James Lea of Country Line Creek
Salt Lake City, UT
26 October 2007
RWS James Lea of Country Line Creek and his wife Anne (possibly Herndon). The source for using the name Herndon is N.S.D.A.R.). James and Anne Lea were my sixth great grandparents through their daughter Adelphia Lea Henderson (RWS Joseph Henderson). Documentation from the N.S.D.A.R. is posted at the end of this page.
There is NO documentation for the parentage of this James Lea. YDNA offers no clues.
Richmond District
Timeline
Birth: 1707-1718, St. Stephen's Parish, King and Queen County, Virginia (N.S.D.A.R)
The work of Albert Casey has created a genealogical nightmare by assigning Col. William Leigh of New Kent County, VA as a progenitor of James Lea of Country Line Creek. The Jamestowne Society will no longer accept any Lees or Leas as descendants of the Leighs because the records do not support the relationship. There are no records proving parentage for James Lea County Line.
Nov. 1741: Grand Jury: Edward HERNDON was foreman of the November 1741 Grand Jury, one of whose members was a James Lea (Source: Dr. John Herndon, Herndon Family History, privately published 1947). This citation does not constitute proof that Anne's father was Edward Herndon although tradition holds this to be the case. The names of Edward Herndon's children by his first wife are unknown. Anne was born during the time Edward's first wife was bearing children and not during the time of his second marriage. Edward married a second time to Ms. Leftwich and had one daughter whose name was not Anne. Additionally, because of great confusion, some books and internet sources gave her maiden name as Talbot or Talburt which is a possible maiden name of the wife of James Lea of Kilgore's Branch and NOT James Lea Country Line.
– From Ben Rose’s book, P. 125, Mr. Rose notes: "I conclude that James Lea of Country Line Creek was the same person as James Lea, planter, of King & Queen Co and Spotsylvania Co Virginia. The Revolutionary War pension claim of Major Lea, son of James Lea of Country Line Creek (in which Major Lea declared that he was born in Spotsylvania Co Virginia in 1742), places James Lea of Country Line Creek in Spotsylvania Co Virginia in 1742. He was the first James Lea to leave Spotsylvania Co and the first to settle in Orange Co North Carolina. There was another James Lea in Spotsylvania Co Virginia when James Lea of Country Line Creek left there around 1751 or 1752.
__Author's Note: I conclude that James Lea of Country Line Creek was not the orphan son (under age 14) of John Lea deceased and Ann Lea of Spotsylvania County in 1731. The orphan James Lea would have been a maximum of 24 years old in 1742 when Major Lea was born to James Lea of Country Line Creek and into a household with older siblings. No one knows whether that orphan James Lea and his brothers were James, William, and John who moved to North Carolina. They could have been William, James, and John who moved to Orange County, Virginia in 1752.
3 March 1752: James Lea of Country Line Creek entered a claim for six hundred acres of land in that area on March 3, 1752. This does not prove that he resided there, as it was possible for land entries to be obtained by persons living in another state.
Sept 1752: Court records of Orange County, North Carolina show that in September 1752, Edward Ball, a sixteen-year-old orphan, was bound to James Lea. This action would require James’ physical presence, and demonstrates beyond a doubt that he had moved to the area by 1752. The significance of this is that another James Lea still appeared in the records of Spotsylvania County after that date. This area became the Richmond District of Caswell County, NC
19 Feb. 1754: Lea, James No. 01263
Orange County 640 acres
On both sides of Country Line Creek
Lord Granville Grant to Richard Harper Issued 3 November 1753
Transfer of Land Warrant by Robert Harper to James Lea by Deed Feb 19, 1754
1755: James Lea appears on the Tax List of Orange County. When John Graves was granted 396 acres in 1762, the tract he received was described as "on Country Line Creek adjacent to the lines of James Lea and Dobbins".
12 Nov 1756: p. 4 - Lea, James File No. 800
Orange County 520 acres
Both sides of Country Line Creek
Grant No. 195 Issued 12 November 1756
13 Aug 1761: Major Lea surveyed 135 acres for Gideon Hogg on Greens Creek of Dan River.
1773: The difficulty of identification of what this James Lea did is borne in upon us when we consider that in 1773 when the petition for the creation of Caswell County (or more literally for the division of Orange County) was circulated the Lea signers included Edmund, Elliot, Garnett, Henry, four named James, Major, Thomas, William and William, Jr., and Zachariah Lea. One of these was, it is reasonable to assume, the James Lea of this sketch.
