STOVER ANCESTRY
click on Liverpool Pitcher for additional information about it
GENERATION ONE
SYLVESTER STOVER
born abt 1630 in Ipswich, Suffolk, England died 1687/1690 in York, ME
+married abt 1652 ELIZABETH NORTON born
abt 1631 in York, Maine died 1714/1722 in Scituate, MA d/o Henry Norton (born
abt 1618) and Margaret [Norton]
NOTE:
"The English origin of this early settler, [Sylvester Stover], the ancestor of a large and important family in the history of this town, can be traced without much doubt
to the county of Soffolk [England]. ...
"Sylvester "first appears in New England on 13 July 1649, when, with three other men, he received a grant of land on 13 Jul 1649 at Cape Neddick, York, consisting of
a neck of land on the south side of the river. Subsequently he acquired all the rights of his associates in this land, and built a fortified house on it, which he made his home. In 1653
thirty acres of land were confirmed to him, which had been granted to him some years previously by Edward Godfrey. He added to his holdings either by grant or purchase, and at the time of
his death owned many acres.
"His life in York was uneventful. Beyond his appointment as ferryman at Cape Neddick River in 1652 he held no public office. He signed the Submission in 1652; the
petition to Cromwell, 1656; the address to Massachusetts, 1662, but otherwise took no active part in the political controversies of the period. His landed estate began with his acquistion of
the shares of his three partners, and to this was added seventy acres 'near the' higher falls of the Cape Neddick River and some small grants of marsh land towards the Wells line.
"The Court Records afford more extended references to him .On June 25, 1655 Stover and his wife were presented by the Grand Jury 'for complaining of one another on the Lords Day in the
morning in saying that his wife did abuse him and bid him go to Thomas Crocketts and carry some bread and cheese to his b...' In 1666 they were presented for 'not coming unto the Meeting
upon the Lords day about six weeks,' and in 1667 he was charged with neglect of the ferry, and 'offering Mr. Hooke some abuse and for threatening to fight him.' In 1650 'Silvester Stovard'
was listed among doubtful debtors of Robert Button of Boston."
Will abstract: Dated July 21, 1687, proved Feb 14,1689/90. Mentions his wife Elizabeth, his sons John, Dependence, Josiah, and George, and 'the rest of my children.'
Bequeathed to his son Dependence Stover threescore and ten acres of land where his house was, up the river in 'Cape Nadaick,' and to his son George 'the houses and the rest of my land that
is not disposed of. Inventory presented by Elizabeth Stover, widow, Feb 17,1689/90, appraised at £731. 7s.
Elizabeth's petition: "Feb. 26 1695/6 James Convers in behalf of Elizabeth Stover petitioned the General Court saying that said widow in the beginning of the present Warr
lost her husband, and she withmuch difficulty and charge maintained her fort at Cape Nadick about two years. But in the year (1691) she was neglected, her neighbors left her, her sons
removed, she was forced to quit the (then) best fort in the Eastern parts which was within one week seizediby the Enemy, her houses one of stone and the other of wood within the walls burnt,
during the time of her abode there she was very ready and forward to supply soldiers with beef and other provisions upon the march and otherwise as need required. She obtained a ticket from
your Petitioner and other commanders for her disbursements and had a debenture signed to theTreasurer for fifteen pounds and seventeen shillings (according to the best of my remembrance)
sent to her son-in-law of Scituate, and her sd. son lost it by the way. The books have been searched and no payment thereof found. She hath made as many jourdeys up to Boston with a man she
hired to come with her (about it) as cost her above three pounds in money, and always met with disappointment, though our late honored Govr promised she should be paid yett she being weary
left the matter to your Petitioner." The Court voted to pay her £1S. 18s.
Her will, dated 7 Dec. 1714, when she was living at Scituate, Mass., was proved at Plymouth, Mass., 4 Sept. 1722. In it she named her children John, Dependence, George,
Josiah, Elizabetrh Walfoot, Sarah Lancaster, Deborah Sawyer, Mary Wanton, and Hannah Bryant.
children:
2_Elizabeth STOVER ca1652->1738
2_John STOVER born abt 1653 died bef 12 Apr 1748
2_Sarah STOVER ca1656-
2_Dependence STOVER ca1659-1723
2_Josiah STOVER ca1662-1743
2_Mary STOVER ca1662-
2_George STOVER ca1668-ca1752
2_Deborah STOVER ca1667-1734
2_Hannah STOVER ca1670-1735
GENERATION TWO
JOHN STOVER
born abt 1653 died bef 12 Apr 1748 in Cape Neddick, York, ME.
