An American Family History

Hannah Oxley Stephens was born on November 9, 1733 in Hopewell, Mercer (formerly Hunterdon) County, New Jersey. Her parents were Henry Oxley and Mary Everett.

Hannah's daughter, Elizabeth Oxley Homan was born about 1760. She married John Homan. Elizabeth's father is uncertain. Her children were remembered in James Stephens' will. When her aunt, Rachel died in 1779, she remembered Elizabeth "Howman" in her will.

On April 10, 1761 she was dismissed from the Hopewell Baptist Church to the Ketoctin church in Loudoun County, Virginia.

On May 11 1763, a Loudoun County grand jury "returned a presentment" against Hannah Oxley for having a "base born child within the past six months." Court documents state he was born on March 17, 1763 and was Hannah Stephens' son. This son was Jenkin Oxley (1763, married Hannah Keys).

On January 26, 1771 Hannah's father gave her 50 acres where her brother Henry lived on the side of Catoctin Mountain adjacent to her brothers Everitt and John.

Hannah married James Stephens (Stevens). James was born March 1, 1725. His parents were Giles Stephens and Alice Gudgeon. The Stephens family were close neighbors of the Oxleys.

James' son, Benjamin Stephens was born about 1756. According to Barnes in Baltimore County Families, James' first wife was Elizabeth Cadle.

Elizabeth and James' children included:
Elizabeth Stephens Ward,
and Benjamin Stephens.

James and Hannah's children were probably:
George Stephens (1767),
William Stephens (1771),
Hezekiah Stephens (1773),
Zachariah Stephens (1775),
Alice Stephens Brooks (1776, married Aaron Brooks),
Henry Stephens (1777),
James Stephens, Jr. (1777),
Ann Stephens Fouch (1779), and
Mary Stephens (1783).

They were in Loudoun County during the American Revolution. James Stephens appeared in the 1769, 1771, 1772 and 1782 Rental Rolls for Loudoun County, Virginia.

On November 11, 1771, eight year old Jenkin Oxley was bound out to Clare Oxley to be brought up as a farmer.

In 1774 James signed a petition to request a road from Mahlon Janney's Mill through their settlement.

Loudoun County grand jury records show that on April 11, 1774 six year old Mary Oxley was bound out to Jane Cummings.

In 1777 according to her father's will, she inherited a large pewter basin.

When Hannah's sister, Rachel wrote her will in 1779 she left her son Joel to Hannah and James. They witnessed the will as did Alice Stephens. Hannah and James's daughter Alice would only have been 3 years old if her date of birth above is correct.

James Stephens died in 1798 or 99. He left a farm and household items totaling 139.11.6£. The estate appraisers were John Rose, James Hixon, and John Oxley. The will was received in court on January 14, 1799. (Loudoun County, Virginia Will Book Abstracts by Patricia B. Duncan)

Hannah inherited the 50 acres that her father had given her and a life interest in his personal property. While Hannah was a married woman she could not own property.

On December 7, 1779, John Griffith,, Jr. married Hannah Homan, called Hannah Stephens, Spinster. She was not Hannah Oxley Stephens as some reseachers have hypothesized. She was the daughter of Elizabeth Homan and was mentioned in James' will.

Baptist churches were found in early colonial settlements and grew out of the English Separatist movement and the doctrine of John Smyth who rejected infant baptism.

An indenture is a legal contract for labor or land. Two copies on the same sheet were separated with a jagged edge so that the two parts could be refitted to confirm authenticity. An indentured servant worked without wages for a specified time to pay a debt and was bound to the employer. In the 17th century, nearly two-thirds of settlers came as indentured servants to pay for their passage.

Hunterdon County was originally part of Burlington County, West Jersey. It was set off from Burlington County on March 11, 1714. It included Amwell, Hopewell, and Maidenhead Townships.

Pewter is an alloy composed mainly of tin, but can include lead. It was used for dishes and utensils. Some colonists suffered lead poisoning from using it. It dents easily and lasted about ten years. It was expensive and wooden dishes were used most often.

Children of Henry Oxley and Mary Everett Everit Oxley Mary Oxley Howell Elizabeth Oxley Hannah Oxley Stephens Henry Oxley Rachel Oxley Clare Oxley John Oxley