Jefferson County, NY Pioneers


JEFFERSON COUNTY, NEW YORK


LEVI STEARNS PIONEER FAMILY



1. LEVI STEARNS was born 29 Dec 1767 probably at Westminster, MA and died c1853 in Jefferson Co., NY. (Coordinator's note: He DIED in Jefferson County, which wasn't settled until well after the Revolutionary War.) He was the son of AARON STEARNS and ESTHER GLAZIER. AARON STEARNS was born 2 Feb 1746 and died in 11 Sept 1809. He was in the Revolutionary War and is a DAR Patriot.

LEVI STEARNS and KEZIAH (WETHERBEE) STEARNS are both buried in Theresa, Jefferson Co., New York. In the 1810 census of Jefferson Co., NY, LEVI STEARNS was living at Rutland, NY. In 1820 he was living at LeRay, NY. As a participant in the War of 1812, his descendants are eligible for inclusion in the General Society of the War of 1812 .

He married 1)
EUNICE HILL of Ackworth, N.H., who died about 1798.

Children of LEVI STEARNS and his first wife, EUNICE (HILLS) STEARNS:

2    i      JOHN GLAZIER STEARNS who was born 1795 and died 16 Jan 1874.

He married 2)
KEZIAH WETHERBEE who was born 27 Sept. 1774 and died about 1861. She was the daughter of EPHRAIM and KEZIA (PEIRCE) WETHERBEE. Ephraim was born 24 Aug 1749 and died 18 June 1802. Kezia, his wife, was born 4 Dec 1743 and died 19 April 1793. Ephraim and Kezia are both buried in the Old Burying Ground at Lunenburg, MA.

Children of LEVI STEARNS and his second wife, KEZIAH (WETHERBEE) STEARNS:

3   ii      EUNICE STEARNS – no information

4    iii      LUCRETIA STEARNS – no information

5    iv      EPHRAIM STEARNS – no information

6    v    RHODA STEARNS was born 13 August 1803 in New Hampshire and died 20 July 1877, probably in MN. She married JACOB SHERMAN, who was a hatter of LeRay, Jefferson Co., NY. Rhoda and Jacob had several children, one of them was LUCY SHERMAN, who married E. G. HOLMES. Lucy was admitted to the DAR on the service of Aaron Stearns. *See Jacob Sherman family this site  

7    vi     NANCY STEARNS married probably NORRIS HENRY and moved to Ohio. Norris Henry had a sister, Lucy Maria Henry, who married 12 July 1863 Orlando Clayton Stearns of Cuyahoga Co., Ohio 

8    vii      POLLY STEARNS was born 22 January 1811. She married JOSEPH BANNISTER, who was the son of William Bannister and Ruth Phillips.

9   viii      LUCY STEARNS was born 1815 and died 12 Feb 1871 at age 56. She married the REV. ALONSON CHEESEMAN of Alexandria Bay, NY. He died 25 Dec. 1885 at 76 years, 10 mos and 16 days. Both are buried in the Old Theresa Cemetery, Jefferson Co., NY *See Cheeseman family this site.

10    ix     BETSEY STEARNS – no information

11   x      LYMAN STEARNS was born 19 Feb 1809 at Felts Mills in Jefferson Co., and died 23 March 1887, age 78 yrs, 3 months, 4 days. He married on 18 July 1830 at Theresa to SALLY MASON, who was born 6 Nov 1807 and died 8 June 1879 at age 71 yrs, 8 mos, 2 days. Lyman and Sally are buried in the Old Theresa Cemetery, Jefferson Co., NY.

12   xi      CURTIS STEARNS was born 1810 in NY. He died in 1861 in Ohio. He was a shoemaker and in 1850 was in Montgomery, Wood Co., Ohio and in 1860 was a resident of Fostoria, Seneca Co., Ohio. He married MARY A. HART, who was born 1814, probably in Jefferson Co., NY.

2. JOHN GLAZIER STEARNS who was born 1795 and died 16 Jan 1874. He is buried in the Sunset Cemetery, Oneida Co., NY.

From The First Half Century of Madison University 1819-1869 or, The Jubilee by Colgate University: Born in Ackworth, NH Nov 22, 1795. Converted when about 15 years old and when 19 was baptized in Rutland, NY. He became a member of the first class in 1819 and graduated June, 1822. Married Rebecca Smith, in Sangerfield. Ordained in Waterville, 18th of June. Pastor in Syracuse, Paris, East Avon, Gorham, Clymer, Dewittville, Clinton and New Hartford, NY. Impaired health has interfered with his labors in the ministry. His first wife died April 3, 1824. He married Miss SILENA POST in Marshall, NY March 1836. She died March 31, 1853. He married Miss LOVINA DRAKE, in Clymer, NY Sept. 27, 1854. Author of a work on the Imortality of the Soul, and one on Free Masonry. Resides in Clinton, Oneida Co., NY; retired from pastoral labor.

