Thomas was the oldest child of John Stephenson. In 1767, at the age of 13, he sailed with his family to America from Belfast, Ireland, landing at Charleston, South Carolina. On the same ship was William Waddell, his wife Sarah Morrow, and their five girls. One of these girls was Mary, then age 12. After paying his families passage and supplies, William Waddell had only fifty guineas left to meet responsibilities of settling in a new land.
These two families became firm friends and settled four doors removed from each other along the banks of the South Yadkin River in that part of Rowan County, North Carolina, which in 1788 became Iredell Co.
Thomas enlisted in the Continental Army from Rowan County in 1776 at the outbreak of the Revolutionary War. Before leaving for the Army, he asked Mary to marry him, but she refused, saying she did not want to be left a widow. They were married in 1782, shortly after he returned from his war service and they settled on part of the 210 acres of land owned by Thomas father in present Statesville, NC..
It is important to recall that Georgia only became a colony in 1752 and was the last of the thirteen colonies. There was considerable migration from the Carolinas, Virginia and Pennsylvania and other colonies into this wilderness area and the settlers were continually at war with the Indians living there. By treaty, purchase and otherwise the land was gradually taken over from the Indians.
Sir James Wright, the Governor General of Georgia, on June 1, 1773, made a treaty with the Cherokee and Creek Indians, whereby he secured a large tract of land from the Indians as settlement for a debt owed to traders. Before the 1773 treaty, whites were prevented from locating there by terms of a previous treaty. This area first was called Wilkes County and soon parts were sold in payment of the Indians debt. This gave rise to the first white settlers in the area. Later, the present counties of Wilkes, Lincoln and Elbert were formed from this area, plus parts of Madison, Greene, Oglethorpe, Warren and McDuffie counties.
In the 1784 Land Act, the unsold residue of land in Wilkes County was donated by the Georgia Legislature to the American Soldiers of the Revolutionary War. This legislation was an attempt to provide compensation for soldiers of the Revolution, most of whom had received little or no pay for their military service. A Land Court was established to handle the soldier's claims, which were parcelled out by lottery.
After only a few months in North Carolina, Thomas received one of these grants. He and Mary then went to Georgia. Governor Wright had opened the post of Fort James at the confluence of the Broad and Savannah Rivers. This fort was the gateway whereby many settlers, including Thomas and Mary, entered Georgia. They registered there, recorded their names, their slaves (if any) and secured their tract of land, which was in that part of Wilkes County that later became Greene County.
Thomas and Mary were certainly in Greene County by 1786, because their first child, John, was born there that year. In 1787 he received a grant of 124 acres in Greene Land grant records (page 117) show Thomas and Mary sold 124 acres of land in Greene Co. on July 9, 1790. All of their six children were born and raised there. Thomas was named Executor of William Waddell's (Marys father) will, which was probated July 2, 1805. When Thomas died in 1806 (Thomas will was probated October 18, 1806) they were still in Greene County, either near or in the same household with their son, John, and his family. In 1825 Mary moved to DeKalb County, Georgia, with John's family and household and was buried in the family cemetery.
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Minutes of Ordinary Court, page 55
Ordered that Thos. Stephenson be allowed $ 150 for his trouble and expense with Wm. Waddle when he lay with his death sickness.
