Joshua Stapp

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Joshua — . Unknown [Group Sheet]

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

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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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Joshua — Isabella A. Porter. [Group Sheet]

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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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Notes:

May have died at Spotsylvania.

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

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Notes:

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