REFN: C
There is another reference to William in Lancaster County, PA, in the area that would later become Cumberland County. There were a number of inhabitants of the area who signed a petition to the Penns asking for a road to be built from John Harris' ferry on the Susquehanna, which would later become the site of Harrisburg, through Cumberland County to an area not distinguished. Quite a number of early settlers signed it, including James and William, here spelled Wekely as well as Robert Weakley's grandfather, Robert Rutherford. (Not sure if he is also grandfather of James & William). The petition was dated May 21, 1735.
On this same list of petitioners is James Woods, whose son Robert Woods appears in the 1749 tithables of Lunenburg County, VA. This same Robert Woods patented 5,000 acres of land in 1765 in what would become Franklin County, VA.
Source: The Pennsylvania Archives, series 6,vol. 14, pg. 273
James probably lived with his brother Robert or William in Lunenburg Co until he moved to Prince Edward Co VA. He purchased a tract of 150 A in Prince Edward County on Tany's (Sawney) Creek from Andrew Porter on Mch. 19, 1764 for 15L (Prince Edward deed 2 p 201). He sold the tract to Robt Jameson in 1779 (Prince Edward deed 6 p 151). At an unknown date he was living on part of the Peter Coffee estate. On Nov. 6, 1786 (Prince Edward deed 7 p 275) Susannah Coffee, "in consideration of the esteem I do bare to James Weakley -- appoint him lawful attorney in her name to sell and be sued and to look after the whole estate, left me by my husband, Peter Coffee."
There was a long drawn-out suit about the Peter Coffee estate, and in various papers was shown all of the Coffee and Weakley names of those to benefit from the estate. These Weakley names were shown: Hannah Weakley, John Weakley, Nelson McDowell and Suckey his wife, David Jones and Polly his wife (note by SAW: Son David Weakley died in Tenn in 1807.) Hannah Weakley and all of her 8 children came to Tennessee prior to 1796.
James Weakley was living on the 247 Acre tract in May 1789 (Prince Edward Order book 9 p 135) and most probably died on that plantation.
DEEDS: [From Bulletin of the Genealogical Society of Old Tryon County, Vol XXX, No 2, May 2002]
A James Weakley was listed (1829-P) with 435 Acres in Anson County North Carolina, 3 October 1755 (LG Bk. 2, p. 135. LGO Anson-409 and Anson-2179). This was issued at the same time as a grant to William Pickins and Griffith Rutherford (1830-P) "On the Wt side of Cataba river and on Rockey Creek" (LG Bk 2, p. 135. LGO Anson-410 and Anson-2180).
[From North Carolina Abstracts of Land Patents Vol One (1735-1764), by Margaret M. Hoffman, p 59 -- Patent Book 2]
847 P. 135 Arthur Dobbs, Royal Governor to James Weakley 3 Oct 1755. 435 A in Anson County, joining an old Indian Field on the west side of Sugar Creek above the fork of sd. creek.
James H. Weakley 
