Stephen Sherman (abt. 1770 - aft. 1844)

Born about 1770 in Marshfield, Plymouth County, Province of Massachusetts Bay

Ancestors

Husband of Patience (Grant) Sherman — married 12 Apr 1794 in Vinalhaven, Hancock County, Massachusetts, United States

Descendants

Died after 1844 after about age 74 in Saint David, Charlotte, New Brunswick, Canada

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Chase Ashley [send private message]

Biography

This is the profile for Stephen Sharman/Sherman of Islesborough, Maine and St. David, New Brunswick.

Parentage; Date and Place of Birth

Stephen Sherman, the son of Valentine Sherman and Susanna (Harney) Sherman, was born in Marshfield, Massachusetts, probably about 1770.^[1] His date of birth is estimated based on (1) his 1794 date of marriage and (2) the fact that land records for Islesborough indicate that he was an adult by May 1793.^[2] His parentage is supported by the fact that (1) his estimated date of birth is consistent with him being the son of Valentine Sherman, (2) the 1790 US Census shows that Valentine's household had three males over the age of 16 (Valentine and presumably his sons Robert and Stephen),^[3] (3) records show that Stephen lived in Islesborough when his father lived there^[2] and there were no other Sherman/Sharman families known to be living there at the time, (4) Stephen appeared in New Brunswick around the same time as Calvin Sharman/Sherman, another presumed son of Valentine,^[2] and (5) Stephen named one of his sons Valentine. Stephen was probably born in Marshfield, based on evidence that his father was living there during the time period of Stephen's approximate date of birth.^[4]

Residency in Islesboro, Maine

Stephen moved with his parents and siblings to Islesboro, Maine sometime before 1790 and was one of the three males over 16 in Valentine Sherman's household in the 1790 US Census.^[3][1] After Stephen came of age (about 1791), he continued to live in Islesborough. He engaged in several land transactions in 1793 and was described in them as a yeoman.^[2] The last record of Stephen in Islesborough is the record of the sale by him of a 100-acre lot there in August 1795.^[2]

Marriage

The marriage intentions of Stephen Shurman of Isleborough and Patience Grant of Vinalhaven, Maine were published in Vinalhaven on March 13, 1794,^[5] and they were married there on April 12, 1794 (the same day that Solomon Grant (presumably Patience's brother) married Katherine Lasdel in Vinalhaven, Maine).^[6]

Based on the fact that Stephen was "of Islesborough" in August 1795, Stephen and Patience initially lived in Islesborough after their marriage.

Probable Residency in Barrettstown, Maine

Stephen's whereabouts from August 1795 to October 1800 are uncertain; however, he may well have been living in Barrets Town Plantation, Maine, which was about 10 miles inland from the coast opposite Islesborough and later became the town of Hope, Maine. The 1800 US Census for Barretts Town Plantation includes a household headed by Stephen Shirman that contained three males under 10, one male 26-45, two females under 10, and and one female 26-45.^[7] (Barrettstown Plantation included the future towns of Hope and Appleton, Maine.^[8]) It is very probable that this record relates to the household of this profile's Stephen Sherman since Barrettstown is also where William Cotral/Cothill (who married Mary Grant, the probable sister of Stephen's wife) was from and where William and Mary were also living at the time of the 1800 Census.

[Need to check Knox County land records (Family History Center) to see if there are any for Stephen Sharman/Sherman during 1795-1800]

Children

Stephen and Patience probably had the following children. Their parentage is based on varying circumstantial evidence, including (1) the fact that their estimated dates of birth are consistent with their being children of Stephen and Patience, (2) the fact that genealogies of Stephen's brother Calvin do not show them as Calvin's children, (3) the fact that there was no other known Sharman/Sherman in the parish who could have been their parents, (4) in the case of Anna, Susan and Valentine, the fact that they were married in the same parish that Stephen lived in, (5) in the case of John and Elisha, the fact that they appear together with Stephe on deeds and tax lists, and (6) in the case of John, the fact that a Patience Sherman of the right age to have been Stephen's wife Patience, was living in John's household in 1850.^[9]