9 March 1778: Capt. William Lea entered six hundred and thirty acres on County Line Creek, Richmond District, bordering James Lea, Sr., and two men named Sanders and Norton.
17 Dec 1779: James Lea is mentioned as a neighbor in a state land grant to William Lea for 630 acres on both sides of Country Line Creek; also Will Sanders, Prowell, William Holderness, and Joseph Peterson.
20 Dec 1779: Widow Lea mentioned as a neighbor in state land grant to Thomas Wilson on North Hico, also Robert McFarland, Samuel Johnston.
29 Oct 1782: James Lea and William Lea mentioned as neighbors in state land grant to John Peterson; also Holderness, Joseph Peterson, William Moore.
13 Aug 1789: James Lea mentioned as a neighbor in John Lea’s sale of 158 acres to Charnel Hightower on Country Line Creek; also Thomas Lea, Harralson. Major Lea witnessed.
1790 U.S. Federal Census Richmond District, Caswell County, NC
James, Major, three Johns, and William Lea, indicating that this district included the Country Line Creek area. (In 1800, a younger James ‘Lee’, between twenty-six and forty-five years of age, lived near John and Capt. John Lea in Caswell County, in the area of Richmond District.[1] Since James’ 1771 will did not name a son named James, the identity of this man is not clear.)
23 March 1792: James (Country Line) Lea's will was proved in Caswell Co court in Mar 1792. In his will, which was written in 1771, he left to his son, Major, "the land and plantation whereon I now live". In it, he names his 'well-loved sons William Lea and John Lea and Major Lea, my executors'; ..." Item, I give and bequeath to my true and well-loved Wife Ann Lea all my whole estate during her life or widowhood and after her death, I give and bequeath to my son Major Lea the land and Plantation whereon I now Live and two Cows and one yearling and one gilding and one Mare and his Choice of all the Negroes that is or may be at his mother's death and one feather bed and furniture and furthermore the said Major Lea is to have his equal [equal] part with the rest of my Children exclusive of what is above mentioned & the whole of the remaining part of my Estate to be equally divided among all my children. [Signed] James Lea. Wit: Thos Campbell and Henry Lea.'
There is an accounting filed for settlement of the estate. The accounting was filed in April Court. the term, 1796 and lists the following as recipients of the estate: Luke Lea, Joseph Henderson, Will Lea, Joseph Peterson, Isabella Graves, Paul Haralson, John Lea, and Major Lea.
The will was proved in court on a deposition by Capt. William Lea in which he declared that he saw the testator sign the will and that the will had been in his possession since then. In April 1796 the court admitted recording an accounting of James Lea's estate, in which his heirs are shown as: Luke Lea, Joseph Henderson, Will Lea, Joseph Paterson, Isabella Graves, John Lea, Major Lea, and Paul Haralson. We Learn from other sources that Joseph Henderson had married James Lea's daughter Delphia, that Joseph Paterson or Peterson had married daughter Lucinda, that Isabella Graves was his daughter who married John Graves, and Paul Haralson had married his daughter Nancy. (Reference: Graves, Twelve Generations, by Louise Graves, Addendum No. 1, p. 6).
The original will of James Lea, dated March 18, 1771, is in the Department of Archives and History, Raleigh, North Carolina, filed "Caswell County Estate Papers, 1776-1864, Vol 1, p. 59, Folio 1. James Lea." In this will he names his wife Anne Lea. Sons William Lea, John Lea, and Major Lea are appointed executors. A photocopy was made by Cynthia Forde-Beatty Nov 2011.
The execution of the will of James Lea proved by the testimony of William Lea:
Testimony of Wm. Lea, March 23, 1792, is that he wrote the will of James Lea, that he witnessed the signatures of Thomas Camp and Henry Lea; and that he had kept the aforesaid will or testament in his possession until the death of the testator and that no alterations had been made.
[Original in the same file as mentioned above: "Caswell County Estate Papers, 1776-1864, Vol. I, p. 59, Folio 1, James Lea".
