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Whitmill Stephens was born about 1809, probably in Knox Co., Kentucky where his parents are known to have been living in 1810. Because of Lincoln County's size, Knox County had been formed from it on Dec. 19, 1799. Knox County was much larger then and was eventually reduced in size four times to form part or all of four Kentucky counties (Whitley Co. 1818, Harlan Co. 1819, Laurel Co. 1825 & Bell Co. 1867). Whitmill is believed to have lived in that part of old Knox County (KY) that eventually became Whitley County in 1818.
The 1860 census shows Whitmill as being born in South Carolina. However, his parents are thought to have married in Lincoln Co., KY about 1799. Kentucky had been formed in 1792. Also, the 1880 and 1900 US censuses for Whitmill's children show their father as having been born in Kentucky. The 1860 census is apparently incorrect.
Whitmill was the son of Solomon Stephens I (1781-bet 1870/80) and Sarah "Sary" Meadors (1784-bet 1870/80). His parents died in the Marsh Creek area of lower Whitley Co. (now part of McCreary Co.), KY. They are thought by some to be have been buried in the Jellico Creek Church Cemetery in Whitley County but no longer have burial markers.
Whitmill's father, Solomon, is thought to have been born in Surry Co., North Carolina. He was the son of Moses Stephens II (1762-1853) and Margaret Miller Williams (1762-1807), the second of their eleven known children. Moses, later known as Moses Stephens Sr. when he moved to Missouri, served his country as a soldier in the Revolutionary War.
Whitmill's mother, Sarah, was born in South Carolina. Maybe thqat is where the confusion comes from. She was the daughter of Thomas Meadors (1737-1817) and Kiziah Moberly (1747-1830). Thomas was born in Essex Co., Virginia. Kiziah was born in Lunenburg, Virginia. They migrated to Kentucky in the late 1700s or early 1800s. They are known to have died in Whitley Co., KY, however, their grave sites are currently unknown.
About 1826/27, Whitmill married Elizabeth Waters (abt 1807-bet 1871/80), either in Knox Co., KY or Campbell Co., TN. William was about 18, Elizabeth about 20. Nothing is known about her unknown parents or about her early life. According to the 1860 and 1870 US Censuses, the only two censuses in which she appears, Elizabeth was born in either Tennessee (probably Campbell Co.) or Kentucky (probably Knox Co.). She may have been born near the KY/TN state line which was uncertain/disputed in those days (Walker Line).
It is thought that Elizabeth was part native American (1/4 Cherokee ?) and that as a small child she was taken in and raised by an unknown Waters family. This may, at least partially, account for the lack of any information about her parents or her childhood. It is possible that her father was actually a son of the family that raised her.
My grandfather, Thomas Letcher "Tom" King (1881-1973), a grandson of Elizabeth, used to say that his mother (Mary Ann "Polly" Stephens, Elizabeth's daughter), was "part Indian". If Elizabeth was 1/2 Native American then Tom's mother would have been 1/4 Native American.
Tom never knew his maternal grandmother, Elizabeth, as she died about ten years before he was even born. However, he was almost 30 when his mother, Polly Stephens (Elizabeth's daughter) died in 1910. He thought highly of his mother and lived with/near her for nearly 30 years (1881-1910) so he obviously would have had plenty of opportunities to hear his mother talk about her mother. My grandfather was not a man to tell untruths, so he either knew the truth or at least, thought he knew the truth about his mother's (1/4) Native American and grandmother's (1/2) Native American ancestry. However, there is currently no documentation to support his belief.
After marrying in 1827, Whitmill and Elizabeth spent their early married life in Whitley Co., KY. It had been formed in 1818 from Knox County. For reasons currently unknown, Whitmill moved his family to Mississippi in the mid-1840s. Their fourth known child, Louvina (1843-aft 1880) was the last of their children to be born in Kentucky. Their sixth known child, Catherine Stephens (abt 1849-bet 1860/70) was born in Tennessee. Their 5th child, Mary Ann "Polly" Stephens (my pat. G-GM), was born Jan. 27, 1845, in Mississippi.
Whitmill returned to Whitley Co., KY around 1846-48. He apparently still owned his farm in Whitley County and lived there until purchasing a farm located near the KY/TN state line in the area of present day Isham, Scott Co., TN. At that time his new farm was still a part of Campbell County as Scott County (formed from parts of Campbell, Anderson, Fentress and Morgan counties), was not created until 1849. His oldest son, Martin, who married in 1849, probably lived on the Whitley Co. farm until about 1851.
On Mar. 14, 1851, Whitmill and Elizabeth sold their 200+ acre Whitley Co., KY farm to my 3G-GF, Thomas Murray "Tom" King (1790-1880), for $60.00, actually quite a sum of money in those days. Tom is said to have owned a couple thousand acres at one time. He was not a rich man ("land poor") and died (1880) prior to the railroad coming to the area which resulted in the timber and coal booms. Much of Tom's land was hilly and not very suitable for farming.
About 18 years later (1869), Thomas' grandson, Jackson H. "Jack" King (1842-1919), would marry Whitmill's daughter, Polly. Primarily due to Jack's meanness, their marriage apparently was not a happy one. Jack and Polly (Stephens) King were my paternal great-grandparents. They are buried in the Stephens Family Cemetery near Isham, TN on Whitmill's old 200 acre farm, the farm that Polly was raised on.
Whitmill and Elizabeth were married about 39 years and had six known children. Their known children were Martin Stone Stephens (1828-1895), Rebecca Stephens (1835-1901), Alvin Stephens (1840-1883), Louvina Stephens (1843-1881), Mary Ann "Polly" Stephens (1845-1910) and Catherine Stephens (1849-mid 1860s?)). Due to the gaps in the birth years of their children there may have been several other unknown children who died in/near birth or who did not survive childhood.
