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- John STAFFORD [S1,S2,S3] was born about 1715 in Staffordshire, England [S4,S5,S6]. May have been born earlier, about 1712. Other sources indicate 1736 or 1737. (Letter from Michael Stafford, based on information on Branch 60, found in vols. 12, 14, and 16 of Stafford Data. Information submitted by deceased husband (William Stafford) of Sylvia A. Stafford, 265 Lark Lane, Folsom, CA 95630, still alive in 1989. There is also evidence of John Stafford in the Woodward-McGrady papers in possession of R. L. Woodward, Jr., New Orleans. Migrated to Enniskillen, County Fermanaugh, Northern Ireland, in Cromwell's time (1740-60).
I think more accurately, the Staffords had come on hard times with the rise of Cromwell and eventually this led, much later, in the 18th century, for John Stafford to take his children to Ireland (Ulster Province). There he built a substantial house and reared his family. It is not clear where his 8 children were born. Quite possibly some were born in Staffordshire, England, and others in Ireland.
The children then migrated to America. The children of John and Margaret (Brunt) of Staffordshire came by way of Philadelphia to "Giles Co. VA. in 1785. Thomas A. Stafford believes all 8 were born in Staffordshire, but they all married residents of Fermanagh. A John Stafford was listed among 48 immigrants to be transported to a tract of 2359 acres of Austine Smith, "bet. Rappa. River & the head or run of Mattapony Riv; E. on path from Portobacco Indian Towne to Chicahominy Indian Towne; W. on a gr. tract of Maj. Robert Beverly, &c. Granted sd. Beverly, 29 Oct. 1696, deserted, & now granted by order, &c. Trans. of 48 pers.: ..." (Nugent, Cavaliers and Pioneers, 3:97)
George Braden Roberts, GENEALOGY OF JOSEPH PECK AND SOME RELATED FAMILIES
(Washington, DC: by the author, 1955), p.243, tells of the origin of the town of Stafford, England. It was founded by Ethelfleda, daughter of King Alfred about 910-915 A.D. It is located on the Sow River, near its junction with the Penk River, about 130 m. north of London.
Roberts says Stafford fled from Staffordshire to Ulster about 1760, citing Thomas A. Stafford, "West Ulster Staffords and Their Descendants." (1952), who actually says they may have come a little earlier than 1760. See T.A.Stafford's account for detail on their arrival in Ulster and their occupations.
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John Stafford, his wife and his children went to West Ulster, Ireland about 1760 or earlier, by way of Donegal Bay, in a coastal sailing vessel. They landed near the village of Ballintra, and then proceeded to County Fermanagh and settled in a townland named Bohevny in a hilly section of West Fermanagh near Enniskillen. John built a substantial house and reared his family in Bohevny. Of John's eight children five were boys and three were girls. Of the five male children four emigrated to America, leaving only one, Thomas on the home place.
Four of these sons (John, James, Ralph and Edward) and the three daughters, along with their spouses, immigrated to America. Ralph and Jane were the first to come, entering through the port of Philadelphia in 1778. They had been married in Ireland in 1777. Ralph took his oath of allegiance on June 19, 1778 in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. Their first two children were born there; John in 1779 and James in 1780. Ralph joined the Continental Army subsequent to this and was present at the Battle of Yorktown in the fall of 1781. He was severely wounded there and would eventually die of these wounds in 1794. He is buried in the Stafford Cemetery in Staffordsville, Giles County, Virginia.
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Abt 1712 - 1790 (~ 78 years)