N.S.D.A.R. Patriot Index for James Lea, Sr (aka James "Country Line" Lea:
Other sources: Research of Cynthia Forde and Research Report for her from Raquel Lindaas, AG, Heritage Consulting, Salt Lake City, UT
[1] Document 5: Heritagequestonline.com, U. S. Federal Census 1800, Caswell NC, p. 109.
JLCL1. William Lea of Country Line Creek was born about 1735 (estimated) in King and Queen County, Virginia (tradition). William married Nancy Ann Graves (probably) [1] about 1757 in Orange County, North Carolina (guesses) and moved to Wilkes County, Georgia before 1786 when he is first listed in the Wilkes County Tax Records. Nancy Ann Graves was born about 1733 (guess) in Virginia, and died about 1809 (estimated) in Wilkes County, Georgia. William died in Wilkes County before 3 May 1794 (date of probate). The William Lea family moved to Georgia, with all of their children except John, not long after his sister Adelphia Lea Henderson and her extended family made that move. Only son John remained in Caswell County.[2] William and Nancy Lea had five children named in his will:[3] [RSB Are there verifyable dates and spouses published that we can cite?]
JLCL11. Thomas Lea sold land in 1788, no further record
* JLCL12. Capt. John Lea married Elizabeth “Betsy” Bradley and remained in Caswell County
* JLCL13. Jonathan Lea married Mary Hightower
* JLCL14. Nancy Ann Lea married Mr Roper
* JLCL15. Rosannah Lea married Sherwood Jean
The family of William Lea’s son Capt. John Lea and rudimentary information about children Jonathan Lea, Nancy Ann (Lea) Roper and Rosannah (Lea) Jean, are given below under “Grandchildren of James Lea (Country Line),” pages[RSB pages].
Ben Rose, in Lea Families, provides an interesting biographical sketch for this William Lea and states that William Lea was the guardian of the Solomon Lea mentioned in his will, not the father of Solomon.
William Lea, born King and Queen County, Virginia c.1735, died before 3 May 1794 in Wilkes County, Georgia. He was the oldest son of James (Country Line) Lea and Anne (Herndon).[RSB, how much of this sentence can be proved? Where does the rest come from?] Will written: 9 February 1794, Witnesses: Spencer Runnels, George Griegs, and John Henderson.
The following is from Wilkes County, Georgia Will Book 1792-1801 p. 112. [RSB now in Appendices cfb- Photo is from Raquel in 2013 with tax record (in Compendium at /JAMESLEA1790/ LEA-RAQUEL NOV2013).] At one time Wilkes County included a large part of the state of Georgia, with several counties being carved out over the years.
"Lea, William. To wife Nancy for life or widowhood, the plantation whereon I now live, all the furniture within the walls, stock, etc., and slaves Ben, Jude, Jenney and Osborn. To son Thomas slave Hannah. To son John slave Daniel. To son Jonathan slave Dinah. To dau. Nancy for life slaves George, Milly and Elix, the still, 100 acres of land, etc., at her death the land to be given to my son Solomon, [Ben Rose notes that the abstract is incorrect in naming Solomon as a son because the will does not. [4]] the negroes and stock to Nancy's five children (not named). To grandchildren William and Sarah Ropers slave Jenny at the death of my wife, when they come of age. To grandau. Susannah Lea slave Osborn at wife's death. £30 to be divided among the heirs of my dau. Rosanna Gean at wife's death. Aquilla Burroughs, John Lea, and Joseph Henderson, Exers. Signed Jan. 9, 1794. Probated May 3, 1794. Spencer Runnels, Geo. Griggs, John Henderson, Test".[5] [RDB this was page 112 of something abstracted by Grace Gillam Lee][RSB puzzle, why was John Lea named executor if he stayed in Caswell County ??][RSB Casey (p.561) dated 3 May 1794 recorded Jul 1794. William Lea granted 131 acres Kettle Creek, Wilkes Co 1790 (Bk TTT p 338 Sec State’s Off. Atlanta) 100 acres Kettle Creek 17892 Bk TTT p 338) On 14 Aug 1793 William Lea Sr sells Thomas Lea of Wilkes Co land on which he now lives (Deed Bk LL p 119 Wilkes Co) on 19 Dec 1780]
"Came before me this day William Lea, the signer of the above Will in his common senses and duly acknowledged the above to be his last will and Testament. Sig. A. Burrough, SP.[RSB why beginning quote, but no closing quote? Where is it from]
Will Probate, State of Georgia, Wilkes County: Personally appeared before me Spencer Runnels and John Henderson, and declared......................
