John Lee, of Goochland County

John Lee, of Goochland County, born 1705, was not the son of Thomas Lee, of Lancaster County & Ann Lee. Thomas Lee’s son John Lee, of Lancaster County was born about 1725.

This John Lee is also not the same as John Lee, of North Farnham Parish, born 1713; or as John Lee, of Little River, who was born about 1720 in Maryland.

Summary

John Lee, Sr., was born 1705 in Virginia. Wikitree shows it as [John James Lee was born on 11 Oct 1705 in Charles City County, Virginia.[1][2] [uncertain].] He was married about 1729 in [Goochland County, Virginia] to Lucy (unknown). Her name is seen as “Lucy Seaton Braxton” [3], but supporting evidence has not been found.

Goochland County, Virginia was founded in 1728 as the first county formed from Henrico Shire. <Wikipedia>. John Lee was recorded there in 1731 as a landowner.[4]

He made his last Will on 15 Aug 1770, and died on 10 Oct 1770[1] in [Johnston County, North Carolina] [uncertain]. [5][6][7]. On 18 Mar 1771 his estate was in the probate court of Goochland County, Virginia. [8]

History of the John Lee Family

Extracted from <“Early Lees of Goochland, VA”> (2011) on 4 June 2022. This is a blog page, and sources are not shown. Children’s details agree with family trees.

The earliest confirmed ancestors in the Lee family tree are John and Lucy Lee who settled on Fleming’ Park Creek in Goochland County, VA about 1728. John was born ca 1705 in Virginia. At this time we do not have information on Lucy’s maiden name or family history. The recent advancement of DNA testing has confirmed that our closet relative relationship beyond John is with Henry Lee of York County who came to America ca 1630 and settled on Cheskiack, just north of present day Yorktown. (See “The Henry Lee Society”). There is much work to be done to establish the relationship of Henry and John and hopefully future DNA testing will help with this connection.

The Lee family were members of the Saint James Northam Parish under the leadership of William Douglas, a noted scholar and teacher. John Lee, like many others, was involved in raising tobacco along the James River.

John and Lucy had six [SIC: five] children:

1. Helena was born ca 1730 and married Jarvis Jackson, they settled in Bedford County, Va. Helena died before 1771.
2. Stephen was born ca 1731 and married Anna Poore on Nov 3, 1763. Stephen and Anna had nine children and are the progenitors of the Braxton Lee family that came to Tennessee.
3. John Jr was born ca 1733 and married Betty Page in 1755 and had nine children also, John died as a result of injuries received in the revolutionary war.
4. Benjamin Lee was born ca 1735 and married Mary Richardson in 1766. Benjamin was an ensign in the Fluvanna County militia and saw active duty in the Revolutionary War.
5. Deborah was born ca 1738 and married John Hamilton Hodges in 1756 and they later settled in Montgomery County, KY

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Will of John Lee

Mentioned in Margaret V Henley Abstract of Wills From GoochLand County Virginia 1727-1777 book On Page Three. (summary document attached, and image document also attached.)

Will written, 15 Aug 1770, proved 18 Mar 1771, Goochland, VA.

• - to wife, Lucy Lee, all estate for life, then to son, John Lee, the land whereon I live
• - to son, Benjamin Lee, the land whereon he now lives containing 150 acres
• - to granddaughter, Lucy (Jackson) Eubanks, 10 pounds current money of Virginia.
• - remainder of estate to be divided between my four children, John Lee, Benjamin Lee, Stephen Lee and Debrough (Lee) Hodges
• executors: sons, John, Benjamin and Stephen Lee.
• witnesses: Louis Herndon, Richard Eubank and James Page

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Disputed Origins

This John Lee, born 1705, is seen as a son of Thomas Lee (1679 - 1735), a son of Charles Lee & Elizabeth Medstand, but this does not seem possible. That Thomas Lee, of Lancaster County, Virginia, married first to Ann Morton, and second to Elizabeth Keene on 1 November 1716. He wrote his will in 1733, and his children were all minors. His son John Lee has an estimated birth date of 1725 in Lancaster County, Virginia, and seems to have been living there in 1759, when he was named in his brother Thomas’ Will.

