Waite (Sherman) Lee (1743 - 1833)

Born 9 Dec 1743 in Dartmouth, Massachusetts

Ancestors

Wife of Thomas Lee — married 1760 in New York [uncertain]

Descendants

Died 14 Oct 1833 at age 89 in Penn Yan, Yates County, New York

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Genealogically Defined

Biography

Waite was a Friend (Quaker)

Birth

Waite was born on December 9, 1743 in Dartmouth, Massachusetts to Ebenezer Sherman and Waite Barker.^[1][2][3][4]

Family Origins and Migrations

Waite (Sherman) Lee migrated from Massachusetts to New York.

Waite's great great grandfather was Philip Sherman who arrived in Massachusetts about 1632 from England and was banished as a result of the Antinomian Controversy. He settled in Rhode Island in 1634 and was a signer of the Portsmouth Compact in 1638.^[5] Her great grandfather, Peleg Sherman moved with his family to Dartmouth, Massachusetts before 1662 when her grandfather Daniel was born.^[6]

Apponegansett Meeting House

Once banished to Rhode Island, "by 1664, the Quakers were moving into the friendlier Pilgrim Proprietorship of Dartmouth, Massachusetts along the southeastern edge of the Plymouth Colony, including the island of Nantucket and the region later to become New Bedford. By 1699, they had established the Apponagansett Meeting House in Dartmouth."^[7] We find her grandfather Daniel listed as an early settler in 1694 in the Old Colony records.^[8]

"Many of the first residents of Old Dartmouth conformed to the Quaker (Society of Friends) religious doctrine and were not affiliated with the church or government of the old Plymouth Colony of Massachusetts. They chose to settle in the fertile agricultural lands and coastal areas of Old Dartmouth where they “. . . would be free to worship according to the dictates of their conscience.” "^[9]

Sometime between the birth of her youngest sister Hannah in Dartmouth in 1748^[10] and 1755 her family migrated to Dutchess County, New York. Waite's father Ebenezer and her brothers Joshua, Moses and Daniel are on the list of the Quakers that were living in Dutchess County, New York on April 22, 1755. Her husband Thomas was also living in Dutchess County in 1755 but his name nor the name of his father are listed as being Quaker.^[11]

Marriage to Thomas Lee

Waite married Thomas Lee in 1760.^[3][12]

The marriage of Thomas and Waite is confirmed in the "addition and corrections" of the The Settlers of the Beekman Patent series, by Frank J. Doherty, Vol. 9, pg. 883. "Page 14: Lee Family. Thomas Lee married Waity, dau. of Ebenezer and Waite (Barker) Sherman. Wait was not a daughter of Joshua and Mary (Soule) Sherman but a sister to Joshua Sherman."^[13]

James Guinn was a prominent educator and historian in southern California during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries and also was Secretary of the Historical Society of Southern California. He included the following about Thomas Lee in his history of California.^[14]

Thomas Lee was born at the family residence November 15, 1739, and before attaining his majority—on the 22nd of July, 1760, he married Watey Shearman (or Sherman, as it is variously spelled), born December 9, 1743. Shortly after Mr. Lee purchased farm near Fishkill, at point called Quakertown, and there made his home for some years. In 1762 he leased 120 acres on the west side of Croton swamp.

Children

Thomas Hughes, in American Ancestry, gives the following names and births for the children of Thomas and Waite.^[15]

1. Abigail b. 2 May 1764 m. Joseph Ross^[16]
2. Nancy b. 17 Jan 1766 m. Hezekiah Keeler^[17]
3. Mary b. 4 Feb 1768 m. Joshua Andrews^[18]
4. Patience b. 8 Feb 1770 m. Lewis Birdsall^[19]
5. Elizabeth b. 4 Jul 1773 m. Lambert Van Alstyne^[20]
6. Thomas, Jr. b. 20 Dec. 1774 m. Asenath Winants^[21]
7. Waite b. 5 Nov 1779 m. Jacob Chamberlain
8. James b. 15 Jan 1780 m. Sarah Smith^[22]
9. Joshua b. 4 May 1783 m. Sophia Phillips^[23]
10. Sherman b. 2 Oct 1785 m. Rachel Seeley^[24]

"Thomas and Waite reared a family of six daughters and four sons, namely: Abigail, Nancy, Mary, Patience, Elizabeth, Thomas, Jr., Watey, James, Joshua and Sherman.^[14]

Dutchess County, New York

Thomas is listed on the Tax list for Fishkill in 1761.^[25] In 1762 "Thomas Lee and and his wife Waity Sherman, sister to Patience Sherman" were listed on a lease that noted Sarah Oats.^[26]

"In 1766 the county supervisors reimbursed Beekman Precinct for the £6/13/6 Thomas Lee had been paid for taking care of the funeral expenses of John Oats of Beekman. Thomas Lee was an important figure in Beekman and was married to Waty Sherman, sister to Samuel Oats' wife (Patience Sherman).^[27]

Dutchess County New York.

