GENERATION

32. MOORE STEVENSON was born on 12 Dec 1761 in Northampton County, N.C. He was baptized in 1783 in NC. He died on 18 Mar 1818 in Wilson County, Tn.. He was a Preacher & Farmer. He was buried in STEVENSON-RUTLAND CEM. Mt. Juliet, Tn.. Moore's birth date has been written as Dec. 1759 in many different records. However, all of these sources have quoted Grimes "History of Middle Tenn. Baptists', p. 170. This date is erroneous as proved by the Bible record of his step father, John Hare, and the will of his father William Stevenson who named "wife Grace" and "child my wife is big with". The will is dated 16 Oct. 1761, and was proved in Nov. Court 1761. John Hare's record states "Moore and William Steavenson, sons of William Steavenson were born the twelfth day of Dec. 1761.
Moore was baptized by Elder Lemuel Burkitt of Sandy Run N.C. in 1783, at age 22. He had married Sarah Perry at age 18, (1779) and we find him next in the census of 1784/87, Northampton Co. N.C., Captain Horn's District. He is listed with his brother William, 2 males over 21 under 60, 2 males under 21 over 60, 2 females, 14 blacks. Also in Captain Horn's District are Blake Rutland, Benjamin Hare (Moore's step brother.) Moore and William would have been between 23/26 years old, depending upon when the census was taken. By 1794 we find Moore in what would be Sumner Co. Tennessee, where the first record I have located shows him purchasing 640 acres of land on the south side of Cumberland River on the main east fork of Roaring River. He bought it from John Gatling for 64 pounds, Va. money. Isaac Walton was witness. He was Moore's bro-in-law having married Sarah's sister, Christian Perry.
In 1795 Moore bought 310 acres on Station Camp Creek from John Hamilton of Kentucky for $350. Tennessee became a state in 1796, and Gov. John Sevier ordered militia formed, for which he appointed officers. Moore was appointed Captain of the 1st Sumner Co. Inf. Reg.
From "Hist. of Middle Tenn. Bapt." we have this information, "He was a successful farmer, possessing quite a number of slaves", "He was awakened by a visit from Elder James Whitsitt", soon after, entered the ministry and was ordained in 1800. On 25 April 1801 he constituted Big Cedar Lick Church, which would later be renamed Mt. Olivet. Theophilus Bass sold 250 acres on Cedar Lick Creek to Moore in 1808, and the same year John Hays sold 200 acres on Cedar Lick Creek to him. Edward Willis was Witness to the purchase from Hays. Edward's daughter would later marry Moore's son Ben. In March 1815 the state of Tenn. granted 120 acres to Moore on Cedar Lick Creek. In 1816 Moore sold 120 acres to Elijah Maddox, probably the land he received in the grant.
Moore had moved his family to the land on Cedar Lick Creek, near where it empties into the Cumberland River and it was near here that he established Little Cedar Lick Church. From Moore's efforts the church spread out many arms, and from it sprang the churches at Bradley's Creek, Flat Rock, Bethesda, Rutland, Ridge Meeting House, Spencer's Creek, and Barton's Creek,. Edward Willis and Newt or Newitt Drew were the two original deacons of Moore's little church. Edward Willis became a minister and pastored both Little Cedar Lick and Rutland churches. Newt Drew moved to North Louisiana when it was still wilderness, along with a group of Wilson and Sumner Co. people. Names found on the old membership rolls of Moore's church, Little Cedar Lick, who were found also in the earliest records of north La. are John Murrell, the first white settler in old Claiborne Parish, Isaac Alden, 12 miles to the west of him, a few years later came Rev. James Beinson, his brother Josiah Brinson, Christopher Koonce, Arthur McFarland, and others. Newt Drew, whose trade was qunsmithing, settled at the head of Lake Bistineau and a small settlement called Overton grew up around him. Benjamin, Moore's son would move near him in 1841. From this handful of settlers would come Pine Hills, Black Lake, Flat Lick and Providence Churches. Providence was between present day Arcadia and Gibsland. They continued to move south and west and churches sprang up behind them as they went.
An article written by Elder James Whitsitt which was published in the Baptist in 1844, says of Moore, "Elder Stevenson was in easy circumstances. He had a managing, industrious wife, and he generally had faithful overseers, and he gave himself to the ministry." "Elder Stevenson was a sure preacher, he seldom failed to rise high, he had the perfect control of himself in the management of his voice. The Doctrinal parts of his discoursed were well studied and cooly and deliberately delivered, without much fatigue, and by the time he would be through with his doctrine his feelings were generally up and he would launch into exhortations, which were most admirable, he seldom sat down when his congregation were not in tears on their seats." "I need not say that in his sentiments he was a strong Calvinist, for all were so in that day., so far as is known."
Grimes says "He was well educated for his day, being a man of fine address and pleasing appearance."
Moore died on 18 March 1818, of influenza, or "la grippe"as it was called. His will dated 8 March 1818 is as follows:
In the name of God, Amen. I Moore Stevenson etc.
ITEM 1: Just debts be paid.
ITEM 2: Beloved Wife Sarah: Plantation where I now live, negroes: Cald, Sep, Dinah, Melis, Simon, Jinny, Ann. All household and kitchen furniture, choice of 3 horses, 3 cows and calves, 1/2 of hogs, all farming utensils.
ITEM 3: Daughter Elizabeth Perry: dec's (heirs) 1 negro boy, Philip.
ITEM 4: Son Josiah Stevenson: 100 acres of land from Cedar Lick tract bought from Capt. John Hays, on upper end so as not to take the lick, 1 negro woman Jinny at wifes decease.
ITEM 5: Daughter Polly MOSS: 1 cow and calf now in her possession, reasonable support to be drawn once a year from income from legacies left to her children.
ITEM 6: Grandson Moore L. Moss, balance of Cedar Lick tract bought from Capt. John Hays.
ITEM 7: Daughter Polly's children, negroes Sam, Binah, Fanny, 1 colt, 2 feather beds, household and kitchen furniture, 4 head of young cattle.
ITEM 8: Daughter Christian RUTLAND: negro Hannah, $750.
ITEM 9: Son John Stevenson: negroes Anne, Ben, George. 1 bed and furniture, $250.
ITEM 10: Daughter Sally BATES: 1/0 acres of land on waters of Silver Spring branch, negroes Rachel, Simon at her mother's decease, 1 feather bed and furniture.
ITEM 11: Son BENJAMIN F. STEVENSON: lower end of plantation I now live on, the line to run with the direction of the lane where it now stands, negroes Miles, Milly, 1 bed and furniture.
ITEM 12: Son Isaac F. Stevenson, balance of tract I now live on, that is, upper end from the lane, also the mill, 2 negroes Cader and Rose at mother's decease, 1 bed and furniture.
ITEM 13: Balance to be sold, divided equally among children, except Polly MOSS, her part divided among her children.
ITEM 14: Executors to give all legal rights due him on land purchase to Kandy Bay, 50 acres where he's now living.
ITEM 15: William Johnson, Isham F. Davis, William white executors.

