Abraham Stapp

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• AFN: RSVD-F1

Abraham married Dorothy North Bef 1650, , Virginia. Dorothy was born Abt 1620, , Virginia; died , Virginia; was buried , Virginia. [Group Sheet]

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• AFN: FW8N-PH

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Abraham Stapp was looking for land in the Chesapeake Bay region and everywhere it was cheap and plentiful. There were great patents, in part or whole, for sale that STAPP could choose. He found what he wanted in Old Rappahannock, now Essex County and the fragmentary records of the now extinct county still extant. In the present Essex clerk's office notes the purchase of a part of a "Pattent" from James Gaines or Games. Joint purchaser with Stapp was James Anderson. The date was 17 November 1670. The instrument is recorded in Deed Book 4, Page 365 Rappahannock County records at Rappahannock Virginia.

Most immigrants had little money but Abraham Stapp had enough to buy a one-half interest in a vast land patent and this fact leads us to believe that he had been a successful tobacco planter in Virginia many years before he sought the Rappahannock. The conveyance reads: "Know all men by these presents that I, James Gaines do from me and my heirs asigne all my rights and title of the residue of the land of the within mentioned Pattent unsould to Cornelious Noell and unto Abraham STAPP and James Anderson their heirs and assigns for ever. In witness hereof Sett my hand and seale this 17th day of November 1670. Sealed signed and delivered in presence of John Cantlett Daniel Gaines. James Gaines (Seal)

In the succeeding years and up to his death in 1714 there is a steady flow of legal notations on the Old Rappahannock and Essex records, their great number testifying to the promineice of Abraham Stapp in official affairs. He acquired slaves, appraised estates, bought and sold land, appeared as a witness many times, witnessed wills and acted as juror.

Previous to 3 February 1678, Abraham Stapp had married for on that date he and Dorothy Stapp acknowledged a deed to James Andres. Subsequent deeds required her signature. We know that she was a daughter of Robert Moss for her father mentioned her in his will, dated August 8, 1685, probated April 3, 1689 in Rappahannock County. Robert Moss names his wife, Rebecca and other legatees, including "to my 2 granddaughters, Rebecca and Martha Stapp, daughters of my daughter Dorothy and her husband Abraham Stapp." He, too, mentioned in the will brothers, William and Thomas, who with the testator had received a land patent Nov. 20, 1684, in Lancaster Co. VA (pat bk 3, page 309) for 800 acres.

By 1710 Abraham Stapp, tobacco planter, was growing old and Oct 2, 1710 he wrote his will. Having been born ca 1650, he was about 60 years old. His will was probated in Essex 8 April 1714. To his son Abraham Stapp Jr he devised all the land he owned on the north side of the road at "my now dwelling place"; to his son William all land on the south side of the road; to son Jacob the "upper part of the land bought by Edward Moseley"; To son Joshua the lower part bordering on Mr. Robert Brookd; to sons Joseph and James 25 acres each of the lower land; to wife Dorothy all property during her lifetime; to daughter Ruth cattle and certain incidentals; to two daughters Rebecca and Martha a shilling each. Jacob and Joshua, sons, were also directed to buy 100 acres each elsewhere. The instrument was witnessed by his father-in-law, Robert Moss, with Peter Hollon and Will Harte. At the time the will was probated his widow gave bond in the sum of 300 pounds sterling as executrix.
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Reference:
RootsL, Scott A. McElfresh, 1994.
Dianne, AZDee@aol.com, 26 November 1998
"The Stepp/Stapp Families of America - A Source Book", Henry P. Scalf & Rudolph B. Stepp, 1973, p ?.

Abraham married Dorothy Moss 1685, , Old Rappahonnack, Virginia. Dorothy (daughter of Robert Moss and Rebecca Wales) was born 1655, Essex County, Virginia; died 1714, Essex County, Virginia; was buried Essex County, Virginia. [Group Sheet]

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• AFN: RSVD-9B

Joshua — Isabella A. Porter. [Group Sheet]

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• AFN: RSV0-XX

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• AFN: CB17-L7

Notes:

Under the provisions of the will of his father, Joshua Stapp was devised "The lower part" of the plantation bordering on "Mr. Robert Brooke." This was probably one of the choicest legacies of the estate. The land was still in the possession of Joshua in 1718.

On 8 December 1719, William and Joshua Stapp executed a power of attorney to John Wridings to acknowlege a deed to John Foster Sr. In 1734 Joshua Stapp is in Caroline County, whether by a change in county lines or by removal we do not know but we are inclined to think by the formar since Caroline County was formed in 1734 from Essex.

