Nathaniel Stevens

Also known as Stephens, Nathaniel Stevens was in Albany during the War for Independence. His not uncommon name dictates caution and leaves us with many questions regarding his Albany life.

He probably was born in Canaan, Connecticut in May 1753. Thus, he would have been a younger son in the very large family of Andrew and Esther Stevens. His father was a local official and French and Indian War veteran who died in 1770.

This individual was a farmer who served in the Revolutionary army. His name was included among the enlisted men of the Second Regiment of the New York Line. Perhaps he served as a sergeant in his older brother's company at Ticonderoga in 1775.

He was connected to the Commissary Department and served in various locations in the Hudson Valley. Perhaps those duties brought him to Albany.

Perhaps Nathaniel married "Pheobe Montnaye" who died about 1780. In 1782, he married Amy Whitney of Plainfield, Connecticut. Nine children resulted from the two marriages. However, his name does not appear in the records of the Albany Dutch church nor in the available records of the city's other churches.

In 1781, he was among the newcomers who purchased the Freedom of Albany. At that time, he was identified as a merchant.

However, his name does not appear in the published records of Albany's wartime committees and boards.

But, perhaps he was one of a group of men and women New Englanders who sailed up the Hudson to visit Mother Ann Lee "at Albany" in August 1784.

In 1790, the household of a Nathaniel Stephens was configured on the census for York Town in Westchester County. However, at some time he returned to Connecticut where he lived for the remainder of his life.

Nathaniel Stevens died in Canaan in 1832. His widow received a pension for his wartime service - a portion of which brought him to Albany.

Sources: The life of Nathaniel Stevens has not been assigned a CAP biography number. This sketch is derived chiefly from family and internet-based resources. We have encountered only scant evidence of him in our sweep of community-based resources. His papers as commissary are held by a number of repositories. A number of divergent senarios for individuals of this name dictate caution