Low Country Africana – Stephen Fox Drayton (ca. 1713-1733)

Stephen Fox Drayton (ca. 1713-1733)

Name: Stephen Fox Drayton

Born: ca. 1713

Place of Birth: Magnolia Plantation, St. Andrews Parish, Charleston District, SC

Died: January 1733

Place of Death: Charleston, SC

Family Group Sheet

1 Thomas Drayton d: 1717 [1]

+ Ann Unknown d: ca. 1741 [2]

2 Mary Drayton [Fuller] b: ca. 1700-1704 [3] d: ca. 1751 [4]

2 Thomas Drayton b: ca. 1710 [5] d: 11 Nov 1760 [6]

2 Stephen Fox Drayton b: ca. 1713 [7] d: January 1733 [8]

2 John Drayton b: before 1716 [9] d: 1779 [10]

Biographical Information

Stephen Fox Drayton was the son of Thomas and Ann Drayton.

By the terms of his father's will, Stephen was to inherit one half of the slaves in his father Thomas Drayton’s estate. The codicil to Thomas Drayton’s will modifies the bequest by dividing Stephen’s original share equally between Stephen and his brother John, who was born after the date of Thomas Drayton’s first will.

There are no special bequests of specific slaves in Thomas Drayton’s will. Stephen established his home on the northernmost branch of the Stono River, where he held twenty-eight enslaved people, grew rice and kept cattle. He died in January of 1733, before he reached the age of twenty-one.

Inheritance, Acquisitions, Bequests

Inherited:

From Father Thomas Drayton, to be Divided Equally with Younger Brother John Drayton:

Remaining one-half of the Stono lands not bequeathed to older brother Thomas 360 acres in Stono, purchased separately from the lands above Cow pen and stock at Abram’s Savanna
Remaining one-half of slaves not bequeathed to older brother Thomas

Acquired:

400 acres on the southwest side of the Ashley River, purchased from Arthur Hall, adjoining lands inherited from his father

Bequeathed:

To Mother Ann Drayton:

Use of his Stono lands and dwelling house during her lifetime, to pass to brother John and his heirs upon her death

“Four Negro men:” Old Seaboy Jack Kitt Joe “Three Negro women:” Tisse Siss Moll

To Brother Thomas Drayton:

130 Land adjoining Magnolia Plantation, purchased by mother Ann Drayton from John Cattell, for which he had not yet received title from mother Ann Drayton

To Mother Ann Drayton and Brother Thomas Drayton:

One thousand pounds, in trust for maintenance of sister Mary Drayton Fuller

To Niece Ann Booth Fuller:

Five hundred pounds reaching the age of twenty-one

To Brother John Drayton:

Remainder of estate, both real and personal

Slaves in the Estate of Stephen Fox Drayton

Estate Inventory of Stephen Fox Drayton [4]:

Name	Description	Appraised Value
Monday	a Negroe fellow	£250
Peter & Samuel		£100
Fourty Old		£50
Fourty Young		£60
Seaborn Old		£100
Seaborn Young		£270
Kitt	a Carpenter	£600
Siss & Child		£225
Kitt & Abraham		£125
Calanah		£150
Hester		£40
Jamy Carpenter		£300
Moll & Child		£260
Buck & Jo		£160
Benny		£200
Alice		£150
Cyrus		£200
Jack	a Shoe Maker	£300
August	an Indian	£50
Ned		£250
Mingo		£250
Jo	a Cooper	£325
Bess & Child		£240
Hannah		£200
Sam		£160

References Cited - Click to Expand

References Cited

[1] Drayton, Thomas. Will, Charleston District, SC. Dated 12 June 1714, Codicil 5 June 1716, Proved 17 June 1724; Taylor, Emily Drayton Heyward. "The Draytons of South Carolina and Philadelphia." Publications of the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania, VIII No. 1 (March, 1921), pp. 1-26.

[2] Drayton, Ann. Will, Charleston District, SC. Dated 2 May 1741, Codicil 23 June 1741, Proved 30 Aug 1742.

[3] Griffin, Dorothy Gail. 1985 "The Eighteenth Century Draytons of Drayton Hall." (Ph.D. diss., Emory University), p. 14. [Hereafter Griffin 1985].

[4] Fuller, Mary Drayton. Will, Charleston District, SC. Dated 27 Feb 1749, Proven 3 May 1751.

[5] Griffin 1985, p. 14.

[6] Griffin 1985, p. 27.

[7] Griffin 1985, p. 14.

[8] Drayton, Stephen Fox. Will, Charleston District, SC. Dated 22 Feb 1732, Proven 4 Jan 1734, Recorded 9 Jan 1734.

[9] Drayton, Thomas. Will, Charleston District, SC. Dated 12 June 1714, Codicil 5 June 1716, Proven 17 June 1724.

[10] Griffin 1985, p. 319.

[11] Drayton, Thomas. Will, Charleston District, SC. Dated 12 June 1714, Codicil 5 June 1716, Proven 17 June 1724.

[12] Griffin 1985, p. 18.

[13] Griffin 1985, p. 15.

[14] Drayton, Stephen Fox. Will, Charleston District, SC. Dated 22 Feb 1732, Proven 4 Jan 1734, Recorded 9 Jan 1734.

[15] Griffin 1985, p. 15; Drayton, Stephen Fox. Will, Charleston District, SC. Dated 22 Feb 1732, Proven 4 Jan 1734, Recorded 9 Jan 1734.

[16] Drayton, Thomas. Will, Charleston District, SC. Dated 12 June 1714, Codicil 5 June 1716, Proven 17 June 1724.

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