Whitmill died about 1866, around the age of 56, and was buried on his farm, probably with just a field stone for a marker. Most likely, he was the first adult burial in what became the family's burial ground and is now known as the Stephens Cemetery in Isham, Scott Co., TN.
Years later, Andrew Marion "Andy" Stephens (1862-1951), a grandson of Whitmill and Elizabeth, who lived on the original property and just walking distance from the Stephens Cemetery, told my cousin Rosie (Stephens) Sinkhorn (1937-2018) that his mother (Rebecca Stephens 1835-1901), and both his grandparents (Whitmill & Elizabeth Stephens) were buried there. Rosie also remembered her father, Edward Jackson Stephens (1910-1996), who was born and raised in the area, taking her to the Stephens Cemetery and telling her that his parents (Jackson & Dora Stephens), grandparents (Alvin & Louisa Stephens) and great-grandparents (Whitmill & Elizabeth Stephens) were all buried there.
In 1867, Sarah Louvina Howard (1828-1885), the wife of Whitmill's oldest son, Martin Stone Stephens (1828-1995), died. She is thought to be buried near her father-in-law, Whitmill, and may have been the second adult to be buried in the present day Stephens Cemetery. Sarah was just 37 when she died and her 39 year old husband, Martin, was left with at least four children (ages 2-13) to raise.
Not long after the death of his wife, Martin and his four children, moved to Independence Co., Arkansas, probably to acquire some of the good farm land that was readily available there at that time. His widowed mother, Elizabeth, accompanied them. She obviously went with her widowed son to help take care of the children during the trip and once there, to be their care giver until Martin could find a suitable second wife.
It was in Independence Co., Arkansas that Whitmill's son, Martin, met Sarah Jane Knight (1844-1923), born in Meigs Co., TN. When they married on Dec. 24, 1868, Martin was 40, Sarah 24. Since she did not have any children at the time it was probably her first marriage. They would be married for 26 years and have five known children.
Whitmill's widowed wife, Elizabeth (Waters) Stephens, appears in the 1870 US Census living alone but next to her son, Martin, and his new wife in Greenbrier, Independence Co., AK. That census misspells both of their surnames as "Stevens".
It is thought that Martin accompanied his 63 (?) year old mother, Elizabeth, back to her home in Scott Co., Tennessee not long after the 1870 census was taken. Obviously, she moved back so that she could be near her other children/grandchildren and to be buried near her husband, Whitmill, when her time came. Also, it would have given Martin one last opportunity to see his relatives and friends.
Elizabeth's exact death date is currently unknown but since she does not appear in the 1880 census it is thought that she died in the 1870's. She was buried next to her husband, Whitmill, on their family farm. Like her husband, she also probably had only a field stone for a marker. While their markers may have been disposed of years later, it is also possible that their grave markers are two of the several small stones that are no longer readable.
At least three children of Elizabeth and Whitmill (Alvin, Rebecca and Polly) are buried in the Stephens Family Cemetery. Grandchildren and great grandchildren of Whitmill and Polly are also buried there. It is definitely a family burial ground.
I visited with my cousin, Charles Lewis "Pete" Stephens (1924-2009), back in 1983. Pete was a very nice man who was both a local rural mail carrier and a preacher. It is said that he often checked on the elderly when he was making his mail rounds. Pete enjoyed genealogy and was a GG-grandson of Whitmill Stephens. He and his wife, Ethel Alene Wilson (1926-2000), who truly "loved" genealogy, lived next to the Stephens Family Cemetery, on part of the old Whitmill Stephens farm. He had lived close to the cemetery most of his life.
Pete was very knowledgeable about all the burials in the Stephens Cemetery. He said that several years (decades?) ago a much needed cemetery clean-up had taken place. Unfortunately, a worker involved in the clean-up process removed a number of field stones not knowing that they were actually grave markers. Consequently, some of the earliest grave sites in this cemetery, including my maternal GG-GPs (Whitmill & Elizabeth Stephens) and my G-GF, Jackson "Jack" King, are no longed marked. Time has also rendered some of the headstones and remaining field stones in this cemetery unreadable. It is so unfortunate, that some of the earlier burial markers are simply no longer present.
Pete showed me the burial site of my G-GM, Polly (Stephens) King, who died in 1910. She still had a small field stone marker that is still readable, simply carved with the initials, "P.K." for Polly King. Pete said that my G-GF, Jackson "Jack" King, who died in 1919, is buried next to her, but that his field stone marker, along with Whitmill's and Elizabeth's, was some of the several stones that were inadvertently removed. Pete said that my G-GF's marker is said to have had "Jac" carved on it.
Pete Stephens knew the grave site of every person buried in the Stephens Family Cemetery, including Whitmill Stephens and Elizabeth (Waters) Stephens. Unfortunately, he did not record any of that information. When he died in 2009 and was buried in the Stephens Cemetery next to his wife, Erna Alice "Ernie" (Walker) Stephens (1901-1994), the identity of the individuals buried in the unmarked graves and those with the unreadable field stone/headstone markers was lost, probably forever. Regrettably, I too, failed to write down this info during my one and only visit with this kind & knowledgeable gentleman.
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The information contained in this memorial for Whitmill Stephens, his wife, family members , ancestors and descendants, is thought to be correct. This memorial is revised/corrected, however, as new information becomes available. It has been revised numerous times since originally created in 2013.
