Need help finding the parents of Thomas Stephenson, b abt 1828 in TN, married Almira C. Crowder before 1850. They are on the 1850 census in Giles County (as Stevenson). Thomas died before 1860 as she is head of the household on the 1860 census and living in McNairy County. I'm pretty sure he's not related to the Elam Stevenson line that came out of NC.

Thanks.

I'm not related.

This is your problem -
FYI -
All census records prior to the 1850 census only listed the head of household; whether male or female.

NO specific age was stated for any family member
NO place of birth was stated – city, state, or country
NO marital status was stated – single, married, widowed, divorced
NO family relationship was stated – brother, sister, cousin, son, daughter, wife, inlaw, etc…
NO occupation was stated
NO parental birthplaces are stated
NO race was stated [but assume “white”]

Thanks for telling me what my problem is and for assuming I'm an idiot. I'm well aware of the limitations of the various census records.

I thought my problem was that I only have access to the census records; I thought a possible solution was posting on here so that some kind soul with access to other kinds of records for Giles County might be able to locate the people I mentioned.

Hello, one of the problems you may run into is that Giles County is one of the many burned counties in Tennessee. The Giles County Courthouse experienced fires in 1813, 1857 and 1907. Now that doesn't mean that all records were lost, however, marriages only go back as far a 1865, wills back to 1860. The deeds go back as early as 1810 and some court records go back to 1817 and some to 1838.

Maybe your answer lies in the deed records.

On this site:
http://www.tngenweb.org/records/giles/giles1.htm

I found the following reference:
s
4 - Entry 18 for John MONTGOMERY, 29 A on Robertson Fork of Richland Creek; adj. MONTGOMERY; on side of a ridge near Elk Ridge meeting house; Leander SHIELDS; Wade BARRETT; Robert STEVENSON; a peach orchard. Surv. 3 Nov 1824. ------ E. MONTGOMERY & ----- MONTGOMERY, C.C.

259 - Entry 343 for Peter BROWN, 60 A on waters of Indian Creek; adj. E. STEVENSON; POLK; BOYSE. Surv. 18 April 1834. Jacob ALLMAN & Duncan BROWN, C.C.

13- For Solomon KERR, 43 20/160 A on both sides of Little Shoal Creek, Rng. 1, Sec. 1; adj. Philmer GREEN; M. C. DONNELL; Henry STEVENSON. Surv. 28 Mar 1833. Samuel HUGHES & Phillip MARBUT, C.C.

243 - For Henry STEVENSON, Entry --, 131 48/160 A in Rng. 1, Sec. 1, on both sides of E fork of Shoal Creek, adj. GREGORY; David BROWNING. Surv. 5 Apr 1832. Tod CARLTON & Henry STEVENSON, C.C.

246 - For Thomas GILBERT, Entry 242, 50 A in Rng. 1, Sec. 1, adj. Nicholas BROWNING; Henry STEVENSON; Thomas H. NOBLITT; John B. DAVIS. Surv. 13 Jan 1846. John B. DAVIS & Henry MORGAN, C.C.

425 - For Thomas H. NOBLETT, Entry --, 175 A in Rng. 1, Sec. 1, on Shoal Creek, adj. Stith SUTTLE; Robert MCDONALD; Henry STEVENSON; Isaac SMITH. Surv. 30 Mar 1833. William NOBLETT & Andrew FOSTER, C.C.

Not sure how much this might help but may it is something to start with.

Melissa Barker
Genealogist for Tennessee and Kentucky
E-Mail: kaitysmom@peoplestel.net

Thanks. I'll take a closer look at the deed records.

I believe the Robert Stevenson below was a brother to my Samuel Stephenson who was born in York County,SC in 1795. The
Stephensons,Montgomery,Barrons and Shields settled on Robertson Fork before 1820. James Montgomery married Samuel Stephenson's sister, Martha, in York Co,SC in 1817. What relation,if any,to the other Montgomerys is unknown.
Samuel Stephenson went to Limestone Co,Alabama about 1822 and stayed there until 1850 when he returned to Giles Co,TN.

4 - Entry 18 for John Montgomery, 29 A on Robertson Fork of Richland Creek; adj. MONTGOMERY; on side of a ridge near Elk Ridge meeting house; Leander SHIELDS; Wade BARRETT; Robert STEVENSON; a peach orchard. Surv. 3 Nov 1824. ------ E. MONTGOMERY & ----- MONTGOMERY, C.C.

The Henry Stevenson associated with Todd Calton is believed to be the Henry Stephenson who shows up on the 1840 census of Limestone Co,Alabama. Henry went to Missouri.

I took a DNA test and the results indicated that I am not related to the Elam Stevensons.
1850 US Census for District 9, Giles, TN
Samuel Stephenson, 53, 1797, SC
Mary Stephenson, 53, 1797, SC
Mary Stephenson, daughter, 18, AL
John Stephenson, son, 16, AL
Silvester B Stephenson, son, 13, AL

I recently discovered that James H. Stephenson who lived in Giles Co,TN. in 1860 was a son of Samuel Stephenson.

Samuel Stephenson married Mary Shields.
If anyone has information on a John Stephenson b. 1824 in Alabama the information would be greatly appreciated.

This is my connection to the Dickeys who settled in Giles Co,TN.
1. John Stephenson, b c 1724, m. Jane or Jean, d.12 Feb 1773 in York Co, SC
Children:
John, b.1750
Mary, b.1752, m. Daniel McClaren
Agness b.1755
Robert, b.1757, m. Jane Barron, d. 1798, York Co, SC
Margaret, b. 24 Aug 1760, m. David Dickey, d. 29 Apr. 1814, Livingston Co, KY

Uh, thanks, but what does this have to do with my query? Where's the connection?

A lady posted a message that mentioned a Robert Stevenson in the deeds of Giles Co,TN. I was identifying that this Robert Stevenson did not belong to the Elam Stevenson family of Giles. I also gave some additional information on Henry Stevenson.

I found this information on the Children of Elam Stvenson:
Our subject's paternal grandparents were Rev. Elam and Lydia Stevenson, natives of North Carolina, who were married about 1805, and located in Giles County, Tenn., about 1813. To them were born these children: Katherine, William P., James C., Abner A., Willis M., Minerva J., John B., Thomas C., Amanda, Elam A, and Gilbert

Yea, Elam had a son named Thomas. But, Thomas was alive and kicking in the 1860, 1870, and 1880 censuses; married to a different woman; father of children whose names don't match my line.

Like I said originally, my line does not appear to be related to the Elam Stevenson line.