- Be advised that parental relationship is nothing more than semi-educated guessing. Researchers have been trying to draw conclusions of Edmund's parents and his relationship to William Stevens forever. This is only an exercise in exploring possibilities with both known facts and then conjecture in an attempt to at least get the pieces out on the table.
Facts we know:
1. Edmund Howard named his first son after William Stevens.
2. 1678 William Stevens willed 400 acres to Edmund Howard and to his son William Stevens Howard.
(William Stevens had no issue of his own)
comment: Conflict of dates here because William Stevens Howard was born 3 Nov 1684 - 6 years after the date suggested when the will would have been written.
3. 3 Oct 1685: John White, in his will, probated 3 Oct 1685, calls William Stevens Howard "my cousin." The relationship is unexplained beyond the reference. (William Stevens Howard would be 11 mos old!)
4. 1691: There was a Benjamin Keizer (or Keyser) of Somerset County (who died in 1691), who in his will names "my father George Keizer," brothers Elizer and John Keizer, sister May Mould and "my cousins [Nieces and Nephews?] Tabitha White, Priscilla White, Sarah White, Stevens White and William White". He also left small legacies to Lawrence Crawford (bro-in-law) and George Layfield (bro-in-law), and refers to land which Col. William Stevens, of "Rehoboth", in his will, also devised property to Edmund Howard and his son William Stevens Howard, not mentioning any relationship. John White m Sarah Keyser.
comment: I really question b.d. of WSH because of these facts. Why would John White refer to a baby cousin in his will??? Why would Benjamin Keizer leave property to a father and a son who would be only 7 years old?
But taking the "known" information and allowing for typos or something to explain date discrepancies, to get the relationships to all fit as described, and a little guesswork on those that aren't documented, about the only way this would work are are two options:
1. I think Edmund might have had a 1st wife before Dent, and that first wife would have been a Keyser daughter. But dates don't exactly add up for that to be logical.
2. Edmund's mother was a sister to George Keyser and aunt to the Keyser children, and their spouses. That would give John White a 1st cousin, once removed relationship.
Well, it ain't all worked out -- and it's doubtful it ever will be. But at least this does have the Keyser and White families somewhat recorded, along with their relationship to William Stevens -- and conjectured relationship to Edmund. As I said, at least some puzzle pieces are laid out for more scrutiny.
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Abt 1625 - Aft 1660 (~ 36 years)