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Whitmill Stephens was born about 1809, probably in Knox Co., Kentucky where his parents are known to have been living in 1810. Because of Lincoln County's size, Knox County had been formed from it on Dec. 19, 1799. Knox County was much larger then and was eventually reduced in size four times to form part or all of four Kentucky counties (Whitley Co. 1818, Harlan Co. 1819, Laurel Co. 1825 & Bell Co. 1867). Whitmill is believed to have lived in that part of old Knox County (KY) that eventually became Whitley County in 1818.
The 1860 census shows Whitmill as being born in South Carolina. However, his parents are thought to have married in Lincoln Co., KY about 1799. Kentucky had been formed in 1792. Also, the 1880 and 1900 US censuses for Whitmill's children show their father as having been born in Kentucky. The 1860 census is apparently incorrect.
Whitmill was the son of Solomon Stephens I (1781-bet 1870/80) and Sarah "Sary" Meadors (1784-bet 1870/80). His parents died in the Marsh Creek area of lower Whitley Co. (now part of McCreary Co.), KY. They are thought by some to be have been buried in the Jellico Creek Church Cemetery in Whitley County but no longer have burial markers.
Whitmill's father, Solomon, is thought to have been born in Surry Co., North Carolina. He was the son of Moses Stephens II (1762-1853) and Margaret Miller Williams (1762-1807), the second of their eleven known children. Moses, later known as Moses Stephens Sr. when he moved to Missouri, served his country as a soldier in the Revolutionary War.
Whitmill's mother, Sarah, was born in South Carolina. Maybe thqat is where the confusion comes from. She was the daughter of Thomas Meadors (1737-1817) and Kiziah Moberly (1747-1830). Thomas was born in Essex Co., Virginia. Kiziah was born in Lunenburg, Virginia. They migrated to Kentucky in the late 1700s or early 1800s. They are known to have died in Whitley Co., KY, however, their grave sites are currently unknown.
About 1826/27, Whitmill married Elizabeth Waters (abt 1807-bet 1871/80), either in Knox Co., KY or Campbell Co., TN. William was about 18, Elizabeth about 20. Nothing is known about her unknown parents or about her early life. According to the 1860 and 1870 US Censuses, the only two censuses in which she appears, Elizabeth was born in either Tennessee (probably Campbell Co.) or Kentucky (probably Knox Co.). She may have been born near the KY/TN state line which was uncertain/disputed in those days (Walker Line).
It is thought that Elizabeth was part native American (1/4 Cherokee ?) and that as a small child she was taken in and raised by an unknown Waters family. This may, at least partially, account for the lack of any information about her parents or her childhood. It is possible that her father was actually a son of the family that raised her.
My grandfather, Thomas Letcher "Tom" King (1881-1973), a grandson of Elizabeth, used to say that his mother (Mary Ann "Polly" Stephens, Elizabeth's daughter), was "part Indian". If Elizabeth was 1/2 Native American then Tom's mother would have been 1/4 Native American.
Tom never knew his maternal grandmother, Elizabeth, as she died about ten years before he was even born. However, he was almost 30 when his mother, Polly Stephens (Elizabeth's daughter) died in 1910. He thought highly of his mother and lived with/near her for nearly 30 years (1881-1910) so he obviously would have had plenty of opportunities to hear his mother talk about her mother. My grandfather was not a man to tell untruths, so he either knew the truth or at least, thought he knew the truth about his mother's (1/4) Native American and grandmother's (1/2) Native American ancestry. However, there is currently no documentation to support his belief.
After marrying in 1827, Whitmill and Elizabeth spent their early married life in Whitley Co., KY. It had been formed in 1818 from Knox County. For reasons currently unknown, Whitmill moved his family to Mississippi in the mid-1840s. Their fourth known child, Louvina (1843-aft 1880) was the last of their children to be born in Kentucky. Their sixth known child, Catherine Stephens (abt 1849-bet 1860/70) was born in Tennessee. Their 5th child, Mary Ann "Polly" Stephens (my pat. G-GM), was born Jan. 27, 1845, in Mississippi.
Whitmill returned to Whitley Co., KY around 1846-48. He apparently still owned his farm in Whitley County and lived there until purchasing a farm located near the KY/TN state line in the area of present day Isham, Scott Co., TN. At that time his new farm was still a part of Campbell County as Scott County (formed from parts of Campbell, Anderson, Fentress and Morgan counties), was not created until 1849. His oldest son, Martin, who married in 1849, probably lived on the Whitley Co. farm until about 1851.
On Mar. 14, 1851, Whitmill and Elizabeth sold their 200+ acre Whitley Co., KY farm to my 3G-GF, Thomas Murray "Tom" King (1790-1880), for $60.00, actually quite a sum of money in those days. Tom is said to have owned a couple thousand acres at one time. He was not a rich man ("land poor") and died (1880) prior to the railroad coming to the area which resulted in the timber and coal booms. Much of Tom's land was hilly and not very suitable for farming.
About 18 years later (1869), Thomas' grandson, Jackson H. "Jack" King (1842-1919), would marry Whitmill's daughter, Polly. Primarily due to Jack's meanness, their marriage apparently was not a happy one. Jack and Polly (Stephens) King were my paternal great-grandparents. They are buried in the Stephens Family Cemetery near Isham, TN on Whitmill's old 200 acre farm, the farm that Polly was raised on.
Whitmill and Elizabeth were married about 39 years and had six known children. Their known children were Martin Stone Stephens (1828-1895), Rebecca Stephens (1835-1901), Alvin Stephens (1840-1883), Louvina Stephens (1843-1881), Mary Ann "Polly" Stephens (1845-1910) and Catherine Stephens (1849-mid 1860s?)). Due to the gaps in the birth years of their children there may have been several other unknown children who died in/near birth or who did not survive childhood.