1. John D., b. about 1795 in Islesborough, Maine, m. August 4, 1818 Sally Scott in St. Stephen and St. David Parish, Charlotte, New Brunswick, m. June 6, 1832 Ann Maria Smith in Perry, Maine, d. May 21, 1866 in East Machias, Maine. (See discussion and sources in John's profile.)
2. Sarah, b. probably sometime in 1796-1797, m. October 13, 1817 James Brown, d. April 4, 1839 at Tower Hill, Charlotte, New Brunswick ^[10]
3. Elisha, b. about 1798,^[11] m. Hannah^[11]
4. Anna, b. probably sometime in 1799-1800, m. June 17, 1818 Jonah Sprague in St. Stephen and St. David parish, Charlotte, New Brunswick^[12]
5. Susan, b. probably sometime in 1800-1801, m. March 1, 1819 William Thirstin in St. Stephen and St. David parish, Charlotte, New Brunswick^[12]
6. Valentine, b. about 1805,^[11] m. January 25, 1825 Thankful Scott in St. Stephen and St. David parish, Charlotte, New Brunswick^[12]

The following persons may have also been children of Stephen and Patience. However, the apparent 6-10-year gap between the birth of Stephen's son Valentive and the births of Eliza and James raises doubts.

1. Eliza, b. probably sometime in 1811-1818, m. August 28, 1836 James Beedy in St. Stephen and St. David parish, Charlotte, New Brunswick^[12]
2. James, b. probably sometime in 1812-1818, m. January 27, 1839 Margaret Connickin St. Stephen and St. David parish, Charlotte, New Brunswick^[12]

Residency in St. Stephen and St. David, New Brunswick

Stephen and his brother Calvin moved to St. Stephen, New Brunswick sometime before October 22, 1800.^[1] On that date, Stephen purchased land from Calvin in the neighboring parish of St. David and appears to have moved there, as all later records for him describe him as "of St. Davids."^[2]

The area of New Brunswick that Stephen and his brother Calvin moved to by 1800 is known for being the place of settlement of a large number of Loyalists.^[13] It is uncertain whether Stephen had Loyalist sympathies. He would only have been about 13 when the Revolutionary War ended in 1783 and did not move to New Brunswick until long after the original Loyalist emigration in the 1780s. Stephen's father and older brother Robert never left New England. Moreover, his father-in-law, Andrew Grant, had been a captain in the Colonial militia and fought against the British. It appears likely that Stephen and his brother Calvin's move to New Brunswick was more opportunist than based on Loyalist sympathies. It is quite possible that they became familiar with the opportunities in New Brunswick through connections to the Pendleton family of Islesborough, as Stephen Pendleton had served in the British navy, settled in New Brunswick after the War, returned to Islesborough for a while in the early 1790s, before removing permanently to New Brunswick about 1793.^[14] A strong association between the Shermans and Pendletons is shown by the fact that Stephen's younger brother Henry married Elizabeth Pendleton.^[1]

Stephen appears to have continued to live in St. Davids until his death. Land records show that he held a number of lots in Wentworth's Division and Fanning's Division of the Cape Ann Grant, with each lot being about 100 acres, and describe him as a yeoman.^[2]

Stephen and several of his sons appear in St. David tax records. The St. David Parish tax assessment list for 1823 shows Stephen Sharman taxed at 6 shillings, Elisha Sharman taxed at 3 shillings and 3 pence, and John Sharman taxed at 2 shillings 8 pence.^[15] The St. David Parish tax assessment lax list for 1831 shows Stephen Sharman with £170 of real estate, £50 of personal estate, £20 annual income and taxed at 2 shillings, 6 pence; Elishaw Sharman with £100 of real estate, £50 of personal estate, £20 annual income and taxed at 2 shillings, 4 pence; and Valentine Sharman with £100 of real estate, £00 of personal estate, £20 annual income and taxed at 2 shillings, 2 pence.^[16] (Son John D. Sharman had moved to Robinston, Maine before 1831.) The St. David Parish tax assessment list for 1844 shows Stephen Sharman with £00 of real estate, £75 of personal estate, £0 annual income and taxed at 4 shillings, 9 pence; and Valentine Sharman with £0 of real estate, £0 of personal estate, £0 annual income and taxed at 0 shillings, 8 pence.^[17]

Death

Stephen dated and place of death are uncertain. Since the last known record of him a St. David tax list from 1844^[17] and his widow Patience was living in the household of his son John D. Sherman in 1850,^[9] Stephen died sometime between those two dates. Since Stephen had been living in St. David, Charlotte County, Province of New Brunswick since about 1800 was still apparently living there at the time of the 1844 tax list, he most probably died there.

