Stephen Sands, Loyalist, of Rhode Island; settled in New Brunswick after the War
Stephen SANDS, the Loyalist, was my g-g-g-g grandfather. I want to document his parents, his first marriage and his children.
In a 1785 New Brunswick land petition, Stephen Sands says "being one of the disbanded troops called the Queens Rangers having drawn my lot of land....I having a large family...."
In a 1790 NB land petition, Stephen Sands is applying, with 41 other men, for an inquest against derelict lots "in the Grand Lake...and in the division or district of the land grant on the southerly side of Cumberland Bay..."
In a 1796 NB land petition with six other men, Stephen Sands says "having settled lands on the east side of Grand Lake..."
The Stephen Sands signatures on these three land petitons are alike. I refer to this Stephen as Stephen Sands Sr.
I ordered the copies of the land petitions from the Provincial Archives of New Brunswick.
http://archives.gnb.ca/APPS/GovRecshttp://archives.gnb.ca/APPS/GovRecs
I was given a copy of a muster roll by another Sands researcher, "Loyalists in the Southern Campaign, Volume II - Muster Roll of Captain Robert McCrea's Company, Queen's Rangers J. Graves Simcoe, Esq., Lieut Colonel Commandant, 24 June 1780 to 24 August 1780
NrRankNameRemarks
41PrivateSands, StephenJoined 15 Jul**
**returned from desertion"
I was told in an e-mail by a Queens Ranger researcher, "I did find a Stephen Sands in Captain McCrea's company who was part of the surrender of the regiment at Yorktown, Virginia in 1781....This was taken from a muster roll of the troops of the regiment and is on page 290 of a book entitled, "The Queens Rangers in the Revolutionary War" by C.J. Ingles published in 1956....out of print".
Stephen Sands had a son, born in Rhode Island, about 1778* so he was married by 1777. I am guessing he was born by 1757; probably a few years earlier than that.
*1850 census of Eaton Grant (now Caribou, Maine)
The Provincial Archives of New Brunswick website has 37 pension documents for Mary Sands, 2nd wife/widow of Stephen Sands Sr. (Goverments Records section, Old Soldiers information).
Document dated the 10th day of June 1839:
"I, Mary Sands of Waterborough in the County of Queens aged sixty years, do swear that in the year 1823 at Waterborough I was lawfully married to Stephen Sands who served as a soldier in the Revolutionary War in America, that he was attached to the regiment of Queens Rangers commanded by Colonel Simcoe, that he died at Waterborough in the year 1830....that I am now and have been for the last twelve months a widow...."
In a 20 June 1840 pension petition, Mary Sands says she is "aged sixty two". I have been told that Mary Wood married Stephen Sands on 27 March 1823 in Waterborough but I don't have documentation for that date. Mary would have been born about 1778 (her age varies on the pension documents). She was approximately 45 when she married Stephen Sands. I would guess he was not her first husband. And, I don't know who she married after Stephen died in 1820. That husband died about 1838.
QUESTION: Was Mary's first or third husband named Walton? I suspect she was married to a Walton because of some comments I have read in historical accounts - but it is just speculation....
One of the women listed on many of the pension documents with Mary Sands is Catherine Thorne, widow of Stephen Thorne according to a 23 May 1840 pension document of Catherine's. At The On-Line Institute for Advanced Loyalist Studies
http://www.royalprovincial.com/military/courts/cmcorn.htmhttp://www.royalprovincial.com/military/courts/cmcorn.htm
is the December 1778 "General Court Martial of William Cornell, Benjamin Sands Senr., Benjamin Sands Junr., Edwin Sands, Samuel Cornell & Hewlett Cornell". The named defendants were accused of "keeping correspondence with the Rebels."
"prisoner Benjamin Sands Senior, confessed, that he went to the water side with some people who crossed over to Connecticut about 11 o'clock...."
"Lieut. Edward Thorne Queen's County Militia being Sworn, informed the Court, that Ensign Joseph Thorne came to him at day light in the morning of the 17th Instant & informed him that his brother with two sloops were taken out of Cow Bay on the preceeding night by the Rebels, that he immediately went down to Cow Neck to see if any boats had landed, but did not find any, but perceived the tracts of several people...."
"The Prisoner Benjm. Sands Senior being put upon his defence, says, that the reason of his not giving information of their coming over, was his near connection with them, as one was his nephew & three his cousins...."