Revoke all other wills etc.
N.B. Sep and Dinah to choose which of his children they will live with after death of Sarah.

Signed: Moore Stevenson
Jeremiah Hendrick
John (X) Conner
Robert (X) Anderson
Thomas Rhodes

Moore is buried in the Stevenson Rutland Cemetery which is located on the old homeplace of his friend Blake Rutland who had traveled with him from N.C. Sumner Co. Dd. Bk. 1 gives records of other transactions: p 172 Moore to Bro-in-law Isaac Walton, p 202 Moore from Rich's Thomas, p 390 Moore from Richard Thomas.

NOTES:
Moore had a twin brother, William. and Half sister Lucresey Hare. He was married to SARAH PERRY in Sep 1779.

33. SARAH PERRY was born between 1759 and 62 in NORTH CAROLINA. She died CA. 1840 ? in MADISON CO. TN. ?. She was buried in SREVENSON RUTLAND CEM. MT. JUILET, TN..

Children were:

i. ELIZABETH STEVENSON died before 1818. Mar: ______ Perry. Had died by 1818, when Moore had wrote his will. Moore left a slave boy, Philip, to her heirs.
ii. JOSHIA STEVENSON. Was in Muhlenburg Co. Ky. Oct. 1817 (signed deed) in Gibson Co. Tn. (signed guardian bond for sister Mary). Mar: 22 Jan 1805, Wilson Co., Polly (Mary) Pitt. BM. John Donoho.
iii. MARY "POLLY" STEVENSON. mar: John P. Moss 31 Aug. 1805, BM. Joshia Stevenson, Wilson Co. Tn. Her son Moore L. Moss who was left land in Moore's will Mar. Diana Hewgley 10 Mar 1826 The Gibson Co. Will and Deeds Bk 1 1825-33 June Term, show that Mary (Polly)S. was appointed guardian of the orphan children of Arthur Moss dec'd, Joshia Stevenson of Gibson Co. Being one of those posting bond. The children were Geo. W. Almead, Isaiah, and Desdemony Moss. In Oct 1827 Mary and son Moore L. of Gibson Co. sold 208 acres on Cedar Lick Creek to Jos. Hamblen.
iv. CHRISTIAN STEVENSON was born on 4 Jul 1792. She died on 11 Dec 1854 in WILSON CO. TN.. She was buried in STEVENSON-RUTLAND CEM. MT. JUILET, TN.. Mar. Rutherford Rutland, son of Blake Rutland. She and Rutherford are shown in the 1850 census of Tenn. He was 64, Christian was 58, children at home were Charity 25, Martha 22, Mary 16, Christian U or Y 3, Rutherford Hill 11, Wm. Hill 5. The Hill children were grandchildren.
v. JOHN STEVENSON.
vi. SARAH "SALLY" STEVENSON. Mar: March 1814 James Bates, Moore's will left her, 170 acres of land lying on the waters of Silver Springs Branch, two negro slaves, Rachel and Simon, one feather bed and furniture.
16 vii. BENJAMIN FRANKLIN STEVENSON.
viii. ISAAC F. STEVENSON died before Dec 1837 in WILSON CO. TN.. Mar: Minerva Norris. She Mar: after Isaac's death, Samuel Arnold, 13 Sept. 1843. She had been granted a widow's allotment 1837, prob. because Isaac's estate had not been settled at that time. They had minor children Josiah, Elizabeth, Washington, and Samuel in 1842 as a deed showing a transfer of land from Thomas S. Watson to these children, for 161 acres in the 1st Dist., was recorded.