The Stevens lineage traces back from Massachusetts through Vermont, to Ontario, then back to New York and Massachusetts. The earlier members of this line were from England. Most of the first family of [8] Roger Stevens (*1727) were staunch revolutionaries, except one, who was a staunch loyalist to the crown. He grew up in Quaker surroundings and appears to stem from such roots in England.
This lineage is presented in two versions as ways to construct the conjectural connection to English Quakers. One principal difficulty has been an understanding of the naming pattern followed with the children in the family of [9] Roger.
To see the alternate Version click on the A above [8] Roger. That version would make [10] Roger aged 19 at marriage. Such a situation is not very likely to occur and difficult to accept without more evidence however slim. It would suppose the unlikely possibility that his parents died and he was left to be raised by others. Yet, such a person would be expected to be trained in a trade and married after he had acquired means.
The present version supposes [9] Roger to be age 43 at his marriage. Such would not be a usual occurrence for a first marriage and begs for additional evidence. It does, however, have at least three advantages: (1) His presumed pursuit of a trade would explain the family's movement from village to village. (2) His advanced age would suppose that his death in 1741 (ae 74) might be directly related to such a condition. (3) Moreover, the marriage of [10] Roger in 1686 does suppose it occured in a time and place most appropriate to justify it being recorded in the records of the county, i.e., the bride and groom were more mature and/or previously married. This would explain lack of children from that union, though step-children are possibly implied.
Many of the details given in the biography of [8] Roger are themselves not without their own set of contradictions and difficulties.
