We are resarching the family of Abigil Stevenson, who married Daniel Whitehead after she divorced from Daniel Denton. Abigil Denton was named as a daughter in the will of Ann Graves. Ann Graves had been previously married to a Stevenson. Different researchers have named either Thomas Stevenson or Edward Stevenson, perhaps brothers, as the possible prior spouse of Ann Graves. We show the relationships summarized in 2011 by Harry Macy, editor of the New York Genealogical and Biographical Review, and Henry Hoff [1] [2], who conclude that Ann Graves was the widow of Thomas Stevenson and that Abigail (Stevenson Denton) Whitehead was the daughter of Thomas Stevenson and was the step-daughter of Ann Graves.
Edward Stevenson and Thomas Stevenson, who are shown here, speculatively, as brothers and sons of this unknown Stevenson, both lived in Newtown, Long Island, in the 1650's and 1660's. [3]
Some documents with the name Stevens also relate to this family, and in 1684 Abigail (Stevens/Stevenson Denton) Whitehead gave court testimony about her family name in an attempt to clarify land deeds.
The genealogy of the Newtown Stevenson families has been studied and reviewed by Dr. John Rudderow Stevenson in a series of three publications, based, on his best knowledge at the time of each publication. The first was a short article in the New York Genealogical and Biographical Review [4]. The second was published in 10 parts in the Jerseyman volume 4 [5] [6] [7]. Finally, he published a book summarizing the research [8].
Research Notes:
1703 The will of Daniel Whitehead stated: "To Jonathan, son of Jonathan Stevenson, of Norwalk, Connecticut, deceased, £20." [9]
1706 John Stevenson witnessed the will of Elbert Willett of Flushing. [10]
1722 Daughter Elizabeth Stevenson was named in the will of Thomas Willett, of Flushing. [11]
[1] Harry Macy Jr (editor of The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record), "Two Stevens or Stevenson Families of Long Island," a two page essay dated November, 2001, perhaps unpublished, 1.
[2] Henry B. Hoff and Harry Macy Jr, "Thomas Stephens of Southampton," Suffolk County Historical Society Register (1996), 115-121, at 115.
[3] George E. McCracken, "The Fields of Flushing, Long Island," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 113 (1959), 197-216, 267-289 at 206, [AmericanAncestors].
[4] John R. Stevenson, "Thomas Stevenson and His Descendants," New York Genealogical and Biographical Record 13 (1882), 117-124, at 117, [InternetArchive].
[5] John R. Stevenson, "Thomas Stevenson of London, England, and his Descendants in New Jersey," The Jerseyman 4 (1898), 1-5, 9-12, 17-19, 25-27, at 1, volume 5, [InternetArchive].
[6] John R. Stevenson, "Thomas Stevenson of London, England, and his Descendants in New Jersey," The Jerseyman 5 (1899), 33-35, 41-43, 49-52, at 33, volume 6, [InternetArchive].
[7] John R. Stevenson, "Thomas Stevenson of London, England, and his Descendants in New Jersey," The Jerseyman 6 (1900), 1-4, 9-14, 25-33, at 1, [InternetArchive], [HathiTrust], [GoogleBooks].
[8] John R. Stevenson, Thomas Stevenson of London, England, and his Descendants (1902), 7, [GoogleBooks], [HathiTrust].
[9] William S. Pelletreau, Abstracts of Wills on file in the Surrogate's office: city of New York, Vol. 1, 1665-1707 (New York: The New York Historical Society, 1893), 398, of 396-99, citing Liber 7, page 205, [HathiTrust], [InternetArchive], [GoogleBooks].
[10] William S. Pelletreau, Abstracts of Wills on file in the Surrogate's office: city of New York, Vol. 1, 1665-1707 (New York: The New York Historical Society, 1893), 433, citing Liber 7, page 353, [HathiTrust], [InternetArchive], [GoogleBooks].
[11] William S. Pelletreau, Abstracts of Wills on file in the Surrogate's office: city of New York, Vol. 2, 1708-1728 (New York: The New York Historical Society, 1894), 257, of 256-58, citing liber 9, page 336, [HathiTrust], [InternetArchive].