Joshua and his wife Martha had entered into a contract with Thomas and Martha Foy on some lands. On 14 February 1734 the four formally executed deeds of "cease and release." The Caroline court records note, too, that an action against Joshua, brought by "John Aylet, Gentleman," was dismissed 8 August 1735. In 1743 Joshua Stapp is in Orange County Virginia for at a sale of the estate of James Thurston where it was noted that he was indebted to the estate in the sum of two pounds eight shillings for a grindstone.

Three years later, 27 August 1746, Joshua Stapp, his daughter Eve and her husband Anthred Salmon lease 150 acres of land from the executors of the estate of Alexander Spotswood. The lessees bound themselves to plant fruit trees within four years, not to remove timber or waste it but were permitted to search for minerals. The land, located in St. Mark's Parish and on the River Rapadan, was leased for 800 pounds of tobacco annually.

Joshua Stapp and Martha (Coffey) Stapp had a large family of children by 1755 for a list of titheables in John Williams' precinct shows nine. However, earlier (the exact date confusing) Joshua had been awarded the children of John Stapp to raise. John, son of Joshua, had died in 1751.
Joshua Stapp was by this time wealthy in land and slaves, of the number we are uncertain but at one time he owned seventeen. One of them was referred to as "My Man" by Joshua. There were also, BeBett Jr, Narick, Frank, James, Winn, Bacus, Lett, Lewis Moses, Abraham, Kate, Abraham Jr, Jack, Ben, and Cate.

Growing old by the seventies, Joshua began to deed slaves and land to his children and grandchildren. He gave the slaves Narick and Frank to his son Joshua Jr., To Thomas and his wife Ann he gave the slaves James and Winn, To James he deeded "1 negro man named Abraham and one negro female named Bett and one negro boy named Abraham." On 28 September 1775 he deeded his son Joseph 214 acres of land "being the same land which the said Joshua Stapp and Joseph his son now liveth." In addition, in the same instrument he gave Joseph four negroes named Bacus, Bett, Lewis and Moses. In order to provide his children and grand children with slaves he purchased from Thomas Porter 25 September 1776, two slaves Kate and Jack. He immediately, on the same day, deeded the slave Ben to his granddaughter Elizabeth Simms. Other instruments alienated practically all the remaining properties.

Having provided for his children and grandchildren, Joshua Stapp executed his Will, 19 December 1782. The first item was a manumission of two slaves, "my negro man" and "negro woman Betty" husband and wife. If there was to be any charge attached to the manumission it was to be paid out of his estate. The "negro woman Cate" was bequeathed to Achilles Stapp, his grandson. The residue of his estate was to be divided between his grandson Achilles, his granddaughters, Lucy Willhoit, Sarah Creel and Martha Hubbard. Achilles was named executor. Witnesses were John Payne, John Wyat, and William Wyat. At a court held in Orange County, 27 March 1783, Achilles came in to court and exhibited the instrument which was proven by the last named two witnesses.
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References:
"Kinfolk, Ownbey Family Lines of the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina", p 1.
Dianne, AZDEE@aol.com, 26 November 1998.
"The Stepp/Stapp Families of America - A Source Book", Henry P. Scalf &
Rudolph B. Stepp, 1973, p ?.

Joshua married Martha "Patsy" Coffey Abt 1723, Essex County, Virginia. Martha (daughter of Edward Coffey and Ann Powell) was born Abt 1690, Essex County, Virginia; died Abt 1772, Orange County, Virginia; was buried 1772, Essex County, Virginia. [Group Sheet]

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• AFN: RSV0-C1

Notes:

May have died at Spotsylvania.

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• AFN: RSV0-D6

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• AFN: RSV0-FC

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• AFN: RSV0-GJ

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• AFN: RSV0-HP

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Reference:
IGI.
RootsL, Scott A. McElfresh, 1994.

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• AFN: RSV0-L7

Notes:

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Reference:
IGI.
RootsL, Scott A. McElfresh, 1994.

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• AFN: QB0T-DX

Notes:

County of marriage may be Caroline.

