General Notes

[Vinson.FTW]

Louise Graves, in Addendum No. 1 to her GRAVES: TWELVE GENERATIONS - 1608-1977, p. 7, notes:
"On Motion of William Lea orphan of John Lea Dec'd to have Liberty to Choose Zachary Taylor his Guardian is granted, the said Taylor having Entered bond with Thomas Chew Gent his Security & acknowledged the same in Court as the Law directs." [Spots. Co., VA Order Book 2, p. 71, Oct 5, 1731].

"Report of Research on THE LEA FAMILY In Virginia & North Carolina Before 1800" by Ben L. Rose
p. 65 #8. William Lea of Spotsylvania. In Sep 1731 this William Lea was described by the court of Spotsylvania Co. as "orphan of John Lea of King & Queen Co., dec'd." ...In the settlement of his father's estate he received 100 acres of land in Spotsylvania Co....His wife's first name was Frances, but we do not know her last name. In 1752, William Lea sold to Thomas White the 100 acres on which he was living..."
p. 81: "Footnote 24: Frances, wife of William Lea. That her first name was wife "Frances" in 1752 Spts DB E 1751-1761, pg. 69) but nowhere have I found clear evidence of her last name...Because the names of White and Lea are often found together in the records of Spotsylvania Co, and because when WIlliam Lea and his wife, Frances sold their land in Spotsylvania Co in 1752, they sold it to Thomas White, some have guessed that Frances was the sister, or the daughter of John or Thomas White. That is a possibility."

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From the Ben Lacy Rose Book, Alexander Rose of Person Co., NC and His Descendants, p. 10
per: Spotsylvania Co., VA Deed Book E. p. 69
1752, Sept 1: "William Lea and his wife, Frances, of the county of Spotsylvania in the colony of Virginia" conveyed to Thos McNeal 100 acres of land "whereon the said William Lea now lives." A month earlier "John Lea of the county Orange in the province of North Carolina" conveyed 1854 acres to Geo Carter (Spotsylvania Co., VA, Deed Book E, p. 67). John Lea was William Lea's brother.
1753, Dec 5 -Survey made for a grant of 332 acres on "borth sides of Hico Creek" in Orange Co., NC (Sometimes written "Hyco" and sometimes "Hicoe" is 3 miles east of the the present town of Leasburg, NC)
1755 -Grant for the above was actually issued

1755, -Appointed a Captain in the North Carolina militia and thereafter often referred to as 'Capt. William Lea' (Recommended by Lt. Col. Josiah Dickson, commander of the regiment of Orange Co, Militia)

ORANGE Co., NC COURT MINUTES 1752-1761, Volume I, by W.P. Haun
1757, March -Appointed Justice of Peace for Orange Co. and served in that court through Aug 1763
(Present at these courts - Sept 1757,March 1758, June 1758, Aug 1763, Nov 1763, May 1764, Nov 1764 and Nov 1765)

1773 -Participated in an 'expedition against the insurgents' (often used in the state records to refer to the Regulatores) -which probably means that he was called to service against the Regulators who were active in Orange Co., NC in late 1760's or that he fought in Battle of Alamance in 1771
1777 -Caswell Co., NC Tax List - Holdings in Caswell Co of the St. Lawrence District valued at 1,417 pounds; captain in the NC militia ( land located in Person Co., when it was split from Caswell in 1791)
1777, May 31-Recorded in Alexander Rose Bible that Wm Lea Sen of South Hyco & his spouse Frances were present at baptismal of grandson, Duncan Rose in Caswell Co., NC
1777, Sept 10 Caswell Co., NC - COURT MINUTES - "Ordered that Captain William Lea be appointed as overseer of the road from the Chappel to Charles Steven's with ?."
1782, Oct 19 -Recorded in Alexander Rose Bible that Wm Lea and spouse (unnamred) was present at baptistm of grandson, Alexander Rose Jr. in Caswell Co., NC.
1782-1790 -Served repeated as the County trustee (treasurer) for Caswell Co., NC, and to whom numerous references appear in the minutes of the Caswell court. For example, his reappointment as trustee for 1787 as noted in the Jan. 21, 1788 abstract of the Caswell Co. court proceedings prepared by Mrs. Kendall
1784  -Capt. Wm Lea secured another grant of 292 acres of land on South Hyco as he added to his land holdings in this area
1790, July -  Abstract for July 1790, which states "Capt. William Lea resigned as trustee for county, and Alexander Rose to succeed him." Since Person Co. was formed from a portion of Caswell (the easternmost portion) in 1792, is it possible that William Lea stepped down as trustee because his home would be located in the new county?
1802, Oct -Capt. William Lea writes his will
1803, July -Adds Codicil to his will