Whitmill died about 1866, around the age of 56, and was buried on his farm, probably with just a field stone for a marker. Most likely, he was the first adult burial in what became the family's burial ground and is now known as the Stephens Cemetery in Isham, Scott Co., TN.
Years later, Andrew Marion "Andy" Stephens (1862-1951), a grandson of Whitmill and Elizabeth, who lived on the original property and just walking distance from the Stephens Cemetery, told my cousin Rosie (Stephens) Sinkhorn (1937-2018) that his mother (Rebecca Stephens 1835-1901), and both his grandparents (Whitmill & Elizabeth Stephens) were buried there. Rosie also remembered her father, Edward Jackson Stephens (1910-1996), who was born and raised in the area, taking her to the Stephens Cemetery and telling her that his parents (Jackson & Dora Stephens), grandparents (Alvin & Louisa Stephens) and great-grandparents (Whitmill & Elizabeth Stephens) were all buried there.
In 1867, Sarah Louvina Howard (1828-1885), the wife of Whitmill's oldest son, Martin Stone Stephens (1828-1995), died. She is thought to be buried near her father-in-law, Whitmill, and may have been the second adult to be buried in the present day Stephens Cemetery. Sarah was just 37 when she died and her 39 year old husband, Martin, was left with at least four children (ages 2-13) to raise.
Not long after the death of his wife, Martin and his four children, moved to Independence Co., Arkansas, probably to acquire some of the good farm land that was readily available there at that time. His widowed mother, Elizabeth, accompanied them. She obviously went with her widowed son to help take care of the children during the trip and once there, to be their care giver until Martin could find a suitable second wife.
It was in Independence Co., Arkansas that Whitmill's son, Martin, met Sarah Jane Knight (1844-1923), born in Meigs Co., TN. When they married on Dec. 24, 1868, Martin was 40, Sarah 24. Since she did not have any children at the time it was probably her first marriage. They would be married for 26 years and have five known children.
Whitmill's widowed wife, Elizabeth (Waters) Stephens, appears in the 1870 US Census living alone but next to her son, Martin, and his new wife in Greenbrier, Independence Co., AK. That census misspells both of their surnames as "Stevens".
It is thought that Martin accompanied his 63 (?) year old mother, Elizabeth, back to her home in Scott Co., Tennessee not long after the 1870 census was taken. Obviously, she moved back so that she could be near her other children/grandchildren and to be buried near her husband, Whitmill, when her time came. Also, it would have given Martin one last opportunity to see his relatives and friends.
Elizabeth's exact death date is currently unknown but since she does not appear in the 1880 census it is thought that she died in the 1870's. She was buried next to her husband, Whitmill, on their family farm. Like her husband, she also probably had only a field stone for a marker. While their markers may have been disposed of years later, it is also possible that their grave markers are two of the several small stones that are no longer readable.
At least three children of Elizabeth and Whitmill (Alvin, Rebecca and Polly) are buried in the Stephens Family Cemetery. Grandchildren and great grandchildren of Whitmill and Polly are also buried there. It is definitely a family burial ground.
I visited with my cousin, Charles Lewis "Pete" Stephens (1924-2009), back in 1983. Pete was a very nice man who was both a local rural mail carrier and a preacher. It is said that he often checked on the elderly when he was making his mail rounds. Pete enjoyed genealogy and was a GG-grandson of Whitmill Stephens. He and his wife, Ethel Alene Wilson (1926-2000), who truly "loved" genealogy, lived next to the Stephens Family Cemetery, on part of the old Whitmill Stephens farm. He had lived close to the cemetery most of his life.
Pete was very knowledgeable about all the burials in the Stephens Cemetery. He said that several years (decades?) ago a much needed cemetery clean-up had taken place. Unfortunately, a worker involved in the clean-up process removed a number of field stones not knowing that they were actually grave markers. Consequently, some of the earliest grave sites in this cemetery, including my maternal GG-GPs (Whitmill & Elizabeth Stephens) and my G-GF, Jackson "Jack" King, are no longed marked. Time has also rendered some of the headstones and remaining field stones in this cemetery unreadable. It is so unfortunate, that some of the earlier burial markers are simply no longer present.
Pete showed me the burial site of my G-GM, Polly (Stephens) King, who died in 1910. She still had a small field stone marker that is still readable, simply carved with the initials, "P.K." for Polly King. Pete said that my G-GF, Jackson "Jack" King, who died in 1919, is buried next to her, but that his field stone marker, along with Whitmill's and Elizabeth's, was some of the several stones that were inadvertently removed. Pete said that my G-GF's marker is said to have had "Jac" carved on it.
Pete Stephens knew the grave site of every person buried in the Stephens Family Cemetery, including Whitmill Stephens and Elizabeth (Waters) Stephens. Unfortunately, he did not record any of that information. When he died in 2009 and was buried in the Stephens Cemetery next to his wife, Erna Alice "Ernie" (Walker) Stephens (1901-1994), the identity of the individuals buried in the unmarked graves and those with the unreadable field stone/headstone markers was lost, probably forever. Regrettably, I too, failed to write down this info during my one and only visit with this kind & knowledgeable gentleman.
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The information contained in this memorial for Whitmill Stephens, his wife, family members , ancestors and descendants, is thought to be correct. This memorial is revised/corrected, however, as new information becomes available. It has been revised numerous times since originally created in 2013.
