Stephen is the 6th child of Daniel & Hannah Webster, born about 1767 either just before the family left Berkshire county MA or, perhaps, just after the move to Chatham, NY in Columbia County. He married Ruth Vaughn of Westmoreland, Oneida Co.,NY(at the time it was Herkimer Co.) in 1788...she was truly a child bride at 14yrs old. Stephen was 21yrs.
Land Records, in 1803, state that Stephen Webster of Pompey, Onondaga Co.,NY purchased lot 214 in the Oneida Reservation. In 1806, he purchased a lot in Whitestown, Oneida Co. In 1809, he sold 45 acres for $1000 in Whitestown. In 1814 he is listed as a landowner in Vernon, Oneida County. In 1821 Stephen & Ruth, of Vernon, Oneida Co.,NY sell their right & title to land owned by John Vaughn, late of Vernon, deceased (Ruth's father).
Ruth Vaughn was a sister of Martha Vaughn who married Daniel Webster, Stephen's brother. A niece of Ruth & Martha is Tryphena Vaughn who married Ransford Webster, son of Elijah Webster, Stephen & Daniel's Uncle. There was a law suit that appeared in the records in 1824 Oneida Court records that included many of the Vaughn family. The will of John Vaughn named his daughters, Martha Webster & Ruth Webster.
Stephen was 8 when the war of Independence broke out and 14 when most of the fighting was over, the Webster genealogy mentions no record of his serving. A dozen Stephen Webster's are in the records. None with a New York unit, so most likely our Stephen did not serve. He would have been abt. 45 when the War of 1812 was being fought, but I found no records to suggest he served then either.
There is no place of birth for any of Stephen's children in the Webster Genealogy, but most lived to fill out a Census form telling of their place of birth. Stephen & Ruth married in Oneida County and lived with her parents until about 1800 when the left for Onondaga county where they were caught on the census & Truman was born. Then they returned to Vernon, NY in Oneida county where the rest of the children were born. Sometime in the mid-1830's they removed to Orleans county, following their son, Warren, who had left 15yrs earlier. Probably about the same time as Justus & Truman left for Michigan in 1836. Stephen & Norton came with their parents. Stephen & Ruth left behind their 4 daughters, who had died & been buried in Vernon, NY.
1790 Stephen Webster 23, Ruth 16, married 2yrs. Can find no listing for him. However, John Vaughn in Whitestown, Montgomery(would become Oneida Co) has enough people in his household to account for Stephen & Ruth and baby, Larry.
1800 Census Index for Onondaga Co p.134 shows a Stephen Webster (age 33) with 3 boys under 10 & 2 girls under 10 & wife 26-45(she is 26)
1810 Census Index shows a Stephen Webster in Oneida Co, NY with 3 boys under 10, 2 boys 16-26 & he 26-45. Two girls under 10, one 10-16, one 16-26 & wife 26-45. Stephen 43, Ruth 36, Larry 21, Hannah 19, Justus 17, Warren 15, Ann 12, Truman 7, Ruth 4, Stephen Jr, if born, an infant The ages are off a bit on some & there is an extra girl, but overall, I think this is our Stephen & his family in 1810.
1820 Census for Oneida County, Vernon, NY Roll #73 p.253 Stephen Webster with a household of 9. He & wife are over 45 (53 & 46).The numbers & ages match what we know of the family, & the youngest 6 children. There is an extra male 16-26 who is prob farm labor. Close by is the Stephen Campbell family, whose daughter, Rhoda, will marry Truman. Larry has left home, Hannah has married, Warren & Justus have their own households.
1830 Census for Oneida County NY Roll#99 p.101 Stephen Webster with a household of 7 (3males & 4females). The ages are correct for Norton 17, Stephen 20 & Stephen 63, Amanda 15, Ruth 24, Ann 32 & Ruth 56. Their oldest child Hannah has died, Justus is head of his own household on p.100, Warren has moved to Orleans County & Truman & Rhoda are newly married & I think they are living with her parents nearby.
1835 State Census for Oneida County p.1 - Stephen Webster
Stephen died in 1839 at age 72 in Murray, NY & is buried in Hulberton Cemetery.
