Over the last thirty years I have periodically researched the ancestry of my husbands great grandfather, Zachary Windle Taylor Slade of Elkland, Tioga County, New York. In the research process, I came across documents that included a Stephen Slade of Hyde County, NC. All was well, until the Internet came along and I found that further Slade research, by other genealogists, showed that there was also a Revolutionary War veteran, Stephen Slade. A few queries and web sites stated that they were the one and the same person, linking their ancestry. I followed the same thought until as time went on, I became unsure of the linking of the two men, one in Kentucky and the other some 600 to 800 miles away in Eastern North Carolina.

THE CRUX OF THE PROBLEM

Why did Stephen leave all his property to his Kentucky family and not mention two sons (as is stated on some internet sites)? After all, this was a time when the men had the legal system on their side and women were supposed to go along the best they could. Land was typically willed to the sons and perhaps, household goods to the daughters. Further, the two sons attributed to Stephen Slade came about as a result of the 1813 will of Furniford Slade back in Hyde County, but the will of Stephen Slade, Revolutionary War Soldier, did not mention these sons. Would a man not mention his sons in his will, even supposing a different marriage?  It did not sound right to me, something was wrong in my Slade genealogy.

The following is my argument that they are not the same person but two different men and that Stephen Slade, Hyde County Farmer is the correct brother of Furniford Slade.

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STEPHEN SLADE, REVOLUTIONARY WAR SOLDIER

The Stephen Slade of the Revolutionary War has a documented record of service.
- He was mustered into the 1st NC Regiment, 25th Infantry on November 28, 1775.
- He became Quartermaster Sargent on May 12, 1776 and Regimental Quartermaster on June 1st 1778. He was later promoted to Ensign, then Lieutenant .
- He was taken prisoner at Charleston, SC, then exchanged the following year.
- In January of 1782 he was promoted to First Lieutenant and so served until the end of the war.
- As befits his position as Quartermaster, he can read and write. Documents surviving from the war show a beautiful signature.
- Stephen Slade was awarded over 2560 acres of land as a result of seven years service in the Revolutionary War. - Several Internet sites state he was born in 1751 and died in 1789 in Lincoln County, Kentucky.
- A will for a Stephen Slade was probated in Lincoln County, Kentucky on April 21, 1789. In this will he left his possessions to his wife, Ann Durham and two daughters. No sons were named.

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STEPHEN SLADE, HYDE COUNTY FARMER

Stephen Slade of Hyde County lived all of his life in Hyde County where the following items exist to prove his life as a farmer.

- Stephen Slade, son of Benjamin Slade. In 1772 is bequeathed one tract of land containing one hundred acres lying between the lines of Richard Silvester and Dommicle Tisons in the will of his father, Benjamin Slade. Other sons mentioned are David Lot Slade; Nathan Slade; Furniford Slade; a child ( my wife now carries); my daughters; two sons of Benjamin Slades' brother John: Samuel and Sneck(sic); wife( unnamed) is executrix. Stephen is listed third, Furniford is fourth, possibly indicating birth order. 1772, Hyde County CRX folder, NC Archives, Raleigh

- Stephen Slade is Grantor; Simon Alderson, Grantee; written 14 December, 1792; Recorded Feb. Term 1793, for a lease of twenty five acres of land on the south side of Slades Creek for eight years. Yearly payment of five shillings with an original payment of 30 shillings. A house is to be built within two years and trees are to be used only for farm purposes. Stephen signs his name with a X. Hyde County Real Estate Conveyances, Recorded in Book I, page 81.

- Stephen Slade is Grantor; David Lot Slade, Grantee; February 6, 1793; Deed of sale for the consideration of 20 pounds the following items: five head of cattle, one bead & furniture, one cheast (sic), one carse (sic) of Bottles, One Tea kettle & all the remaining part of his household furniture . Stephen Slade signs his name with an X. Hyde County Real Estate Conveyances, Book I, page 364.

- Stephen Slade, of Hyde County, is listed in the 1800 Federal Census of Hyde County as follows:

Page 376: Slade Stephen- 2 Free White Males Under 10 (emphasis is mine), one Free White Male between 26 to 45, one Free White Female between 26 and 45. All other categories are blank.

