Notes for Joseph Stillwell

Family Group Sheet

Notes for Joseph Stillwell

!Source: Clara Stillwell & Steven Morgan Personal records
Records from Clara Stillwell: Quote
I received the Stillwell Heritage In Arkansas 1798 - 1976 Ralated
Families from my aunt Nelma Stillwell the daughter of Asher Stillwell.
I have started adding to this information in 1995.

Heritage of the Stillwell in Arkansas

Heritage is state to be that which is inherite from one's ancstors,
as a quality ofr condition. Although this small work that follows may
seem like only a long listing of members of the Stillwell family in
Arkansas, I hope those who look below the surface can feel a strong
"quality or condition" of the proud pioneer ancestors we follow that
still flows in our veins. The more I have researched the conditons of my
ancestors the more I feel this is true. I claim nothing beyond human
characteristics of this family, including the frailties of the human. but
I sincerely feel that my ancestors have had uppermost in their plan for
living, the betterment of the community in which they lived and the
advancement of the group. For this we have to thank:

Son of Joseph I. Joseph Stillwell II, the grandfather of
the family in Arkansas. March 3, 1752, was the date of birth of our
number one ancestor. He was born in Mormouth County, New Jersey, and
thourght to be the youngest of thireeen childern of Sarah Shepherd and
Joseph Stillwell, I. I have names of only 12 childern. He was of the
4th generation of Stillwells in America, from (1) Nicholas, (2) Richart,
(3) John and (4) Joseph Stillwell, I.
Joseph II was a member of the Revolutionary Army serving as a
private in Captain Joseph Stillwell's Company, First regiment of Monmouth
County Militia. He was a cousin of his Commander. He was in active
service under Major Asher Hollmes, another family relation, near the
Lighthouse on the Highlands where was taken prisoner on February 13,
1777. He later served in Captain Van Cleve's Company, first Regiment,
Monmouth County Militia. His final rank was ensign. He was on the rolls
as a delinquent November 29, 1778 and again June 6, 1780; and finally
received certificate number 848 on May 1, 1784 for 1:5:0: for
depreciation of his Continental pay in the Militia.
Befor 1783 he married Sarah Winter, a family relation. On May
3, 1783, their first child, Harold, was born in Middleton, New Jersey.
Joseph took his young family to Kentucky in the mid 1780's to join
Relatives, Elisha Winter and his sons Gabriel and William Winter.
Sometime between 1790 and 1798 they went to New Orleans and began the
manufacture of cotton rope. The business was involved in the Boardwalk
of the city of New Orleans. When the Boardwalk was later destroyed by
fire that business was lost. As a recompense for having introduced a
manufacture to the province, on June 22, 1797, Baron de Carondolet, who
was the Spanish governor of the Territory of Louisiana, made an enormous
grant of land to Elisha, William and Gabriel Winter,Joseph Stillwell, and
six other men. Of these six men, only one was found to have a part in
the future of the Stillwell saga. For that reason, the names of the six
listed were: Samuel, Richard and John Price, William Huble, William
russell and Walter Carr. The total of this land grant was said to be one
million arpens of land. (old French measure - about an acre.) on the
north side of the Arkansas River from Argenta to Arkansas Post. The
official designation was Spanish land Grant No. 2399. The purpose stated
was "to from a settlement in the Post of Arkansas for the cultivation of
flax, wheat and hemp".

In 1798 the Stillwell and Winter families arrived at the village of
Arkansas Post and began a survey of their lands. Stillwell selected land
abour 4 miles up the river from the Post and build a cabin. Imporvemnts
were gradus\ally made by erecting permanent bildings, cultivation the
land, and sheep and othet livestock wre bought and raised. He perfected
his title by settlement and occupancy and afterwards received a patient
under the Homestead laws of the United States. Under number 2294. It is
called to your attentin that Sylvanus Philips was the man for whom the
present Phillips County was named.