Chronology of Records

• 1793. In May 1793, Stephen Sherman purchased Lot 15 from Thomas Pendleton Jr for 160 cords of wood.^[18][1][19]
• 1793. In May 1793, Stephen Sharmon of Islesborough, yeoman, purchased a parcel of land in Islesborough containing 100 acres for £30 from Prince Holbrook of Islesborough.^[20]
• 1793. In June 1793, Stephen Sharman of Islesborough, yeoman, sold one parcel of land in Islesborough containing about 75 acres to Elisha Nash for £60 and another parcel of land in Islesborough containing about 25 acres to Jonathan Clark for £6:18.^[21]
• 1794. The marriage intentions of Stephen Shurman of Isleborough and Patience Grant of Vinalhaven, Maine were published in Vinalhaven on March 13, 1794,^[5] and they were married there on April 12, 1794 (the same day that Solomon Grant (presumably Patience's brother) married Katherine Lasdel in Vinalhaven, Maine).^[6]
• 1795. In August 1795, Stephen Sherman of Islesborough, yeoman, sold the 100-acre lot he had purchased in May 1793 to Jonathan Parker for £90.^[22]
• 1800. The 1800 US Census for Barretts Town Plantation includes a household headed by Stephen Shirman that contained three males under 10, one male 26-45, two females under 10, and and one female 26-45.^[7]
• 1800. By a deed dated October 22, 1800, Calvin Sharman of the Parish of Saint Stephen, County of Charlotte, Province of New Brunswick, yeoman, in consideration for £30, conveyed to Stephen Sherman of said parish, yeoman, Lot No. Four in Block Letter X in Wentworth Plantation in the Parish of Saint David, containing about 100 acres.^[23]
• 1802. By a deed dated June 15, 1802, Calvin Shearman of the Parish of Saint Stephen, Charlotte County, New Brunswick, yeoman, in consideration for £45, conveyed to Stephen Shearman of the Parish of Saint Davids of the same county, a lot in the Parish of Saint Davids known as lot number six in block lettered S in Wentworth's division.^[24]
• 1804. A report of the "State of Settlement" of the Cape Ann Grants probably completed sometime in 1797-1804 included Stephen Shareman with Lots S6 and X4 of the Wentworth Division.^[25]
• 1811. By a deed dated September 15, 1811, Alexander McAllister of St. Davids, Charlotte County, New Brunswick, yeoman, in consideration for £25, conveyed to Stephen Sherman of the same parish, yeoman, lots N.1 & N.2 in the Block letter F in Fanning's divsions.^[26]
• 1812. By a deed dated December 28, 1812, Isaac Bussell of the Parish of Saint Davids, County of Charlotte, Province of New Brunswick, yeoman, in consideration for £100, conveyed to Stephen Sharman of the same parish, yeoman, a parcel of land in the Parishof Saint Davids described as Farm Lots Number Five and Six in Block Letter Q Wentworth Division.^[27]
• 1812. By a deed dated December 29, 1812, Stephen Sharman of Parish of Saint David's, County of Charlotte, Province of New Brunswick, yeoman, in consideration for £25, conveyed to Benjamin Foster of the same parish, the western half of farm lot number five in Block letter Q of Wentworth's Division.^[28]
• 1820. By a deed dated December 15, 1820, Stephen Sharman of the parish of Saint David, County of Charlotte, Province of New Brunswick, yeoman, in consideration for £50, conveyed to Elisha Sharman of the same parish, a Lot No. Six in Block Letter S in Wentworth Division, containing 100 acres.^[29]
