Thomas Stevens

Birth: 05 DEC 1630 England

Marriage: 1650 to Mary Fletcher in Milford, Connecticut

Birth of Son: 21 FEB 1656
Name: James Stevens
Place: Guilford, Connecticut

Birth of Daughter: 21 FEB 1656
Name: Mary Stevens
Place: Killingsworth, Connecticut

Birth of Daughter: 1655
Name: Rebecca Stevens

Birth of Daughter: 25 JAN 1657
Name: Sarah Stevens

Birth of Son: 10 MAR 1660
Name: John Stevens
Place: Guilford, Connecticut

Birth of Son: 21 SEP 1662
Name: Thomas Stevens

Birth of Son: 1664
Name: Timothy Stevens

Birth of Son: 23 APR 1666
Name: Joseph Stevens

Birth of Daughter: 23 APR 1666
Name: Abigail Stevens

Birth of Daughter: 14 JUL 1668
Name: Elizabeth Stevens

Birth of Son: 26 JAN 1670
Name: Ebenezer Stevens

Birth of Daughter: 21 FEB 1672
Name: Pheobe Stevens

Birth of Son: 02 FEB 1674
Name: Jonathan Stevens

Death: 18 NOV 1685 Killingsworth, Connecticut

parents are John Stevens and Mary Moulson

From "John Steevens of Guilford, Connecticut" as quoted by Marge Kientz :

THOMAS STEEVENS son of John, was born in England before 1630 and died at Killingworth 18 Nov 1685. He married, about 1650, Mary Fletcher, born about 1630, living 26 Aug 1697, daughter of John and Mary (Ward) Fletcher of Milford.
The earliest record of Thomas and William Steevens in Killingworth is found in a town book (LR 1-7) which records "fencing against the neck" on 15 Feb (16)64: #11 lists four "rodds" for Thomas and #26 six "rodds for William. More fencing was mentioned in 1671. At a town meeting 12 Feb. 1671 the mill was apprised to Thomas Steevens at 20 lb and the house lot and meadow at 20 lb. On 4 March 1673 Thomas was chosen fence viewer and on March 1673 was elected to take the country list. One of the earliest deed recorded (LR 1-39) was a sale 20 Nov. 1676 to Thomas Steevens for good considerations to William Kelsey of a "peace" of land in the field commonly called the neck, 107 rods by 4 1/2. It was also signed by "Mary Stevens Senior." Another deed of 7 April 1682 (LR 1-57) is a sale by Thomas to his brother William of a house lot by Indian River.
The only original paper preserved in New London probate of Thomas Steevens (#5146-A), recorded in Book A page 120, is marked "Widdow Steven's Acct Jan Sept. 18th 1700 and called "Distribution" by a recent hand. It actually consists of an accounting of items received by the various children between 1681 and 1699, originally dated 1688/9, but brought up to date before it was submitted to the court. These items are: 1. Daniell Kelcy to "my mother Stevens, or my brother James Stevens, for...my legasy due to my wife from father Stevens estate:" 2. John Steevens to Brother James Stevens for legasey; 3. what Thomas Stevens received, mostly land, plus a gun, and by boarding with his mother when she was a widow; 4. items paid to Edward Lee as part of "their portion." some of it paid by Timothy, and dated Dec. 5, 1681; 5. items received by Rebekah Ruttey before and in the year 1687, plus one sheep from Mary Stevens Relique to James Stevens in the year 1699; 7. to Timothy Stevens two acres and half of medow at the hammaks, the rest of his portioning to be in lands at the mill; 8. land set to Ebenezer Stevens; 9. land set to Jonathan Stevens towards the mill, at the landing place, in the planting field. The average value of each portion was about 15 lb. John received his portion in money amount to lb 16-16-06, while the other sons shared at least 13 parcels of land.
A fuller list of the real estate is found in LR 2-85, dated 1 June 1688, but not recorded until 1710/11 (between 19 Jan and 3 March)
Another deed in LR 2-48 provides more information on all the heirs: Mary Stevens Senr, Mary Stevens Jr., Widdow and James Steevens her son, John Steevens, Timothy Steevens, Jonathan Steevens, Edward Rutty with the consent of Rebeckah his wife, Edward Lee with the consent of Abigail his wife, and
Nathan (iel) Chittenden with the consent of Elizabeth his wife, all of Killingworth and Gilford......for valuable consideration......sell and dispose....unto Ebenezer Steevens all their right in and the title to the
house and home lott that formerly belonged to the Thomas Steevens deceased, lying and being in the town of Killingworth....10 acres. It was written 28 Feb. 1697, and witnessed by John Shether and Andrew Ward, with the signatures of all 12 grantees, who acknowledged their sale on 26 Aug. 1697. It was
recorded 20 Sept. 1701.
The final reference to settlement is found in New London County Court Records 7-228; Mary Stevens of Kenlworth, widow of James deceased, gave an account of her husband's administration "but not producing receipts from the legatees hand ordered for Sept. next to give each legatee chance to make application, if dissatisfied." This entry was indexed "estate of Thomas Stevens" and was probably dated June 1700. There was probably no protest, as no mention was made at the next court session. It appears that Mary widow of Thomas may have died by 1700, but there is no record of the death.
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From Tracy (Thompson) Tomaselli :
"Genealogies of CT Families", vol. III, page 444, complied by Hon. R.D. Smyth and communicated by Dr. Bernard C. Steiner.

Thomas Stevens removed to Killingworth, and was a member of the church there in 1670. He never became a freemand in Guilford. He married in 1650, Mary, daughter of John Fletcher of Milford. She joined the Killingworth Church in 1675. With his father and brother, he was a strong adherent of Dr. Rossiter, and in October, 1662, all three joined with others of Guilford in seceding from new Haven Colony, tendered themselves with their persons and estates to the Connecticut Colony, and were accepted and promised protection. The bitter controversy that followed was the chief cause of both Thomas's and William's leaving Guilford. Thomas was a man of ability and prominence at Killingworth, and twice served in the General Assembly from that town. On March 11, 1670-1, he sold to William all his lands at the East End of Guilford, reserving his right in "any other divisions that shall be hereafter laid out," and his right in "commonage if they come to be stinted." On June 7, 1679, he sold nine acres of the East Creek land to Stephen Dodd, and on May 28, 1683, he sold to the same man the rest of the East Creek land, and the old homelot. In 1654-5, he was convicted of selling flax with defective weights, through carelessness in not having them inspected. He was a miller. In 1654, when an expedition against the Dutch was proposed, he was chosen corporal, "but onely for this present service and that he accede no higher in any other office because he is not a freeman."

Mary Fletcher
*Birth:* 18 MAY 1630 Killingsworth, Connecticut parents are John Fletcher and Mary Ward