8. POLLY STEARNS, the daughter of LEVI STEARNS and his second wife, KEZIAH (WETHERBEE) STEARNS was born 22 January 1811.

She married:
JOSEPH BANNISTER, who was the son of WILLIAM BANNISTER and RUTH PHILLIPS.

Children of POLLY STEARNS and JOSEPH BANNISTER:

  13   xii     JOSEPH H. BANNISTER

  14   xiii     JUDSON BANNISTER

  15   xiv     LAYELLA BANNISTER

  16   xv     GEORGE F. BANNISTER b 27 July 1836 in Genessee Co., NY

  17   xvi     NATHAN. BANNISTER b 1840

  18   xvii     JOHN BANNISTER b 1842 in New York

  19   xviii    DANIEL S. BANNISTER b 1842 in New York

  20   xix     LUCY N. BANNISTER b 1848 in New York

  21   xx     MARY J. BANNISTER b 1848

  22   xxi     FREDERICK C. BANNISTER

11. LYMAN STEARNS, the son of LEVI STEARNS and his second wife, KEZIAH (WETHERBEE) STEARNS was born 19 Feb 1809 at Felts Mills in Jefferson Co., and died 23 March 1887, age 78 yrs, 3 months, 4 days.

He married on 18 July 1830 at Theresa
SALLY MASON, who was born 6 Nov 1807 and died 8 June 1879 at age 71 yrs, 8 mos, 2 days. Lyman and Sally are buried in the Old Theresa Cemetery, Jefferson Co., NY.

Children of LYMAN STEARNS and SALLY (MASON) STEARNS:

  23   xxii     JULIA MARIA STEARNS

  24   xxiii     ALMEDIA STEARNS born 1833 died 1848

  25   xxiv     JOHN G. STEARNS born 1835 died 1864

  26   xxv     EGBERT P. STEARNS born 1837 died 1862 – served in the Civil War from Jefferson Co., NY

  27   xxvi     HENRY B. STEARNS born 1838 died 1864

  28   xxvii     NANCY E. STEARNS born 1842 died 1910

  29   xxviii     LAURETTE STEARNS Stearns born 1844 died 1864

  30   xxix     Unknown child born 1847 died 1847

  31   xxx     AMANDA STEARNS born 1855 died 1871

  32   xxxi     HENRY C. STEARNS born 1864

12.   CURTIS STEARNS, the son of LEVI STEARNS and his second wife, KEZIAH (WETHERBEE) STEARNS was born 1810 in NY. He died in 1861 in Ohio. He was a shoemaker and in 1850 was in Montgomery, Wood Co., Ohio and in 1860 was a resident of Fostoria, Seneca Co., Ohio.

He married MARY A. HART, who was born 1814, probably in Jefferson Co., NY.

Children of CURTIS STEARNS and MARY A. (HART) STEARNS:

33   xxxii     LEVI STEARNS b c1833 died before 1863; married 30 Mar 1855, SALINDA HACKET of Ohio. She was born before 1837 and died before 1861

34   xxxiii     SUSAN STEARNS b c1834

35   xxxiv     SYLVESTER STEARNS b c1836 d March 1892 buried in the Fountain Cem., Fostoria, Ohio

36   xxxv     ALVIN STEARNS b c1839 in NY. He followed his father's trade and was a shoemaker. He died Feb 1909 and is also buried in the Fountain Cem., in Ohio

37   xxxvi     LUCY A. STEARNS b c1840 – her death certificate provided her mother's maiden name—MARY A. HART

38   xxxvii     ALANSON STEARNS b c1845

39   xxxiii     LAURETT STEARNS b c1853

Sources:
Curtiss Stearns (contact: ASSETRECOV@aol.com), descendant of Curtis Stearns and Mary A. Hart ; DAR records, census records; tombstone records; VIR for New Hampshire, MA, Ohio and Jefferson Co., NY.; the Sherman Family; the Cheeseman Family; records of Theresa, NY., Civil War records


For further information, contact: M. Sapienza
OR
For further information, contact: Curtiss Stearns


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