The Hyphen Family Lineage

[Excerpt from The Genealogy of the Steiner Family, L.H. Steiner and B.C. Steiner, 1896, pp25-27, 29.]

2. Captain John Stoner, or Steiner, married Catharine Elizabeth Ramsburg --, 175--. She was born June 29, 1739, and died Jan 29, 1792.

He inherited from his father the Mill Pond estate and carried on the business of a miller, while conducting farming operations at the same time. He was very successful and possessed a large fortune for those days.

Family tradition has reported that he was a soldier in the French and Indian war. Col. F.B. Steiner states that in 1838 he was told by an old Revolutionary soldier, then ninety-six years of age, that Capt. Stoner served in Braddock's campaign and that he was in the quartermaster's department of the Continental Army during the Revolution. He was a prominent citizen, being captain of militia in 1775. He served as a member of the Committee of Observation for the Middle District of Frederick County.

On November 2, 1779, he was one of the bondsmen of the sheriff of the county.

He probably was somewhat older than his brothers, and is said to have brought them up, as well as the only son of his brother Henry.

He first appears on the land records of Frederick County on August 19, 1767, when he divides his father's land, and is described as "miller, son and heir of Jacob Stoner" (L. 1). He also appears on the same day in connection with his brothers Benedict (K. 1435) and Henry (L. 2). His chief property, Mill Pond, was situated on Tuscarora Creek, and his mill was probably situated where Worman's Mill now stands, about -- miles north of Fredericktown on the -- road. Thence he rode into town, transacted business, and attended the German Reformed Church, of which the most of the family have been members.

On October 13, 1770, he bought Knave's Disappointment, situated in Georgetown, now in the District of Columbia (N. 401). Three years later, he and his neighbor and father-in-law, Stephen Ramsburg, agreed that over Ramsburg's land, known as Mortality, John Stoner might continue to carry his mill-race and water-course, carrying water from the Tuscarora Creek to his mill. He paid £10 currency for this privilege, and agreed to provide flood-gates and to keep the race in repair to precent any injury to Ramsburg's land. Both parties bind themselves to keep the contract under penalty of £100. The whole proceeding is evidently a friendly one to prevent possible future "controversies and disputes" (V. 2). With Ramsburg and others, he joins in a petition on November 22, 1781, to have their bounds perpetuated (W.R. 2, 1083) and again five years later he petitions for the same thing (W.R. 6, 407).

In 1787, Capt. Stoner considerably enlarged his estate by buying portions of the confiscated property of Dulany (W.R. 7; 551, 650). He owned land now down to the Moncacy, and indeed on both sides of the stream. Between the banks of the Monocacy he conducted a ferry, adding this to his other occupations. Three years later he bought still more of the Dulany estate (W.R. 9, 258). He was now a large landowner; but he was getting old, and, in 1792, the loneliness of his advancing years was increased by his wife's death.

On Dec. 3, 1792, nearly a year after his wife's death, he began to dispose of his lands (W.R. 11, 232), and on May 4, 1795, he bought a lot on Second Street in Fredericktown (W.R. 13, 239), possibly moving there for his last years. A month later he made his last purchase of land (W.R. 13, 384), buying "Casper's Inheritance." He sold land near the Mill Pond estate on June 16, 1796 (W.R. 14, 304). On Feb. 26, 1798, he sold at auction most of his farm equipment, disposing of two good mares, a number of sheep, steers and hogs, a negor boy, a good wagon and gears, an excellent house clock, and a variety of farming utensils (Bartgis's Federal Gazette). During the summer of 1798 his strength was gradually failing. On Aug. 23 he made his will. It is a rather long one, and disposes of personal property found by the executors to the amount to £6999 17s 9d, a sum, roughly speaking, equal to $20,000, a very large estate for that time and place. The will is one that exhibits its maker in a favorable light. While stating that he is of sound and disposing mind, he interjects, "Praise be to God for it." He was a slaveholder, as most men of means then were; but was evidently a merciful master, for he directs all his "children to contribute equally towards maintaining and supporting my old negro woman, named Fan, during her life, as she is old and infirm and, at present, incapable of supporting herself." His negro man, Frank, about twenty-five years old, he gives to his son Henry, who has already been using his services; but, when Frank arrives at the age of thirty-two, "he shall be free and emancipated from slavery." A negro girl, Sally, aged eleven, is given to his daughter Catherine Derr, and a negro boy, Bill, aged five, to his son Stephen.

The personal estate is directed to be sold by the executors, who were his sons Henry and Stephen. They were also to sell part of the land bought from the Dulany estate, to pay any debts he might have. The property was to be divided equally among his seven surviving children. The five children of his eldest son John, who had recently died, were to receive the share of their father, less £618, which had been advanced to their father during his life. Their property was to be turned over to them as they reached the age of twenty-one. In the distribution of the estate it was found that each of the surviving children received £833 5s 7d, and each of the five chidren of John £43 1s 1 1/2d currency.

A few days before making the will, he transferred his town house to his son Stephen (W.R. 17, 201), and a week after it, on Aug. 29, 1798, he for for £5247, to William Potts, the Mill Pond estate, the rights over Ramsburg's land, the ferry, with an acre of ground across the Monocacy, where it landed, and a portion of the land confiscated by the State from Dulany. It will thus be seen that John Stoner had turned most of his property into personalty. He lived only a few days after this last sale, and was dead before September 10, when his executors brought the will into the Orphans' Court.

The estate was not settled until June 10, 1802. We find the personal property had been sold at auction for £500 4s 1d. John Buckias received £2 12s 6d for "crying the sale, and Philip Rohr £1 17s 6d for acting as clerk at the sale. Dr. John Tyler had been paid £5 for attendance on Capt. Stoner, and Dr. Lewis Weltzheimer 6s 8d for drugs and medicines. Conrad Doll made the coffin for the burial for £4 10s (high price as compared with others), George Littlejohn received £1 for shaving Capt. Stoner after death, and Adam Strickstuck dug his grave for 15s. Capt. John Stoner was an ancestor of whom we may well be proud; a faithful, conscientious, honored, Christian citizen.

...

Children of Capt. John Steiner(2) and Catharine Elizabeth Ramsburg:

5. Jacob Steiner (3), b. --, 175--. Unmarried. d. --, 17--.
6. John Steiner (3), b Sept. 17, 1757 (30). d. Summer of 1797.
7. Henry Steiner (3), b. --, 1764 (37). d. Apr. 24, 1831.
8. Mary Steiner (3), b. --, 1765 (46). d. June 10, 1830.
9. Stephen Steiner (3), b. --, 1767 (51). d. Sept. 8, 1829.
10. Christian Steiner (3), b. Feb. 22, 1772, bap. May 10, 1772. d. young in 177--.
11. Catharine Margaret Steiner (3), b. Feb. 4, 1774, bap. Apr. 1, 1774 (55). d. Nov. 25, 1812.
12. Christian Steiner (3), b. March 28, 1776, bap. Sept. 1776 (60). d. June 25, 1842.
13. Frederick Steiner (3), b. -- (61). d. Aug 3, 1836.
14. Elizabeth Steiner (3), b. --, 1780 (70). d. Sept. 3, 1866.
15. Maria Magdalena Steiner (3), (?) b. Sept. 24, 1780. d. young (if child of Capt. John and Catharine).