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1803, Dec MINUTES of PERSON COUNTY COURT of PLEAS & QUARTER SESSION
"Wheras it is suggested to the court by James Cochran and that suggestion supported by the oath of Lawrence Van Hook that William Lea Sen. of this county has lost the reason of his natural powers and is non compos, mentis. It is therefore ordered that the clerk issue a write commanding the sheriff to summons a jury of good and lawful men and by these inquire into the state of mind of said William Lea and if they find him insance and at what time he became so and to return at that time under the hand and seal of the jurors their verdit."
-Capt. William Lea dies in Person Co., NC
1804, March  MINUTES of PERSON COUNTY COURT of PLEASE & QUARTER SESSION
"Alexander Rose exhibited into court a paper writing purporting to be the last will and testament and codicil of William Lea Sen. deceased and moved that the same be admitted to probate, and therupon James Cochran and Abner Lea objected to the probate of the said paper writing and say that it is not the last will and testament and codicil of the said William Lea, deceased. It is ordered that the validity of the paper writing by try'd (sic) by a jury in this issue, to wit: Is the said paper writing the last will and testament and cocdicil of the said William Lea deceased or not."
"In the case of James Cochran and Abner Lea VS Alexander Rose - Jury served and charged - They find that the paper writing produced by Alex Rose to be the last will and codicil of William Lea deceased. Ordered that the same be admitted to record."
(This James Cochran was the husband of Annis (Lea) McNeill and also a son-in-law of Capt. William Lea. Abner Lea was the s/o James Lea and Elizabeth Lea and therefore a grandson of Capt. William Lea.)

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PERSON Co., NC - Wills, Inventories, Sales of Estates & Taxables 1801-1804 pp 243-245
This will appears on pp. 169-170 (Item 3) of the book, ALEXANDER ROSE of PERSON COUNTY NORTH CAROLINA AND HIS DESCENDANTS by Ben Lacey Rose (a photocopy of which I have which was done by Genealogy Dept. of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints which was microfilmed by them on July 9, 1993) (am copying verbatim)
      In the Name of God, Amen. I, William Lea of Person County and State of North Carolina, being aged and in a weak and enfeebled state of body but of sound mind and memory and reflecting how uncertain is the date of this presentlife, I would make, ordain and constitute this my Last Will and Testament, hereby declaring all other Wills and Testaments heretofore by me made, whether verbal or written, null and void so far as they may be repugnant to this my present Will. And I would first recomment my soul to God and my Body to the dust to be decently buryed at the direction of surviving Kindred or relations in confidence of a happy and joyfull resurection.
      The property real and personal which God has been pleased to bless me with, I would dispose of in the manner following (viz):
First      I give and bequeath to my Daughter, Eunice Rose, my Negro Woman Dinah and my Negro Man Sammy--
Item      I give and bequeath to the oldest Daughter of my Grandson Benjamin Lea the feather bed and furniture now used by myself.
Lastly      After the above particular Bequests my will and desire is that my whole estate real and personal be exposed to publick or private land as may be deemed more expedient by my Executors hereafter to be named and the money from them arising to be appropriated in manner following (to wit):
      First my desire is that all just claims or demans against my Estate be Paid and discharge by my Executors. (Secondly) that the surplus or REmainder after payments of Debts as aforesaid be distributed in manner following:
      To my Son George Lea one fifth. To my Daughter Elizabeth Lea one fifth. To my Daughter Eunice Rose one fifth or in case of the death of either of my said children that the said fifth part be equally divided among his or her surviving children. To the children of my dec- Daughter Francis Hendrix one fifth of the surpluss or remainder as aforesaid. And lastly to my Daughter Annys Cochran one fifth part as aforesaid and the said fifth part to be distributed in equal proportion among her and her six children in her first marriage with John McNeill, each of said six children to be entitled to possess one seventh part of her fifth when they arrive respectively at lawful ages to manage their own estate.
      And to the end that this my last Will and Testament may have full force and effect after my Decease, I nominate and appoint James Cochran, Alexander Rose, Senr, my Grandson Duncan Rose, Moses Bradsher and Loyd Vanhook my Executors with full power and authority to sell my Estate, Real & Personal, to make titles for the same and to every other act or acts necessary for the fullcompleating and fulfilling this my last Will and Testament according to the trut inent and meaning therof. In witness I have directed Loyd Vanhook to affix my name and seal this 30th day of Octbr, Anno Dom 1802
Test            William Lea (Seal)
Loyd Vanhook, Margaret Vanhook, Alex. Rose, Senr.

