Currently, Rebecca, wife of Thomas Christian, II is show as daughter of Lt. Colonel Drury Stith, I & Susannah Stith as follows:
Rebecca (Stith) Christian
Gender: Female
Birth: circa 1695
Charles City, Virginia, USA
Death: April 05, 1787 (87-96)
Bedford, Virginia, USA
Immediate Family:
Daughter of Lt. Colonel Drury Stith, I and Susannah (Bathurst) Stith
However, there is no evidence to support the parent connection. Wikitree has detached the profile. I propose that to help the managers tracing the Christians, we merge into Rebecca New instead.
This is Wikitree’s explanation for their detaching:
https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Stith-65
Uncertain Existence
Thomas Christian patented land adjacent to a Drury Stith in Charles City County,[1] and this has lead some researchers to conclude the use of the name "Drury" in later generations was because he might have been Thomas Christian's father-in-law. The original published source of this theory has Rebecca's maiden name as an underscore (i. e. "unknown"), then suggests she could be Drury Stith's daughter.[2] However, there is no evidence Drury Stith had a daughter named "Rebecca".
Circumstantial evidence suggests Thomas Christian's wife was Rebecca New, whose family migrated with the Christians (and others) to Goochland County. Edmund New had two wills recorded in Henrico County. "Rebekah Christian" is named in both, and specifically as his daughter in the second. For the second will, Thomas Christian is a witness and gave oath to prove it the same day that the Edmund's inventory was presented by his wife Mary.[3][4][5]
Drury Stith's profile states that two daughters are mentioned in William Byrd's diaries. Specifically, Byrd wrote of attending the wedding of Drury's daughter Mary (Stith) Herbert.[6] Byrd also refers to Drury's two daughters on two other occasions.[7] Jane Drury (Stith) Hardaway has been proposed as Drury's second daughter.
There is a record of Drury's will being presented at the March 1741/42 court session in Charles City, but no copy of the will survives.
An article about the Stith Family in the William and Mary Quarterly doesn't mention any daughters for Drury, but names sons Drury Jr., William, and John.[8]
The Find-a-Grave profile for Rebecca states that the supposed burial place (Henrico Parish Cemetery) is based on "Oglesby Research" and states there is "no evidence for her burial elsewhere". However there is absolutely no evidence she is buried there either.[9]
There are a few uploaded GEDCOMs online which attempt to make this Rebecca the wife of the younger Thomas Christian with him as the son of Rebecca (New) Christian. However this is less commonly seen, lacking evidence as usual.
Vital Statistics
Birth
Estimated dates vary for Rebecca Stith's birth from 1665 to 1695. No family records survive, and whatever date appears is likely based on her children's estimated birth dates.[citation needed]
Death
Estimated dates vary from 1737 to 1743, and seem to be inferred from the probate dates for two Thomas Christians in Goochland. Each left a widow named "Rebecca". [10][11]
Purported Parents
Rebecca (Stith) Christian (1695-1741), a person of uncertain existence, is purportedly the daughter of:
Drury Stith Sr. (abt.1670-bef.1742)
Susannah (Bathurst) Stith (1674-1745)
Purported Spouse
Rebecca (Stith) Christian (1695-1741), a person of uncertain existence, is purportedly the spouse of:
Thomas Lewis Christian II (1664-bef.1739)
Thomas Christian III (1700-bef.1743)