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Whitmill Stephens was born about 1809, probably in Knox Co., Kentucky where his parents are known to have been living in 1810. Because of Lincoln County's size, Knox County had been formed from it on Dec. 19, 1799. Knox County was much larger then and was eventually reduced in size four times to form part or all of four Kentucky counties (Whitley Co. 1818, Harlan Co. 1819, Laurel Co. 1825 & Bell Co. 1867). Whitmill is believed to have lived in that part of old Knox County (KY) that eventually became Whitley County in 1818.
The 1860 census shows Whitmill as being born in South Carolina. However, his parents are thought to have married in Lincoln Co., KY about 1799. Kentucky had been formed in 1792. Also, the 1880 and 1900 US censuses for Whitmill's children show their father as having been born in Kentucky. The 1860 census is apparently incorrect.
Whitmill was the son of Solomon Stephens I (1781-bet 1870/80) and Sarah "Sary" Meadors (1784-bet 1870/80). His parents died in the Marsh Creek area of lower Whitley Co. (now part of McCreary Co.), KY. They are thought by some to be have been buried in the Jellico Creek Church Cemetery in Whitley County but no longer have burial markers.
Whitmill's father, Solomon, is thought to have been born in Surry Co., North Carolina. He was the son of Moses Stephens II (1762-1853) and Margaret Miller Williams (1762-1807), the second of their eleven known children. Moses, later known as Moses Stephens Sr. when he moved to Missouri, served his country as a soldier in the Revolutionary War.
Whitmill's mother, Sarah, was born in South Carolina. Maybe thqat is where the confusion comes from. She was the daughter of Thomas Meadors (1737-1817) and Kiziah Moberly (1747-1830). Thomas was born in Essex Co., Virginia. Kiziah was born in Lunenburg, Virginia. They migrated to Kentucky in the late 1700s or early 1800s. They are known to have died in Whitley Co., KY, however, their grave sites are currently unknown.
About 1826/27, Whitmill married Elizabeth Waters (abt 1807-bet 1871/80), either in Knox Co., KY or Campbell Co., TN. William was about 18, Elizabeth about 20. Nothing is known about her unknown parents or about her early life. According to the 1860 and 1870 US Censuses, the only two censuses in which she appears, Elizabeth was born in either Tennessee (probably Campbell Co.) or Kentucky (probably Knox Co.). She may have been born near the KY/TN state line which was uncertain/disputed in those days (Walker Line).
It is thought that Elizabeth was part native American (1/4 Cherokee ?) and that as a small child she was taken in and raised by an unknown Waters family. This may, at least partially, account for the lack of any information about her parents or her childhood. It is possible that her father was actually a son of the family that raised her.
My grandfather, Thomas Letcher "Tom" King (1881-1973), a grandson of Elizabeth, used to say that his mother (Mary Ann "Polly" Stephens, Elizabeth's daughter), was "part Indian". If Elizabeth was 1/2 Native American then Tom's mother would have been 1/4 Native American.
Tom never knew his maternal grandmother, Elizabeth, as she died about ten years before he was even born. However, he was almost 30 when his mother, Polly Stephens (Elizabeth's daughter) died in 1910. He thought highly of his mother and lived with/near her for nearly 30 years (1881-1910) so he obviously would have had plenty of opportunities to hear his mother talk about her mother. My grandfather was not a man to tell untruths, so he either knew the truth or at least, thought he knew the truth about his mother's (1/4) Native American and grandmother's (1/2) Native American ancestry. However, there is currently no documentation to support his belief.
After marrying in 1827, Whitmill and Elizabeth spent their early married life in Whitley Co., KY. It had been formed in 1818 from Knox County. For reasons currently unknown, Whitmill moved his family to Mississippi in the mid-1840s. Their fourth known child, Louvina (1843-aft 1880) was the last of their children to be born in Kentucky. Their sixth known child, Catherine Stephens (abt 1849-bet 1860/70) was born in Tennessee. Their 5th child, Mary Ann "Polly" Stephens (my pat. G-GM), was born Jan. 27, 1845, in Mississippi.
Whitmill returned to Whitley Co., KY around 1846-48. He apparently still owned his farm in Whitley County and lived there until purchasing a farm located near the KY/TN state line in the area of present day Isham, Scott Co., TN. At that time his new farm was still a part of Campbell County as Scott County (formed from parts of Campbell, Anderson, Fentress and Morgan counties), was not created until 1849. His oldest son, Martin, who married in 1849, probably lived on the Whitley Co. farm until about 1851.
On Mar. 14, 1851, Whitmill and Elizabeth sold their 200+ acre Whitley Co., KY farm to my 3G-GF, Thomas Murray "Tom" King (1790-1880), for $60.00, actually quite a sum of money in those days. Tom is said to have owned a couple thousand acres at one time. He was not a rich man ("land poor") and died (1880) prior to the railroad coming to the area which resulted in the timber and coal booms. Much of Tom's land was hilly and not very suitable for farming.
About 18 years later (1869), Thomas' grandson, Jackson H. "Jack" King (1842-1919), would marry Whitmill's daughter, Polly. Primarily due to Jack's meanness, their marriage apparently was not a happy one. Jack and Polly (Stephens) King were my paternal great-grandparents. They are buried in the Stephens Family Cemetery near Isham, TN on Whitmill's old 200 acre farm, the farm that Polly was raised on.
Whitmill and Elizabeth were married about 39 years and had six known children. Their known children were Martin Stone Stephens (1828-1895), Rebecca Stephens (1835-1901), Alvin Stephens (1840-1883), Louvina Stephens (1843-1881), Mary Ann "Polly" Stephens (1845-1910) and Catherine Stephens (1849-mid 1860s?)). Due to the gaps in the birth years of their children there may have been several other unknown children who died in/near birth or who did not survive childhood.
