William Stephenson, a Revolutionary soldier of York and Chester counties, and the father of "'Squire Stinson," was commonly called "Stinson," and his family came to be generally known only by the name "Stinson." His son, Daniel Green, signed official documents with the name "D. G. Stinson." But it was known by him that his father, William, was a son of Robert Stephenson, a Scotchman, who reared a family in County Antrim, Ireland. J. C. Hicklin, Esq., Rodman, South Carolina, a grandson of William Stephenson's daughter, Mrs. Mary Furgeson; Sam J. Lewis Rodman, whose wife was Daniel Green Stinson's daughter, and Mrs. Hephzibah Stephenson, Rossville, South Carolina (she is the widow of Dr. William Stephenson), and a granddaughter of William Stephenson, all now quite old, say they have often heard "'Squire Stinson" say that his proper name was Stephenson. In speaking, in this booklet, of Daniel Green Stinson, or any of the descendants of Robert Stephenson, of Ireland, they will be called Stephenson. "Stinson" is the Scottish vernacular for Stephenson. This fact is well known in Scotland and Ireland. It appears to me that it shows a want of dignity and of proper respect to the illustrious dead to designate them by a misnomer. But the name "Stinson" as applied to this family is now extinct. Why? Echo answers, Why?
Hugh W. Stephenson, oldest son of William Stephenson, and half brother of "'Squire Stinson," refused to sign his name as Stinson. He married in York County, South Carolina, moved to Tennessee, thence to Alabama. I have given the names and their respective postoffices of forty-three men voters by the name of Stephenson, descendants of the sons of Hugh W., to say nothing of the descendants of the daughters. Hugh left six brothers in South Carolina, as good men and as intelligent as he was. They accepted the name "Stinson." That was not the right name. The good Lord prospered them in their basket and their store. But he gave them daughters; in a few cases sons were born, bright sons, but they died without marrying, or failed to raise male offspring. Who can explain all this? Facts are stubborn things.
William Stephenson's first wife was a Miss Beattie. She has been dead more than a century. The rude granite headstone has her name chiseled on it. But it is scarcely legible. I am indebted to my cousin, J. C. Hicklin, and especially to the indefatigable energy and perseverance of Mrs. Gober Anderson, for deciphering her name on that old, rough headstone. Mrs. Anderson sat down on the ground in the hot July sunshine and rubbed the stone to make the carved letters appear. She was thoroughly satisfied that she understood every letter except one. She could not tell whether the first letter of the name was "R" or "B," but she was inclined to believe that it was "R." The name then reads, "R. Green Stinson." I could not see the letters. But Mrs. Anderson's bright, intelligent eye is younger than mine. I am satisfied that William Stephenson kept no family record of births and deaths. I doubt whether he kept a Bible; Bibles were scarce in those days. But he was a Presbyterian.
His brother, Robert Stephenson, called Robert of Wylam, the father of George Stephenson, the engineer and railroad promoter of England, had no family "rechester," as he wrote it, of the births of his children, until after they had all been born, 1792. His family record was all written at the same time, by the same hand, written with a goose quill pen. There was no other sort then.
The information obtained on a short visit to South Carolina last July does not afford me sufficient data to write a correct or full history of the Stephenson family in South Carolina, nor their connections in that country. I hope that some one in South Carolina will revise and re-write this booklet, and so amend and enlarge it as to include more of the family history. I will at all times be more than pleased to furnish any assistance in my power to that end.
John Stephenson, supposed to be the second son of William and R. Green Beattie, probably married. But nothing is known by me of his family if he had one.
Robert Stephenson, the third son of William Stephenson and his wife, R. Green Beattie, married Nancy Agnew, of South Carolina. Of this union six children were born: two sons and four daughters. Mary, the oldest daughter of Robert Stephenson and his wife, Nancy Agnew, married Mr. Harrison. Lucretia, the second daughter, married John Stroud. The third daughter, Agnes, married Thomas Cain. William Stephenson, the oldest son of Robert and Nancy, never married. Elihu, the second son, married Miss Taliaferro. Elizabeth, the youngest daughter, married Ferguson Woods.
James Stephenson, the fourth son of William Stephenson and his wife, did not marry.
William Stephenson, the fifth son of William Stephenson and his wife, never married.
Elizabeth and Nancy, the first daughters born to William Stephenson and his wife, R. Green Beattie, were twins, born in Chester County, South Carolina, in 1787. Their mother died the same day on which they were born. Elizabeth married Mr. Roberson. They had several sons. Nancy was twice married. She first married William Orr. Of this union two children were born. Mr. Orr died. The widow, Nancy, married John Ferguson. Of this marriage there were children born. Burdette Ferguson, now living with Stephen Ferguson, is the only surviving child of John Ferguson and his wife, Nancy Stephenson.
William Stephenson, one of the Four, the widower, married a second wife, Miss Elizabeth Wylie, an excellent and intelligent Irish lady, who had only recently arrived from the Green Isle. The marriage took place in 1789. Of this marriage four children were born, two sons and two daughters. These Stephensons were called "Stinson."
There exists a singular fact in regard to the "Stinson" family in South Carolina—one that cannot be accounted for from a human standpoint. It is this—the "Stinson" family failed to perpetuate the name "Stinson." The name, as applied to the Stephenson family, is extinct. But the descendants through the "Stinson" females bearing their husbands' names are quite numerous. I have referred to this singular fact elsewhere.