Page 376: Furniford Slade- 1 Free White Male 26-45; 1 Free White Female 45 and over; Slaves 3

Other Slade's listed are Ebenezer, Henry, two Johns, Labon, William and David

According to the 1800 Census, Stephen Slade, his spouse and Furniford Slade would have been born between 1755 and 1774. Stephens' sons between 1790 and 1800. This would make Stephen and his spouse between 26 and 45. Stephen Slade, Hyde County farmer, sons would have been between 1 and 10.

- On the10th day of June 1802 Lot Tuley, Administrator of the estate of John Slade, gave a very detailed account of the disposition of the estate. Slade purchases of items in the estate sale are as follows:

William Slade Ruben Slade Stephen Slade William Slde(sic) Henry Slade Ruben Slade

1 wheel 1 bead & furniture 5 buishals (sic) potatoes 1 Ewe & lamb 1 house? Glass 1 gun

02-6-0 12-6-6 00-11-7 01-6-0 00-0-8 02-1-0

- In the Hyde County November Term, 1806 an account of the estate sale of Stephen Slade was recorded in Book C, page 226.

An inventory had been taken as follows:

Inventory of the Estate of Stephen Slade
1 Bed & Bedstead& furniture
2 Shoe knives
1 file
1 iron pot & hooks
1 side of leather
1 Carpenters Adize
1 Broad ax
1 Borc (sic) & shoe tools
Crop on the ground
1 heiffer yearling
Some old crockery ware
1 coffee pot
1 loom
1 old trunk & cotton
1 Gouvel (sic) of cotton
1 clothe jacket
Some woodenware
2 small pails
Some old Trumhery(sic)
3 hoes
3 hogs
7 pigs
the stock mark
* 1 cow & calf two year old heifer
* 10 hogs choice of the stock all the poultry
* 4 bushels of wheat
* ?/ 10 lbs of Meat
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Wm. Sears Admin.

* These items were alotted to the widow for her years provisions.

- On the 13 of Sept. 1806 an "Account of the Sales of the Property of Stephen Slade" was taken. It is basically a repeat of the inventory. Furniford Slade bought the iron pot and hooks. Other brothers bought items as did the widow.

- Furniford Slade's will is recorded in Hyde County in 1813 and probated in the May term, 1813.

1813 Furnifold Slade Hyde Co., NC

Dated: Feb. 9, 1813 - Probated: May Term 1813

To: William Slade, son of Stephen Slade, I give my land and tenements.To: Benjamin, son of Stephen Slade, I give 4 cows & calves.To: Prudence Jewell, I give one feather bed, my mare and all my notes & accounts. The remainder of my estate to be equally divided between Prudence Jewell and my sister, Lydia Slade. Exec: William Slade and Prudence Jewell.

Hyde Co. Record of Wills ; pg. 479

No mention is made of Ann Durham or the Revolutionary War Stephen Slade's daughters.

No mention is made of a widow of Furniford Slade.

According to the 1800 Census there were no children living with Furniford in the 1800 census.

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CONCLUSION

Stephen Slade, Hyde County Farmer, inherited land from his father, further disposition of this land is unknown. He married, leased land, probably built a house, farmed land, sold items to his brother, is listed with two sons and a wife in the 1800 census. At that time Stephen is listed as between 26 and 45 years of age; his two sons under 10 years of age. He attended and purchased potatoes at the estate sale of John Slade. Furniford Slade also attended and purchased items at the same sale. He cannot write as he signs his name with an X on two documents. Stephen Slade died late1805 to early 1806 as an inventory and sale of his goods was taken in early 1806 making the death date span likely. Stephens wife, named only as the "widow", was alive at the time of Stephen's death as she received a years provision. Furniford Slade died in 1813 leaving Stephen Slade sons, William and Benjamin, land and cattle. No mention is made of Stephen Slade, Hyde County Farmer's widow. No mention is made of Ann Durham or the Revolutionary War Stephen Slade's daughters.

There are no clues currently found or stated, to my current knowledge, to show a linking of Stephen Slade, Revolutionary War Soldier of Lincoln County, Kentucky and William and Benjamin Slade in Hyde County, North Carolina.

Therefore, I believe that based upon the above evidence, Stephen Slade, Hyde County Farmer, is the brother of Furniford Slade and the father of William and Benjamin Slade. This would in turn, show that they are the descendants of Benjamin Slade whose will was probated in 1772.

This conclusion will leave Slade genealogy researchers with another mystery: Who is Stephen Slade, Revolutionary War Soldier and what is his ancestry?

Copyright  2006

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