Edward Stevenson (abt. 1658 - bef. 1716)

Born about 1658 in England [uncertain]

Ancestors

Descendants

Died before 17 Apr 1716 before about age 58 in Baltimore County, Province of Maryland

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Biography

Edward Stevenson was a Maryland colonist.

Origin

Edward Stevenson was probably born in England around 1650, but no proof of his birthplace or date has been found. There were several men with the surname Stevenson living in Maryland as early as 1652. "Just when Edward made his appearance in the Province of Maryland is not definitively known, as there seems to have been an Edward Stevenson living in Talbot Co. about the same time as this Edward. The two may have been related." ^[1]. On 15 October 1671, Thomas Todd claimed land for transporting one Edward Stevenson, and 23 other persons, into the province. ^[2] On 20 March 1678, Andrew Price of Talbot Co. assigned his land rights to Edward Stevenson also of the same county ^[3]

He can be firmly placed when the name of Edward Stevenson is listed with five other men living on the plantation of William Wilkinson on the south side of Back River in Baltimore County on the 1694 list of taxables in the county.^[4]

Property

Edward is called a merchant of Baltimore County when he purchased a 100 acre tract located on the Patapsco River from Elizabeth Green, the daughter of Anthony Demondidier, on 5 MAR 1700.^[5] He next appears in land records on 5 OCT 1701 as "gentleman, factor and agent on behalf of Peter Paggan & Company of the city of London, merchants" when he conveyed a tract owned by Paggan called Westwood located on Back River to George Hope^[6]

Edward added to his holdings on 7 SEP 1702 when John Ouldton conveyed 200 acres of land located on the ridge called Little Britain and called by the name Fellowship to Edward Stevenson, merchant.^[7] On 17 SEP 1703 Stevenson was granted a warrant for 1,000 acres of land to be called Edward & Wills Valley & Hills and to be laid out on the east side of Jones Falls bordering the land of Charles Merryman. After the survey the tract was determined to contain 786 acres.^[8] Edward later filed a petition with the county to fix the border of this property.^[9]

Career

Edward is identified in all primary sources as a merchant, and likely used indentured servants or slaves to work his plantation. He also served as a county judge in 1709 and represented Baltimore County in the Lower House from 1712 to 1714.^[10]

Marriage & Children

Edward was married at the time of his death to a woman named Mary. There is no record of the births of their children, but land records have led to evidence of their names as follows:

Edward b. abt 1700

Henry b. abt 1702

Richard King b. abt. 1704

John b. abt. 1706

Mary b. abt. 1708

Elizabeth b. abt. 1710

Death

He signed his brief will on 25 JAN 1715: I Edward Stevenson being in my full & perfect senses but weak in body . .

• to my dear children all my land to be equally divided among them male & female.
• I appoint my dear & loving wife, Mary Stevenson my sole executrix.

Signed with his mark and witnessed by George Hitchcock, George Walker, Thomas Long. Probated 17 APR 1716.^[11]

Administration bond was posted on 11 NOV 1717 by Mary Stevenson with John Israel and William Barney. The inventory of the estate was valued at £493.18.7 and signed by John Merryman as the next of kin. Mary married Henry Sater and they were both summoned for not administering the estate promptly.^[12]

Historical context

Charles Steffen in his work "From Gentlemen to Townsmen: The Gentry of Baltimore County, Maryland, 1660-1776," focuses on the evolution of the social nature of the Chesapeake area. Baltimore County was thinly populated largely due to it geography—at the Patapsco River, it was outside the Coastal Plain region; therefore, while abundant in natural resource, it lacked the fertile, flat, accessible land of the Tidewater region. There were no large tobacco producing areas in Baltimore County. Those who settled there were more likely small-time planters, merchants, politicians, ministers, servant and slaveholders. What does this have to do with Edward Stevenson? He is among those who represented the large London commercial houses meeting the needs of both the large tobacco producing landowners who needed an outlet for their product and the large London commercial houses seeking to market the product. Steffen refers to this period as the "age of the London agent." ^[13]. According to Steffen, "Richard Colegate, the preeminent figure of his generation, appeared in 1698 as a factor for the London partnership of Michael Yoakley and John Pettit. Four years later William Talbot registered a letter of attorney at the county court as a factor of London merchants George Purthas and Company. In 1705, both John Israel and James Crooke were described as factors. Edward Stevenson came as a 'factor & Agent' of Peter Paggan and Company of London," (page 95). Steffen goes on to explain that the merchant-factors represented the interests of their London employers, but this second generation of merchants sought commercial independence. Furthermore, their bonds of friendship from London facilitated the formation of a tightknit community. For example, "when in 1713 William Talbot drew up his final will, he appointed two friends and neighbors, merchants Richard Colegate and Edward Stevenson, as executors of his estate. In another gesture of trust and affection, Stevenson and his wife named one of their sons after merchant Richard King," (page 96).

Research

Family Search records of English Parish Registers show numerous Edward Stevensons born in the 1600's-time frame in Yorkshire, England suggesting directing further research in that area. [1]

Sources

1. ↑ Barnes, Robert. Descendants of Edward and Mary Stevenson of Baltimore County, Maryland. Hall of Records, Annapolis, MD. June, 1966. Page 1.
2. ↑ Maryland Patents Liber 16 folio 394
3. ↑ Maryland Patents Liber 15 folio 563
4. ↑ Wright, F. Edward. Inhabitants of Baltimore County 1692-1763. Westminster, MD: Willow Bend Books 1999
5. ↑ Baltimore County Deeds Liber HW 2 folio 51
6. ↑ Baltimore County Deeds Liber HW 2 folio 106
7. ↑ Baltimore County Deeds Liber HW 2 folio 169
8. ↑ Maryland Patents Liber DD 5 folio 127
9. ↑ Baltimore County Deeds Liber HW 2 folio 342
10. ↑ Papenfuse, Edward C. A Biographical Dictionary of the Maryland Legislature 1635-1789. Vol. 426. Page 777
11. ↑ Prerogative Court Wills Liber 14 folio 265
12. ↑ Barnes, Robert W. “Baltimore County Families, 1659-1759” Baltimore, MD: Clearfield 1989.
13. ↑ Steffen, Charles. From Gentlemen to Townsmen: The Gentry of Baltimore County Maryland, 1660-1776. Lexington, KY: U of Kentucky Press. 1993. Page 95.