Fourth Generation

51. Stephen TAFT was born on 18 April 1710 in Mendon, Worcester County, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America.^4,5,7

Birth recorded at Mendon, Mass. (VRs, p. 177). Died Uxbridge, Mass. (Worcester Co. probate #58077). Marriage 27 Mar. 1733/4, at Glocester, RI. (VRs, p. 37) to Mary Lewis (1714- ).

Stephen lived in Uxbridge, and is known to have been a partner in the Land Bank of 1740. He also had a Revolutionary record. An aged woman, who was the great grand daughter of Silas (237) reorded some years ago that she remembered her great grandfather telling her, when she was a little girl, that he and his father served in the Revolution, but not as enlisted soldiers, but as minute men, Stephen being a second "leftenant" and Silas a private. This identifies Stephen with the Stephen Taft whose record is as follows: "Taft, Stephen, Uxbridge, 2nd Lieut Capt Joseph Chapin's Co of minute men, which marched on an alarm April 19, 1775; service 11 days." From this it might appear that Stephen was not a Quaker.
His will, dated June 25, 1770, and filed September 10, 1770, mentions all his children except Job and Stephen, who probably therefore died young.

The Taft manuscript (SG TAF 5) mistakenly recounts revolutionary war service for this Stephen, not recognizing that he had died before the outbreak of hostilities. This error was corrected by Richard T. Messinger (12 Mar 1983).

The will of Stephen, made 25 Jun. and filed 10 Sep. 1770, names all children except Job and Stephen who probably died young.

Patricia Abrams, 1900 NW 21st Street, Gainesville, FL. 32605, has made an heroic effort to establish the ancestry of Mary Lewis. While absolute proof is lacking, the evidence she has assembled and arguements she presents are persuasive. If correct, Mary was the daughter of John & Elizabeth (Ingalls) Lewis.

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He died in August 1770 at the age of 60 in Uxbridge, Worcester County, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America.^5,7

Stephen TAFT and Mary LEWIS were married on 27 March 1733 in Glocester, Providence County, Rhode Island Colony, British Colonial America.⁷ Mary LEWIS was born (date unknown).