General Notes

[Vinson.FTW]



Col. William Leigh (Lea) was born in 1654 in York Co. and married Mary Green. He had been a King and Queen Co. Burgess and Militia Capt., Col. and Commander -in- Chief, and a member of the August VA Council, and the first Judge of the Admiralty Court of VA.
In 1703, he was chairman of the VA House of Burgesses. He lived on a branch of the York River and had to cross the York to get to Williamsburg, the seat of VA government. Land patented by Lea from 1682-1699 was in St. Stephens Parish, in King and Queen, except for a large grant in Essex Co.
In 1705, Lea's 6,200 acres, was inherited by his son John, who married Ann Taylor. Elizabeth, John’s daughter, married Zachary Taylor and was the president’s grandmother. His son, William, married Frances Major, and their daughter Sarah married George Penn, brother of John Penn, whose grandson, John Penn, signed the Declaration of Independence. After her husband’s death, Mary Leigh and her sons-in-law, Valentine Ware, and William Haines, obtained two patents in King and Queen Co. on 5/2/1705. One for 600 acres (land patent book 5, pg. 488, and book 9, pg. 657), the second 260 acres (deed K&Q 1731-1) next to Peter Ware, bought from Col. William Claybourne. On 12/4/1714, Col. William Lea’s son, William purchased 100 acres in King and Queen Co. from Thomas Ware, deceased, located next to John Madison’s Mill North of the Mattapony River in St. Stephens Parish (land patent book 10, pg. 214 VA State Library). Valentine and Mary Leigh's son and daughter-in-law, Edward and Elizabeth Garrett, were the great great great grandparents of Lucy Ware Webb, wife of President Rutherford Birchard Hayes, and the great great grandparents of Elizabeth Ware whose husband, Dr. Crawford W. Long pioneered the use of ether in his medical practice. Their son Nicholas was the great great great grandfather of Thomas Lewis Ware about whom the book "35 Days to Gettysburg, The Campaign Diaries of Two American Enemies", by Mark Nesbitt was written. It was the daily diary entries of Thomas Ware a confederate soldier in the Northern VA army, Co. G, 15th GA Regiment of Infantry from Lincoln Co., GA (enlisted 7/14/1861), as well as the diary of a Federal soldier, written as they approached Gettysburg.

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Information from Lea Family of King & Queen Co., VA, Caswell Co., NC, & Amite Co., MS, published in Amite Co., MS, 1699-1890, pp. 548-570:

