John Lee, of Little River

Not the same as John Lee, of Goochland County, who was born 1705. Not the same as John Lee, of Lancaster County. Disconnected as son of Thomas Lee, of Lancaster County.

Biography

John Lee was born about 1720 in Maryland.

In 1751 he moved to Rocky Creek, Chester County, South Carolina on the waters of Wateree River.[2]. He was a founding member of the “Catholic Presbyterian Church” there.

On July 10, 1785 John Lee was issued Letters of Administration in the estate of Henry Cassels Sr. [3].

John Lee died about 1786 [5] at Little River, Fairfield District, South Carolina, United States.

Disputed Origins

He’s seen as the John Lee, born about 1725 in Lancaster County, Virginia, who was the son of Thomas Lee, of Lancaster County and Elizabeth Scrosby.[1]. But this does not seem likely. This John Lee had a son born 1740, described himself as a native of Maryland; married there in 1746, and was in South Carolina by 1751. The other John Lee was born in Lancaster County, Virginia in about 1725 and was named in his brother’s will there in 1758. He was willed property by his father “all that tract of Land on ye head of Corrotoman River which I had by my wife where Harvey now lives” - and this John Lee was not associated with that property.

Family

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Lee-4577#_note-0

Apparently John Lee had three wives. “It hasn't yet been determined exactly which children belong to which wife.”

• Married 1: before 1740 to an unknown woman
• Married 2: at Joppa, Harford, Maryland on 23 Nov 1746 to Margaret Howard
• Married 3: in South Carolina before 1754 to Mary Cassels, daughter of Henry Cassels and Margaret Mitchell, who survived him.

Children of John Lee & his 1st wife:

1. Francis Lee, brother of John Lee, Jr.

Children of John Lee & Margaret Howard:

(to be confirmed)

1. Greenberry Lee, born about 1750, died before 1786, so not named in John’s will.

Taken from <“John Lee Sr. (1720-1786)>

Children of John Lee & Mary Cassel:

• 1. Stephen born 1754 SC, died before Dec 23, 1806 Fairfield Co SC. Married: Mary ? in SC. Children: Elizabeth, Rebecca, John & Stephen.
• 2. John Jr. born about 1759/1760 SC, died May 16, 1850 Lebanon, Fairfield Co SC & buried at Old Lebanon Presbyterian Cemetery, Fairfield Co SC. Married: Elizabeth Dixon in SC.
• 3. Elizabeth born Sep 15, 1761 SC, died Mar 1, 1800 Richland Co SC. Married: William Marshall July 20, 1780 SC. He is the son of John Marshall. Children: Martin, Mary, Greenberry, John, Ann, William Lee, Frances A., Rebecca, Thomas & Sarah.
• 4. Agnes born 1762 SC, died Nov 10, 1827 Chester Co SC & buried at Youngue Cemetery, Chester Co SC. Married: (1) James Young about 1786 SC. He is a son of Hugh Young & was born 1757 Ireland, died Dec 7, 1796 Chester Co SC & buried at Youngue Cemetery, Chester Co SC.mChildren: Mary "Polly" (1780-bef 1850), Elizabeth, Margaret, James Jr (1786-1866), John Lee (1787-1861) & Hugh Married: (2) Elijah Delashmet about 1804 Chester Co SC. He was born about 1778, died Mar 11, 1852 Gibson Co TN & buried at Concord Cumberland Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Gibson Co TN.
• 5. Sarah born 1765 SC, died before 1820 Robertson Co TN. Married: Alexander Gordon about 1784 SC. He was born about 1755 VA, died Nov 1831 Robertson Co TN. Children: John (1785-bef 1870), Green Berry (1788-1850), Alexander George Washington (1789-1865), Mary (1793-bef 1860), Elizabeth (1795-1858), Martha (1797-1844), Robert Boaz (1800-1853), William Wesley (1801-1870), Sarah (1802-1864) & Rebecca (1805-1878)
• 6. Rachel born 1766 SC, died before May 7, 1791 SC. Married: John Cameron about 1785 Fairfield Co SC. He died Mar 1816 Fairfield Co SC. Children: Joseph, Robert, Nancy, Mary, Simon, Catherine, Jane & Rosanna
• 7. Francis born 1767 SC. Married: Elizabeth date unknown in SC.
• 8. Rosanna born 1768 SC, died date & place unknown. Married: Possibly Benjamin Halsell??
• 9. Rebecca born 1769 Fairfield Co SC, died before Sep 13, 1792 Fairfield Co SC.

Research notes

https://colonial-settlers-md-va.us/getperson.php?personID=I73467&tr...

from Mary Bruce

I have family writings from a relative that we are related to this John Lee. My records indicate that John Lee was married 3 times. 1st to Anne Lucy, 2nd Margaret Howard and 3rd Mary Anne.

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These profiles were detached as children on 4 June 2022, as reference could not be found for this John Lee as their father:

• Thomas Lee, of Ditchley
• David Lee, Sr.
• Thomas Lee, of Hawkins County
• John Lee, of Giles County

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Named in John Lee’s Will written 16 November 1786 (see document attached):

• beloved wife Mary
• son Stephen
• daughter Elizabeth
• daughter Sarah
• daughter Agnis
• son John
• daughter Rachel
• son Francis
• daughter Rosana
• daughter Rebecca
• My son John Lee and my son in law Alex Gordon to be the sole executors.