+married ABIGAIL ALCOCK born
died 9 Jul 1730 in Cape Neddick, York, ME d/o John Alcock
children:
3_Joseph STOVER
3_Lydia STOVER
+married Jacob Perkins
3_Dorothy STOVER born 1704
3_John STOVER born 1709 died 1786
GENERATION THREE
JOHN STOVER Jr.
born 4 Aug 1709 in Cape Neddick, York, ME. died 1786 in Harpswell, ME.
m+- 22 Jan 1729 to MIRIAM HARMON b July 7, 1707 (1712?) in York, ME d/o Col. Johnson
Harmon & Mary Moulton
children:
4_John STOVER born 1730 died 1730
4_John STOVER born
1731 died 1796
4_Abigail STOVER born
1734-
4_Wanton STOVER born
1740-
4_Alcott STOVER born
1741-
4_Johnson Harmon STOVER born 1749 died 1827
4_Joseph STOVER
4_Mary STOVER
4_Sarah STOVER
GENERATION FOUR
CAPT. JOHNSON STOVER born abt 1749 died 1827
LIVERPOOL PITCHER:
"...One item that made a complete circle back to its point of origin was a Liverpool pitcher reading "The Property Of/ Mr. Johnson H. Stover/ I Love You &* You Love Me/ &* Then In Love We Shal [sic] Agree" on one side, with a federal eagle under the spout, and a map of the colonies on the other side along with colonial symbols. Stover was a Harpswell, Maine, ship captain who was born in 1749 and died in 1827. An ecstatic Cyr employee, Pam LaBonte, brought it home for $6050. She owns the Johnson Stover home in Harpswell. At first, she couldn't believe that it was genuine. "It came in, and I thought that everybody was just playing games with me and put some label over it saying Johnson Stover," she reported. "Then I realized, no, this is real. I said to Jim, `That is my guy. I live in his house!'" A picker brought it in, and LaBonte had to stare at it for eight months before she finally got her chance at the auction. "I'm still on cloud nine," she added later, speculating that if the jug had contained the title "Captain" or illustrated a specific ship, it would have brought even more. She conceded that as it is, it brought its full value. Cyr Auction Company, Gray, Maine..." (click here to return to top)
+married DOROTHY (DOLLY) ALLEN d/o Elisha Allen (s/o James Allen and Dorothy Barsham) and Elizabeth Toothaker
children:
5_Johnson H STOVER born Sept 22, 1772 died April 8, 1851/56
5_Elizabeth STOVER born Jan 24, 1773 died April 17, 1803
5_Simeon STOVER born Dec 25, 1775 died April 23, 1799
5_Wanton STOVER born May 20, 1780
5_Norton STOVER born Dec 7, 1782
5_Paul STOVER born Feb 4, 1786 died Oct 8, 1822
5_Nancy STOVER born Dec 21, 1787
5_David STOVER born Nov 1, 1789 died Jan 23, 1818
5_Theophalus STOVER born Nov 8, 1792
5_Daniel STOVER born April 10, 1795 died Oct 6, 1822
5_Mariam STOVER born June 21, 1784
GENERATION FIVE
JOHNSON H STOVER Jr. born September 22, 1772 died April 8, 1851/56
+married SUSANNA CURTIS born July 16, 1785 died May 13, 1830
d/o Paul Curtis born May 29, 1737 in Scituate, MA died Mar. 13 1826 and Deborah Webber born April 8, 1749 died May 12, 1834 d/o Waitstill Webber and Meribah Hutchins
children:
6_Peleg Stover born Sept. 22, 1809 died Mar 2, 1813
6_Norton Stover born March 23, 1812
6_Johnson STOVER III born Nov 16, 1816
6_David Stover b Mar 19, 1819
6_Alijah Curtis Stover born Mar 16, 1823
6_Samuel Sewall Stover born May 22, 1826 died March 1853
GENERATION SIX
JOHNSON H STOVER III born Nov 16, 1816 died
+married unknown
children:
7_Johnson H Stover
GENERATION SEVEN
JOHNSON HARMON STOVER IV born 1857 died 1912
+married LYDIA J FARR born 1852 died 1926
children:
8_Herman Dinsmore Stover born October 26, 1886
8_Ruby Stover
8_William Stover
8_Lydia Stover
GENERATION EIGHT
RUBY ELLEN STOVER born about 1890
+married ARTHUR AARON BLACK born Oct 28, 1888 at Orrs Island, ME died Mar 1968, Portland, ME
REFERENCES:
records located at Harpswell Town Hall, Harpswell, ME
Genealogical Dictionary of Maine and New Hampshire, pp. 666-667.