Whitmill died about 1866, around the age of 56, and was buried on his farm, probably with just a field stone for a marker. Most likely, he was the first adult burial in what became the family's burial ground and is now known as the Stephens Cemetery in Isham, Scott Co., TN.
Years later, Andrew Marion "Andy" Stephens (1862-1951), a grandson of Whitmill and Elizabeth, who lived on the original property and just walking distance from the Stephens Cemetery, told my cousin Rosie (Stephens) Sinkhorn (1937-2018) that his mother (Rebecca Stephens 1835-1901), and both his grandparents (Whitmill & Elizabeth Stephens) were buried there. Rosie also remembered her father, Edward Jackson Stephens (1910-1996), who was born and raised in the area, taking her to the Stephens Cemetery and telling her that his parents (Jackson & Dora Stephens), grandparents (Alvin & Louisa Stephens) and great-grandparents (Whitmill & Elizabeth Stephens) were all buried there.
In 1867, Sarah Louvina Howard (1828-1885), the wife of Whitmill's oldest son, Martin Stone Stephens (1828-1995), died. She is thought to be buried near her father-in-law, Whitmill, and may have been the second adult to be buried in the present day Stephens Cemetery. Sarah was just 37 when she died and her 39 year old husband, Martin, was left with at least four children (ages 2-13) to raise.
Not long after the death of his wife, Martin and his four children, moved to Independence Co., Arkansas, probably to acquire some of the good farm land that was readily available there at that time. His widowed mother, Elizabeth, accompanied them. She obviously went with her widowed son to help take care of the children during the trip and once there, to be their care giver until Martin could find a suitable second wife.
It was in Independence Co., Arkansas that Whitmill's son, Martin, met Sarah Jane Knight (1844-1923), born in Meigs Co., TN. When they married on Dec. 24, 1868, Martin was 40, Sarah 24. Since she did not have any children at the time it was probably her first marriage. They would be married for 26 years and have five known children.
Whitmill's widowed wife, Elizabeth (Waters) Stephens, appears in the 1870 US Census living alone but next to her son, Martin, and his new wife in Greenbrier, Independence Co., AK. That census misspells both of their surnames as "Stevens".
It is thought that Martin accompanied his 63 (?) year old mother, Elizabeth, back to her home in Scott Co., Tennessee not long after the 1870 census was taken. Obviously, she moved back so that she could be near her other children/grandchildren and to be buried near her husband, Whitmill, when her time came. Also, it would have given Martin one last opportunity to see his relatives and friends.
Elizabeth's exact death date is currently unknown but since she does not appear in the 1880 census it is thought that she died in the 1870's. She was buried next to her husband, Whitmill, on their family farm. Like her husband, she also probably had only a field stone for a marker. While their markers may have been disposed of years later, it is also possible that their grave markers are two of the several small stones that are no longer readable.
At least three children of Elizabeth and Whitmill (Alvin, Rebecca and Polly) are buried in the Stephens Family Cemetery. Grandchildren and great grandchildren of Whitmill and Polly are also buried there. It is definitely a family burial ground.
I visited with my cousin, Charles Lewis "Pete" Stephens (1924-2009), back in 1983. Pete was a very nice man who was both a local rural mail carrier and a preacher. It is said that he often checked on the elderly when he was making his mail rounds. Pete enjoyed genealogy and was a GG-grandson of Whitmill Stephens. He and his wife, Ethel Alene Wilson (1926-2000), who truly "loved" genealogy, lived next to the Stephens Family Cemetery, on part of the old Whitmill Stephens farm. He had lived close to the cemetery most of his life.
Pete was very knowledgeable about all the burials in the Stephens Cemetery. He said that several years (decades?) ago a much needed cemetery clean-up had taken place. Unfortunately, a worker involved in the clean-up process removed a number of field stones not knowing that they were actually grave markers. Consequently, some of the earliest grave sites in this cemetery, including my maternal GG-GPs (Whitmill & Elizabeth Stephens) and my G-GF, Jackson "Jack" King, are no longed marked. Time has also rendered some of the headstones and remaining field stones in this cemetery unreadable. It is so unfortunate, that some of the earlier burial markers are simply no longer present.
Pete showed me the burial site of my G-GM, Polly (Stephens) King, who died in 1910. She still had a small field stone marker that is still readable, simply carved with the initials, "P.K." for Polly King. Pete said that my G-GF, Jackson "Jack" King, who died in 1919, is buried next to her, but that his field stone marker, along with Whitmill's and Elizabeth's, was some of the several stones that were inadvertently removed. Pete said that my G-GF's marker is said to have had "Jac" carved on it.
Pete Stephens knew the grave site of every person buried in the Stephens Family Cemetery, including Whitmill Stephens and Elizabeth (Waters) Stephens. Unfortunately, he did not record any of that information. When he died in 2009 and was buried in the Stephens Cemetery next to his wife, Erna Alice "Ernie" (Walker) Stephens (1901-1994), the identity of the individuals buried in the unmarked graves and those with the unreadable field stone/headstone markers was lost, probably forever. Regrettably, I too, failed to write down this info during my one and only visit with this kind & knowledgeable gentleman.
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The information contained in this memorial for Whitmill Stephens, his wife, family members , ancestors and descendants, is thought to be correct. This memorial is revised/corrected, however, as new information becomes available. It has been revised numerous times since originally created in 2013.
