Person:John Stephens (90)

Relationship to Benjamin Stephens

Benjamin Stephens (1754-1839), son of Blessing Stephens, made the following affidavit in support of John Stephens' Revolutionary War Pension Application [see Southern Campaign American Revolutionary War Pension File statement below], as follows:

[Facts in file: Veteran [John Stephens] died March 30, 1842; there is reference to the veteran having 9 children but their names are not given nor is there any information regarding his wife in this file. in 1832 In Campbell County Kentucky Benjamin Stephens made affidavit in which he states he was then 78 years old and that he resided during the revolution in Orange County Virginia and that the veteran lived with him at that time. His affidavit was attested by Leonard Stephens, a Justice of the Peace. Their relationship if any, to the veteran is not stated. Benjamin Stephens states that the veteran was born in the year 1763 and was about 14 or 15 years old when Burgoyne's Army was taken prisoner and marched to the barracks at Albemarle, and the veteran was called upon to serve in the militia to guard those prisoners.]

Analysis: clearly a close relationship must have existed between this John Stephens and Benjamin Stephens, as John Stephens was living with Benjamin Stephens per his affidavit. Although the relationship is not stated in the affidavit, it can be assumed that they were probable cousins. The fact that Benjamin Stephens was named in the will of Benjamin's Step-Father, Stephen Smith (1710-1799) of Orange County, Virginia, but John Stephens was NOT named appears to rule Benjamin Stephens out as a likely sibling. Additional research and records are needed to prove the exact relationship that existed between the two.

Military Service

American Revolutionary War Veteran

Revolutionary War Pension Information

Information from “Virginia/West Virginia Genealogical Data from Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Records”, Vol. V, compiled by Patrick G. Wardell, Lt. Col. U.S. Army Ret. :

Stephens, John - born 1/30/1763; entered service 1777 in Orange County, Virginia, while he resided abt. 3 miles from Orange Springs, in Virginia regiment; moved 1782 to Kentucky, where he entered service with General George Rogers Clark to fight Shawnee Indians; granted Pension 1832 in Franklin County, Kentucky; Benjamin Stephens (no kinship given) made affidavit then in Campbell County, Kentucky, that soldier resided with him in Orange County, Virginia, during Revolutionary War per County Justice of the Peace Leonard Stephens (no kinship given); James Tender made affidavit in Woodford County, Kentucky, that he served in Revolutionary War with soldier from Orange County, Virginia, in 1781; soldier died 3/30/1842, leaving 9 children mentioned but not named; query letter 1925 from descendant Thomas Yeager, Maysville, Kentucky, states soldier married 1785 to Martha Faulkner (born in Orange County, Virginia) & they moved to Campbell County, Kentucky, thence to Franklin County, Kentucky, further querier was descendant of soldier ______ [apparently omitted]. F-S31392, R2280.

[The following portion is apparently pertaining to a different John Stephens: query letter in file says a John Stephens of Virginia married Sarah Montague & they had daughter Sally/Sallie (born in Virginia 1/23/1767) who married there 3/10/1785 to Charles Alfred Lindsay (b. 1752, died 1829 there); Query letter in file from Thomas Lipscomb, Heard County, Georgia, says he has copy of birth record of grandfather Thomas Libscomb Sr. of Virginia which shows grandfather Thomas Lipscomb Sr. born 3/25/1737, died 8/12/1825, married 10/18/1759 to Mary Smith who was born 12/14/1733].

Will Transcript

John Stephens Will

In the name of God Amen, I John Stephens Senr. of the County of Franklin State of Kentucky, being now afflicted by a recent accident in the breaking of one of my thighs, but of sound mind and memory, do make and ordain this my last will & testament hereby revoking all former wills by me made.