      Whereas I, William Lea, Senr of south Hyco having heretofore made and signed my Last Will and Testament which is now in the possession and keeping of my Friend, Loyd Vanhook and being still continued by a kind providence among the living in perfect & sound mind & memory though in a low and enfeebled State of Body, I would hereby declare this to be a part of my last Will and Testament and a Revocation of the aforesaid Will so far as it comes within the purview of meaning of this and no further.
      And First I give and Bequeath to my Daughter Eunice Rose all the land including my Dwelling house & bounded by the last mentioned line of the land given to my Daughter Annys on one side and the Channell of south Hyco on the other side, the same to be considered an Estate in fee simple to my said Daughter Eunice Rose, her heirs or assigns.
      And lastly that the remaining part of my land lying on the west side of south Hico be sold by my Executors and the money from them arising to be equally distributed according to the provisions of my said Will and Testament in keeping as aforesaid of L. Vanhook.
      In witness I have directed my name and seal to be affixed this 5th of July 1803.
William Lea (Seal)
Test:            Loyd Vanhook, Margaret Vanhook, Elisha Garrett 3rd July 1801
State of N. Carolina Person Co.
The foregoing paper writings being produced by Alex. Rose, on an item made up to be tryed by a Jury, who being impannelled, find the same to be the last will & testament & codicil of Wm. Lea, Dec'd. ordered that the same by Recoded.
Test:       Jesse Dickins, C.C.

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Article #443 of "Heritage of Caswell Co.":
"Before 1755 William Lea and his wife, Frances, had removed from St. George's Parish, Spotsylvania Co., VA, to Orange Co., NC, the part later Caswell and then Person...On October 30, 1802 Capt. William Lea of South Hyco wrote his will calling himself Sen. to signify he was the oldest Lea. Devisees of his will were son George; daughters Eunice Rose, Elizabeth Lea, Frances Hendrix deceased, and Anness Cochran with her 6 children of John McNeill. On July 5, 1803 he wrote a codicil omitting daughter Eilzabeth. She had apparently died in the interim. Probate of his will was at March Court, 1804." This article was written by Katherin Kerr Kendall.

Above copied from notes of Ann Brown <abrown@@isys.ca>
http://www.familytreemaker.com/users/b/r/o/Ann-Brown/GENE79-0001.html

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Oct 4, 1731 - Spots Co VA Deed Bk B, 1729-34 p 227, Thos X Creathers, guardian of Wm Lea, heir at law to father John Lea, late of K & Q Co dec'd sells Robert Baylor 100a K & Q adjacent Robert Baylor and Joseph Roberts which land descended to said William Lea from his father.  Wit Zachary Taylor Rec 5 Oct 1731.
(Oct 4,1731 - an Indenture signed by Thomas Creathers transferring 100a Spots Co to William Lea, minor son of John Lea decd of King & Q Co VA. William Lea lived on the 100a for the next 20 yrs. 100a K & Q Co that William Lea recvd from father, later sold 9/1/1752 by Wm Lea and wife Frances to Thomas White of St George Parish Spots Co VA.)

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William Lea of Spot Co and Frances, his wife, to Thomas White of the same Co. 55 (English) curr. 100 a. whereon sd. Lea, lives & part of a pat. belonging to sd. Thos White in Spts Co. Chilion White, Milisent x White. Septr. 1 1752
Deed Book E -1751-1761 Spotsylvania Co., VA