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Whitmill Stephens was born about 1809, probably in Knox Co., Kentucky where his parents are known to have been living in 1810. Because of Lincoln County's size, Knox County had been formed from it on Dec. 19, 1799. Knox County was much larger then and was eventually reduced in size four times to form part or all of four Kentucky counties (Whitley Co. 1818, Harlan Co. 1819, Laurel Co. 1825 & Bell Co. 1867). Whitmill is believed to have lived in that part of old Knox County (KY) that eventually became Whitley County in 1818.
The 1860 census shows Whitmill as being born in South Carolina. However, his parents are thought to have married in Lincoln Co., KY about 1799. Kentucky had been formed in 1792. Also, the 1880 and 1900 US censuses for Whitmill's children show their father as having been born in Kentucky. The 1860 census is apparently incorrect.
Whitmill was the son of Solomon Stephens I (1781-bet 1870/80) and Sarah "Sary" Meadors (1784-bet 1870/80). His parents died in the Marsh Creek area of lower Whitley Co. (now part of McCreary Co.), KY. They are thought by some to be have been buried in the Jellico Creek Church Cemetery in Whitley County but no longer have burial markers.
Whitmill's father, Solomon, is thought to have been born in Surry Co., North Carolina. He was the son of Moses Stephens II (1762-1853) and Margaret Miller Williams (1762-1807), the second of their eleven known children. Moses, later known as Moses Stephens Sr. when he moved to Missouri, served his country as a soldier in the Revolutionary War.
Whitmill's mother, Sarah, was born in South Carolina. Maybe thqat is where the confusion comes from. She was the daughter of Thomas Meadors (1737-1817) and Kiziah Moberly (1747-1830). Thomas was born in Essex Co., Virginia. Kiziah was born in Lunenburg, Virginia. They migrated to Kentucky in the late 1700s or early 1800s. They are known to have died in Whitley Co., KY, however, their grave sites are currently unknown.
About 1826/27, Whitmill married Elizabeth Waters (abt 1807-bet 1871/80), either in Knox Co., KY or Campbell Co., TN. William was about 18, Elizabeth about 20. Nothing is known about her unknown parents or about her early life. According to the 1860 and 1870 US Censuses, the only two censuses in which she appears, Elizabeth was born in either Tennessee (probably Campbell Co.) or Kentucky (probably Knox Co.). She may have been born near the KY/TN state line which was uncertain/disputed in those days (Walker Line).
It is thought that Elizabeth was part native American (1/4 Cherokee ?) and that as a small child she was taken in and raised by an unknown Waters family. This may, at least partially, account for the lack of any information about her parents or her childhood. It is possible that her father was actually a son of the family that raised her.
My grandfather, Thomas Letcher "Tom" King (1881-1973), a grandson of Elizabeth, used to say that his mother (Mary Ann "Polly" Stephens, Elizabeth's daughter), was "part Indian". If Elizabeth was 1/2 Native American then Tom's mother would have been 1/4 Native American.
Tom never knew his maternal grandmother, Elizabeth, as she died about ten years before he was even born. However, he was almost 30 when his mother, Polly Stephens (Elizabeth's daughter) died in 1910. He thought highly of his mother and lived with/near her for nearly 30 years (1881-1910) so he obviously would have had plenty of opportunities to hear his mother talk about her mother. My grandfather was not a man to tell untruths, so he either knew the truth or at least, thought he knew the truth about his mother's (1/4) Native American and grandmother's (1/2) Native American ancestry. However, there is currently no documentation to support his belief.
After marrying in 1827, Whitmill and Elizabeth spent their early married life in Whitley Co., KY. It had been formed in 1818 from Knox County. For reasons currently unknown, Whitmill moved his family to Mississippi in the mid-1840s. Their fourth known child, Louvina (1843-aft 1880) was the last of their children to be born in Kentucky. Their sixth known child, Catherine Stephens (abt 1849-bet 1860/70) was born in Tennessee. Their 5th child, Mary Ann "Polly" Stephens (my pat. G-GM), was born Jan. 27, 1845, in Mississippi.
Whitmill returned to Whitley Co., KY around 1846-48. He apparently still owned his farm in Whitley County and lived there until purchasing a farm located near the KY/TN state line in the area of present day Isham, Scott Co., TN. At that time his new farm was still a part of Campbell County as Scott County (formed from parts of Campbell, Anderson, Fentress and Morgan counties), was not created until 1849. His oldest son, Martin, who married in 1849, probably lived on the Whitley Co. farm until about 1851.
On Mar. 14, 1851, Whitmill and Elizabeth sold their 200+ acre Whitley Co., KY farm to my 3G-GF, Thomas Murray "Tom" King (1790-1880), for $60.00, actually quite a sum of money in those days. Tom is said to have owned a couple thousand acres at one time. He was not a rich man ("land poor") and died (1880) prior to the railroad coming to the area which resulted in the timber and coal booms. Much of Tom's land was hilly and not very suitable for farming.
About 18 years later (1869), Thomas' grandson, Jackson H. "Jack" King (1842-1919), would marry Whitmill's daughter, Polly. Primarily due to Jack's meanness, their marriage apparently was not a happy one. Jack and Polly (Stephens) King were my paternal great-grandparents. They are buried in the Stephens Family Cemetery near Isham, TN on Whitmill's old 200 acre farm, the farm that Polly was raised on.
Whitmill and Elizabeth were married about 39 years and had six known children. Their known children were Martin Stone Stephens (1828-1895), Rebecca Stephens (1835-1901), Alvin Stephens (1840-1883), Louvina Stephens (1843-1881), Mary Ann "Polly" Stephens (1845-1910) and Catherine Stephens (1849-mid 1860s?)). Due to the gaps in the birth years of their children there may have been several other unknown children who died in/near birth or who did not survive childhood.
