Extracted from Historic Homes & Institutions and Personal Memoirs of Worcester, County, Massachusetts. Prepared under the Editorial Supervision of Ellery Bicknell Crane, and Published by the Lewis Publishing Company, 1907. Vol # 2, pages 276--279

Colonel Thomas Stevens (1) of Devonshire, England, was the father of the three emigrants from whom a large part of the Stevens families of Massachusetts are descended. He was the progenitor of Charles F. Stevens, and George A. Stevens, of Worcester. He was the armorer of Buttulph Lane, London, who was contracted with the Massachusetts Bay colony and government in March, 1629, for a supply of arms. He was a member himself of the Massachusetts Bay Company, gave fifty pounds to the common stock and sent three sons, Thomas, Cyprian and Richard, and one daughter to New England. Mary Stevens married Captain Whipple, of Ipswich. Thomas and Cyprian came in 1660 with Captain Green. Cyprian went to Chelsea and later to Lancaster. Richard was the father of Samuel Stevens of Marlboro. Colonel Stevens had another son, William, who remained in London. Colonel Stevens was one of the signers of the instructions to Captain Endicott before coming to New England. Richard Stevens, one of the sons settled in Concord, MA, and died there in 1683. His wife and daughter returned to England to live. Thomas Stevens came first at the age of twelve in the ship "Abigail" from London in 1635. He came again apparently with his brother Cyprian and settled at Sudbury, where he had by his wife Mary; Ann, born Mar. 20, 1664; Thomas, Apr. 14, 1665; John, Apr. 23, 1667; Cyprian, Apr. 19, 1670; Jacob, Mar. 1, 1674. All of these are on the Sudbury records.

(II) Cyprian Stevens, son of Colonel Thomas Stevens (I) was born in England, probably in London, though the family was originally from Devonshire. He settled first at Rumney Marsh, then removed to Lancaster. He married Jan. 22, 1672, Mary Willard, daughter of Simon Willard, of Lancaster. The first three of his children were probably born at Lancaster. He had to leave the town during the Indian wars and he then lived nearer Boston. He was at Sudbury, where his brother lived, and while there was given permission to receive an Indian child of six years in his family. The Indian child was probably from a friendly tribe, whose father was serving in the ranks of the colonists. Cyprian Stevens returned to Lancaster after the declaration of peace between England and France. He was a blacksmith by trade. He was a tavern keeper in 1686, and was also appointed to take an account of all the births and deaths in Lancaster. He was constable in 1690 and clerk of writs in 1682 to 1686. Mary Willard, who married Cyprian Stevens, Jan. 22, 1671/2, was the daughter of the valiant Major Willard and his third wife Mary Dunster. The children of Cyprian Stevens were: Cyprian, b. Nov. 22, 1672; Mary, b. Nov 22, 1672, married Samuel Wright; Dorothy, d. young; Simon, b. at Boston, Aug. 13, 1677; Elizabeth, b. in Boston, 1681; Joseph.