Item after my death I desire that the lands of which I shall die possessed together with all my other estate of every kind description except slaves be sold by me executor herein after named upon a reasonable credits, and after the payment of my debts the whole of my estate I give and bequeath unto my children, Benjamin C. Stephens, Daniel H. Stephens, John Stephens, Sarah Stephens, Artemasa Stephens, Varenala Lewis, Ann Shockley and unto the said Benjamin C. Stephens, two other parts in trust for the sole and separate use of Jane Stout and Leroy D. Stephens for the period of their lives and then to their children, and the heirs of their bodies forever to be held by them in equal shares subject to the following condition that the slaves of which I die possessed be allotted to my daughters as far as may be inpart of their portions which slaves I bequeath to my said daughters and the heirs of their bodies forever and also to the bequest of one horse saddle and bridle of the value of one hundred Dollars which I hereby make unto my Grandson William Henry Stephens, son of Lewis Stephens dec'd to be delivered to him when he arrives at the age of twenty one years. Should he not arrive at that age, the bequest to him to go with my other estate to my other children according to the forgoing provisions, In making the foregoing provided for division, my children who may remain unmarried at the time of my death are to receive an equal advance to that which I have or may make to those of my said children who have married in my lifetime, my slaves are not to be sold, but to be divided amongst my daughters as aforesaid in part of their shares except my daughter Jane's share which is given to the said Benjamin C. Stephens his heirs __ for the use of said Jane for live and at her death to the heirs of her body.

In making the division aforesaid, I desire that it may be done by Commissioners to be appointed by the County Court of Franklin for that purpose.

I hereby Constitute and appoint Benjamin C. Stephens Sole executor of this my last will and invest him with full power to do all acts necessary to carry it and the provisions thereof into full effect.

Witness my hand and Seal this 31st day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty nine.

Signed Sealed and acknowledged in the presence of us

[signed] John Stephens [Seal]

Teste: Jos. H. Davis

J.D. Brown

Franklin County Court April Term 1842

A Writing purporting to be the last will and testament of John Stephens Senr. deceased was produced in Court and was proven by the Oaths of Joseph H. Davis & James D. Brown the Subscribing witnesses thereto and ordered to be recorded which is done accordingly.

Att: A.H. Rennnick C.F.G.C.

1.   Graves, William T. Southern Campaign Revolutionary War Pension Statements & Rosters.

   Pension application of John Stephens S31392 f38VA
   Transcribed by Will Graves 4/20/12
   
   State of Kentucky Franklin County: to wit
   On this 20 day of August 1832 personally appeared in open Court, before the County Court of Franklin & State of Kentucky, now sitting John Stephens Senior a resident of the County of Franklin & State of Kentucky aged 69 years since the 30 day of January last past, who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7th 1832 – that he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated,
   In the year 1777 he was drafted in the County of Orange & State of Virginia in Captain
   Benjamin Johnson's Company of drafted militia, and went to Fauquier Court house as a guard,
   and took possession of the prisoners at that place, and shortly afterwards went to the Barracks at Charlottesville in the County of Albemarle where he stayed two months the period for which he was drafted. He further states that he served two other tours of two months each as a drafted militia man at the same place but cannot now recollect with certainty the name of the officers under whom he served these two tours – After this and prior to the year 1781 he served another tour of two months low down in the Pamunkey River which he thinks was in the spring of the year – the name of his officers not recollected. After this in the summer season the year not recollected he served another tour of two months and one in the winter season of two months low down in Virginia near to Williamsburg – One of the two last tours he does not recollect which, he served under Captain Hankins. He then served a tour of two months between Richmond & Williamsburg under Colonel Matthews, and he thinks he was in Captain Waugh's Company, he well recollects a false alarm in the Army in Dandridge's old field – one of the two last mentioned tours he served as a substitute for man named Collins, who lived as deponent understood near the Bull-run Church in Fauquier County Virginia.
   In the summer of 1781, he again entered the service as a substitute and joined Lafayette at Richmond Virginia a day or two before the burning of Manchester, and on the evening after
   Manchester was burnt [April 30, 1781] he was detached from the main Army & was marched to
   the Mobbin hills [Malvern Hills] below Richmond under Captain George Waugh & Lieutenant
   Jamison, and did not join the main Army again until he was discharged which was just below
   Williamsburg a day or two after the arrival of General Washington at Williamsburg. This was
   called the Marquis' Retreating tour, and Major Long of Culpeper commanded the Battalion to
   which this deponent belonged at the time he was discharged – after this a reinforcement was
   called for from Orange County and he was again drafted and met the main Army at or near Can't Courthouse just after the surrender of Lord corn Wallace [October 19, 1781], and from thence he was detailed and marched as a guard to Winchester Virginia where he remained until he was discharged which was in the winter season This deponent states that he may not have named the different tours which he served exactly in the order in which they occurred but supposes that it is not important, provided the department shall be satisfied that the services were faithfully performed, which he most solemnly avers to be the fact, he having served in all nine tours of two months each, during all of which time he lived about three miles from what is called the Orange Springs, in Orange County Virginia and removed to Kentucky in the fall of 1782. And in October of that year he joined Captain Robert Johnson's Company of which Cave Johnson was Lieutenant and then joined General George Rodgers Clark's [George Rogers Clark] expedition against the Shawnee Indians. He thinks he left Bryant's Station in Kentucky about the 23rd day of October and returned home in the early part of December having served about 6 weeks on this last expedition –
   This deponent states that he has no documentary evidence by which he can prove his
   services, he never had a discharge in writing & does not think it was customary for a drafted militia to be furnished with one. The number of those who served with him are now few, and they are widely dispersed over the Country, he expects however to be able to get the statements of some who can either prove from their own knowledge or by reputation that he has rendered all the services here set forth – He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present, and declares that his name is not on the Pension roll of the agency of any state. Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid
   S/ John Stephens
   
   [the Reverend William Hickman, 85, a Baptist Minister, gave a standard supporting affidavit.]
   
   [f p. 16]
   State of Kentucky Woodford County Sct.
   I Herman Bowman a Justice of the Peace in and for said County do certify that John
   Stephens of Franklin County this day appeared before me and produce before me James Tinder¹ a credible witness who being by me duly sworn and charged to speak the truth and the whole truth touching the services of the said John Stephens as a soldier in the War of the Revolution.
   He the said Witness deposeth and saith, that he, as also the said Stephens here present before me said justice both resided in Orange County in the State of Virginia during the revolutionary War, and that they i.e. the said Witness and said Stephens both served a militia tour of two months under Captain George Waugh in the summer of the year 1781, and he saith that the said Captain Waugh's company in which the said Witness and said Stephens served joined the General, the Marquis de Lafayette at Richmond within a few days before the enemy burned Manchester and the said witness saith he knows that at the expiration of said two months the tour the said Stephens was discharged at Williamsburg when said Captain Waugh & his Company was discharged.
   And the said witness saith he is now in the 70th year of his age.
   Subscribed to by the said Witness this 6th day of August 1832
   S/ James Tinder, X his mark
   
   [Facts in file: Veteran died March 30, 1842; there is reference to the veteran having 9 children but their names are not given nor is there any information regarding his wife in this file. in 1832 In Campbell County Kentucky Benjamin Stephens made affidavit in which he states he was then 78 years old and that he resided during the revolution in Orange County Virginia and that the veteran lived with him at that time. His affidavit was attested by Leonard Stephens, a Justice of the Peace. Their relationship if any, to the veteran is not stated. Benjamin Stephens states that the veteran was born in the year 1763 and was about 14 or 15 years old when Burgoyne's Army was taken prisoner and marched to the barracks at Albemarle, and the veteran was called upon to serve in the militia to guard those prisoners.]
   
   [Veteran was pensioned at the rate of $60 per annum commencing March 4th, 1831, for service
   as a private for 18 months in the Virginia militia].
   _________
   ¹James TinderS14707
   
   https://revwarapps.org/s31392.pdf

2.   National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution. U.S., Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970.

   Name Jone Stephens
   Birth Date 30 Jan 1763
   Birth Place Grange, Virginia
   Death Date 30 Mar 1842
   Death Place Frankfort, Kentucky
   SAR Membership 98274
   Role Ancestor
   Application Date 15 Oct 1969
   Spouse Martha Faulkner
   Children Ann Stephens

3.   Kentucky, United States. Kentucky, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1774-1989 [database on-line]. (Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, 2015).

   Name John Stephens
   Residence Date Abt 1839
   Residence Place Franklin, Kentucky
   Will Date 31 Aug 1839
   Probate Date 31 Aug 1839 [s/b April 1842]
   Probate Place Franklin, Kentucky, USA
   Inferred Death Year 1839 [1842]
   Inferred Death Place Kentucky, USA
   Item Description Wills, 1795-1880
   Individuals Listed (Name) Relationship
   John Stephens Testator
   Benjamin C Stephens Child
   Daniel H Stephens Child
   John Stephens Child
   Sarah Stephens Child
   Artimasa Stephens Child
   Varenala Lewis Child
   Ann Shankley Child
   William Henry Stephens Grandson