_______________
"Lea, William, dec'd. Inventory Rec. July 1, 1794. Several slaves, 36 gallons whiskey, still, cattle, horses, guns, plantation tools, household goods etc. Thomas Lea, John Wootten, Wm. Davis, debtors. Spencer Runnells, Wm. Williamson, Wm. Pearman, Richard Peteet, apprs. Sale Nov. 10, 1794. John Holmes, Pitt Milner, Sophia Runnells, John and Jos. Henderson, Aquilla Burroughs, Jonathan, Solomon and Nancy Lea, Joshua Elder, some of the purchasers. Debtors, Nancy Lea to rye, James Lea's exers. to cash, John Lea, one saddle, Thos. Lea, whiskey etc, Wm. Lea, land". [6] [RSB Page 64-65 of something.]
"Joseph Henderson, Sr. surviving Exer of William Lee, dec'd permission to sell 150 acres on Kettle creek". [7]
"Nancy Lee, lunatic, Jonathan Lee appointed guardian in place of Joseph Henderson and Christopher Irwin resigned, Thomas Lee and Richard Dukins, Security". [8]
"Aug. 7, 1806. Ann Lee, petition that Aquilla Burroughs and Joseph Henderson attend court and render an account as Exers of William Lee, Dec'd. Jan. 5, 1807. Thomas Lee same pettion. Mar. 3, 1807. Exers made returns and gave security.". [9]
"Stringer, James and wife Altha to William Lea 400 acres orig. grant 1784 to Jos. Subtrine. July 17, 1788. Samuel Hart, John Karr, Test". [10]
"Lea, William dec'd. est. Return of Jos. Henderson, exer Mar. 7, 1809.[11] 'In the lifetime of Aquilla Burroughs, (the other excr.), and after the death of Nancy Lea the wid of the testator, towit on 28th, day of Jan. 1809 a certain negro woman and her two children which by the will belonged to the wid for life, final division to two grandchildren, were exposed to public sale, Richard Peteet became the purchaser. He paid half the price to Aquilla Burroughs before his death and the other half belongs to said Richard as a legatee. Returns Mar. 1810 expenses to courts of Jackson and Clark counties for the est. Legacies paid Jonathan and Nancy Lea. Receipt of Nancy Lee [sic] Jan. 1, 1811, for her part of the land. Receipts of Philip and Wm. Jane or Janes (Gean?) Dec. 1811. . . . . Jan. 1812 for their legacies in full. Amounts received for Solomon, Nancy and Noah Lee [sic] and Southey Littleton. Receipt of John Dyson, C. C. O. for pay for Noah Lee's bond as admr on est of Wm. Lee dec'd, Dec. 19, 1823. Returns 1825 Paid Solomon Lee a certain slave, his distributive share. Paid Mathias Mauck certain slaves in right of his wife Frances Mauck under the will of her grandfather Wm. Lea, dec'd. Letters dismissory granted Noah Lee Feb. 6, 1827. Wilkes Co. Inferior Court July 1799. A. Burroughs and Jos. Henderson, excrs. vs. Thos. Lee. Thos. Lee on Jan. 1, 1793 was indebted to Wm. Lee for L30, and whereas Wm. Lee in his time before Jan. 1, 1793 paid one Frederick Sims in his life time L10. Said Thos. is possessed of a tract of land whereon he lives bought from said Wm. Lee in his life time and not paid for. Thomas ordered to appear at next term of court. July Term. 1799".[12][RSB 100_9349
Thanks to Martha Poplin for transcriptions on rootsweb site at
https://freepages.rootsweb.
"Lee, Nanny (Nancy, Anny), Returns of Jos. Henderson, gdn for 1800, 1801, 1802, paid tax etc. Return of Christopher Irvin, gdn of Nanny Lee no date, for supples".[13]
Jun 1783: “Solomon Parks Lea, orphan of 9 yrs, bound to William Lea (CC) until age 21”.[14]
[RSB Kendall Hist Abstr p. 9 “Solomon Parks Lea bound to William Lea (CC) until he attain age 21.”]