• 1821. By a deed dated July 17, 1821, Stephen Sharman of the Parish of Saint David, County of Charlotte, Province of New Brunswick, yeoman, in consideration for £100, conveyed to Nathaniel Cousins of the same parish, yeoman, Lot number two in Block lettered X in Wentworth's Division, containing about 100 acres. Witnessed by James Brown Jr. and John Sharman.^[30]
• 1823. The St. David Parish tax assessment list for 1823 shows Stephen Sharman taxed at 6 shillings, Elisha Sharman taxed at 3 shillings and 3 pence, and John Sharman taxed at 2 shillings 8 pence.^[15]
• 1826. By an indenture dated December 29, 1826, Stephen Sharman and Samuel Sharman, both of the Parish of Saint David, County of Charlotte, yeomen, mortgaged to Benjamin Precote part of Lot number five in Block letter I in Wentworth's divisions as security for the payment of a bond in the sum of £201:11 payable on August 1, 1827.^[31]
• 1831. The St. David Parish tax assessment lax list for 1831 shows Stephen Sharman with £170 of real estate, £50 of personal estate, £20 annual income and taxed at 2 shillings, 6 pence; Elishaw Sharman with £100 of real estate, £50 of personal estate, £20 annual income and taxed at 2 shillings, 4 pence; and Valentine Sharman with £100 of real estate, £00 of personal estate, £20 annual income and taxed at 2 shillings, 2 pence.^[16]
• 1833. By deed dated May 1, 1833, Stephen Sharman of the Parish of Saint David, Charlotte County, Province of New Brunswick, yeoman, in consideration for £25, conveyed to Nathaniel Counsins of the same parish, part of Lot number in four in block lettered X in Wentworth's division of the Cape Ann Grant in the Parish of Saint David.^[32]
• 1834. By deed dated March 4, 1834, Stephen Sharman of the Parish of Saint David, County of Charlotte, Province of New Brunswick, yeoman, in considertion for £50, conveyed to William Benson of the same parish, yeoman, a lot of land in Saint David known as Lot No Two in Block Letter F in Fanning's Division, containing 100 acres. The deed was also signed by Patience Sharman.^[33]
• 1836. By deed dated October 8, 1836, Stephen Sharman of the Parish of Saint David, Charlotte County, Province of New Brunswick, in consideration for £200, conveyed to William Douglas of the parish of Saint Andrew of the same county, a tract of land in the parish of Saint David being Lot number one in Block letter I in Fannings Division of the Cape Ann Grant and part of Lot nunber four in Block lettered X in Wentworth's division of the Cape Ann Grant. The deed was also signed by Patience Sharman.^[34]
• 1837. By a deed dated May 9, 1837, Jeremiah Smith of the Parish of Saint David in the County of Charlotte, Province of New Brunswick, yeoman, in consideration for £100, conveyed to Stephen Sherman of the same place, a parcel of land in the Parish of St David being Lots lettered D and E and of Lot No 4 in the Block Lettered I in Wentworth's Division.^[35]
• 1841. By deed dated July 17, 1841, Andrew Bunten of Saint David, County of Charlotte and Province of New Brunswick, yeoman, conveyed to Stephen Sharman of the same place, yeoman, a parcel of land situated in Saint David being part of lot lettered 8 and E and of Lot No four in Block Lettered I in Wentworth Division, as security for the payment of notes dated December 1839 payable to the said Stephen Sharman.^[36]
• 1844. The St. David Parish tax assessment list for 1844 shows Stephen Sharman with £00 of real estate, £75 of personal estate, £0 annual income and taxed at 4 shillings, 9 pence; and Valentine Sharman with £0 of real estate, £0 of personal estate, £0 annual income and taxed at 0 shillings, 8 pence.^[17]

