest of the children; to son, Archibald, schooling and smith's trade; to son, Lanty, schooling and choose a trade. Executors, wife Jane and son John. Teste: Robert Clark, John Stephenson, James Clark. Proved, 21st August, 1771, by the witnesses. Executors qualify (Jane's mark ) with Archibald Armstrong, Jno. Dickinson.

• Page 209 - David Gibson, 260 acres, Drafts of Naked Creek. Adjoining John Stepheson, John King, Andrew McComb. November 27, 1772. [Abstract of Land Grant Surveys, 1761-1791, Augusta & Rockingham Counties, Virginia, by Peter Cline Kaylor, pg. 75].

Information on John Stephenson

From "The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society", Volumes 9-10 By Kentucky Historical Society:

Major John Stevenson, whose father was in the siege of Londonderry, was born in Ireland, emigrated to Warwick county, Va., thence to "Calfpasture" river in Augusta county. He received a grant of 5332 acres of land for services as Major in the Revolution, and married Martha Warwick, who was killed by the Indians in Augusta county, Va.. upon a return from church services. All of his sons were famous Indian fighters. The eldest son, John, Jr., came to Lexington in 1779, when there were only four cabins and a blockhouse there.

The Stevensons, the Gays and the Dunlaps are credited with bringing the first thoroughbred race horses into Kentucky. It is known positively that Captain James Gay, of "Mound Hill," Clark county, assisted by his brothersin-law, brought to Kentucky the first improved cattle. It is also a matter of record that John Stevenson, as early as 1779, brought out to Kentucky an "English filly," the name then given a thoroughbred filly or racer.

Major John Stevenson's son, William, came to Lexington also in 1779. He was in the pioneer Indian fighting, and while in an effort to get into Bryants Station at the time that garrison was attacked in 1782, had his horse shot from under him while in the saddle. He turned about face and killed an Indian, but being cut off from the station, he endeavored to make his escape, and in so doing ran twelve miles in the direction of Georgetown. So closely was he pursued by the enemy he could not change his course, and the strain was so great that he never fully recovered from it. In 1787 he, bought land from Major John Crittenden at forty pounds per 100 acres.

Other children of Major John Stevenson were Thomas, who came to Lexington in 1779 and was killed at the battle of "Blue Licks" soon after the attack on Bryants Station; and James Stevenson, who came in 1787; and Robert Stevenson, who moved first to NoloChucky, in the state of Tennessee in 1779, but at the urgent request of his brothers came to Kentucky in 1787; the youngest son, Major Samuel Stevenson, born March, 1744, and married Jane Gay in May, 1771, who lived on the "Calf pasture," in Augusta county, Va., she born 1750. In 1775 Major Samuel Stevenson and his wife, Jane Gay, moved to the Greenbrier river, in Virginia, being the third English family to settle there. He was elected captain of an unofficial military company of settlers organized for defense against the Indians, this point constito ting the extreme frontier of Virginia.