Genealogy of
Jonathan Stevens of Schenectady
and his descendents
by Kathy Jost-Shouse
Jonathan Stevens (born. 1675-died between1730-1750) of New England, came to Schenectady at the age of 15 with Thomas Smith. On July 24th, 1693, he married Lea, widow of Claas Willemse Van Coppernol. Lea was the daughter of Ots-Toch, a Mohawk woman and Cornelis Van Slyck..She was a woman known for her beauty and piety and appears frequently in records of the settlement as a witness to deeds and other papers and as an assistant to the Dutch ministers in their missionary work among the Indians. Both Jonathan Stevens and his wife Lea served as Indian interpreters.
Albany Reformed Church Marriage Records 1683-1809
1693-July 24. Jonathan Stephens, y.m., from N. E., and Lea, wid. of Claas Willemsz, both l. at Sch.
Excerpted from Year Books of the Holland Society of New York
The small stone church stood on the east side of the market, a short distance from the river. In the middle, it had a small steeple and a bell.
Austin A. Yates' Schenectady County, New York:: Its History to the Close of the Nineteenth Century
1697- Jonathan Stevens leased Lysbeth Brouwer's farm at the Hoeck in Scotia.
The first land settled upon west of Scotia was the Hoek. This
farm was taken up by Claas Andriese De Graaf, the first settler. After his
death, which took place before 1697, his widow, Elizabeth Brouwer, leased
it to Jonathan Stevens and Daniel Mascraft.
History of the Schenectady Patent in the Dutch and English Times being contributions toward a history of the lower Mohawk Valley by Jonathan Pearson, A. M. and others
In 1698, Jonathan Stevens hired Mrs. De Graaf's farm at the Hoek, and the Fourth Flat of Tam Smith for five years.
His home lot in the village was on the north side of State Street, having a front of 75 ft. 6 in., Amst. measure (now reduced to 65 ft. Eng.), and extending in the rear beyond Liberty street, and behind the lots lying on either side of it, comprising more than an acre of ground.
Numbers 107 and 109, owned by Mr. G. I. Swortfiguer, and 111 and 113 belonging to the estate of the late William Cunningham, were parts of Stevens' lot.
His farm was in Glenville, bounded east by the Aal plaats kil, and south by the Mohawk river, and comprised several hundred acres of flat and woodland.
This information is from pp. 58-81 of A History of the Schenectady Patent in the Dutch and English Times; being contributions toward a history of the lower Mohawk Valley by Jonathan Pearson, A. M. and others, edited by J. W. MacMurray, A. M., U. S. A. (Albany, NY: J. Munsell's Sons, Printers, 1883). It is in SCPL's Schenectady Collection at Schdy R 974.744 P36.]
Schenectady Reformed Church Baptisms 1694-1811-compiled by Arthur Kelly and transcribed by Donald Keefer
1695-3.27-Jonathan Stephens & Lea-Child: Annetje-Witness: Maria Dirks
1697-11.10-Jonathan Stephens & Lea-Child: Henricus-Witness: Harmen v. Slyk & Grietje Vroman
1700-5.5-Jonathan Steevans & Lea-Child: Dina-Witnesses: Aam Vrooman & Grietje Van Slyck
1702-7.26-Jonohthan Stevens & Lea Stevens-Child: Arent-Witnesses: Manus Vedder & Susanna Van Slyk
Marriages: Schenectady Reformed Church, Schenectady, NY 1694-1852 edited by Arthur Kelly, transcribed by Donald Keefer
1716-10.__ Hendrik Hagedoorn jm (young man) of Schenectady/Annetien Stevens jd (young lady)
1730 -5.29 Nicolaus Stevens, jm, b. & liv this place/ Maria Phoenix jd, b. New York; liv this place
1717-2.3 Samuel Hagedoorn, jm (young man) Aelplaets; Dina Stevens, jd (young lady) Aelplaets.
1726-2.3-Arent Stevens, jm (young man), Maritie Hael jd (young lady)
1749-2.4-Arent Stephens, Schenectady; Mary Burrowes (Griffiths) widow of Lieut. Thomas Burrowes
In 1682, the Schenectady Reformed Church was built at the junction of Church, State, Water streets and Mill Lane by Alexander Lindsey Glen. The frame building, of respectable dimensions, was given as a gift to the inhabitants of the settlement to be used as a Church and Town Hall. On Feb. 8th, 1690, the Church was burned and it's pastor slain by the French and Indians. In 1702 another church was built and was taken down in 1733 after the completion of a new church at Church and Union Streets. In 1814 a new church was built and the old church again taken down. In 1861, this church was destroyed by fire. On the same grounds, a new church was again built which burned in 1948. The present church was built in 1950.It is the 6th church building for the Schenectady Reformed (Dutch Reformed) Church.