Whitmill died about 1866, around the age of 56, and was buried on his farm, probably with just a field stone for a marker. Most likely, he was the first adult burial in what became the family's burial ground and is now known as the Stephens Cemetery in Isham, Scott Co., TN.
Years later, Andrew Marion "Andy" Stephens (1862-1951), a grandson of Whitmill and Elizabeth, who lived on the original property and just walking distance from the Stephens Cemetery, told my cousin Rosie (Stephens) Sinkhorn (1937-2018) that his mother (Rebecca Stephens 1835-1901), and both his grandparents (Whitmill & Elizabeth Stephens) were buried there. Rosie also remembered her father, Edward Jackson Stephens (1910-1996), who was born and raised in the area, taking her to the Stephens Cemetery and telling her that his parents (Jackson & Dora Stephens), grandparents (Alvin & Louisa Stephens) and great-grandparents (Whitmill & Elizabeth Stephens) were all buried there.
In 1867, Sarah Louvina Howard (1828-1885), the wife of Whitmill's oldest son, Martin Stone Stephens (1828-1995), died. She is thought to be buried near her father-in-law, Whitmill, and may have been the second adult to be buried in the present day Stephens Cemetery. Sarah was just 37 when she died and her 39 year old husband, Martin, was left with at least four children (ages 2-13) to raise.
Not long after the death of his wife, Martin and his four children, moved to Independence Co., Arkansas, probably to acquire some of the good farm land that was readily available there at that time. His widowed mother, Elizabeth, accompanied them. She obviously went with her widowed son to help take care of the children during the trip and once there, to be their care giver until Martin could find a suitable second wife.
It was in Independence Co., Arkansas that Whitmill's son, Martin, met Sarah Jane Knight (1844-1923), born in Meigs Co., TN. When they married on Dec. 24, 1868, Martin was 40, Sarah 24. Since she did not have any children at the time it was probably her first marriage. They would be married for 26 years and have five known children.
Whitmill's widowed wife, Elizabeth (Waters) Stephens, appears in the 1870 US Census living alone but next to her son, Martin, and his new wife in Greenbrier, Independence Co., AK. That census misspells both of their surnames as "Stevens".
It is thought that Martin accompanied his 63 (?) year old mother, Elizabeth, back to her home in Scott Co., Tennessee not long after the 1870 census was taken. Obviously, she moved back so that she could be near her other children/grandchildren and to be buried near her husband, Whitmill, when her time came. Also, it would have given Martin one last opportunity to see his relatives and friends.
Elizabeth's exact death date is currently unknown but since she does not appear in the 1880 census it is thought that she died in the 1870's. She was buried next to her husband, Whitmill, on their family farm. Like her husband, she also probably had only a field stone for a marker. While their markers may have been disposed of years later, it is also possible that their grave markers are two of the several small stones that are no longer readable.
At least three children of Elizabeth and Whitmill (Alvin, Rebecca and Polly) are buried in the Stephens Family Cemetery. Grandchildren and great grandchildren of Whitmill and Polly are also buried there. It is definitely a family burial ground.
I visited with my cousin, Charles Lewis "Pete" Stephens (1924-2009), back in 1983. Pete was a very nice man who was both a local rural mail carrier and a preacher. It is said that he often checked on the elderly when he was making his mail rounds. Pete enjoyed genealogy and was a GG-grandson of Whitmill Stephens. He and his wife, Ethel Alene Wilson (1926-2000), who truly "loved" genealogy, lived next to the Stephens Family Cemetery, on part of the old Whitmill Stephens farm. He had lived close to the cemetery most of his life.
Pete was very knowledgeable about all the burials in the Stephens Cemetery. He said that several years (decades?) ago a much needed cemetery clean-up had taken place. Unfortunately, a worker involved in the clean-up process removed a number of field stones not knowing that they were actually grave markers. Consequently, some of the earliest grave sites in this cemetery, including my maternal GG-GPs (Whitmill & Elizabeth Stephens) and my G-GF, Jackson "Jack" King, are no longed marked. Time has also rendered some of the headstones and remaining field stones in this cemetery unreadable. It is so unfortunate, that some of the earlier burial markers are simply no longer present.
Pete showed me the burial site of my G-GM, Polly (Stephens) King, who died in 1910. She still had a small field stone marker that is still readable, simply carved with the initials, "P.K." for Polly King. Pete said that my G-GF, Jackson "Jack" King, who died in 1919, is buried next to her, but that his field stone marker, along with Whitmill's and Elizabeth's, was some of the several stones that were inadvertently removed. Pete said that my G-GF's marker is said to have had "Jac" carved on it.
Pete Stephens knew the grave site of every person buried in the Stephens Family Cemetery, including Whitmill Stephens and Elizabeth (Waters) Stephens. Unfortunately, he did not record any of that information. When he died in 2009 and was buried in the Stephens Cemetery next to his wife, Erna Alice "Ernie" (Walker) Stephens (1901-1994), the identity of the individuals buried in the unmarked graves and those with the unreadable field stone/headstone markers was lost, probably forever. Regrettably, I too, failed to write down this info during my one and only visit with this kind & knowledgeable gentleman.
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The information contained in this memorial for Whitmill Stephens, his wife, family members , ancestors and descendants, is thought to be correct. This memorial is revised/corrected, however, as new information becomes available. It has been revised numerous times since originally created in 2013.
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Family Members
Siblings