(III) Deacon Joseph Stevens, son of Cyprian Stevens (II), was born in Boston, 1683, died at Rutland, 1769. He settled first in Sudbury, where the first three children were born. About 1714 he settled in Framingham, where two children were born. He removed to Rutland in 1720 and the remainder of his children were born there. He held offices of town clerk, selectman, assessor, treasurer and clerk of the proprietors. He put up a hovel, as the Rutland history called it, at the meadow bordering Stevens brook, five miles from his dwelling, and he went there daily on rackets to feed his cattle. August 14, 1723, after family devotions and breakfast, he and his four sons went to Meeting and were surprised by five hostile Indians. While Captain Stevens made his escape in the bushes, two sons, Samuel and Joseph, were slain and scalped, and the other two Phineas and Isaac, carried away prisoners to Canada. The pluck of Phineas, who carried his younger brother on his back when he was exhausted, saved him from being slaughtered to get him out of the way or left to die alone in the forest. It was more than a year before the boys were redeemed. A subscription was taken in the Framingham church, where the Stevens family had been members, April 19, 1724. The father made two trips to Canada and returned finally with Isaac August 19, 1725. Isaac was much attached to his Indian foster mother and would have preferred to stay with her, it is said. The cost of this ransom and other misfortunes impoverished Captain Stevens and he died in want, Nov. 15, 1769. His widow died 1776. He married Prudence Rice, daughter of John Rice, of Sudbury, and granddaughter of Phineas Rice of Sudbury, descendant of Edmund Rice. The children of Joseph and Prudence (Rice) Stevens were: Captain Phineas, b. Feb. 20, 1707/7, at Sudbury, married Elizabeth Stevens; he was one of the founders of Charlestown, NH, and a noted Indian fighter. Azubah, b. in Sudbury, Oct. 21, 1708. Samuel, b. Sept. 1711, killed by the Indians. Mindwell, born Framingham, Feb. 24, 1713, married Oct. 20, 1732, Samuel Stone. Isaac, captured by Indians in 1723; married Apr. 11, 1743, Mercy Hubbard, daughter of Captain John Hubbard; married second Abigail Parling in 1748. Joseph, one of the elder children killed by the Indians, Aug. 14, 1723. Dorothy, b. Mar. 25, 1720/1, married Mar. 7, 1744/5, Andrew Lenard; married second Hannah Pierce, and settled in Oakham, had five children, Joseph, b. July 24, 1723, a month old when first Joseph was killed. Lucy, born August 4, 1725, married Isaac Bullard, of Rutland district.

(IV) Joseph Stevens, son of Captain Joseph Stevens (III), was born in Rutland, MA, Jul. 24, 1723. He was the second child of the name by the same parents. The first Joseph was killed by the Indians when this Joseph was a month old. He married Dinah Rice. They settled in Rutland and later in Charlton, MA. their children were: John, b. Rutland, Sept. 28, 1748; Joseph, bapt.. Oct. 27, 1751 at Rutland; and others at Charlton.

(V) John Stevens, son of Joseph Stevens, was born in Rutland. He was a soldier in the Revolution at the Lexington call in Captain Samuel Curtis's company. He married Rebecca Marble ( book says Marvel, it is incorrect, I have documentation) , of Sutton, intentions Sept. 7, 1765. He married second, Jerusha Nichols, Nov. 23, 1775, at Charlton. His will is dated Mar. 8, 1823. His children were: Rachel, married Joel Robinson, Feb. 9, 1797; Jonathan, b. Mar. 24, 1783, died Nov. 3, 1838; John inherited the homestead at Charlton; Rebecca, married _____ Savory; Jerusha, married Jan. 22, 1821, Artemas Merriam; Perley, inherited the house where his father died; married Persis Woodbury; Ruth died unmarried; Cynthia (Mary).

(VI) Jonathan Stevens, son of John, was b. in Charlton , Mar. 24, 1783 and died there, Nov. 3, 1838. He married Elizabeth Marcy, intentions Nov. 3, 1811. She was b. Jan. 14, 1789, died Sept. 9, 1848. Children were: 1. Barbara, b. Nov. 11, 1812, d. Apr. 14, 1849; married Charles G.. Button, of Tunbridge, VT. 2. Jonathan, b. Oct. 15, 1814, d. Oct. 2, 1842. 3. Adeline, b. May 5, 1816, d. unmarried May 7, 1880. 4. Daniel, b. Jun. 30, 1818. 5. Elizabeth Learned, b. Dec. 19, 1820, married Andrew Sigourney Wetherell, Jul 14, 1845. 6. Charles Pardon, b. Sept. 29, 1829.

(VII) Daniel Stevens, son of Jonathan Stevens (VI) was b. at Charlton, Jun. 30, 1818, d. Mar. 1888, married Hanna J. Adams, Nov. 29, 1843, daughter of Clark and Silome Benson Adams, of Northbridge, MA.

(VII) Charles Pardon Stevens, son of Jonathan Stevens (VI) was b. in Charlton, Sept 29, 1829, d. Worcester, MA, May 19, 1885. He married Jul. 18, 1854, Elizabeth Tucker, who was born in Bridport, England, Jan. 25, 1835.

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