He was prominent in the affairs of the territory as it grew
and developed. On june 27, 1806, the legislature of the Louisiana
Territory passed an act creating the District of Arkansas. The northern
boundary was set at a "line begining on the Mississippi River opposite
the second Chickasaw Bluff (about where Memphis is now located) and
continuing west indefinitely" and the southern boundary "33rd parallel
of the Taliluck" the present Louisiana -Arkansas line. What is now
Northern Arkansas was then included in the New Madrid District with most
of Missoouri.

On August 23, 1808 Joseph Stillwell was named one of the Judges
of the Court of Common Pleas for the new district along with Francis
Vaugine and Benjamin Foy. Harold Stillwell, eldest son of Joseph, was
named the first sheriff of the district. Joseph served one term on this
appointment. In 1810 Joseph was made Auditor of Accounts and held thet
position until 1815. Since he performed his duties in all parts of the
district it covered a large territory which was roughly two-thirds of the
present statae. He learned the territory thoroughly when riding the
undeveloped roads and Indian trails.

In 1820 he was again appointed a Judge of the Court at Arkansas
Post and served there until he was elected a representative in the
Territorial Legislature. This position was a vacancy created when
Representative W. C. Allen was killed in a duel with Repr. r. C. Oden on
March 10, 1820. Joseph Stillwell's announcement of candidacy was
published in the Arkansas Gazette of April 29, 1820 in both English and
French for the benefit of the old settlers who only spoke French. By a
vote of 94 to 82 Joseph defeated Richmnd Peeler. While he was in the
ligislature the capital was moved from Arkansas Post to Little Rock.

Since there were no schools in Arkansas at the time Sarah and
Joseph Stillwell raised their family he taught the childern. On legal
records available his childern signed their naems instead of making an
"X", which was very common at the time. Joseph could speak French,
Spanish and the Quapaw Indian dialect as well as his native Engilsh. His
was not a wealthy family, however, they appeared to be in good
circumstances. In the earliest Land Assessment Lists of 1818 he was
shown to own 1,156 acres of confirmed land. In 1821 he was shown with
plotted lots at Arkansas Post valued at $1,150, one house at $200 and two
slaves each at $75. It has been reported that when Joseph last wrote
home to New Jersey he staed he owned nineteen hundred head of cattle.

Joseph Stillwell died at his home on September 10, 1822, and was
buried on the homestead. The locatin of his grave is now in the
Stillwell family Cemetery and near the Boggans Cemetery on the farm of
Simon Fuhrman in a wooded area southweestof Gillett, Arkansas. A
gravemarking ceremony was held in 1972 under the auspicies of the
Stuttgart chapter of the Daughters of the American revolution and the
Grand Prairie Historical Society. He did not leave a will and this fact
is stated in the will of his daughter Clementina Stillwell, which is
included later.

On February 26 1823; Eli J. Lewis, husband of Polly Stillwell, was
appointed Administrator of the estate of Joseph accord (Probate) Book
AA. In May 1825 final estate settlement was made. Total value of
personal property only was $12,655.47. One-third of $4,218.49 went his
widow Sarah Stillwell; 11 shares of the remainder, at $255.67 each to his
childern, Harold, John, William, Elisha, Joseph III, Asher Cook,
Clemetina, Nancy and Alexander S. Walker for his wife, Emilia, and two
shares to Eli J. Lewis on his wives, Sarah and Polly Stillwell.

Sarah Winter Stillwell, widow of Joseph II made her last will on
May 11 1829, appointing her sons Harold and Elisha as executors of her
estate. She died September 3, 1834. Following is a copy of her will as
shown in Arkansas County Deed Book E, pages 254-256. It is belived that
the Elisha Winter who came to Arkansas with his sons, William and
Gabriel, and Joseph Stillwell II, was the father of Sarah Winter. He
died April 30, 1812m in Concordia County, Mississippi, on his planation
near Natchez.

