Robert Stacy, Sr.

concerns

This Robert (of South Carolina) was not born in 1757 to John and Anne Stacy-- he is often confused with his cousin, who died in Gloucester County, Virginia, United States in 1822. See http://robertstacysc.blogspot.com/ for details.

Robert Stacy of SC was not born in 1757-- he is often confused with his cousin Robert Stacy of Sussex and York, VA who was born Mar. 25, 1757 and died in Gloucester Co., VA in 1822. Explanation here: robertstacysc.blogspot.com/

Robert Stacy of Gaffney was not from Sussex, VA

Since 2003, everytime I get online to poke around with some Stacy genealogy I come across this: Robert Stacy b. Mar. 25, 1757 Sussex Co., VA d. Feb. 6, 1849 Spartanburg Dist., SC

The latter date we know to be correct per the Robert Stacy family bible.

The birth date and location is not accurate.

Let me explain.

Back in the early 2000's, Temple Simmons and some other Stacy genealogists came to the conclusion that the Robert Stacy who died in Spartanburg District, South Carolina had been the son of John and Ann Stacey, born March 1757 at Albemarle Parish, Sussex Co., VA.

That theory is based primarily on three bits of evidence: 1. Census records and family accounts indicate Robert Stacy of SC was born in VA. 2. The presence of an "Anna Stacy", wife of Shadrach Nowland of 96 Dist., SC in 1787 when the couple sold some land. It is assumed she is the Anne Stacy, sister of Robert born in Jan. 1764 (Albemarle Parish Register, Sussex Co., VA). 3. The presence of a "sewing table" in Robert's estate inventory of 1849 seeming to concur with the Virginia Robert being indentured to a tailor named John Conrad Gunther in Yorktown, VA in January 1772 (York Co. deeds, 1769-77).

Slam dunk, right?

It's most likely wrong. The "proof" is flimsy at best and the evidence to the contrary is much stronger.

Simmons and other researchers concluded the "sewing table" proof was strong, since sewing tables were the exclusive tool of a professional tailor, an unaffordable luxury for a common farmer. This is nonsense.

Here is an example of an early American sewing table.

Colonial and early American farmers were almost entirely self-sufficient, and most made their own clothing. They could have easily made their own sewing tables, which are nothing more than a simple table with some drawers they kept sewing products in.

The reality is that the Robert Stacy that was born in 1757 Sussex Co., VA died in early 1822 in nearby Gloucester Co., VA. He is well represented in VA colonial records over those years.

The Robert Stacy, son of John and Anne Stacy that was born on 3.25.1757 lived in York County, Virginia from about 1765 to 1786. He lived in Warwick Co. VA from 1786 to 1796. He became a preacher in 1797/98 and lived in Gloucester Co., VA from 1796 until his death, probably early in 1822 at the age of 65. He does not appear in Gloucester County records after 1822, nor do any other Stacys.

Here's my proof, according to original Virginia colonial records:

1781- A Robert Stacy of York County petitioned the colonial government for redress for the loss of his hay bails during the latter part of the Revolutionary War.

1783/1784- "Robert Stacy" appears in York Co., tax census in these two years, the same time he is supposed to be in South Carolina marrying Sally Austell. Their first child was born in SC in January 1785 per later census accounts.

Nov. 1, 1785- "Robert Stacy and wife Susannah" sold their land (40 acres, purchased five months earlier) in York Co. VA to Robert Shield. They appear in tax records of Warwick Co. in early 1787, so presumably moved there after this land sale.

September, 1791- Robert Stacy is ordered to oversee a road to the Union County line in Spartanburg Dist, SC. (Spartanburg Orders, 1790-91). However the Robert Stacy, b. 1757 was still in Virginia at this time, where he appeared on August 18, 1791 in York Co. court as a witness for John A. Rogers. (York County Orders).

Robert appears in Warwick County tax census records fairly regularly from 1787 to 1795. He is last recorded on July 20, 1795 in Warwick County tax census, though he appeared in York County Court on Oct. 17, 1796 (via his attorney, in a case involving William Burcher, whom Robert was named guardian of in 1786). Robert does not appear in any tax census in 1796. However, he does make his debut appearance in Gloucester County in the tax census of 1797. (Gloucester County is just across the river from York County). He appears as "Robert Stacy" in 1797, and the following year appears in the same county as "Reverend Robert Stacy". He remains in Gloucester County until the tax census records on April 24, 1822 this entry: "Stacy, Robert, dead".

He does disappear from the tax records between 1799 and 1803, where Robert does not appear in York, Warwick or Gloucester Counties, however his brother, John (b. Feb. 5, 1762 in Sussex Co,VA) who appears in several York County court documents between 1785 and 1795, does appear in Gloucester Co. in 1799. Importantly, there is no overlap, in other words there are no Robert Stacys that appeared in York, Warwick or Gloucester Counties simultaneously, indicating there is only one Robert Stacy in this area and timeframe. Robert does not appear in York County court records after Oct. 1796, around the time he moved to Gloucester County. Our Robert is supposed to be in South Carolina all this time, living on land he purchased there way back in 1786.

