X. Nathan Stamps was born 1784-1790 in Virginia. He married MaryAnn Armistead about 1820. She was born ca. 1794 to John Armistead II andElizabeth Oslin. She was the granddaughter of John Armistead I and hiswife Hannah Harrison.

The Armistead family settled in Cumberland Co., VA in 1755. The will ofJohn Armistead I was dated 1768. He gave each of his four sons onefourth of 800 acres on Snow Quarter Creek in Cumberland Co., VA. In1825, John Armistead II purchased land in Smith Co., TN and again, in1829, purchased 130 acres from Ethelred Warren. His daughter, Tabitha,married Thomas Taylor. His daughter Nancy married Henry Douglas.1

The 1830 census of Smith Co., Tn, lists Nathan Stamps and his wife asbeing 40 to 50 years old. They have 2 sons 5 to 10; 1 daughter under 5;1 daughter 5 to 10. They owned 10 slaves.

In 1837, Nathan and his brother-in-law, Thomas Taylor, are listed on thetax roll for District No. 3 in Smith County. On Feb. 1837 he sold 125?acres on Payton's Creek. On March of 1837 he and his wife sold 42? acreson the north side of the Cumberland River, west of Payton's Creek, nearthe Stamps residence

Nathan died intestate in 1839. On Nov. 29, 1839 his widow filed aninventory in his estate and was allowed a widow's allowance.2 From theArmistead family Bible, we have names of three of their children, JohnArmistead Stamps, George Washington Stamps and Elizabeth Jane Stamps.

At this point, the facts and placement of persons become a littleconfusing. Was the name or nickname of Nathan's first wife, "Polly". Or,was Polly his second wife? The notes on Nathan, written by my father,Charles Thomas Stamps, seem to indicate that Nathan had a wife namedPolly.

The 1850 census of Grayson County, TX, indicate the following: George W.Stamps, 23, born TN; John Stamps, 27, born TN; Jas Stamps, 27, born TN;Polly Stamps, widow, 56, born VA; George H. Stamps, 23, born TN; Mary AnnStamps, 22, born TN <<she died at age 23 in Grayson Co., TN); AndrewStamps, 3, born TX; E.J. Stamps, daughter, born 1833, TN. All the aboveare listed in the same home, being family 226 in the census. They appearto be the family of Nathan Stamps.

In 1848, Polly Stamps was a Peters' colonist. In 1850, she was issuedcertificate No. 571 for 640 acres which she patented in Grayson County,Fannin 3d class. The site chosen eventually became Fannin Co., TX. Itis reported that "Polly Stamps arrived in the colony as a widow with twodaughters prior to July 1, 1843"3 Polly Stamps died prior to April 27,1852.

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1 Armisteads of Cumberland County, by Nancy E. P. and Malcolm E. Gardnerof 1201 S. Scott Street; Arlington, Virginia
2 Smith County Tennessee Will Book 4,_1836-1840, pages 198-9
3 The Peters Colony of Texas, page 400-401. The 1850 census mentionsthree Stamps girls. Two daughters of Polly and one wife of George H.?

1. Jason STAMPS b: in ?, Smith Co, TN, USA
2. John Armistead STAMPS b: 5 Feb 1821 in of, Smith Co, TN, USA, or,Cumberland Co,VA, USA
3. George Washington STAMPS b: 12 Oct 1822 in of, Cumberland Co, VA, USA
4. James B. STAMPS b: ABT 1823 in NC, USA, or, Smith Co, TN, USA
5. Elizabeth Jane STAMPS b: 10 May 1824 in of, Cumberland Co, VA, USA
6. Mary Ann STAMPS b: ABT 1828