The Stephen Lanham Family 1784

Link to our Lanhams

Thomas Lanham 1757 (our line) (see The Thomas Lanham Family 1757) → Stephen Lanham 1784

Stephen LANHAM [1] [2] [3] was born in 1783/84 in ,, Kentucky, USA. He died in 1841 in St. Louis, Missouri. He was a son of Thomas and Patience (Sappington) Lanham.

Note
The St. Louis records stated that Stephen was born abt 1783.

Stephen married Mary (Polly) CORDELL before 1816. She was the sister of Harriet Cordell, wife of Hartley Lanham. Mary died on 31 Apr 1844.

They had the following children:

(i.) Daughter, Virginia LANHAM was born on 04 Dec 1816. She died on 21 Nov 1881. Virginia married Joseph CONWAY on 10 Sep 1835 in Bonhomme, St Louis, Missouri, USA. This family had thirteen children.

(ii.) Daughter, Permilia LANHAM. Permilia married O.M. WOODS .

(iii.) Daughter, Nancy LANHAM. Nancy married W. S. BROWN .

(iv.) Daughter, Pauline LANHAM. Pauline married LONG .

In the History of Missouri, Stephen Lanham fought in the War 0f 1812 from Missouri. He is listed in the 1st Regt. of St. Louis alone with two of the Sappington boys.

The following information was obtained from the St. Louis Probate Records of 1804 to 1849.

On 4 Jun 1812 — List of Militia Appointments from the administration of Governor Howard (Reorganization of the Militia, under an Act of the Congress of the US providing for the Government of the Territory of Missouri approved Jun 4, 1812 — 2nd Company, 4th Battalion Stephen Lanham Captain. [4] (Houck, OP.Cit Ill, 103)

On 1814 — Stephen Lanham, Maryland/Missouri territory in 1814, St Louis County, Manchester Justice of the Peace.

On 21 Feb 1817 — John and Sarah Cunningham sold property to Stephen Lanham for $1,400 and also to Harley Lanham, consisting of 600 acres. The Cunninghams had bought the property from two LONG brothers who had been granted the property by the Spanish government. Likely says it is on the waters of Crevcour, which is now written as Creve Coeur.

On 1 Apr 1818 — Stephen Lanham appointed to be Justice of the Peace, Civil appointments, Territory of Missouri, St. Louis County.

On 28 Feb 1819 — Stephen and Polly Lanham sold to Richard Lanham for $460 (?) property is next to Hartley Lanham’s property and John Cunningham’s containing 174 acres.

On 11 Oct 1820 — Stephen and Polly Lanham sold to Steptoe Cordell. It appears that John Cordell was the father of Polly and son Steptoe and five other children (which are named in the record) and that John Cordell died intestate. Polly was entitled to 1/7th of the property. It appears that she and Stephen sold that portion of the estate to her brother, Steptoe. Hartley Lanham is a witness.

 We Stp Lanham and James B. Bloomfield for the sum of six dollars from Peter Augustus Labeaume ... all the right, title interest, priviledge and license and pre-emption right, so called, of the tract of public land upon which the said James B. Bloomfield now occupies, situate, lying and being on the waters of river Des Pere in the County about nine miles west of the town of St. Louis and bounded on the East by M. Berry together with all the improvements, houses, and field on said tract of land which said right and priviledge was purchased from said Stp Lanham by James B. Bloomfield to which the said James B. Bloomfield is entitled to by virtue of his title being an Inhabitant by said Stp Lanham on tract prior to 12 Apr 1814 and by virtue of the several acts of Congress relative to the right of pre-emption to settler upon public lands in the Territory of Illinois, Missouri and the state of Louisiana ... Vol. G, p. 97.

On 26 May 1815 — "A pleasant day windy weterly I went to Bonhomme to Mr Jno Wards after a stray cow supposed to be mine but was not stopped all night. Bought a barrel of salt fish from Stephen Lanham * price $10 delivered at S. Louis."

On 23 Feb 1819 — Stephen and Mary Lanham sold to Hartley Lanham for $790 for 174 acres, property that Stephen bought from John Cunningham laying on the waters of Creve Coeur. Beginning at a stone and running S45 W36 chains and 4 links to a stone thence W45 W48 chains and 44 links to a stone in the old line 298 thence with the same N45 E36 chains and 4 links to a stone thence N45 W48 chains and 44 links to the beginning. Vol H, p. 298.

On 3 Oct 1827 — St. Louis - Stephen Lanham appointed administrator of Fanny Ward estate, printed certificate.

In 1828 — Stephen Lanham settled estate of John Ward.

On 2 Mar 1830 — Last will and testament of Joseph Conway, statement of witnesses and Stephen Lanham and Greenberry Baxter, signed Henry Chouteau, 3 Feb 1831

In 1830 — Stephen Lanham shown in St. Louis County, Missouri on the 1830 and 1840 US Census. 1830 St. Louis, Bonhomme Township, Missouri, p.23/313 [Joseph Conway was on the same page] Stephen Lanham (males 1 20-30; 1 40-50) (females 1 0-5; 2 10-15; 1 20-30; 1 30-40)

On 6 Aug 1833 — Mary LANHAM, wife, Virginia, Permelia and Nancy Lanham daughters, Joseph Conway executor; Joseph T. Sharp, Samuel Conway, Alex Smith, and John Baxter witnesses. [5]

In 1841 — Stephen is Justice of the Peace.

In 1841 — Stephen Lanham’s will excerpt,

"of Bonhomme in the county of St. Louis left to his wife, Mary Lanham, the farm upon which he then lived along with stock, household and kitchen furniture, farming utensils for the term of her life if she remains unmarried; if she dies or marries, I give said farm and personal estate to my three daughters Virginia, Permelia and Nancy to be equally divided."

The will names Joseph Conway as sole executor.

In 1845 — Final settlement of Stephen Lanham’s estate.

  • Rent of farm (Mar 1843-44 and Mar 44-45) $135 and $120

  • Amount received from U.S. Government $537

  • Amount of cash left on hand by Mary Lanham $158.50

  • Amount collected from Samuel Conway $1.50

  • Personal property left by Mary lanham, deceased

  • Amt of note due to Mary Lanham per inventory $339

  • Mary Lanham paid $177

  • Hale paid for shroud

  • George White for coffin

  • Virginia Conway $542

  • Pamela Lanham $722

  • Nancy Lanham $722


1. Listed on the 1830 St. Louis County, Missouri census.
2. Missouri Historical Bulletin, "The Diary of a Yankee Farmer in MO" 1815-1816 by Stephen Hempstead.
3. Much of this information was obtained from researchers Carolyn Schaeffer (Missouri), Linda Ashley (Kentucky) and Beverly Golden (Missouri). Thank you for your research.
4. Missouri Rangers in the Indian Wars (War of 1812) by Robert E. Parkin, 1961
5. St. Louis Probate Records 1804 - 1849, C:31-32
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