Allen line: Stephen Noble 1727-1791

How could I have missed him?  I've known about "Lieutenant Stephen Noble" ever since my father received some family history from his sister, probably about 1960.  It was basically about the Starr family, but at the back, there were documents.  I was told at the time that these would make it easier for me to join the Daughters of the American Revolution, should I ever decide to do so.  But what child is really interested in doing that?

And yes, and yet, here it is, blog post number 702 and I'm just now writing a little about Stephen's story.  I think one reason I've put it off is that I have been hoping to find more information about him.  While I do have some facts, dates, names, and so on, I assumed there would be more.  There may well be more, but I don't know where to find it, I guess.

So, here's what I do know.  Stephen Noble was born April 15, 1791 in Westfield, Massachusetts, which is the home of a whole cluster of our Allen families.  His parents were Thomas and Sarah Root Noble, and his parents had also been born in Westfield.  Those of his grandparents who hadn't been born in Westfield were born in Springfield, which was just a few miles east of Westfield, and was Westfield's "mother town".  Stephen was one of at least ten children, and he likely led the kind of childhood we only dream about today-family nearby, freedom to play in the creeks, hunt or fish, and perhaps to learn a trade.

Stephen married in Westfield, to Ruth Church, daughter of Jonathan and Ruth Hitchcock Church, on March 7, 1753, when he was 25 and Ruth was 19. Stephenwas probably away from home at least some of the time during the mid 1750's. as I've seen a report of a source, but not the source itself, that says he was a private in 1757, so there may well be records that would document this.  I just haven't seen them yet. He very possibly could have been involved in one or more of the campaigns in New York during that time period. 

If Stephen had been in the French and Indian war, that would help explain why he served for nine months in the Revolutionary War, in 1777.  He was likely encouraged to do so, because of his experience under fire, and also because he apparently had leadership skills.  He was part of the Committee of Correspondence and Safety for Westfield, which means he was not afraid to stick his neck out and act for what he believed in, which was independence.  It is likely that his Revolutionary War experience was largely guarding provisions, but again, the New York campaigns and battles can't be ruled out, since he served for nine months.   He was a lieutenant, either elected by his men or appointed as such by townsmen, and we know he was entrusted with money for his men in 1780.  By the time the war was over, he would have been in his middle 50's, and probably not serving in any kind of active duty, but may have been the town's recruitment officer. It would be nice to see what else the DAR might have in their library about him.

Stephen and Ruth had at least nine children together.  I don't know whether their life together was happy or not.  It appears to have had an unhappy end, at least.  Stephen died April 2, 1791, deeply in debt to a large assortment of friends, relatives, neighbors, and apparently just about everyone in town.  He was so broke that the estate could pay only ten pence to the pound to each of his creditors, which is probably even less than "pennies on the dollar".  So now we have a mystery.  Was he just a poor money manager?  Had something happened, such as a house or business fire, that left him in an embarrassed position at the end of his life? Had he suffered from a long illness?  Or possibly one or more of his children had taken all that he had.  I don't know if there's a way to determine this.  Ruth lived about three years after Stephen had died, dying in Hadley, Massachusetts.  She may have been living with one of her children, or at least visiting there at the time of her death.

Obviously I would love to learn more about Stephen's military service, his occupation, and his religious life, and of course what happened that he died in such penury.  Inquiring minds want to know these things.  But he deserves our honor and respect for the service and love he gave to his country and to his family.

The line of descent is:

Stephen Noble-Ruth Church
Ruth Noble=Martin Root
Ruth Root-Samuel Falley
Clarissa Falley-John Havens Starr
Harriet Starr-John Wilson Knott
Edith Knott-Edward Allen
Richard Allen-Gladys Holbrook
Their descendants