John Steedman (1715-1795), a Scottish Lowlander, took part in the Jacobite rebellion between Britain and the supporters of Bonnie Prince Charles who tried to restore the English and Scottish thrones to the Stuart family. After Prince Charles' defeat at the Battle of Culloden in 1746, Steedman fled to northern Ireland. In order to escape capture by the English, he disguised his name as "Steidham," which was later spelled "Stidham, Stedham and Steadham." He went from Ireland to New York about 1758. From New York, John and his brother, Robert, went to Charleston, South Carolina, arriving there by 1760. In Charleston, John and Robert operated a barbershop and grew indigo plants. John dyed cloth from the indigo plants for weaving. In 1769, John moved to present Fairfield Co., South Carolina (old Camden District) and lived on a 400-acre land grant. In 1784, he sold the 400 acres and moved to the present community of White Oak, Fairfield Co., South Carolina. Soon after 1790, John returned to Charleston where one of his sons lived. He died in 1795 while visiting his son, George, in present Lexington Co., South Carolina. He is buried on George's first plantation cemetery on the North Fork of Edisto River.

In South Carolina, some of Steedman's children lived near by, and actually intermarried with the family of Zachariah [105] Stidham, a descendant of Timen Stiddem. Because of this close family association, and the confusion and careless intermixing of surnames, many descendants of John Steedman today spell their surnames Stidham, Steadham, Stedham, etc. Although most are not descendants of Timen Stiddem, they are included here to help researchers untangle the mystery of these interwoven Stidham* family surnames.

Several Stidham* and Steedman families intermarried, so their children are descendants of both Timen Stiddem and John Steedman. These families are listed below.

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Surnames

Family of the Scottish immigrant John Steedman (1715) Many of his descendants spell their surnames Stidham, Steadham, Stedham, etc.

Family of John [174] Stidham and Jane Steedman Their child is a descendants of both Timen Stiddem and John Steedman.

Family of James Howard [295b] Stidham and Rachael Steedman Descendants of both Timen Stiddem and John Steedman.

Family of Louis J. [1110] Stidham and Eliza Jane Claunch. Their children are descendants of Timen Stiddem, not through Louis, but through Eliza Jane, who is the daughter of Jemima [303] Stedham. Louis is a descendant of John Steedman, making their children descendants of both John Steedman and Timen Stiddem.

Family of Wilma Faye [4784] Stidham and Robert Truel Massey. Wilma Faye was the daughter of John Bunyon Stidham, a descendant of John Steedman. However, both Wilma Faye and Robert were great great grandchildren of Jemima [303] Stedham, making their children descendants of both John Steedman and Timen Stiddem.

Family of Louis S. Stidham and Lorna [2735] Stidham. Neither Louis nor Lorna got their Stidham surname from the Timen Stiddem line, but from their fathers who were descendants of John Steedman. However, Lorna is a great granddaughter of Jemima [303] Stedham, making their children descendants of both John Steedman and Timen Stiddem.

Family of Newton Chiles Harling and Samantha [484] Stidham. Newton was the son of Mariah Stidham and David Harling. Mariah was a great granddaughter of the Scottish immigrant, John Steedman. Samantha [484] Stidham was a descendant of Timen Stiddem.

Ules "Butch" Stidam,

Stidham* Family Tree

Genealogy Webmaster Administrator

The Timen Stiddem Society