| Notes |
- Under the provisions of the will of his father, Joshua Stapp was devised "The lower part" of the plantation bordering on "Mr. Robert Brooke." This was probably one of the choicest legacies of the estate. The land was still in the possession of Joshua in 1718.
On 8 December 1719, William and Joshua Stapp executed a power of attorney to John Wridings to acknowlege a deed to John Foster Sr. In 1734 Joshua Stapp is in Caroline County, whether by a change in county lines or by removal we do not know but we are inclined to think by the formar since Caroline County was formed in 1734 from Essex.
Joshua and his wife Martha had entered into a contract with Thomas and Martha Foy on some lands. On 14 February 1734 the four formally executed deeds of "cease and release." The Caroline court records note, too, that an action against Joshua, brought by "John Aylet, Gentleman," was dismissed 8 August 1735. In 1743 Joshua Stapp is in Orange County Virginia for at a sale of the estate of James Thurston where it was noted that he was indebted to the estate in the sum of two pounds eight shillings for a grindstone.
Three years later, 27 August 1746, Joshua Stapp, his daughter Eve and her husband Anthred Salmon lease 150 acres of land from the executors of the estate of Alexander Spotswood. The lessees bound themselves to plant fruit trees within four years, not to remove timber or waste it but were permitted to search for minerals. The land, located in St. Mark's Parish and on the River Rapadan, was leased for 800 pounds of tobacco annually.
Joshua Stapp and Martha (Coffey) Stapp had a large family of children by 1755 for a list of titheables in John Williams' precinct shows nine. However, earlier (the exact date confusing) Joshua had been awarded the children of John Stapp to raise. John, son of Joshua, had died in 1751.
Joshua Stapp was by this time wealthy in land and slaves, of the number we are uncertain but at one time he owned seventeen. One of them was referred to as "My Man" by Joshua. There were also, BeBett Jr, Narick, Frank, James, Winn, Bacus, Lett, Lewis Moses, Abraham, Kate, Abraham Jr, Jack, Ben, and Cate.
Growing old by the seventies, Joshua began to deed slaves and land to his children and grandchildren. He gave the slaves Narick and Frank to his son Joshua Jr., To Thomas and his wife Ann he gave the slaves James and Winn, To James he deeded "1 negro man named Abraham and one negro female named Bett and one negro boy named Abraham." On 28 September 1775 he deeded his son Joseph 214 acres of land "being the same land which the said Joshua Stapp and Joseph his son now liveth." In addition, in the same instrument he gave Joseph four negroes named Bacus, Bett, Lewis and Moses. In order to provide his children and grand children with slaves he purchased from Thomas Porter 25 September 1776, two slaves Kate and Jack. He immediately, on the same day, deeded the slave Ben to his granddaughter Elizabeth Simms. Other instruments alienated practically all the remaining properties.
Having provided for his children and grandchildren, Joshua Stapp executed his Will, 19 December 1782. The first item was a manumission of two slaves, "my negro man" and "negro woman Betty" husband and wife. If there was to be any charge attached to the manumission it was to be paid out of his estate. The "negro woman Cate" was bequeathed to Achilles Stapp, his grandson. The residue of his estate was to be divided between his grandson Achilles, his granddaughters, Lucy Willhoit, Sarah Creel and Martha Hubbard. Achilles was named executor. Witnesses were John Payne, John Wyat, and William Wyat. At a court held in Orange County, 27 March 1783, Achilles came in to court and exhibited the instrument which was proven by the last named two witnesses.
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References:
"Kinfolk, Ownbey Family Lines of the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina", p 1.
Dianne, AZDEE@aol.com, 26 November 1998.
"The Stepp/Stapp Families of America - A Source Book", Henry P. Scalf &
Rudolph B. Stepp, 1973, p ?.
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1688 - 1783 (95 years)