(Note: Some information obtained from Early History of Schenectady, New York and it's First Settlers by John Sanders)
Schenectady County Deeds
D 595 July 1702
Ryer Schermerhorn, Jane Wempel, Danielsen, J B Van Eps to Jonathan Stevens, "Joman" (yeoman)
N side of Mohawk River; W side of Aelplaus Creek
Reference to Governor Thomas "Dongham" "pattain" dated 1 November 1684
D 599 1 December 1730 Cat # L 677b
John Wemp and Arent Bradt, patentees to Jonathan Steevins (sic) yeoman
Woodland N side of Mohawk River near Alplaus
D 596 16 November 1750 Cat. L 697c
Nicholas Stevens, yeoman, for his father, Jonathan Stevens, dec'd to his brother Arent Stevens, interpreter
N side of Mohawk River at Alplaus
*Deed books available at Schenectady County Historical Society
Pictures courtesy of Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, Historic American Buildings Survey or Historic American Engineering Record, Reproduction Number (Ex:"HABS,ILL,16-CHIG,33-2")
Visit the Library of Congress website to view more pictures and documentation on the Stevens house. Type "Schenectady" in the search engine and view item number 49.
The original house was built by Jonathan and Lea in 1693 on the north side of theMohawk. This house was torn down in 1860. A second house was built but was lost in a fire. The house that appears in this picture is the third house which was built about 1869. It was located on the land just below the site of the first house. Some of the materials used were from the original 1693 Stevens house . Unfortunately, this house was taken down in the 1950's. The property is now overgrown and no longer in the Stevens family however, a historical marker remains at the homesite in Alplaus.
Visit Yahoo maps for directions to "Alplaus, NY"
The dates of death for Jonathan and Lea are unclear as are their places of burial however it is believed that Lea is buried in Port Jackson. Jonathan's death appears to have been between 1730-1750.
DESCENDENTS OF JONATHAN STEVENS
Names include Stevens, Hagadorn, Groot, Van Patten, Van Alstyne, McIntosh, Mabie, Borsboom, Johnson, Jackson, Peek, Sanders, Glen, Van Eps, Van Vorst, Barhydt, Crysler, Stuart, Fransickle, Clute and more.
STEPHENS/STEVENS DNA PROJECT
Family Tree DNA - The Stephens Y-DNA surname project is looking for male Stephens/Stevens/Stephins descendents in America. Each male that takes the test must be a Stevens/Stevens father, grandfather or great grandfather. The process of DNA testing consists of swabbing the inside of your cheek with 2-3 cotton swabs, provided by FTDNA, and sending them back in vials for testing. Questions relating to this project can be answered on the Family Tree DNA site or by contacting one of the individuals below who have participated in the study..
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Jonathan Stevens (b New England 1675) of Schenectady (1690) , New York.( d.1673-1650)
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OUR STEVENS FAMILY HISTORIAN
Lissa Stevens-Terpening , was born and and raised in Schenectady. She and her husband Frank resided there until 1976. She is the 7th great granddaughter/10th generation of Jonathan and Lea. Lissa has been researching the STEVENS family since 1994 after finding her family line down to her great grandfather posted to DAR records at the Schenectady County Historical Society.
Lissa is responsible for finding over 35 cousins researching Jonathan's line and attempts to connect with them when she travels. In 2000, she donated the Stevens genealogy information, on behalf of our group, to the Schenectady County Historical Society so that other researchers could connect with us. Future genealogists will know who we were and where we came from. We have appointed her our family historian. Join the STEVENS-NY mailing list to ask her a question or e-mail Lissa.
Visit the STEVENS CUZZINS page! Over 35 Cuzzins researching the Stevens line, Cuzzins scrapbook and their genealogy websites.
SCHENECTADY LINKS TO JONATHAN STEVENS RESOURCES:
SCPL
-Genealogies of Families from Schenectady County, NY
SCPL-Genealogies
of the Descendants of the First Settlers of Schenectady:
Sickles to Swits
SCPL-Schenectady,
New York Census - 1720
SCPL-Schenectady, New York Census-1810
SCPL-Schenectady County Citizens in the Revolutionary War
SCHENECTADY COUNTY HISTORICAL SITES AND RESOURCES:
The Schenectady County Historical Society
Schenectady Public Library, History and Genealogy Dept.
Cliff Lamere's Website-Albany and Eastern NY genealogy
Visit my other family websites
Holton website / Johnson website / Jost website /Petry website
Maintained and designed by Kathy Jost-Shouse