Stephen Whitehead was born on the 20th of September 1772 in Westwell, Kent in England and remained within 6 miles of his birthplace his whole life. Stephen had two known siblings.  A brother William Whitehead born in 1770 and a brother James Whitehead born in 1775.  Stephen was the son of William Whitehead of Kent and his wife Mary Bassenden.  William and Mary raised their family in Westwell in Kent.

On the 8th of August 1795 Stephen married Susanna Cook in Willesborough, Kent. Stephen was 22 and Susanna 23. Willesborough lay to the eastern side of Ashford and was a farming village. It was in Willesborough that their children were born and raised.

Susanna Cook

Susanna was born in Canterbury, Kent (from the 1851 census).  This being some sixteen miles from Willesborough.

Stephen and Susanna went on to have seven children that I know of. One son and six daughters.

1. James Stephen Whitehead b. 1796.
2. Lydia Whitehead b. 1798
3. Frances Whitehead b. 1797.
4. Mary Ann Whitehead b.1800.
5. Louisa Whitehead b.1806.
6. Susanna Whitehead b.1809.
7. Sarah Whitehead b. 1811.

The following (Church of England) baptisms occurred at St Mary’s at Willesborough, Kent. In those days baptisms usually occurred within a few weeks of the birth of the child and was completed as part of the weekly mass as opposed to being a celebration on its own.  James was baptised on the 13th of March 1796, Frances on the 27th of August 1797.  Lydia was baptised on the 7th of October 1798 and Mary Ann on the 19th of January 1800.  Louisa on the 27th of July 1806.  Susannah on the 19th of March 1809.  Sarah on the 8th of December 1811.

Two of their children would pre-decease them. Lydia (who was living locally) at the age of thirty-five in 1833 and their only son James at the age of forty-two in 1838.  James was living with his wife and two children in nearby Kent. In 1839 their grandchildren, their son James children, James and Mary would leave England for the last time to sail with their mother and step-father and step-siblings as colonists to Canterbury New Zealand. Their daughter Sarah Whitehead married William Bingham in 1834 in Willesborough and would remain living in the local area.

The 1841 census showed Susanna and Stephen both aged sixty-six living at Crow Corner in the parish of Willesborough with their thirty five year old unmarried daughter France

The 1851 census records Susanna as being blind. Their unmarried daughter Frances (Whitehead) , lived with them with Stephen giving his occupation as a gardener. The census gave their residence as living near the Albion Inn (which I believe is now the Albion Pub at 2 Albion Pl, Aylesford Green, Willesborough). Stephen and Susanna were both in their late seventies at this time.

There are Willesborough records describing Stephen and Susanna owing a small amount of land including a brook that was used as pastureland.  Stephen was buried on the 4^th of January 1852 with Susanna dying a few months later and buried on the 11^th of April 1852. Both died in Willesborough.