Thomas Lee records

Extracted from <Mike Marshall’s “Early Colonial Settlers of Southern Maryland and Virginia’s Northern Neck Counties”> retrieved 4 June 2022:

• Abstracts of Lancaster County, Virginia Wills 1653-1800; {Ida J. Lee}
• LEE, Thomas. 16 June 1733. Rec. 11 June 1735.
• Name of wife not given.
• Sons: William, Thomas, Richard and Charles to whom is given "the land I now live on." Child unborn.
• Son: John.
• Exors: Wife, brother Charles Lee and Nicholas Martin.
• Wits: Ezekiel Gilbert, Isaac Currell. W.B. 12, p. 342. Inv. returned by Elizabeth Lee his Extrx. W.B. 12, p. 243.

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This record shows that John Lee, son of Thomas, was under age in 1745:

• 1653-1800 Lancaster County, Virginia Wills [Ida J. Lee];
• LEE, Lucy, one of the daus. of Thos. Lee, dec. Rec. 2 Dec. 1746. Division of estate. Legatees: John Lee, Thomas Lee, Leana Fearn, Betty Lee, Richard Lee, Charles Lee, John Lee. W.B. 14, p. 147.
• 24 Mar. 1745. John Lee and Lucy Lee, orphans of Thomas Lee W.B. 14, p. 104.

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Research Notes

Extracted from https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Lee-3391 4 June 2022

• The Will book says the Will was witnessed by the "mark" of Joseph Page, but the court record says it was signed by James Page. These were no doubt the sons of Axelheath Page - their sister Betsey had married John Lee, Jr.
• It is not clear whether or not he ever lived in North Carolina. It is logical to assume he planned a trip to North Carolina, and made his will before leaving, a common practice when a journey was intended. His family seems to have continued living in Goochland County, Virginia.
• Dan Page's book differs on several dates for this family. He gives the death date for John Lee Sr. as 24 Jul 1771 in Goochland County, Virginia, but cites no source. This is obviously in error, as the will was probated 18 Mar 1771. His wife's death is given as 23 Jul 1771 in Goochland County, Virginia, instead of 2 Jul 1771. His daughter Helena shows a death date of 23 Jul 1771, so obviously some confusion exists as to who died, when.[4]
• A son named Lewis Lee, born 1757, died 1777, was shown in Find-A-Grave as a son of John James Lee Sr.,[1] but was not named in the will. This is apparently a mistake, as he would have been aged about 14 at John Sr.'s death, and a minor would have had a guardian appointed, and a separate estate to take care of his interests. It does not appear such an estate exists.[4]
• The birth year for John James Lee, Jr. is given as 1732 on Find-A-Grave. No source is given.[1]