Notes

This particular area of SC was settled sometime subsequent to 1710 by a group of people who settled on Black River in a settlement near the district lines of Keraw and Georgetown (on the Peedee River). John and Margaret Lee were among those settlers.

Taken from “Re: Col Greenberry Lee (Greenberry Lee was NOT ‘Thomas Greenberry Lee”)<PDF>

Re: Col Greenberry Lee (Greenberry Lee was NOT ‘Thomas Greenberry Lee”): "Vol. 3, Wilkes County, Georgia Records:

P-11. On October 15, 1773 Greenberry Lee5, a single man from South Carolina was granted 100 acres at the head of a branch or Bryer Creek, called Beaver Dam, half mile above Upper Trading Path at a tree marked J. L. in Richmond County, Georgia."

"P-l4. On November 9, 1773 Francis Lee5, from North Carolina was granted 200 acres on Bryer Creek, Richmond County, Georgia; he soon resigned his grant, and returned to his home on Beaver Dam, a branch of Rockey Creek, South Carolina. This was in North Carolina at that time."

Many South Carolina deeds show that John Lee, Sr's daughters were:

• 1. Elizabeth Lee5 married William Marshall; they sold the land given to them by Elizabeth's father, John Lee, Sr.4, then removed to Richland County, South Carolina; their son Greenberry Marshall lived in Richmond County, Georgia in 1818.
• 2. Sarah Lee5 married Alexander Gordon.
• 3. Agnes Lee5 married John Young.
• 4. Rachel Lee5 married John Cameron.
• 5. Rosanna Lee5 married ______ Halsell.
• 6. Rebecca Lee5 married (1st) a John Lee; (2nd) to Francis Winn.

McCall's Roster of Revolutionary Solders in Georgia:

• P-67. Greenberry Lee5 married Elizabeth Few (in 1774, in old Bible); she was born 1752 in Harford County, Maryland, daughter of Col. William Few, Sr., who was born in 1714 at Kennet Square, Chester County, Pennsylvania …

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Taken from “Alexander Gordon Biography” 1755 - 1831. Contributed by Sharon Smith. (2009) <link>

Our earliest known Gordon ancestor is Alexander Gordon who was born 1755 at West Point, King William County, Virginia. Nothing is known about his parents or siblings and it is unknown what year he migrated from Virginia to South Carolina. He enlisted in the 1st South Carolina Regiment Aug 11, 1782 as a private for a period of 3 years under the command of Colonel C. Pinckney. Alexander was a planter & farmer, slave owner and an active member in each community he lived in. He married Sarah Lee in South Carolina about 1784. Sarah is the daughter of John Lee & Mary Cassels of Fairfield County South Carolina and was born about 1765 SC. In 1786 John Lee named Alexander as an executor of his will.

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“ The Revolutionary Soldiers of Catholic Presbyterian Church
Chester County, South Carolina”. Pages 79-82 <link>

St. John's Parish Record Log Marriage. Joppa, Harford, Maryland, 23 Nov 1746.

References

• "Maryland, Church Records, 1668-1995," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QGV4-RNWM : 15 January 2021), John Lee and Margaret Howard, 23 Nov 1746; citing Marriage, Maryland, British Colonial America, multiple denominations and churches, Maryland; FHL microfilm
• St. John's Parish Record Log Marriage. Joppa, Harford, Maryland, 23 Nov 1746. <FamilySearchImage> John Lee and Margaret Howard.
• https://colonial-settlers-md-va.us/getperson.php?personID=I73467&tr... (describes John Lee, son of Thomas Lee)
• https://sites.google.com/site/mcfarlandbatesfamilytrees/home/family...
• https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Lee-4577 cites
• 1. Entered by Jeff Kenner, Jun 20, 2012
• 2. The Revolutionary Soldiers of Catholic Presbyterian Church Chester County, South Carolina (Pages 79-82) by Mary Wylie Strange (Mrs R.M. Strange). Historian of the Catholic Memorial Association. 1946, reprinted 1978 York-Clover Printing Company. <link>
• 3. SC Dept of Archives & History Microfilm Roll #C9235, Apartment 14, Package 460
• 4. familysearch.org St. John's Parish Register page 240 image 449 <FamilySearchImage>
• 5. South Carolina, Wills and Probate Records, 1670-1980. Author: Brimelow, Judith M.; Probate Place: Kershaw, South Carolina
• Alabama, Surname Files Expanded, 1702–1981 for Thomas Lee
• Maryland, Compiled Marriage Index, 1634-1777
• SC Dept of Archives & History Microfilm Roll #C9235, Apartment 14, Package 460
• South Carolina, Wills and Probate Records, 1670-1980
• Sharon Smith, Alexander Gordon Biography (1755-1831).
• ”The Revolutionary Soldiers of Catholic Presbyterian Church in Chester County, South Carolina”. Pages 79-82 <link>
• Wikipedia contributors. (2022, May 26). Catholic Presbyterian Church. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 06:11, June 5, 2022, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Catholic_Presbyterian_Ch... “Catholic Presbyterian Church is a historic Presbyterian church in Chester, South Carolina.[2][3] The church congregation was founded in 1759 and sixty-two men from the church served in the Revolutionary War. Several are buried nearby. The current brick church building, the third located on the same site, was constructed in 1842 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971.[1][4]”
• <“John Lee Sr. (1720-1786)> (lists parents as Thomas Lee & Elizabeth Keene)