Revolutionary War Years

Waite's husband Thomas was commissioned as an officer in the Continental Army.^[28][29] Heitman summarized his service in Historical register of officers of the Continental Army during the War of the Revolution.

Lee, Thomas (N.Y.). 2d Lieutenant 4th New York, 28th June 1775; 1st Lieutenant 3d August 1775; Captain 5th New York 21st November 1776; resigned 19th May 1778: served subsequently as Captain New York Militia. ^[30]

Waite was left to manage the farm alone with six children during the war years. In the winter of 1777, the 5th regiment wintered at the Fishkill supply depot after the battle of Fort Montgomery.^[31]

Wives of some officers visited the camps frequently. Martha Washington was often with her husband at Valley Forge, where she also served as nurse to injured soldiers. Unlike poorer women present in the army camps, the value of these well-to-do women to the army was symbolic rather than practical. Their presence was a declaration that everyone made sacrifices for the revolutionary cause.^[32] It is likely that Waite visited Thomas at camp as well. Their daughter Waite was born in November of 1779 during the time of the war.

Since the Continental Army could not afford to discharge a soldier every time he needed to assist his family, Washington was obliged to permit some women to follow the camps. He wrote to Superintendent of Finance, Robert Morris, "I was obliged to give Provisions to the extra Women in these regiments, or lose by Desertion, perhaps to the enemy, some of the oldest and best Soldiers in the Service." In the same vein, Washington wrote to Major General Henry Knox, “The number of Women and Children in the New York Regiments of Infantry . . . obliged me . . . to allow them Provision or, by driving them from the Army, risk the loss of a number of Men, who very probably would have followed their wives."^[33]

Hudson, New York.

On the 19th of October, 1779, Captain Lee was transferred to Col. Zephania Platt’s regiment, New York Militia, Dutchess County Associated Exempts, in which command he served for some time. The returns from the regiment November 9, 10, 14 and 17, of the year 1779, show Captain Lee and company at Camp Fishkill. Subsequently he was commissioned and served as captain in Col. Lewis Du Bois’ Regiment, New York Militia Levies of the State to re-inforce the Armies of the United States, July 1, 1780.^[14][29]

At some time late in the war, Waite and Thomas moved to Hudson in Columbia County, New York where their son Joshua was born in 1783.^[34]

Migration to Western New York

Thomas and Waite were Quakers and were drawn to Yates County by an interest in the teachings of the Public Universal Friend P.U.F. profile on wikitree.^[35] In 1790 Thomas and Waite along with their family settled on lot 2 in the town of Milo, Yates County, New York.^[12]

Engraving of Old Penn Yan, New York

Thomas Lee built a log house near a stream on the east side of lot 2 and the following year removed to another location on the same lot; Thomas died in 1814 at the age of 75 and his wife in 1833, aged 90. ^[35]

Death and Legacy

All of Waite's children attained years of maturity, married and reared large families, and resided in Yates county, New York, in the vicinity of Penn Yan, and the sons of Captain Lee became prominent in the early civil and military history of their state, and all acquired comfortable competences."^[14][12][36] Their son Joshua became a physician and was appointed by the Governor of New York to be the surgeon of Col. Avery Smith's militia regiment during the War of 1812. He was elected to the Twenty-fourth Congress (March 4, 1835 – March 3, 1837) and also served in the state legislature where he fought to abolish slavery.^[35]Dr. Joshua Lee

Waite enjoyed a long life and died on October 14, 1833 at 90 years of age.^[35][3][2] Her grave stone inscription reads:

"WATEY Wife Of THOMAS LEE DIED OCT. 14, 1833 Aged 90 Y'rs"

Sources

1. ↑ "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q29G-TNJC : 5 November 2017), Wait Sherman, 09 Dec 1743; citing Birth, Dartmouth, Bristol, Massachusetts, United States, , town clerk offices, Massachusetts; FHL microfilm 775,496.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/55446654/watey-lee: accessed 07 November 2023), memorial page for Watey “Mattie” Sherman Lee (9 Dec 1743–14 Oct 1833), Find A Grave: Memorial #55446654, citing Lakeview Cemetery, Penn Yan, Yates County, New York, USA; Maintained by Craft (contributor 46839565).
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} "New York, Yates County, Swann Vital Records Collection, 1723-2009," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QJ8B-DKZP : 9 September 2015), Thomas Lee, 22 Jan 1814; citing Death, , Yates County Genealogical and Historical Society and Oliver Museum and Underwood Museum, Yates.
4. ