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m. Bef 1719 - Stephen RolphAbt 1719 - 1792
Facts and Events
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Princeton, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States. Vital records of Princeton, Massachusetts, to the end of the year 1849. (Worcester, Massachusetts: Franklin P. Rice, 1902)
p. 186.
ROLPH, Stephen, [died] Nov. 22, 1792, a. 73.
[Birth about 1719.]
- ↑ Assumption. Lucy Brown from Texas, back in the 1960's and 1970's, tried to find Stephen Rolph's parents. She found a statement from Lucy (Rolph) Grover to her daughter. Letter of Lucy M. Brown to Fred Rolfe, Jr., March 4, 1984 Tradition Statement of Lucy (Rolph) Grover to her daughter, Corinia Maria (Grover) Mack prior to her death 'Sometimes, it is supposed, in the 17th century, Thomas Rolph, in Canterbury, Kent, England, was walking out alone, he was taken and impressed aboard a 'Man-of-War' vessel and brought to America and landed at, what is now, Boston. As soon as he had an opportunity he sent for his family (he being sick with consumption), a wife and two sons. He wrote his wife to take all his private papers, what money she wanted and his coat of arms. He owned a vast amount of property in Canterbury, and when his oldest son, John, (Stephen was the 2nd son) became of age, he took the papers and started to go and care for the property in Canterbury, and wherever their possessions were, but they never knew what became of him. Stephen Rolph was my grandfather, and my father's name was John Rolph born in Princeton, Mass. Dec. 29, 1752. My mother's maiden name was Mary Osborn born Oct. 14, 1753 in Litchfield, Conn. My grandfather, Stephen Rolph, saw the captain of the boat on which his brother John sailed, several years afterward, and asked him about him; he said he thought there was a man of that name on board, but he thought he died on the passage. If so, what became of the papers and property belong to the Rolphs? Stephen was the only heir left.' 'Thomas Rolph who came over from England (member of Parliament had the Coat-of-Arms.) Stephen Rolph who married a Stuart (one of the Pretenders) John Rolph married Mary Osborn Lucy Rolph Grover Corinia M. Grover Mack Corrie Geneva Mack Webster."
There are a number of discrepencies in the statement, but also some possible clues. There was a "Thomas Relph" in Connecticut in the 1640's. His was the first divorce in Connecticut. He changed religions and ran off to the "sewer of New England" (Rhode Island). Where we first find Stephen Rolph (1744 Grafton) is close to Rhode Island and those "Relphs."
There is also a group of "Rolphs" in Woodbridge, New Jersey. They are an offshoot of the "Rolfs" of Essex County, and some did return to Massachusetts.
So far there has been no good evidence of Stephen's parents in England. Rolfe Family Records, by RT and A. Gunther (London Hazel Watson & Vinney, 1914), Vl. II, p. 319, has, in the section on Rolfe's of Kent - '1714 Thomas Rolfe m. Eliz. Woodham of Monkton-in-Thanet (Cant Cath.).' Musgrave's Obituaries, under Ralph, Thomas, has '5 Aug 1734' (Gentleman's Magazine [1734], 451). This Thomas Ralph was 'Table-Decker to the Ladies of the Queen's Bed-Chamber.' But nothing connects these Rolphs or any other to Stephen.
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