John married Ann Salmon Abt 1731, , Spotsylvania, Virginia. Ann was born Abt 1731; died 21 May 1751. [Group Sheet]

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• AFN: RSTZ-XT

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• AFN: RSV0-04

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Joshua Stapp Jr first appears on the Orange Co VA records March 28, 1771 when he is the grantee from his father of 109 acres of land (deed book 15, page 306, Orange Co.) The next year, April 23, his father sold Thomas Burbage 200 acres of land in Orange Co. and in the description it was noted that the land had a corner that bounded the land of Joshua Jr. (Deed book 15, page 465) Sept. 28, 1775 Joshua was the grantee from his father of two slaves, Narick and Frank. (Deed book 16, page 352) Another deed, John Payne to Achilles Stapp, notes that the 1000 acres conveyed was bounded by the land of Joshua Stapp Jr.(deed book 18, page 3, Sept 27, 1781) Joshua Jr. Appears on an Orange Co tax list in 1782 with nine "White souls" and three blacks. In 1787, having decided to remove to Western VA, now Central KY, he began to sell his real holdings. He conveyed to J. White 209 acres "being part of the land they said Joshua Stapps's Father bought of Mr. John Walden of Caroline Co. In 1788, Joshua Jr shows on the Fayette Co VA tax list. By 1790 Joshua Stapp and his wife Hannah, were growing old, he being about 65 years old, an age considered old for the frontier. Since the aged couple no longer owned land their son Achilles, who had also migrated to KY, leased a tract of land on "South Elkhorn" for their natural lives. The land leased to Joshua and Hannah was near the home of Achilles Stapp and the consideration was one barrel of corn annually.

In 1800 Joshus Jr. shows on the Green Co KY census. A study of the records indicates that Hannah DURHAM STAPP has deceased about 1796. Since there are no deeds of Joshua Jr recorded in Green Co we conclude that he was not now possessed of any land and was living on the prepises of a member of his family. In 1810 Joshua Jr is listed on the Adair Co KY census with a female, between the age of 26 and 45 and seven slaves. There is a doubtful inference to be deduced from this Adair census that he had remarried to a much younger woman with slaves, but this conclusion is quite unacceptable when we consider that he was about 86 years old. He was probably the head of a household of a widowed granddaughter, her name uncertain. According to the manuscript notes of Dr CF Colgate, Joshua Stapp Jr died in 1814 at the approximate age of 90 years.

Achilles Stapp, the most prominent of Joshua Stapp's sons, was the leader of the Stapp family migration into KY in 1787. The composition of the immigrant party is obscure and we must rely upon KY land records to attempt to piece it together. Joshua Jr and his wife, Hannah Draham Stapp, although a bit old for the frontier, wanted to go. Thomas and James, brothers of Achilles, were eager to remove. There were others of the Johsua Stapp Jr family who assented to the long journey. Three of these were his daughters; Lucy, who had married John Wilhite and who would eventually settle on the South Elkhorn; Sarah who had married a Creel; and Martha who had married a Hubbard. In 1790, Joshua Stapp Jr and his wife Hannah, acquired an unspecified acreage from their son Achilles on the South Elkhorn bounded by the line of John Branham and "near said Achilles Stapp" and was conveyed for "their natural lives" This is seen as a provision of a son for his landless parents. William Vawter signed the instrument as one of the three witnesses and on Dec 1 he appeared in the Woodford County Court to make oath as to the validity of the transaction.
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Reference:
Dianne, AZDEE@aol.com, 16 November 1998

Joshua married Hannah Durham Abt 1750. [Group Sheet]

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• AFN: RSVD-85

Eve — Anthred Salmon. [Group Sheet]

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• AFN: FW8N-L0

Elizabeth married William Morris 1746, , Orange, Virginia. [Group Sheet]

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• AFN: RSV0-3M

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• AFN: RSV0-2G

Notes:

Thomas Step, Orange County, Virginia, removed to South Carolina about the
commencement of the Ameriacan Revolution in very indigent circumstances and
universally reported insolvent. Mrs. Agatha Sims, Albemarle, saw Thomas Step on
his way to South Carolina. Her husband William Sims, deceased, paid some debts
for him to prevent his being stopped on the road by his creditors. Mr. Sims'
former wife was sister of Thomas Step.
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Reference:
"The Virginia Genealogist", 1983, Vol 27, No. 1, p 109.

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• AFN: RSTZ-Z1

Notes:

First name may be Annister and surname may be Stapp.
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References:
"Kinfolk, Ownbey Family Lines of the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina", p 1.
"The Stepp/Stapp Families of America - A Source Book", Henry P. Scalf &
Rudolph B. Stepp, 1973, p ?.

Annister married Captain William Sims 6 Aug 1751, Orange County, Virginia. William (son of Richard Sims and Joanna) was born 25 Feb 1731, Orange County, Virginia; died 1797; was buried Brockman-Mitchell Cemetery, Albmarle County, Virginia. [Group Sheet]