William Lea, possibly son of William Lea, b. 1623, was born c 1654, d 1703 King & Queen Co., VA. Married Mary (Green) c 1675; In law suite York Co., VA (bk 6, p. 31) Court Feb 1677-8 William Lea sues Elizabeth Brett; 370 acres Apr. 20,1682, 920 acres Apr. 25, 1684, 500 acres (from Edward Chilton) Oct. 21, 1684, 400 acres Apr. 18, 1685, 400 acres Apr. 28, 1692 all in St. Stephens Parish, on North side of Mattapony River (first in New Kent later became King & Queen 1691; Land Patent Books of Virginia 7, p. 155, p. 390, 418, 490, Book 8 p. 139, Virginia State Library; with Benjamin Harrison of James City, VA 3,474 acres King & Queen Co. branch of Mattapony Creek, adj. Capt. William Smith. Col. Goodrich, Stephen Bonbridge, Indian Path & Morris Goodrich (Land Patent Book 9, p. 214, 1695-1706 dated June 6, 1699; apparently purchased Benjamin Harrison's part because son John Lea had the entire 6200 acres after William's death in 1703; the last grant probably in what later became Spottslyvania Co., VA). William Leigh, Burgess, New Kent Co., VA 1691, April 17 (Swem Index 13 Vol. 95) Col. William Leigh, Robert Beverly & John Waller founders of community of King & Queen (see Fleet Vol. 7, p. 12); Capt. William Leigh Justice King & Queen Aug. 12, 1692 (FleetVol. 6, p. 1) Burgess King & Queen March 2, 1692, March 2, 1693, Sept. 24, 1696; May 13, 1702, June 18, 1702, March 19, 1703 (Stannard's Register Colonial Virginia, Albany, New York, 1902); William Bird Burgess from King & Queen April 20, 1704in the place of Leigh, deceased; William Leigh July 15, 1702 first Judge of the Admiraly Court of Virginia (Swen Index 22 Vol. 245); Council of Virginia William Leigh appointed member July 1, 1699 (Fleet Vol. 6, p. 15); Col. William Leigh Commander in Chief of Militia King & Queen Co.; Col. William Leigh (Fleet Vol. 6, pp. 11, 15); Commander in Chief of Militia King & Queen Co., VA Jan. 31, 1701-02; Capt. William Leigh Militia Troup King & Queen 1698 (Fleet Vol. 7, p.5); Col. Leigh, Chairman of Comm. for Propositions & Grieveances of Virginia House) Burgesses Aug. 26, 1702 (Fleet Vol. 7, p. 19); June 3, 1699, William Leigh, Colonel & Commander in Chief Militia King & Queen Co., VA (Exec. Journal Council of Colonial Virginia, Vol. I, 1680-1739); Oct. 25, 1700, Lt. Col. William Leigh represents House of Burgesses before the Council of Virginia, also Dec. 18, 1700 (Exec. Journal Council of Colonial Virginia, Vol. I, 1680-1739); Oct. 25,1700 Lt. Col. William Leigh represents Houlse of Burgesses before the Council of Virginia, also Dec. 18, 1700 (Exec. Journal Council of Colonial Virginia, Vol. I, 1680-1739); Capt. John Waller removed from job as Sheriff of King & Queen Countyby the Governor for "discovering" that Col. Leigh (the Governor's then great favorite) had over reached upon the County several thousand pounds of tobacco" (Fleet Vol. 7, p. 19, 27). In tax list of 1699 figures Gloucester Co., VA paid largest tax in Virginia, King & Queen Co. 2nd largest & a 4th more than the 3rd county. King & Queen had the greatest number of men in the militia of all counties of Virginia (Fleet Vol., 6, p. 7). In the land grants, & transfers (complete intact files for Colonial Virginia in Virginia State Library), William Leigh was the only Lea, Lee, Leigh, Ley, Lay who received lands in the New Kent, King William or King & Queen Counties of Virginia up to 1704, and none was made to him after May 1703. All of his grants were in St. Stephen's Parish (except the large grant of 3474 acres part of which was in Essex on the North side of Mattaponi River totalling 6,064 acres between April 20, 1682 & June 6, 1699. No other person by the name of James or William Lee, Lea, Leigh, Lay received land in any part of Virginia between 1655 & 1704, William Lea's land bordered upon the lands of James Taylor (Capt. in Militia & fellow Burgess) George Chapman, Thomas Kemp, John Atkins, Samuel Clayton, John Stark, Richard Tunstell, Thomas Hall, John Pigg, Robert Bagby, William Herndon, Capt. William Smith, Col. Goodrich, Stephen Bonbridge, William Wyatt. On July 14, 1703, Col. William Leigh, Burgess for King & Queen Co., VA is deceased (Exec. Journal Col Va, Vol. II, p. 332, 1680-1739). Letter of Benjamin Harrison to Philip Ludwell dated May 28, 1703 "... Col. Leigh fell from his horse lately and cracked his skull and is dead. Tis said he was drunk at Parson Bookers on the Sabbath Day, and going home happn'd to the accident", (B Fleet K & Q Co. Abstracts, Vol. 7, p. 30). The quit rent rolls of Virginia for 1704 except for the counties of the Northern neck have been published (Va. Mag. Hist. Vols. 28-34.) The only persons of the name Lea, Lee, Leigh in King & Queen Co. for 1704 were John Leigh who had 6,200 acres & William Lee with 230 acres. No person of the spelling Lea was listed in VA in 1704, no James Lea, Lee or Leigh, and only one other William, namely William Lee who had 350 aacres in York Co. John Leigh is Capt. of K & Q Militia June 17, 1703 (Fleet Vol. 7, p.10.) William Leigh is Justice of the Peace for K & Q Co. & James Taylor Sheriff 1704 (Public Rev. Office London, Col Off., Vol. 5, 1314, 35, III 1704; Fleet Vol. 7, p. 41.) Petition of Inhabitants of K & Q to his Majesty asserting loyalty March 12, 1701-2. "We are too sencible (Great Sir) of our late Danger of Popery and Arbitrary Power" Signed among others by William Leigh, Col.; James Taylor, Capt.; Henry Madison, Thomas Claiborne, John Waller, Sheriff; W. Claiborne, Capt.; Abraham Willson, Corn't, John Leigh. The records of K & Q were lost but since Capt. John Leigh received the bulk of Col. Leigh's estate (Provision seems to have been made for the purchase of other lands for the widow and younger children qv.) I assume he was the eldest son, & William Leigh, the younger. I assume he was the eldest son, & William Leigh, the younger. I am not certain about Matthew Lay across the Mattaponi River (Va State Library, Land Patents' Book #10, p. 47.) William Leigh, son of Col. William Leigh hath a quarter in the old Stone Neck below Mr. Fortson's store on the West side of Great Harquake Creek in the said Parish of St. Stephens on the North side of Mattapony River. Guy Smith, Clerk of the County of K & Q. 19 Dec. 1711. William Lea, K & Q Co., VA dated Oct. 16, 1703 warrant directed to Matthew Page, Esq. Escheator for said county of King & Queen. 100 acres of land in K & Q from Thomas Ware, dec'd. William Lea purchases2 CONT it adjacent to John Madison's Mill, being on the North side of the Mattapony River in St. Stephens Parish. Corner hickory of John Taylor's landing to Anne Wiltshires line, to Thomas Camp's line, Rec, Dec. 4, 1714 (Land Pat. Book 10, p.214, Va State Library.) 600 acres K & Q North side of Mattapony River beginning with Frederick Fortson's corner his E N E line. 100 acres, & 500 acres North side of Mattapony River beg. with Fortson's corner near branch of Harquake Creek adjoining Thomas Hickman to back line of Fortson acres to Ralph Mazey, Oct. 1, 1661, New Kent Co. & 500 acres Sept. 12, 1665 for transporting 10 persons, escheated from Ralph Mazey (Major?) Aug. 21, 1703 & purchased by Mary Leigh, Valentine Ware & William Haines. Recorded May 2, 1705 (Land Pat. Book 5, p. 488, Book 9, p. 657.) Also on May 2, 1705, Madam Mary Leigh, Valentine Ware (deed K & Q 1731-1) & William Haines purchase 260 acres, K & Q Co. (originally New Kent Co.adjacent Peter Ward or Ware which he bought of Col. William Claybourne E N E to lands of Edward ________ (Cardingbrooke) to John __________, Matthew Jennings of William Henderson Feb. 22, 1666, Rec. April 23, 1681, Book 7.)[lea.FTW]