When I found that Samuel Stinson, the first son of William Stephenson and his second wife, Elizabeth Wylie, born 1790, reared a large family, and among the children were three healthy sons, Jacob, Daniel and Samuel, I thought this was a reasonable chance for a perpetuation of the name "Stinson;" but it, like all the rest, failed.
Samuel, son of William Stephenson, one of the Four, married Elizabeth Westbrook. There were born unto them seven children, three sons and four daughters. Salena, daughter of Samuel Stephenson and his wife, Elizabeth Westbrook, married Samuel Baxter. They had no children. Elizabeth married Israel Baxter. Two daughters were born. The family moved west. Nothing is known of them.
Nancy, daughter of Samuel Stephenson and his wife, Elizabeth Westbrook, married Lemuel Jackson. Of this union there were born seven children. Mrs. Tillman Henson, near Rossville, South Carolina, is the oldest daughter of Lemuel Jackson and his wife, Nancy Stephenson.
Laura Jackson, the second daughter, married George Peters.
Lucius Jackson, son of Lemuel and his wife, Nancy, married Miss Elizabeth Brown. They are living in Navarro County, near Corsicana, Texas.
Thompson Jackson, son of Lemuel, married Miss Sanders.
Love Jackson married Mr. Marshall.
Lenora Jackson married James Gladden. They reared a family in Chester County, South Carolina. They have descendants now living in South Carolina. The other son of Lemuel Jackson and his wife did not marry.
I am not informed in regard to the fourth daughter of Samuel Stephenson.
Jacob, son of Samuel Stephenson, called "Stinson," and his wife, Elizabeth Westbrook, grew to manhood, went off with one Johnson with some articles to sell. He was never heard of after he left home. It was thought that he was murdered and thrown into the Broad River. The next son, Daniel, married Miss Margaret Davidson. Two children were born to them. The parents and both children died. Samuel, the last son, never married. Thus the three sons of Samuel Stephenson, called "Stinson," passed away leaving no descendants.
Mary, the second child of William Stephenson and his wife, Elizabeth Wylie, was born in 1792. She married James Ferguson. They reared nine children, seven girls and two boys. I regret that I do not know more of the history of this interesting family. Mr. Ferguson was a prosperous farmer in the Rocky Creek country, near Rossville. His wife, Mary Stephenson, was an extraordinary woman, very domestic and intellectual. While she was an excellent housekeeper and provided well for the comfort of her children, she kept well informed as to the affairs of the State and country.
Isabella Ferguson, daughter of James Ferguson and Mary Stephenson, married Jason Hicklin. Mr. Hicklin was a farmer and owned and operated a grist mill on Rocky Creek. They reared a highly respected family. The children had as good an education as could be obtained in the country, then new.
Jason Calvin Hicklin, son of Jason Hicklin and his wife, Isabella Ferguson, married Miss Sallie Strait. She is a most excellent lady and is well preserved. They live in contentment and ease with their family on a well cultivated farm near Rodman, South Carolina. Mr. Hicklin is an intelligent, industrious husbandman, a consistent member of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church. He is a surveyor of large experience. He has two very nice daughters at home, who, I fear, are cheating some two young men out of most desirable wives and happy homes. His daughter, Susie, married Mr. Gaston, a farmer and merchant in the neighborhood. They have three promising children.
Mrs. Hall, of Winnsboro, South Carolina, is a widow. She is a daughter of Jason Hicklin. She lives with her son, Jason Hall. Mr. Hall has an interesting family—wife and eight children.
Mrs. Susie McCrorrey, wife of William McCrorrey, is a daughter of Mrs. Hall. She is an excellent, good housekeeper and provider, as I can testify, having had ocular and tasteful experience. Mr. McCrorrey is an elder in the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, at Catholic—a strange name for a church of Presbyterian family. It is an old brick church a few miles west from Rossville, South Carolina.
Elizabeth, second daughter of James Ferguson and his wife, Mary Stephenson, married Mr. Sterling. Agnes Ferguson, the third daughter, married Mr. Coleman. Kate, the fourth daughter, married Mr. Grafton. Mary Ann, the fifth daughter, married Mr. Hindman.
Hephzibah, the sixth daughter of James Ferguson and Mary Stephenson, married Dr. William J. Stephenson. (No relation to the family whose history I am writing.) She is a widow and lives with her son, William Stephenson, a farmer, near Rossville. She is a consistent member of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church at Catholic. She is held in high esteem by her church and her neighbors, by whom she is regarded as one of the noble old ladies of the community in which she lives. Her son with whom she lives is a well-to-do, industrious, honest farmer. He is married, and has several children. Mrs. Hephzibah is the mother of Mrs. Nancy Ferguson, the wife of Stephen Ferguson, near Richburg, South Carolina. Mrs. Nancy Ferguson is one of the most attractive and intelligent, as well as one of the finest looking ladies I saw in South Carolina, and I saw many who would be stars in any community. She could grace any parlor, or lead the social company, and when it comes to the culinary art, she is an adept. She is the mother of ten healthy, intelligent children, and from appearances she might be the mother of ten more.
Jane, the seventh daughter of James Ferguson and his wife, Mary Stephenson, married Mr. Hall. William Ferguson, the first son of the above parents, married Miss Wade. They have a son living with his family on the old Ferguson farm near Rossville.
Barber Ferguson, another son, the last child of James Ferguson, was three times married.