STOFFORDs in MD, DE & NC circa 1675-1825
I am researching two STAFFORD families, briefly discussed below, to determine their possible connection to each other. The early ancestors of both families settled in
the area now known as Dorchester County, Maryland and Sussex County, Delaware circa 1679-1700. The boundary separating those two counties in that period often were in
dispute -- so it is quite possible that records or information pertaining to the actual location, prior to final establishment of the Mason-Dixon lines, of a
particular family member may be misleading, e.g., he or she may actually have been living in an area claimed then by Delaware which is now part of Maryland -- or vice versa.
A. The patriarch of one of those lines was William STAFFORD, b circa 1660, who is believed to be the father of John STAFFORD I, b 1683 in Dorchester County, MD.
William was transported to Maryland in 1679 and bought land in 1681 on Fox Creek and Hungar (Honga) river in Dorchester County.
1. The "inventory" of the estate of "John STAFFORD", believed to be JOHN STAFFORD I, was approved by the executor, William STAFFORD on 25 Jul 1755. Next of kin were listed as "Jacob STAFFORD" and "John STAFFORD". Distribution of the estate was made on 2 Nov 1756 and 24 May 1758.
2. William STAFFORD, the "executor", is believed to be William STAFFORD (born after 1703), the son of John STAFFORD I. Since John STAFFORD II, the son of John STAFFORD I had died earlier (in 1750), WHO then was the "John STAFFORD" listed as the "next of kin" of JOHN I?Was he JOHN III, son of John STAFFORD II, or was he another relative, possibly a cousin?
3. Also, since John STAFFORD I had (to my knowledge) no known ancestors or descendants named "Jacob", who then was "Jacob STAFFORD", his other listed "next of kin"? Was he a relative of John STAFFORD I, possibly a brother or cousin? Could "Jacob STAFFORD" be the same Jacob STAFFORD who married Rosanna FERGUSON about 1745 in Sussex Co., DE about the same time that JOHN STAFFORD I married his second wife, ELIZABETH? Is Jacob the same "JACOB STAFFORD who, in 1756, bought 212 Acres from in Sussex County, DE(possibly in Broadcreek Hundreds)".
B. The patriarch of the other line was Henry STAFFORD I, b circa 1700, who was the father of Henry STAFFORD II, b abt 1725 - d. abt June 2, 1756.
Henry STAFFORD II, and his wife, Elizabeth, had six sons: HenryIII, b. abt 1750; Levi,b. abt 1752; Nathan,b. abt 1754; Zadoc,b abt 1758; Zorobabel, b abt 1756 and
Robertson, b 1760.
C. The evidence suggests that these two families may have been related to each other. For example, the "given name Henry" does not appear in William's line of descendants that I have found to date; however, a "Henry STAFFORD" was listed as a "surety" in the MD probate records (Dorchester County, Oct. 22, 1753) for John STAFFORD II, b.circa 1701
(son of John STAFFORD I, above). John STAFFORD II died prior to Feb. 20, 1750. This raises the question: Was "Henry STAFFORD" a close or distant relative -- or, only a friend of John STAFFORD II (grandson of William STAFFORD, above)?
Any help or suggestions anyone may offer re the above will surely be appreciated. For your info I also have been working for a number of years on several STAFFORD lines that settled circa 1775 - 1825 in Guilford, Stokes and Forsyth County, North Carolina. I believe these lines
may possibly descend from the Dorchester-Sussex lines discussed above.
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Re: STOFFORDs in MD, DE & NC circa 1675-1825
thomas stafford 7/21/02