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| Page from Stevens Family Bible Showing Elizabeth's Birth |
Elizabeth Stevens, daughter of Thomas Darnell Stevens and
his wife, Mary Eleanor Webster, was born 15 April 1772 in King George’s Parish,
Prince George’s County, Maryland. The Stevens family Bible entry reads,
"Elizabeth, Daughter of Tho's X Mary Eleanor was Born 15th Day of April
Anno domini 1772 about 2 O'Clock in the fore noon." Several other sources suggest other dates,
but this source seems to be the best one, since it was apparently recorded by
her father, Thomas. Her surname is also
sometimes found spelled “Stephens.”
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| Page from Stevens Family Bible Showing Elizabeth's Marriage to Robert Braden |
She married Robert Braden, son of Joseph Braden and Sarah Wright, on 29 January 1795. The Stevens Family Bible entry reads, "Elizabeth Stevens was Marryed to Robert Braden January 29th -- 1795." They were married by Rev. John Littlejohn. I have seen a variety of dates for this marriage (all in 1795), but have chosen to accept the Bible entry as the best source, though it is possible that it should be 28 January 1795, since that is the most consistent alternate date from secondary sources. They were married in Loudoun Co., Virginia.
Just a year later, on 16 January 1796, Elizabeth and Robert had their first child, Mary Eleanor, named undoubtedly for Elizabeth’s mother. They are known to have had ten children:
Mary Eleanor Braden, born 16 January 1796.
Hector Wright Braden, born 2 January 1798.
Noble Stevens Braden, born 12 January 1800.
Burr Braden, born 27 July 1802.
Robert Braden, born 23 August 1804.
William Fenton Braden, born 24 August 1806.
Nelson Braden, born 22 June 1809.
Joseph Addison Braden and his twin sister, Sarah Eleanor Braden, born 8 May 1811. Elizabeth Wright Braden, born 16 December 1813.
Nelson Braden died as a baby on 16 February 1810.
Elizabeth was named in her father, Thomas’s, will written in 1814. She and her five siblings were to share equally in Thomas’s estate.
On 28 June 1827, Elizabeth’s husband, Robert, wrote his will. His bequest to Elizabeth was “First. I give to my beloved Wife Elizabeth Braden the House and Lot I now live in with the Stable and lot attached to it, together with all my household and kitchen furniture, Also my Negro Woman Hannah during her natural life, and at her death to be sold and divided as my other property, except my Negro Woman Hannah, which is to be emancipated on the same terms as my other slaves, and I do further direct that my executors pay to my wife Elizabeth the sum of three hundred Dollars annually for her support during her natural life – “
Her husband, Robert, died at Waterford, Loudoun Co., Virginia on 14 November 1827. At that time, daughter Mary Eleanor was 31 and married; son, Hector, had moved away to Florida; son, Noble, was still unmarried and presumably still living at home; son, Burr, had married; son, Robert, was 23 and going to school in Pennsylvania; son, William, was 20 and apparently still living at home; twins, Sarah Eleanor and Joseph were 16; and daughter, Elizabeth was 13.
On 18 January 1828, Noble reported to the probate court on the sale of her husband’s personal property. At that estate sale, Elizabeth
purchased “1 wood axe, 1 lot yarn, 400 lbs pork, 200 lbs beef, 1 sorrel horse,
1 gig & harness, 1 cart, 1 cuttery box, shovel & pitchfork, 1 cow.” On that same date, Noble, the executor of his
father’s estate, filed an accounting of the estate stating that the family's
expenses from 17 November 1827 (the date of Robert's death) to 18 January 1828
were $67.31 ½.
On 28 May 1828, son Noble married Elizabeth Williams. He apparently did not live with his mother once he had married.
In late October 1828, Elizabeth’s son, Burr, left Virginia with his wife, Mary’s family, and headed for Indiana.
On 14 November 1828, Noble Braden, as executor of Robert Braden's estate, paid his mother, Elizabeth Braden, an annuity of $300 from the estate. On the same date, she paid back to the estate $110.17 for items she purchased at the estate sale.
On 19 December 1828, Elizabeth’s daughter, Sarah Eleanor, died. She was 17.
On 13 March 1829, Noble’s wife, Elizabeth, died. A letter from a family friend states that she died “eleven days after her confinement” which leads me to believe she died in childbirth. The child must not have survived. Noble moved back to his mother’s home.
Then a few months later, on 18 April 1829, Elizabeth’s eldest daughter, Mary Eleanor, died, leaving a husband and five small children.
A letter written in July 1829 from a family friend to Elizabeth’s daughter-in-law, Mary, in Indiana, mentions Elizabeth, “… your Mother B requested me to write for her as her helth [sic] is such that she cannot write. She told me to inform you that she thought of you all dayley [sic] but she had given up the idea of eaver [sic] seeing you in this world tharefore [sic] she requested me to give her love to you all and tell you she hoped you would prepare to meet her whare [sic] parting is no more She is nearly confined to her bed but she told me that she did not expect to continen[-torn-]e long the afflictions of body and mind she has [-torn-]ered with much composure you know that she is a woman of much firmness and I believe has religion She has been under deep concern for the good of her soul but I believe has become more reconciled She told me that she had given up all worldley [sic] concern you have hurd [sic] of Nobel's and Mr. Dulaney's loss it was great Mr. Dulaney's littel [sic] children lives with him whare [sic] they lived when you left us they are all well at presant [sic] Nobel lives with his mother….”
