Stephen Balderston

Stephen Balderston is the 3rd Great Grandfather of my wife.

BALDERSTON NAME MEANING

English: habitational name from either of two places in Lancashire called Balderston(e), deriving their names from the genitive case of the Old English personal name Baldhere (composed of the elementsbald ‘bold’, ‘brave’ + here ‘army’) + Old English tun‘enclosure’, ‘settlement’.

Stephen was born in Colerain, Belmont County, Ohio on 7 Dec 1818.  He is the son of Jonathan Balderston and Elizabeth Babb.

There is a ton of research already done on the Balderston line.  I have a copy of the Balderston Family History, written by Marion Balderston and Hortense B. C. Gibson.  The copy I have was copyrighted in 1973 and carries the catalog number of 73-91161 in the Library of Congress.  The first Balderston (assumed) to come to America was John Balderston in 1727, he would be the 6th Great Grandfather of my wife.  Here is an account as described by another researcher found here.  John apparently married into the Quaker faith when he married Hannah Cooper.  They settled in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.  John passed away in 1778 and Hannah in 1793.  John and Hannah had eleven children - these children were referenced in the Last Will of a cousin of John's, Bartholomew Balderston, as he left them 50 English dollars (pounds) each.

One of the sons of John and Hannah was Mordecai Balderston, the 5th Great Grandfather of my wife.  Mordecai married Deborah Michener 11 Feb 1778.  The same researcher that wrote about John's arrival in America has some additional information found here.  Mordecai was a lieutenant in the Revolutionary War under Captain Paul Kester, along with two of his brothers.  There are a few genealogy books written on the Michener lines that do reference this Balderston line.  In these books Balderston is spelled without the T - at some point some of Mordecai's children dropped the T from their name.  So there are many descendant's today that go by Balderson - even though they come from the same line.

Mordecai and Deborah has a son, Jonathan Balderston, my wife's 4th Great Grandfather, on 28 Mar 1797 in Colerain, Belmont County, Ohio.  Mordecai passed away in 1820 in Mount Pleasant, Ohio and Deborah passes away 8 years later in 1828 also in Ohio.  Jonathan marries Elizabeth Babb and they have their eldest son, Stephen Balderston, our subject.

The first record we find for Stephen is in the Ohio Marriages 1800 - 1958.  Stephen marries Jane Squibb on 8 April 1841 in Belmont County, Ohio.

The next record we find for Stephen is the 1850 Federal Census.  He is found in the Colerain Township, Belmont County, Illinois.  His profession is listed as a carpenter.  Along with his wife Jane there are two children living at home.  One is Jacob, age 8, and the other is William O, age 1 month.  It is believed that Stephen and Jane had one other child prior to 1850, John Balderston.  John is believed to have died in 1848, age 5.

I am unable to locate Stephen in the 1860 Federal Census.  Prior to 1860 Stephen and Jane have two additional children, Elizabeth Ella and Mary Anna Balderston.  Jane passes away 14 Feb 1859 in Pennsylvania.  Stephen remarries Mary Brenn 28 Mar 1860 in Magnolia, Putnam County, Illinois.  The next record found for Stephen is the 1865 Illinois State Census.  They are living in Magnolia.  There are 6 children living at home, 3 boys and 3 girls.  Four of these children are from his first wife Jane.  They are Jacob, William, Ella and Mary.  Two additional children from his second wife Mary are also here, Joseph and Jenia.  These are assumptions as no names, other then head of household, were in the 1865.  There were 4 females and 4 males living at that time.

The family is still living in Magnolia, Putnam County, Illinois in the next Federal Census of 1870.  The only children left living at home are Joseph, age 9, and Anne, age 2.  Stephen's occupation is listed a laborer.  He does not own his land or no value is placed on it in the census.  His personal belonging's are valued at $100.

Our next record, the 1880 Federal Census, finds the family living in Greenbush Township, Putnam County, Illinois.  Five children are living at home, Anne, from the last census, and new additions, Charles, Frank, Albert and Rose.  Stephen's occupation is again a carpenter.

Although I cannot locate any pictures of Stephen Balderston I did find one of his brother Joseph, shown below.  One would assume he looked similar to his brother.

Stephen Balderston passed away 3 Nov 1885 in Avon Fulton County, Illinois.  Mary passes away in March of 1900.  Both Mary and Stephen are buried in the Avon Cemetery.  Headstone picture below.

Stephen Balderston and Jane Squibb had the following children:

1. Jacob Mitchell Balderston - born 16 Jan 1842 in Belmont County, Ohio.  Dies 24 Feb 1909 in Wichita, Kansas.  Marries Jennie May Boyle.

2. Jonathan Balderston - born 13 Sep 1843 in Belmont County, Ohio.  Dies 30 Aug 1848 in Belmont County, Ohio.

3. William Oliver Balderston - born 6 May 1850 in Belmont County, Ohio.  Dies 29 Dec 1902 in Magnolia, Putnam County, Illinois.  Marries Mary J. Rolley.

4. Elizabeth Ella Balderston - born 22 Oct 1851 in Belmont County, Ohio.  Death and marriage unknown.

5. Mary Anne Balderston - born 17 Jul in Magnolia, Putnam County, Ohio.  Death unknown.  May have a married a Mr. Walker.  (notes from Adah says married Walker - haven't found anything to support or disprove this)

Stephen Balderston and Mary Brenn had the following children:

1. Joseph Newton Balderston - born 14 Jan 1861 in Magnolia, Putnam County, Illinois. Dies 17 Dec 1946 in  Denver, Denver County, Colorado.  Marries Adah Patterson.

2. Jenia Elen Balderston - born 1863 in Macomb, McDonough County, Illinois.  Dies Nov 1870 in Putnam County, Illinois.

3. John Balderston - born Mar 1867 in Magnolia, Putnam County, Illinois.  Dies Dec 1870 in Putnam County, Illinois.

4. Anna Balderston - born July 1869 in Illinois.  Dies 19 May 1947 in Macomb, McDonough County, Illinois.  Marries James Abner Jennings.

5. Charles Albert Balderston - born 24 Aug 1872 in Magnolia, Putnam County, Illinois.  Death unknown.  Marries Alma Loretta Holeman.

6. Frank Balderston - born 23 Sep 1874 in Avon, Fulton County, Illinois.  Dies 20 Aug 1936 in Greenbush, Warren County, Illinois.  

7. Albert Charles Balderston - born 9 Jan 1877 in Avon, Fulton County, Illinois.  

8. Rose Bell Balderston - born 9 Jan 1880 in Avon, Fulton County, Illinois.  Dies 1948 in Omaha, Douglas County, Nebraska.  Marries William Naughton.