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 were born seven children, five sons and two daughters: Hugh W. Stephenson, born January 25, 1765, in Ireland, was the oldest. Then John, Robert, James, William, Elizabeth and Nancy were born. Elizabeth and Nancy were twins, born in 1787, in South Carolina. His wife died the day the twins were born.

In 1789 he, William Stephenson, married Miss Elizabeth Wylie. Of this union there were born four children, two sons and two daughters. Samuel, who was born in 1790, was the oldest of the children of the second marriage. Then were born Mary, in 1792; Daniel Green, in 1794, and Catharine, in 1796.

William Stephenson, commonly called "Stinson," was a man of strong convictions and great decision of character. He joined the army as a whig soldier in the Revolutionary War and made a brave and gallant warrior. His life was a very tempestuous one. Before he left Ireland he had trouble with the Catholics. The Presbyterians and Catholics were deadly enemies; so much so that their conflicts were sometimes attended by death. He came to America, where he hoped to enjoy religious liberty. But he had only fairly entered into its enjoyment when the tocsin of the war of the Revolution was sounded. Previous to this time he had moved from Chester County to York, and settled in the vicinity of King's Mountain.