In September 1829, son Burr was visiting Waterford from Indiana. He wrote back to his wife, Mary, that “… you can better imagine than I describe the pleasure it gave me on finding our dear mother enjoying much better health than I could reasonably have expected. She is however very weak, confined in part to her bed and mostly to her room. Within a few weeks past however she has rode out in the gig several times.” And in another letter home a few days later, he wrote, “Mother's health is about as usual, still very weak. She wishes to be remembered to you and advises you to remember her in your prayers.”
Estate records indicate that during 1829, Elizabeth’s nephew, Flavius Braden (son of Robert’s deceased brother, Joseph) boarded with her in Waterford.
Elizabeth is listed as the head of the household on the
1830 federal census. as the head of the
household. The household consisted of 1
white male under 5 (born after 1825) who was probably Flavius Braden, her
nephew; 1 white male 15 to 20 (born ca 1810-1814) who was probably Joseph
Addison; 1 white female 15-20 (born ca 1810-1814) who was probably Elizabeth W.;
1 white female 50-60 (born ca 1771-1780) who was Elizabeth herself; 1 free
colored female age 10-24 (this might be the Hannah mentioned in Robert’s will).
On 21 June 1830, Elizabeth wrote a letter to her son, Burr,
and his wife, Mary, who were in Indiana.
She wrote: “My
dear Children I have waited with a
great deal of anxiety to receive a letter from you but as we delaid [sic]
writing to you for some time after we received your last on account of my being
anxious [sic] to write a fue [sic] lines myself I have stil [sic] hoped thare
[sic] is nothing materiel [sic] happoned [sic]. it is the greatest earthly comfort I have is
to hear from you all and hear too you all seem to be striving to doo [sic]
well I cannot expect to have the
pleasure of ever imbracing [sic] either of you again but I hope to meet you on
that happy shore where parting hands will be no more I can say but little on any subject I am very weak in boddy [sic] and mind very
much the same as when you was here I
wish to be resigd [sic] I hope I shal
[sic] to every disposation [sic] of providence
I wish very much to hear from your dear little infant I hope she is thriveing [sic] but if it has
pleased the Lord to take her try to be resigd [sic] what ever he gives is only lent and as he
does all things well he knows when to give and when take and let us try to be
thankful at all times [page 2] I did not expect I should when I commenced
wrote as much but broken and unconnected as they are I know you will as thoug
[sic] they were better I had a very
trying time through the winter and spring but I feel like a heavy burthen [sic]
taken of [sic] my shoulders since the blacks went away and the children has got
to school the girls are in Charlestown
boarding with Mrs. Harding the boys are
going to school to Wickliff and are boardin [sic] at Mrs Shevelies very
comfortably situated we have got
letters from all the blacks they had a
very quick and pleasant passage and all well and well pleased I commenced this letter yesterday as I sat
up in bed the weathe [sic] being so uncommonly cold for several days I was afraid to vonta [venture?] out of bed
as I cannot sit up long at a time although I have rode out several times since
the weather has been warm I was
yesterday alone with the exception of little Charles, … as Fenton and Sarah
Phillips went out to Mr. Harrises to spend the afternoon Noble has gone to Philadelphia on business
and has taken a pare [sic] of very hansome [sic] match horses I cannot pretend to give you news of the
neighborhood our fammily [sic] is al
[sic] wel [sic] John Bradens fammily
[sic] is wel [sic] and our Neighbours [sic] are jenneraly [sic] well we received a letter from Hector, Robert and
Flemmon Hixson last week they were all
wel [sic] and in good spirits I must now
draw to a conclusion by requesing [sic] you both to write as often as
convenient and receive this from a Mother that
[page 3] loves you most
dearly Adue [sic] my dear children Elizabeth desires to be remembered to you
and Mary likewise to Mrs. Jenners, Mrs
B and Nancy and tell them she intens [sic] writing although she has omited
[sic] so long you wil [sic] pleas [sic]
remember me to them all likewis [sic] Men and boys and tell Mrs Jenners I think
of her and all of them very often and should very glad to get a letter from
her Elizabeth
Braden”
I am not certain, but I suspect that the children Elizabeth mentions are her daughter Mary Eleanor’s children, and perhaps her nephew, Flavius Braden.
The reference to the blacks leaving, is undoubtedly a reference to the group of freed slaves, many of them freed by Robert Braden in his will, that sailed on 15 January 1830 for Liberia. A story published in The Pittsburgh Gazette on Tues., Feb. 9, 1830 (page 2) stated: "African Colony. - We are informed that the brig Liberia, Captain Sherman, which sailed from this port, the other day, for Monrovia, took out about sixty emigrants for the interesting colony at that place. Of these, we understand, fourteen were liberated by Robert Braden, deceased, Loudoun county; five by John Braden, of do.; one by Albert Heaton, of do.; one by Townsend Heaton, of Loudon (sic) county; one b Mr. Winston, of Richmond; one by J Scott, of Murfreesburgh, N. Carolina...."
On 22 February 1831, Elizabeth (Stevens) Braden died in
Waterford, Loudoun Co., Virginia. She is
buried in Catoctin Free Church Cemetery outside Waterford. Her tombstone calls her the “relict” of
Robert Braden. There is a memorial with a tombstone photo at Find-A-Grave.
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