Edward Thorne, Stephen Thorne and Joseph Thorne were the sons of Captain Stephen Thorne, Loyalist, and his first wife Sybil Sands "daughter of Edward Sands and Mary Cornell....Sybil Sands was born on 13 Sep 1727 in Sands Point, Long Island, NY...." Captain Stephen Thorne's second wife was Janetje Lefferts-Rapalje.
http://thorn.pair.com/williamthorne1/d4395.htmhttp://thorn.pair.com/williamthorne1/d4395.htm
I was e-mailed, by a Sands researcher, a copy of page 549 "Refugees Long Island to Connecticut", Sanford - Sands:
"SANDS--The first of the name in America was Capt. James 1; b. in 1622; d. in 1695. He had a son, John 2; a grandson, John 3; and a g. grandson, John 4. The latter lived at Cow Neck, now Manhasset. (Bunker's "L.I. Genealogies") The children of John 4 were: Col. John 5, below; Cromwell 5; Elisabeth 5; Robert 5, d. in 1760; Comfort 5; Stephen 5; Richardson 5; and Joshua 5. (Barrett's "Old Merchant of N.Y. City")
QUESTION: Was Stephen Sands the Loyalist the son of John Sands who was the great grandson of Captain James Sands?
On www.familysearch.org I found a information about a Stephen Sands....
Birth:16 Jan 1750, Cow Neck, Queens, New York
Death:31 Jan 1787
Parents:John Sands and Elisabeth Cornell
Marriage:Mary Bronson, June 1772, New York
QUESTION:Is that death date correct?
Also on www.familysearch.org is information about a Benjamin Sands....
Birth: 24 Nov 1735; one record has the birthplace as Cow New, Queens, New York and one has the birthplace as Block Island, Rhode Island, New York.
Death:14 Oct 1824, Manhasset, Queens, New York
Parents:John Sands and Catherine Guthrie
Spouse:Mary Jackson
At the end of the court martial document is the following, "the Prisoners Benjamin Sands Senr., Samuel Cornell, Edwin Sands & Benjamin Sands Junr., are guilty of the crimes laid to their charge & do therefore sentence them to be fined....& it appearing to the court, they are dangerous persons if allowed to remain on the Island do therefore sentence them to be banished out side of the lines."
Stephen SANDS (Jr.)
On the 1850 census of Eaton Grant (now Caribou, Maine) is Stephen Sands age 72 born in Rhode Island.Stephen is listed with his wife Elizabeth Post Walton Sands and their children.Stephen and Elizabeth's daughter Mahala Jane married James Henry Dow.Mahala and James are my great-great grandparents.
There is an 1804 New Brunswick land petition for Stephen Sands. I think this is a petition of Stephen Sands Jr. becasue the signature is different (larger and fancier) than the three previous Stephen Sands signatures.
"your petitioner having voluntarily joined himself unto his majesty's service as an one commissioned officer in the regiment raising now in the province under the command of Brigadier General Hunter; having a wife 3 boys & 2 girls in family, now residing on Lot No. 8 Deble survey south side of the Grand Lake formerly drawn by Alexander Wilson who left this province and made no improvements on the said lot. Since taken up by your petitioner which he has made ample and sufficient improvements having been settled thereon many years your petitioner pray for a grant to him of the said lot to suport his family in his absence from his home on his majestys service. Applicants having applied to Thomas Whitemore Esq. Deputy surveyor for the rear of the land between the Grand Lake and Washademoc Lake, your petitioner pray for the rear of Lot No. 8 also the rear of Lot no. 7 owned by W. George Wilson who relinquish his portion of the said rear to your petitioner."
I found information about Brigadier General Sir Martin Hunter and his New Brunswick Regiment of Fencible Infantry at the following website
http://www.lib.unb.ca/collections/loyalist/http://www.lib.unb.ca/collections/loyalist/
QUESTION:Is there any way to verify if this is Stephen Jr. or Sr.?
The two other PANB land petitions that include Stephen Sands are actually Benjamin McDonald land petitions in which Stephen Sands is named as a son-in-law.I think Stephen Jr. was the son-in-law but I am not certain....
Any comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
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Re: Stephen Sands, Loyalist, of Rhode Island; settled in New Brunswick after the War
Rebecca Walch 4/27/04