[RSB do we want this quote from Ben Rose?]“William Lea of Country Line Creek, Son of James Lea of Country Line Creek, Granted 630 a. [acres] on Country Line Cr 1778 [adjacent to James Lea sr and Dobbins. RSB this was added incorrectly, Dobbins & James Lea sr were neighbors on the Graves grant.] Child: John.”.[15]
Caswell Deeds B:432 David Shelton to William Lea 630 a. on Rattlesnake & Country Line 1784
Caswell Deeds E:17 William Lea to David Cochran 450 a. on Country Line Ck & Rattlesnake Ck bordering lands of Jacob William, Thos Donoho & Major Lea. Wit: John Lea Senr [Casey (p.561) 28 Feb 1786]
17 Dec 1779: “State of NC - No. 233 - to William Lea 630 A both sides Country Line Cr adj Will Sanders, Prowell, crossing the Main Road by William Holderness, Claim of Joseph Peterson, James Lea’s deeded land”.[16] (See survey and indenture in Appendix D7?[ photo 100_6372, 100_6377 survey dim, which appendix?].)[RSB Still mentioned as adjacent in 1782, did NOT find sale of 630A.]
13 Nov 1790: "135-6 Willlam Lea of Wilkes Co., GA, to Christopher Hinton of CC, for 70 lbs, 200 A on Rattlesnake Cr adj Jacob Williams, Cochran, Thomas Donoho, Wm. Morrow. 13 Nov 1790. Wit: Ralph Hubbard, David Cochran, John Cochran".[17] [RSB photo KendallDeeds,p1:125#135-6 (PDF-p.1:125)]
There is a good synopsis by Katharine Kerr Kendall (1989) of the land records concerning this William Lea on the Caswell County Family Tree website by Richmond Frederick. The quoted passages are verbatim.
"In Richmond District as noted above there are no Leas except the family of James Lea."
In 1778 William Lea entered a grant of 630 A on Country Line Cr. adj William Sanders, Norton, James Lea Sr. [18]
In 1779 William Lea granted 630 A both sides Country Line Cr adj his own land and William Sanders, Prowell, crossing main road by William Holderness, Claim of Joseph Peterson, James Lea's deeded land. [19]
"In 1780 William Lea sold to Major Lea 240 A on Country Line Cr at a beach [branch] of [on] Roper's Branch adj William Lea & James Lea. (Land next to his own land & his father’s land)"
In 1784 William Lea purchased 630 A formerly belonging to William Prowell from David Shelton on Rattlesnake and Country Line Creeks. [20]
"In 1786 William Lea sold to David Cochran 450 A on Country Line Cr at Rattlesnake Cr adj Major Lea et al.
"In 1786 William sold to John Lea (his son) 330 A both sides of Country Line Cr adj Adam Sanders, David Cochran, Major Lea. His son John Lea remained in Caswell Co. and as Capt. John Lea annually listed his 330 A. He died intestate 1819." [John was named executor of his father's will, but never acted as executor because he lived in Caswell.]
"In 1788 William Lea purchased land in Wilkes Co., GA.
"In 1790 William Lea of Wilkes Co., GA sold 200 A in Caswell Co. to Christopher Hinton adj Williams, Cochran, Donoho, Morrow on Rattlesnake Cr. [1792: James Lea of Country Line died.]
On 14 Aug 1793 William Lea Sr sells Thomas Lea of Wilkes Co land on which he now lives (Deed Bk LL p 119 Wilkes Co) on 19 Dec 1780 [RSB from Casey ??]
"On the 1782 tax list of Caswell Co. William Lea in Richmond Dist. listed 1049 A. He is the only William Lea in that Dist . He had purchased about 1260 A, more or less, in 2 deeds. He disposed of 240 A in 1780; he disposed of 780 A in 1786; the remainder in 1790 of about 200 A. He was the only William Lea whose land adjoined his father and others. [Note: This is not the William Lea of Leasburg who was the son of James Lea of Kilgore's Branch).]
"On 1784 tax list William Lea lists 1052 A, Richmond Dist.
"On 1785 tax list is 1050 A.
"On 1786 tax list is 200 A.
"On 1787 tax list there is no William Lea in Richmond Dist. [He had moved to Georgia.] There remain William and James in Gloucester Dist.
