A while ago, I promised to post some information I found in a book entitled "A History of the Sandy Creek Baptist Association, from its Organization in A.D. 1758 to A.D. 1858" by George W. Purefoy (1859). Before I begin with the excerpts, let me identify, in an abbreviated fashion, the line that is represented here: 1-- Shubael STEARNS ( -1630/1) (man of tradition but not record) 2-- Charles STEARNS (1626-1680) sp-Hannah ( -1651) sp-Rebecca GIBSON (1635) 3-- Shubael STEARNS (1655-1734) (m. (2) Mary Upton) 4-- Shubael STEARNS Junior (1683) (possibly mentioned) sp-Rebecca LARIBY (1684) 5-- Shubael STEARNS Reverend (1705-1771) (Key person) sp-Sarah JOHNSON 5-- Rebecca STEARNS (1707) sp-Johnathan POLK (mentioned) 5-- Peter STARNES (1710-1791) (my 6ggf) (mentioned) sp-Hannah STIMSON (1716-bef 1773) sp-Margaret (Parr) Widow ( -aft 1791) 5-- Isaac STEARNS (1713) sp-Rebecca JOHNSON 5-- Elizabeth STEARNS (1715) sp-Enos or Eneas STIMSON (1717) (mentioned) 5-- Hannah STEARNS (1718) 5-- Sarah STEARNS (1720) 5-- Ebenezer STEARNS (1722) (mentioned) sp-Anna FIELD sp-Elizabeth YOUNG 5-- Mary STEARNS (1724) 5-- Martha STEARNS (1726) sp-Daniel MARSHALL Reverend (1706-1784) (key person) 4-- Samuel STEARNS (1685-1759) sp-Sarah BURNAP ( -1724) sp-Tabitha BRYANT ( -1758) 4-- Hannah STEARNS (1687) sp-James STIMSON Doctor (1669) 5-- Ichabod STIMSON (1713) sp-Margaret PACK 5-- Enos or Eneas STIMSON (1717) sp-Elizabeth STEARNS (1715) *** SEE ABOVE *** 5-- Hannah STIMSON (1716-1773) sp-Peter STARNES (1710-1791) *** SEE ABOVE *** 5-- James STIMSON (1719) 5-- Naomi STIMSON (1722) 5-- Thomas STIMSON (1725) ... Begin excerpts: Chapter IV, p. 45: "The first settlement of Baptists in the bounds of the Sandy Creek Baptist Association". The third company of Baptists that settled in this state was [headed] by Elder Shubal Stearns. He was a native of Boston, Mass., joined the New Lights ... Elder Stearns was baptized by Elder Wait Palmer, and soon after was ordained by Palmer and Joshua Morse, In Tolland, Conn. This distinguished man left New-England under strong impressions that God had, for him, a great work south. He first stopped at Opeckon, in Berkley County, Va.... he met with his brother-in-law, Rev. Daniel Marshall ... Mr. Stearns settled awhile on Cacapon, in Hampshire County, Virginia ... moved to North Carolina ... [I'll interrupt briefly here to state that I believe the VA locations mentioned above are now in WV.] p.46: Elder Stearns and his party came to Sandy Creek, in Guilford (now Randolph) county. Here he made his permanent residence. The number of families was 8 and the number of Baptists was 16, namely: Shubal Stearns and wife, Peter Stearns and wife, Shubal Stearns, Jr., [not sure whether this means a son of Rev. Shubael or his father, who reportedly died in NC] and wife, Ebenezer Stearns and wife, Daniel Marshall and wife, Joseph Breed and wife, Enas Stinson and wife, and Jonathan Polk and wife ....these 16 persons formed a church and chose Elder Stearns for their pastor, assisted by Daniel Marshall and Joseph Breed, who were licensed preachers... p. 47: Sandy Creek Church soon swelled from 16 to 606 members ... in 17 years Sandy Creek Church had spread her branches southward as far as Georgia, and eastward to the ocean and the Chesapeake Bay, and northward to the waters of the Potomac .... p. 291 (Biographical Sketches): Elder Shubael Stearns. Concerning his early history little or nothing is known. About the year 1740 and extensive revival of religion prevailed in the New-England states, through the instrumentality of George Whitefield and others. Owing to some peculiarities in the views and manner of the laborers in that work, they, with their followers, were called New Lights, and afterwards Separates. With this body of Christians Mr. Stearns connected himself, in the year 1745... in 1751 he left the Pedobaptists ... futility of infant baptism ... united with the Baptists on the 20th of May, 1751 ... immersed by Elder Wait Palmer, at Tolland Conn., and was ordained to the work of the ministry the same year, by Elders Palmer and Joshua Morse ... was a native of Boston ... p. 292: ... settled on Sandy Creek... traveled extensively in Virginia and North Carolina ... p. 294: ...died in the midst of his flock, at Sandy Creek, on the 20th of November, 1771. His body was interred near the meeting-house. p. 294: Daniel Marshall. Mr. Marshall was the brother-in-law of Mr. Stearns ... born in 1706 at Windsor, in Connecticut ... joined Presbyterians in his native place ... 18 months a missionary among the Mohawk Indians p. 295: ... lived for a while at Connogogic, in Pennsylvania ... moved to Winchester, in Virginia. Here he became acquainted with Baptists ... he and his wife were immersed, in the forty-eighth year of his life... moved from Virginia to North Carolina, and settled fro a while on Uwhary; he afterward moved to Abbott's Creek, in Davidson County, NC ... instrumental in planting what is now called Abbott's Creek church... ordained pastor in the fifty-second year of his age by Elders Henry Ledbetter and Shubael Stearns... moved to and settled on Beaver Creek, in South Carolina ... raised a church ... removed to Horse Creek, about 15 miles north of Augusta, Georgia ... seized for preaching in the parish of St. Paul ... on the trial he was ordered not to come again as a preacher into Georgia ... on the 1st of January, 1771, he, with his family, settled at Kioke, and the following spring formed a church. ... During Revolution ... made a (p. 296) prisoner ... commenced an supported so heavy a charge of exhortation and prayer that ... while his enemies stood counfounded, he was safely and honorably delivered from this den of lions.... He closed his eyes in death at the dawn of the 2d day of November, 1784. I hope this helps someone! Jim