AFORETIME
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here are no written family records, letters, or docu-ments of an early date, to settle beyond doubt the ever-pressing query, who was the father of Henry Stephensor Stevens of Stonington, Conn. A very common tradi-tion is that three brothers, Thomas, Richard, and HenryStephens, came to New England about the year 1660 andthat Henry settled in Stonington, Conn. No mention ismade of father or mother, or the place whence theycame. In a history of a county in New York State, the fol-lowing is given: “The subject of this sketch is of Eng-lish origin. It is related that as early as 1660 threebrothers, Thomas, Richard and Henry Stevens, settledin this country; that they distinguished themselves assoldiers in King Philip’s war, and served as colonels.” In another appears: “‘The subject of this is of Englishorigin. It is related that three brothers—Thomas, Rich-ard and Henry Stephens—came to America from Ire-land sometime during King Philip’s war, served duringsaid war as colonels.” There is no doubt that Henry was a private in KingPhilip’s War, but I can find no record of the service ofeither Thomas or Richard in any capacity. Another story is given after this fashion: “NicholasStevens or Stephens, who had been a Brigadier Generalin Oliver Cromwell’s army, came to Taunton in Mass.,in the year 1669. He had three sons, Nicholas, Thomas,and Henry. Nicholas settled in Taunton or Dighton,and his son, Nicholas, resided theré with his family.One of his sons, according to the best information to beobtained, settled near Boston. His name was supposedto be either Thomas or Ebenezer.”
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