Perhaps most damning for the "sewing table" theory: Robert Stacy remained a friend with his former master, John Gunther throughout his life. He appeared in York Co. Court for him as a witness on March 21, 1787. The entry reads as follows:

"On the motion of Robert Stacy, a witness from Warwick for the same against the same (John C. Gunter against John Mass, administrator of John Goodwin, dec'd), it is ordered that the said John Gunter pay him 239 pounds of tobacco for attending the court six days and for traveling seven miles four times and returning." (York County Orders, 1784-1787, pg. 424)

Robert appears in York Co. court again on Aug. 19, 1789, again as a witness for Gunter. He is still mentioned as being from "Warwick", but the distance traveled is changed to five miles, the duration to two days, and the payment to 70 pounds of tobacco. (John C. Gunter vs. John Nelson, York County Orders) Note: John Conrad Gunter was dead by April 1796, when his will was probated.

As you can see, there is a firm chain of evidence- the Robert Stacy of Warwick County (1786-1796) is the same man who lived in York County (c.1765-1786) and was indentured to John Ginter/Gunter in 1772, and the same man born to John & Anne in 1757. The families all moved in groups- Kinchen Stacy, Robert's cousin (per Sussex Co., VA parish records), also appears in the 1788 Warwick Co. tax census near Robert. Robert, Joseph & Kinchen Stacy, Joseph & Kinchen being brothers and cousins to Robert, all remained closely associated with one another through the 1780's and 90's. There is no question that Robert Stacy, b. Mar. 25, 1757 remained in York, then Warwick county, very near his relatives, many of whom also relocated from Sussex County in the 1760's.

For context, here is a map showing how close Gloucester, York, Warwick and Sussex counties are (blue dots):

As a final note, the 1757 birth is also inconsistent with the SC Robert's census documentation, which places his birth between 1760 and 1765. The only indicator of the VA Robert's age is when he appeared in the Gloucester Co VA federal census of 1810- he is said to be over age 45 (b. bef. 1765), consistent with being born in 1757. Being apprenticed in 1772 is consistent with his youth, since he would have been 14 years of age.

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   So if the Robert Stacy who died in South Carolina in 1849 was not the same man born in 1757, where was he from? 		

Colonial Virginia records are unfortunately sparse. Many were destroyed in the Civil War, so we may never know for sure. Making matters worse, the SC Robert seems to have no family context in SC, there being no obvious relatives we can link him to other than his own children. However, we do have some useful clues.

Are there any other Stacy's in the vicinity of Spartanburg District, SC? Yes. There are two: 1. "Anna Stacy" wife of Shadrach Noland, who sold land in Ninety-Six District (the precursor to Spartanburg District) in December 1787. 2. "Jemima Stacy", reputed wife of Charles Littlejohn (b. ca.1730 – d. 1800-1810) of Spartanburg/Union District, SC.

We have no direct evidence either of these women are related to Robert Stacy. We know through census documents Anna Stacy was about the right age to be his sister. Jemima could be the mother of her husband's oldest, Charles Jr., born around 1765, making Jemima about the right age to be Robert's mother.

So we know they lived near Robert in SC. Where were these women and their husbands from? That's where it starts to get interesting.

We know Anna Stacy Noland's husband Shadrach was born in Frederick Co., VA in 1752.

We also know Jemima Stacy's husband, Charles was born in Prince George Co., MD in the 1730's.

On September 6, 1759, there appears in Frederick Co. VA Orders a George Stacy, who had recently been sued by a local woman named Sarah Ashby, evidently for breach of their engagement. His wife's name: Jemima Stacy. This George Stacy later appears in Prince William County, but disappears from colonial records after 1763. According to one researcher, he was said to have had a coroner's inquest launched in Prince William Co. in 1764, indicating he was deceased.

Robert Stacy of South Carolina had a son named George Stacy… was he named for his late grandfather?

If Jemima Stacy was widowed in 1764, she wouldn't have had to travel far to meet her hypothetical second husband, Charles Littlejohn; he lived just across the river in Maryland.

Charles Littlejohn first appears in Ninety Six District, South Carolina in 1774. Robert Stacy first appears in records as a horseman in the militia in June 1782.

Finally, Robert's wife Sally was probably an Austell. Her brother, Joseph married Nancy Littlejohn, who would have been a niece of Charles and Jemima, indicating close ties between the Austells and Littlejohns.

So my current theory is this: Robert Stacy was born around 1763 in Prince William County, Virginia to George and Jemima Stacy. He had an older sister named Anna. His father died in 1764, and his mother remarried to Charles Littlejohn, relocating to South Carolina in 1774. Anna married Shadrach Noland around 1781 and Robert married Sally Austell around 1783. This would explain why there are no records of Robert Stacy in Virginia: he left while still a child.

Can I prove it? No. But it makes sense. And it may be the only real lead we have.