Dilla Darby Stedman
Born: 19 Jul 1798 in Canterbury, CT;
Died: 21 Dec 1886 at age 88 im Cortland, Cortland Co., NY.

She was the daughter of Joseph Darby and Anna Grow. Dilla Darby was born in Canterbury, CT 19 July 1798. She married Samuel Stedman in Cortland, NY on 14 Dec 1834. She is buried in McLean Cemetery next to him.

Dilla Darby was baptized by immersion on 18 May 1817 by Rev. Alfred Bennett, First Baptist Church, Homer. This information is taken from a manuscript written by a granddaughter of Dilla Darby & Samuel Stedman, Sonora Stedman, for the Cortland County Historical Society. Sonora was born 5 Sep 1887 in McLean, New York, and died 28 April 1935 in an auto accident near Lansing, N.C. The article was found in the Cortland Historical Society and is entitled " My Ancestors." She was the daughter of Smith Stedman & Ellen Vedder.

Father: Joseph Darby, b: 23 Aug 1772 in Canterbury, Windham Co., CT;
Mother: Anna Grow, b: 15 Feb 1777 in Hampton, Windham Co., CT.

Children
1. Samuel Smith Stedman, b: 30 Dec 1836 in Homere, Cortland, NY;
2. Lydia Grow Stedman, b: 12 Apr 1839 in Homer, Cortland, NY.

******************************************************

"Generations have been long in years with our family. It was Gr. Grandparents of mine, (Joseph & Anna Grow Darby), who came to Cortland County at least 98 years ago in 1802. My Grandmother Stedman was born little Dilla Darby & at age four rode into the county on a pillion. Her mother was in the saddle and two-year old Lyman Darby rode in his mother's lap everyday, where he could be watched."

"Great Grandfather Eleazer Darby rode in the lumber wagon. There was a reason why the saddle horse had to be bought after the family started from Connecticut. About four months after the family arrived in East River, had a brand new baby boy, Thomas, born 1802, the first member of the Darby family to be born in Cortland county. The family had one more baby boy, Eleazer, born in Homer, Cortland Co, but his Mother died shortly after his birth in 1806 & the baby boy, named Eleazer after his Grandfather, also passed away before the age of 2 yrs old. Grandfather Eleazer Darby, Mother Anna Grow Darby & Baby Boy Eleazer Darby are buried in the old Cortland Farm Cemetery on East River Hill."

"Pioneer Ancestors took risks! Little Dilla's future husband, Samuel Stedman rode to York State on horseback too! He came from Tyringham, Massachusetts when about twenty years old. Three older brothers were already settlers out South Cortland Way! He at first set out from Tyringham alone but fell into trouble at Albany through carelessness, and returned to Tyringham. There the wages he had been receiving were greatly raised if he would hire out for another year. So he stayed the year out. Then he left with a party riding through to the Genesee River and later after several years in Wyoming County, he returned to Cortland where his 1st wife, Lydia Smith passed away & he then married Dilla Darby on December 14, 1834."

"How families diminish nowadays. After all those large families, I am the only descendant of the union between Smith Stedman & Ellen Vedder, Smith Stedman being the only descendant of Samuel Stedman & Dilla Darby."

******************************************************

1880 census: Household:
Name Relation Marital Status Gender Race Age Birthplace Occupation Father's Birthplace Mother's Birthplace
Smith Samuel STEADMAN Self M Male W 43 NY Farming MA CT
Mary Eliza STEADMAN Wife M Female W 37 NY Keeping House NY NY
Percy James STEADMAN Son S Male W 10 NY At School NY NY
Ruphus Smith STEADMAN Son S Male W 8 NY NY NY
Ashley Udall STEADMAN Son S Male W 4 NY NY NY
Della STEADMAN Mother W Female W 81 CT CT CT

Source Information:
Census Place Groton, Tompkins, New York
Family History Library Film 1254938
NA Film Number T9-0938