Benjamin Waller Stephens Sr.
BIRTH 1797
Orange County, Virginia, USA
DEATH 12 Feb 1850 (aged 52–53)
Tuscaloosa County, Alabama, USA
BURIAL Bethel Baptist Church Cemetery Old
Ralph, Tuscaloosa County, Alabama, USA
Benjamin was born in Orange County, VA to Edmund Waller Stephens (1777-1864) and Agness Smith Robinson (1779-1802). His family moved to Abbeville County, SC (near Hodges) where Agness was one of several family deaths from an unknown disease, likely typhoid.
Benjamin married Unk wife #1 in SC about 1817 and had one daughter, Agness Robinson Stephens (1818-1873)- the mother apparently died of childbirth complications. Benjamin named his infant daughter for his dead mother Agness Smith Robinson.
In 1824, Benjamin w/Agness accompanied his sister Dorothy and her husband Zachary Logan as well as William C Wardlaw family from Abbeville County, SC to Greene County, AL. Benjamin purchased his first 80 acres in Greene County in 1826 - shortly before he returned to SC to marry Margaret Only Wardlaw. Note: William Franklin Henderson (1811-1890) - future husband of Agness - accompanied Benjamin to Greene County in 1824 - apparently, he lived with Benjamin's family for several years.
William Wardlaw purchased 80 acres of land in 1824 - Benjamin purchased 80 acres in 1826. The two plots were adjacent to each other. These plots of land are located along County Road 231 about 4 miles NE of Eutaw, AL. The two homesteads were located about 1.5 miles west of the (early Greene County seat but now a ghost town) Erie, AL which was located on east bank of the Black Warrior River.
Benjamin returned to SC in 1826 and married wife #2 Margaret Only Wardlaw (1794-1874) in late 1826. The couple returned to Greene County, AL in 1827 as part of a caravan of immigrants. Benjamin purchased a total of 320 acres (5 purchases) in Greene County, AL between 1826 and 1839. This latter purchase was located just southwest of Bethel Baptist Church at Ralph, AL.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/158370420/benjamin_waller_stephens