Will of Mrs. Joseph Stillwell, II (Sarah Winter)

" In the name of God Amen, I, Sarah Stillwell of the County of
Arkansas and Territory of Arkansas, being weak in body, but sound of
mind, do make and publish this my last will and testament, viz.

On my decease, I request that after the payment of funeral
expenses and my just debs, the residue of my estate property or effects
be distributed as follows - to wit-
First - In consideration of of the love and effection I bear to
my childern, Harold Stillwell, John Stillwell, Clementina Stillwell,
Nancy Cook and Emilia Walker, and to my grandchildern, Maria Lewis, Sarah
Lewis and Mary Lewis, I give and bequeath to each of them ten dollars,
viz., to Harold Stillwell ten dollars, to John Stillwell ten dollars, to
Clementina Stillwell ten dollars, to Nancy Cook ten dollars, to Emelia
Walker ten dollars, to Maria Lewis ten dollars, To Sarah Lewis ten
dollars and to Mary Lewis ten dollars, as token of rememberance regreting
at the same time that from the small amount of property or effects I own,
and a conscientious duty I owe to my other beloved childern, viz. -
Elisha Stillwell, Joseph Stillwell and Asher Stillwell who have ramined
with me in my old and declining age and by their attention and dutiful
conduct, alleviated my sufferings, I cannot leave them more.

Second - In consideration of the love and affection I bear my
son Elisha Stillwell and for his attention to me in my old age, I give
and bequeath unto him my two Negro women slaves Alice and Jimma.

Third - In consideration of the love and affection I bear my
son Asher Stillwell and for his attention to me in my old age I give and
bequeath unto him my negro boy, a slave named Simon.

Fourthly - In consideration of the love and affection I bear my
son Joseph Stillwell and for his attention to me in my old age I give and
bequeath unto him an equal share of my estate property or effects
remaining after the payment of funeral expenses my just debts and the
legacies specified in my first bequest; and to effect which it is my
request and will that the negro slaves Alice, Jimma and Simon given to my
sons Elisha and Asher in the 2nd and 3rd bequest of this my last will
shall be appraised their value taken in "Hotchpot" with the appraised
value of the residue of my estate or effects after deducting the payments
aforesaid, and the whole divided into three equal parts or shares, and my
three sons Elisha, Joseph and Asher shall be entitled each to one of said
shares as their proportions o my whole estate (remaining after the
payments aforesaid being made) and shall account to each other at the
appraised value for any overplus that may be in either of their hamds on
the distribution of the residue of my estate or effects. It being my
desire to have each of my three sons Elisha, Joseph and Asher an equal
share of estate or effects, after deduction funeral expenses just debts
and the specific legacies as aforesaid in my first bequest - and it is
further my request should any difficulty arise between said three sons in
apportioning their respective shares that the same should be settled
amicably and in such case it is desire that they call on Terrence
Farrelly as umpire.

Fifth - And I do hereby appoint Harold Stillwell and Elisha
Stillwell executors to see to the execution of this my last will and
testament.

Signed, sealed and In Testimony whereof I have hereunto
set my
declared to be her hand and seal this 11th day of May
A. D. 1829 last will and testa-
ment in presence of us. (S) SARAH STILLWELL
T. Farrelly, Daniel Kepler
Lewis Kepler (she died Sept. 3, 1834

Will proven by T. Farrell and Lewis Kepler in Arkansas County
on 3rd November 1834

Following the death of Sarah Stillwell the land left in the
estate was noted in a legal action of 1835 in Arkansas County Deed Book
"E" page 254. In this document, four of the Stillwell Heirs, namely
Clemetina, Elisha and his wife elizabeth, Joseph III, and his wife Sina,
and Asher Cook and his wife Elizabeth, sold their shares in 320 arpens of
land to their older brother Harold Stillwell, for the sum of $200. To
understand further the reason for including the above names it should be
mentioned that, by this date, William, John, Sarah, Polly and Nancy
Stillwell all had already died.