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References

• “Abstracts of Virginia families : [vol. 1]; L-O.” Statement of Responsibility: compiled by Delores Crumrine Rutherford. (1990). “John Lee in Goochland County, Va. Court Records. http://www.familysearch.org/library/books/idurl/1/846212 <Search on “John Lee”>
• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/141513688/john-james-lee On find a grave it [formerly] showed: John James Lee was the son of Thomas Lee (1679-1735) who was the son of Charles Lee and Elizabeth Medstand. Charles Lee was the son of Richard Lee and Anne Constable. Anne Constable was the daughter of Francis Constable and Alice Agnes Owen. As of 1 June 2022, no parents are listed.
• https://colonial-settlers-md-va.us/getperson.php?personID=I27686&tr... this John Lee is not listed, and location is wrong to be this John Lee’s family
• https://colonial-settlers-md-va.us/getperson.php?personID=I73467&tr... profile for John Lee, b abt 1625, son of Thomas Lee & Elizabeth Keene
• https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/G9ZX-MG9 “LIfestory - This is NOT confirmed. DNA proves John Lee is NOT related to Thomas Lee.”
• https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Lee-3391 (last modified 26 Feb 2022) (no parents listed) cites:
  • WFT tree 2022, CD 12, shows his parents as Thomas and Ann Lee, and traces his Lee ancestry earlier than 1530 in Shropshire, England
  • correspondence on 15 Apr 1999 from Lois Werline, of Kansas City, MO, shows his line as John (William, William, Richard Henry [SIC] Lee) where Richard Lee is the father of the Sir [SIC] Richard Lee who married Letitia Corbin and who was the predecessor of the line of Gen. Robert E. Lee. (Don’t see that Richard Lee ll had a son called “William.”)
  • Ancestry record: Detail Source. Name: John Relationship: Son: Parents: Charles Lee Dorothy Lee: Birth Date: 28 Aug 1712: Baptism Date: 05 Oct 1712. (This refers to John Lee, of North Farnham Parish)
  • 1. Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 12 December 2020), memorial page for John James Lee Sr. (1705–10 Oct 1770), Find a Grave Memorial no. 141513688, ; Maintained by charlott jones (contributor 47003358) Unknown. Had birth as October 11, 1705 in Charles City County, no reference for it.
  • 2. Page, Daniel E., Descendants and Relatives of Exolheath Page of Goochland Co., Virginia; n.p., Oct 1 2004, pp 4-5 <FamilySearch> John Lee, no parents listed, born about 1705 in Charles City County. Virginia, married Lucy Page.
  • 3. Family Data Collection - Marriages compiled by Edmund West on ancestry.com
  • 4. Kerns, Margaret Ann (Kepner), 729 NW 1101 Road, Urich, Missouri 64788-8121, research, analysis and conclusions 12 Dec 2020
  • 5. Family Data Collection - Deaths compiled by Edmund West on ancestry.com
  • 6. Web: North Carolina, Find A Grave Index 1716-2012 on ancestry.com
  • 7. U.S., Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current on ancestry.com
  • 8. Goochland County, Virginia, Deed book 10 pp 110-111 Will for John Lee, dated: 15 Aug 1770; probate: 18 Mar 1771
  • 9. Page, Daniel E., Descendants and Relatives of Exolheath Page of Goochland Co., Virginia; n.p., Oct 1 2004, pp. 1, 4, 17-20. See Also
  • American Genealogical-Biographical Index (AGBI) compiled by Godfrey Memorial Library on ancestry.com
  • U.S., Revolutionary War Rolls 1775-1783 on ancestry.com; Military Service: Virginia, USA
  • U.S., Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications 1889-1970 on ancestry.com
  • Rootsweb and family search
  • “DNA tested by my niece through ancestry.com records”
• <“ Early Lees of Goochland, VA”> (2011) (no sources, no parents listed)
• https://www.ericjames.org/html2014/fam/fam87864.html (2009 on 23 January 2014) (no sources, parents listed as Thomas Lee and Unknown, shows birth as Goochland County, which was not formed until 1728)
• http://www.oyennest.net/genealogy/outline/lee.htm (2007) (no sources, Parents listed as Thomas Lee and Mrs. Thomas Lee, shows birth as Goochland County, which was not formed until 1728)
• https://www.genealogy.com/forum/surnames/topics/lee/15260/ Re: Lee, VA, OH By Dennis Lee January 12, 2003 at 08:27:24, In reply to: Re: Lee, VA, OH, Bonnie Long 1/11/03. “Is this your boy (look for Henry T. Lee s/o John James Lee III and Jane Tuggle)?Be careful about this data - not all of it is verified. …” shows > Charles Lee d 1701 > Thomas Lee d ca 1735 > John Lee b 1705, Charles City, VA d 10 Oct 1770, VA m ??? > John Lee, b 1732, Goochland Co, VA d 1779, Goochland, VA …