This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: aswift Surnames: STEVENS STEPHENS EDMONSON McLAREN Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/surnames.stevens/4126/mb.ashx Message Board Post: >From what I can tell, there were two (or more) different STEVENS families in South Carolina in the early to late 1700s. One family of those families were the descendants of John Stevens and Abigail Lord. John Stevens came from Newbury, Essex Co. Massachusetts, to Dorchester, Berkeley County, SC and received a land grant in 1696 for the benefit of settlers of the church. This church's congregation, including some of the children of John & Abigail Lord Stevens, later removed to establish the church at Midway, Liberty County, Georgia. This John Stevens died about 1720 and left a will which was recorded in 1720. His children were John, Joseph, Elizabeth and Samuel. Another STEVENS line I have researched descends from Robert Stevens who married Jennet Edmonson. He died in 1733 in Colleton County, South Carolina and also leaves a will recorded and names his children Robert Jr, John, Thomas, Jacob, William, Margaret and David. His wife, Jennet, died in between 1747 and 1752 when her will was recorded in Colleton County. She named sons: Thomas, David, Robert, and daughter Margaret McClaren (McLaren); and grandchildren: John, William, Benjamin, Jacob, Robert & Ruth Stevens; and cousins John and Mary Edmonson. I found on the internet someone claiming that Robert Stevens was a son of John Stevens, of Buckinghamshire, England and Ann Wade. The information reported is that John Stevens died in Essex Co. Virginia in 1724. No source is given for this information so I wonder if anyone knows where this information came from. It is reported that John and Ann Wade Stevens had 13 children: Robert, Charles, Stephen, William, Jane, Barnaby, Margaret, Mary, Thomas, Elinor, Jacob, Richard & James. In trying to connect my Stephens to the first mentioned Dorchester group, I conducted a lot of research if anyone is interested. Unfortunately, I don't find that there is any connection between them and the latter mentioned Robert Stevens from which I descend, although I suppose there could be. I've done a good bit of research on this line as well and would be glad to share information with other researchers in hopes of connecting other bits of information. If there are any other South Carolina STEVENS/STEPHENS researchers out there, please let me know. Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.