"In March 1792 the will of James Lea [Country Line] was probated. In 1794 William Lea, the son who left Caswell Co., died in GA." In 1794 the estate settlement of William Lea [in Georgia] listed a debt due from executors of James Lea. "Final settlement of James Lea in Caswell Co. was in April 1796 by Major Lea & John Lea, executors. The voucher for Will Lea was accepted by John Lea. (Probably his son who remained in Caswell Co. or his brother John.) Prepared by Katharine Kerr Kendall, June 15, 1989",[21] with corrections not enclosed in quotes.
[RSB CFB add tax records on desktop from Raquel showing continuous habitation in Wilkes Co., GA.]
[1] Ben L. Rose, Lea Families in Caswell & Person Counties, North Carolina and Virginia Before 1800, pp. 30-31 footnote 11 [RSB done]
[2] Jeannine D. Whitlow, ed., Heritage of Caswell County, North Carolina, page 351 (3rd paragraph within Article #437A, “James Lea” by Katherine Kerr Kendall)
[3] Ben L. Rose, Lea Families in Caswell & Person Counties, North Carolina and Virginia Before 1800, pp. 14, 30-31, 60, 85, 87 [RSB done]
[4] Ben L. Rose, Lea Families in Caswell & Person Counties, North Carolina and Virginia Before 1800, p. 14 footnote 13 [RSB done]
[5] Grace Gillam Davidson, Early Records of Georgia: Wilkes County, Vol. 1, pp. 60-61
[6] Grace Gillam Davidson, Early Records of Georgia: Wilkes County, Vol. 1, pp. 110 [RSB]
[7] Grace Gillam Davidson, Early Records of Georgia: Wilkes County, Vol. 1, pp. 152 [RSB]
[8] Grace Gillam Davidson, Early Records of Georgia: Wilkes County, Vol. 1, pp. 166 [RSB]
[9] Grace Gillam Davidson, Early Records of Georgia: Wilkes County, Vol. 1, pp. 166 [RSB]
[10] Grace Gillam Davidson, Early Records of Georgia: Wilkes County, Vol. 1, pp. 292 [RSB]
[11] This Joseph Henderson was the son of Joseph Henderson Sr. and Adelphia Lea (daughter of James Lea of Country Line Creek).
[12] Grave Gillam Davidson, Early Records of Georgia: Wilkes County, Vol. 2, p. 252 [RSB 100_9362]
[13] Grave Gillam Davidson, Early Records of Georgia: Wilkes County, Vol. 2, pp. 252-253 [RSB 100_9362]
[14] Ben L. Rose, Report of Research on the Lea Family in Virginia and North Carolina Before 1800, p. 107 citing Kendall Hist Abstr., p. 9 and Kendall Will Bks p. 12 [RSB done]
[15] Ben L. Rose, Report of Research on the Lea Family in Virginia and North Carolina Before 1800, p. 142 [RSB done]
[16] Raquel Lindaas, Research Report of 6 Mar 2006, p. 9 citing Kendall, Caswell County, North Carolina Deed Books, 1777-1817, page 24, abstracted from Deed Book A:421 [rsb done]
[17] Katharine Kerr Kendall, Caswell County, North Carolina Deed Books, 1777-1817, p. 125, abstract of Book G:135-6 [rsb done]
[18] Raquel Lindaas, Research Report of 6 March 2006, p. 8 citing Pruitt, Abstracts of Land Entries: Caswell Co., NC, 1778-1795, 1841-1863, and Person Co., NC, 1792-1795, page 7 abstract of #79.[rsb done]
[19] Katharine Kerr Kendall, Caswell County, North Carolina Deed Books, 1777-1817, p. 24, abstract of Book A:421
[20] Katharine Kerr Kendall, Caswell County, North Carolina Deed Books, 1777-1817, p. 58, abstract of Book B:432
[21] Caswell County Family Tree by Richmond Frederick citing Katharine Kerr Kendall report of June 15, 1989 at https://wc.rootsweb.com/trees/
1 comment:
This is wonderful to read. I am James Bruce Lea, son of James Arthur Lea, son of Robert Edwin Lea, son of John Pryor Lea, son of Preston Jarnagin Lea,son of Major Lea Jr., son of Major Lea. dated Nov. 7,2011 do you know more? jimblea@gmail.com
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