^{[25] [1] [10] [13] [14] [9] [3] [36] [4] [2] [27] [24] [26] [35] [34] [32] [33] [28] [31] [30] [29] [23] [18] [7] [8] [11] [17] [16] [15] [12] [22] [20] [21] [5] [6] [19]}

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5} Holman, Mary Lovering. Descendants of Williams Sherman of Marshfield, Massachusetts. Bamford Press 1936. p. 94. Link to page at archive.org.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7} See "Chronology of Records" in this profile.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} "United States Census, 1790," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHKK-B77 : accessed 5 April 2020), Valentine Sherman, Isleborough, Hancock, Maine, United States; citing p. 113, NARA microfilm publication M637, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 2; FHL microfilm 568,142.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} See the profile for Valentine Sherman.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2} Vinalhaven Town & Vital Records, Vol 1 1785-1828. p. 403. FHL Film #007596929, image 222 of 837. Link to image at familysearch.org.
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2} Vinalhaven Town & Vital Records, Vol 1 1785-1828. p. 419. FHL Film #007596929, image 230 of 837.Link to image at familysearch.org.
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1 7.2} "United States Census, 1800," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHRS-543 : accessed 24 March 2020), William Cothrill, Barretts Town Plantation, Lincoln, Maine, United States; citing p. 546, NARA microfilm publication M32, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 6; FHL microfilm 218,676.
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1} "1790 Census: Barrettstown Plantation, Hancock County," Maine Genealogy Archives.
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1 9.2} US Census for 1850, Marion, Washington, Maine. Link to image at familysearch.org; Link to image at ancestry.com.
10. ↑ ^{10.0 10.1} Robbins, Steve. "History of James & Green Brown in St. David Parish as well as elsewhere in Charlotte & Washington Counties." rootsweb.com
11. ↑ ^{11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3} 1851 Census, St. David Parish. Link to discussion board post with info from the census.
12. ↑ ^{12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 12.5} Register of Marriages in the Parish of St. Stephen and St. David. Link to index of parish register.
13. ↑ ^{13.0 13.1} Seibert, Wilbur H. The Exodus of the Loyalists from Penobscot to Passamaquoddy. The Ohio State University, 1914. pp. 21-33. Link to pages hathitrust.org.
14. ↑ ^{14.0 14.1} Pendleton, Everett Hall. Brian Pendleton and His Descendants. Privately printed, 1910. p. 199. Link to page at hathitrust.org.
15. ↑ ^{15.0 15.1 15.2} 1823 Tax Assessments for St. David Parish
16. ↑ ^{16.0 16.1 16.2} 1831 Tax Assessments for St. David Parish
17. ↑ ^{17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3} 1844 Tax List for St. David Parish
18. ↑ ^{18.0 18.1} "Islesborough Deeds from Hancock County Records." Bangor Historical Magazine. Vol. VI No. 11 (May 1891). p. 257. Link to page at hathitrust.org.
19. ↑ ^{19.0 19.1} Farrow, John Pendleton. History of Islesborough, Maine. 1893. p. 278. Link to page at archive.org.
20. ↑ ^{20.0 20.1} Hancock Records, Waldo Lands, 1791-1850, Vol. 2, p. 191. FHL Film # 008203770, image 145 of 596. Link to image at familysearch.org.
21. ↑ ^{21.0 21.1} Hancock Records, Waldo Lands, 1791-1850, Vol. 2, pp. 189-190. FHL Film # 008203770, image 144 of 596. Link to image at familysearch.org.
22. ↑ ^{22.0 22.1} Hancock Records, Waldo Lands, 1791-1850, Vol. 3, p. 284. FHL Film # 007834726, image 184 of 231. Link to image at familysearch.org.
23. ↑ ^{23.0 23.1} New Brunswick, Charlotte County, Deed Registry Book C, p. 19. FHL Film #004152566, image 22 of 560. Link to image at familysearch.org.
24. ↑ ^{24.0 24.1} New Brunswick, Charlotte County, Deed Registry Book E, p. 44. FHL Film #004152597, image 47 of 511. Link to image at familysearch.org.
25. ↑ ^{25.0 25.1} "State of Settlement" of the Cape Ann Grants, ca. 1797-1804. Link to report at rootsweb.com.
26. ↑ ^{26.0 26.1} New Brunswick, Charlotte County, Deed Registry Book D, p. 249. FHL Film #004152574, image 253 of 473. Link to image at familysearch.org.
27. ↑ ^{27.0 27.1} New Brunswick, Charlotte County, Deed Registry Book E, p. 371. FHL Film #004152597, image 376 of 511. Link to image at familysearch.org.
28. ↑ ^{28.0 28.1} New Brunswick, Charlotte County, Deed Registry Book K, p. 29. FHL Film #004152654, image 32 of 548. Link to image at familysearch.org.
29. ↑ ^{29.0 29.1} New Brunswick, Charlotte County, Deed Registry Book F, p. 495. FHL Film #004152602, image 498 of 543. Link to image at familysearch.org.
30. ↑ ^{30.0 30.1} New Brunswick, Charlotte County, Deed Registry Book I, p. 199. FHL Film #004152631, image 202 of 553. Link to image at familysearch.org.
31. ↑ ^{31.0 31.1} New Brunswick, Charlotte County, Deed Registry Book I, p. 316. FHL Film #004152631, image 320 of 553. Link to image at familysearch.org.
32. ↑ ^{32.0 32.1} New Brunswick, Charlotte County, Deed Registry Book O, p. 287. FHL Film #004152763, image 290 of 557. Link to image at familysearch.org.
33. ↑ ^{33.0 33.1} New Brunswick, Charlotte County, Deed Registry Book N, p. 222. FHL Film #004152756, image 225 of 553. Link to image at familysearch.org.
34. ↑ ^{34.0 34.1} New Brunswick, Charlotte County, Deed Registry Book Q, p. 66. FHL Film #004152776, image 69 of 557. Link to image at familysearch.org.
35. ↑ ^{35.0 35.1} New Brunswick, Charlotte County, Deed Registry Book Q, p. 63. FHL Film #004152776, image 66 of 557. Link to image at familysearch.org.
36. ↑ ^{36.0 36.1} New Brunswick, Charlotte County, Deed Registry Book T, p. 87. FHL Film #004152797, image 90 of 803. Link to image at familysearch.org.