An American Family History

Thomas Stanfield was born in 1747 on the border of Chester County, Pennsylvania and New Garden County, Delaware. His parents were John Stanfield and Hannah Hadley.

His family moved to North Carolina in 1753. Their farm was in Snow Camp, Alamance County. It was Orange County at that time.

On April 6, 1754 at Cane Creek Monthly Meeting in Orange County, Thomas was one of the children of John and Hannah who were received on certificate from the Newark Monthly Meeting in Delaware.

His father died in 1755 and he inherited the Meeting House tract and Thomas and his brother, Samuel, inherited land near the Rich Hills.

When his grandfather, Simon Hadley, died in 1756 he inherited 50 pounds.

Thomas returned to Pennsylvania when he was 17 for a few months.

On May 5, 1764 at Cane Creek Monthly Meeting, Thomas was granted a certificate to the New Garden Monthly Meeting in Pennsylvania.

On October 5, 1764 at the New Garden Monthly Meeting, Chester County, Pennsylvania Thomas produced a certificate from Cane Creek Monthly Meeting.

On October 5, 1765 at the New Garden Monthly Meeting, Pennsylvania Thomas requested certificate to the Cane Creek Monthly Meeting.

When he wanted to go home he was refused a certificate.

On December 7, 1765 at the New Garden Monthly Meeting, Thomas was refused a certificate because of disorderly conduct because it was

reported that he kept company with some people of a loose & irregular conduct at a public house where they had fiddling music & he joined with them in dancing at said place.

He turned to North Carolina without his certificate and on July 4, 1767 at the New Garden Monthly Meeting,

Thomas not being in disposition to make satisfaction for his conduct, he was disowned; testimony forwarded to Friends in North Carolina; he having returned thither

On June 4, 1768 at the New Garden Monthly Meeting testimony of his disownment was

read in mtg, having waited this long to hear from North Carolina whether or not he would appear

Thomas married Hannah Vernon about 1772.

Lydia Stanfield was born about 1773. She married Edward West. Edward's second wife was Elizabeth Humphreys, daughter of Richard Humphreys.

Hannah Stanfield was born about 1775.

Elizabeth Stanfield was born in 1777. She married John Littler

On February 26, 1778, Thomas Standfield bought 640 acres in what was then, Washington County, Tennessee. The land was on Roaring Fork of Lick Creek and had been occupied by the indigenous people. One side of his land was on James Robinson/Robertson's line and along the creek. The land was entered by David Hughes who transfered it to T. Standfield. It was surveyed on May 12, 1783 for Thomas Standfield by Asahel Rawlings DS.

Sarah Stanfield was born in 1779. She married Samuel Littler.

In 1780, Thomas appeared on a Montgomery (later Grayson) County, Virginia list of of Quakers who refused to take the Oath of Allegiance.

Rebecca Stanfield was born about 1781. She married John Todhunter and Samuel Dalton.

In 1783, Thomas and Samuel Stanfield moved from what was then Orange County, North Carolina to Greene County, Tennessee. Thomas was on the 1783 tax roll.

Phebe Stanfield was born about 1786.

About 1786 Thomas replaced the deed to James Neal for the 200 acre parcel of land known as "the Meeting House tract" which was lost in the revolution.

Mary Stanfield was born in 1788.

On April 4, 1789 the New Garden Monthly Meeting brought in an acknowledgment from Thomas with a letter of recommendation from Friends in Greene County.

On July 4, 1789 at the New Garden Monthly Meeting, Thomas was granted a certificate to New Garden Monthly Meeting.

Thomas Stanfield was born in 1790.

On June 16, 1790 at the New Garden Monthly Meeting the certificate for Thomas was received from New Garden Monthly Meeting, Pennsylvania and endorsed to Westfield Monthly Meeting.

On October 22, 1791 at the Westfield Monthly Meeting in Surry County, North Carolina, Thomas received his certificate from New Garden Monthly Meeting in Chester County, Pennsylvania and endorsed by New Garden Monthly Meeting in North Carolina.

In 1805 members of Thomas' family appear on the Greene County tax list.

Thomas Stanfield
John and Elizabeth (Stanfield) Litler
Jesse and Hannah (Stanfield) Johnston
Thomas and Phebe (Stanfield) Southerland

On January 18, 1806 at the Newhope Monthly Meeting in Greene County, Tennessee, Thomas was granted a certificate to Miami Monthly Meeting in Ohio.

On February 12, 1807 at the Miami Monthly Meeting in Warren County Ohio, Thomas and Hannah were received on certificate from Newhope Monthly Meeting in Tennessee.

At the time of the 1820 census, Thomas was in Jefferson Township, Logan County, Ohio.

Thomas wrote his will on May 7 1823. Hannah died on September 29, 1830. He died on November 12, 1838. They are buried in Stanfield Pioneer Cemetery.

from History of Logan County and Ohio

The first settler in this township [Rush Creek] was, Thomas Stanfield, who with his wife and ten children, nine daughters and one son (Thomas Stanfield, Jr)., immigrated from Tennessee in 1805, and settled on the farms now owned by John Q. Williams and William Hall.

Soon after, William Reams came from North Carolina, and settled near Marmon's bottom; this Reams also had ten children, nine sons, and one daughter; the latter was married to Thomas Stanfield. Jr.. May 30, 1814.

Thomas Stanfield, Sr., was a Quaker, and, like William Penn, gained the friendship of the Indians to such an extent that he was unmolested, with one exception, during the war of 1812. They were often welcomed to his cabin, received his hospitality, and manifested marked friendship for him and his family. At one time, however, they became enraged at Stanfield, and set a certain night to massacre him and his whole family. Concealing themselves in the bushes that grew around the cabin, they lay there awaiting the gloom of night to accomplish their fiendish plot.

Daniel McCoy, a settler who lived near Zanesfield, learned of their design, and determined to rescue the family. Failing to secure the aid of troops, and taking a hearty drink of "good old rye," he mounted, at dusk, his gray horse, and galloped alone; through the forest in the direction of Stanfield's. Coming within a quarter of a mile of the log cabin whose inmates were unconscious of the danger so near them, he yelled, "Here they are; come on!" as if he gave the command to 50,000 armed troops. He then rode back and forth, all the time shouting "to come on." Galloping to the cabin, he told the Stanfields of the danger awaiting them, who, together with the brave McCoy, fled to Zanesfield.

On their return, some time afterward, they found the hut had not been disturbed in their absence. When peace was concluded, the Indians told them that McCoy, by his daring conduct, saved their lives. Thomas Stanfield's cabin was the first in Rush Creek Township, and stood near the site of William Hall's house.

The bodies of this pioneer and that of his wife rest in Rush Creek Township's first graveyard. Here moss-covered stones, reared by the hand of affection, mark their resting places. In the family record is found the following, written by Thomas Stanfield, Jr.:

Thomas Stanfield, Sr., departed this life the 5th month, the 11th day, 1824, aged 76 years, 5 months and 12 days. Hannah Stanfield, his wife, departed this life the tenth month, the 28th day, 1830, age not certainly known, but something rising 80 years.