GENERATION 10

GENERATION 9

Biography

EDWARD STEBBINS was born in Springfield, Hampden, MA, Apr. 14, 1656. Early in the spring of 1676, he was taken captive by the Indians at Longmeadow, while he was with Samuel Bliss, his brother-in-law, and was carried to the falls above Deerfield (Turner's Falls). With a youth named John Gilbert, he made his escape from the Indians and gave information of their place of residence, whereupon the English made an attack on them, destroying three hundred or more of them.

On Sep. 2, 1678, "The fence viewers complaining against several persons for the defectiveness of their fences belonging to the general field on the west side of the great river, viz Jno Scott, Ebenezer Jones, Joseph Stebbins, and EDWARD STEBBINS. EDWARD was found culpable, having agreed before to fix his fence, and was fined 5 shillings." Later in that year, on Dec. 31, he took the oath of allegiance.

The following year, on Apr. 12, 1679 he married SARAH GRAVES, who was born in 1659 in Wethersfield, Hartford, CT.

On Oct. 21, 1681, "At a Town meeting, it was agreed that the selectmen would meet with EDWARD STEBBINS and Samuel Ball, to inquire of purchasing the house of EDWARD and land of both for a school house." It is not known if that purchase ever happened.

At a town meeting Jul. 27, 1687, "EDWARD STEBBINS was chosen Constable for the yeer ensuing"; and May 11, 1691, he was chosen one of the "Surveyors for the Country high wayes, who are also to see that they rectify all encroachments upon the said wayes."

He was chosen "Tithingman" Mar. 13, 1693/94, and again on Mar. 12, 1705/06. At a general town meeting on Mar. 10, 1695/96, he was one chosen "Selectman to manage ye prudential affaires of the Town for a yeer ensuing." He was also chosen Selectman in 1700, 1702, 1703, 1707 and 1709.

On Mar. 14, 1698/99, he was chosen "viewer of fences for 3 corner meadow and the pleane, and those as were chosen viewers of the fences weare also chosen haywards." In 1701, he was chosen fence viewer of "his Respective precinct." In 1702/03 he was chosen Packer, and in 1706/07, he was granted forty acres of land on the north side of the Chickapi (Chicopee) River.

On Jun. 12, 1700, SARAH died at Springfield. EDWARD married second, Mary Cooper, daughter of Thomas Cooper, and widow of Isaac Colton. She was born May 15, 1651 at Springfield, and died Aug. 30, 1743, at Longmeadow.