There are different accounts of WILLIAM BRYAN and LADY ALICE NEEDHAM but most agree that he was Catholic and she was Protestant, and her father did not approve of a marriage between them, so they eloped in 1689 and were married shortly before the Battle of Boyne in July 1690.

WILLIAM was born in 1655 in County Claire, Ireland. LADY ALICE NEEDHAM, the daughter of LORD NEEDHAM, Viscount of Killarey, was born in 1656 and died in 1729 or 1739.  The 2nd volume of the Magna Charta Descendants 1944 reported the marriage of WILLIAM BRYAN, Marquis of Thomond, to Lady ALICE NEEDHAM, suggesting political differences as the reason for parental disapproval. WILLIAM was named Marquis of Thormond, though other researchers state that title did not exist then. He could have been Earl of Inchiquin.

After their marriage, they came to Isle of Wight County, Virginia, finally settling on the Albemarle sound in North Carolina. He served as High Sheriff and Justice of the Peace for Bertie County, and was a member of the Colonial Assembly for Pasquotank County, NC. He died in the year 1743. ALICE died in 1729.

WILLIAM and ALICE�S granddaughter, RACHEL,  married WILLIAM WHITFIELD I. See more on the
WHITFIELDS.
                                   NEEDHAM - BRYAN

One of the romantic couples in the ancestry of ELIZA JANE was her 6th great grandparents, WILLIAM BRYAN and LADY ALICE NEEDHAM.
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It is likely that FRANCIS GEORGE came from London to Barbados, and either he or his father from Germany before that.

There are no known records of FRANCIS GEORGE prior to his marriage to ANN PERRATT on 28 Jun 1737 in St. Phillip's Parish, Barbados. It is said that he and ANN married against her father's wishes. They probably went to Virginia soon after and lived with the MAYOS, her aunt. There is a record of ANN STEGER witnessing a deed 8 Feb 1741 with ANN and MARY MAYO, WILLIAM MAYO to WILLIAM SPEARS.

An entry in the
Executive Journal, Council of Colonial Virginia, 4 May 1745, Vol. V, p. 176  "To FRANCIS STEGER leave is granted to have a new patent for 400 A granted him before his naturalization."   The land referred to was patented in Goochland at the head of Muddy Creek 12 Feb. 1742.  [VA Pat. Bk. 21, p. 191]  FRANCIS GEORGE was probably a resident since about 1738, as an applicant for naturalization was required to be a resident for 7 years in addition to swearing a loyalty oath. 

He continued to obtain property in several counties in Virginia and in Richmond.  He also was given approval for keeping an ordinary in his house in Feb. 1750.

His first wife probably died about 1748, as  FRANCIS married second ANN/ANNA BARBARA, widow of DR. SAMUEL TSCHIFFLEY, between Feb 1749 and May 1750 in Cumberland Co., Virginia. Her maiden name is unknown. ANNA BARBARA is the ancestor of ELIZA JANE.  ANNA B. died in 1764, and FRANCIS G. married a third time about that same year ANN JANETT, widow of JOHN STEVENSON.

FRANCIS GEORGE was very successful and prosperous and through the 7 children by his first wife and 2 by his second had many descendants. His and ANNA BARBARA�S son, SAMUEL married AGNES NANCY MCLAURINE [see
clergy]; their son, WILLIAM, ELIZA JANE�S great grandfather, had 15 children by 2 wives, several of whom lived into the 20th century and left family records. It was his youngest by his first wife, OLA MANN, DAVID OWEN, JANIE�S grandfather, who migrated to Christian Co., KY, with his 2 brothers.
       FRANCIS GEORGE STEGER [cir 1702 - 1769]
           FROM  SUGAR PLANTATION TO DIABETES

FRANCIS GEORGE was a planter, connected with the sugar plantations in Barbados. In
The Confection Connection by Dorothy Shaw it is speculated that FRANCIS GEORGE had been a candy maker in London.  At any rate he left a �sugar� heritage to his descendants, as researchers have found that 50% of his descendants get diabetes. This includes his 3rd great granddaughter, ELIZA JANE. [JANIE�S nephew had childhood diabetes.]
Letter in the hand of Frances George Steger to Mrs. Gavin regarding the purchase of a chair. Written in 1754.
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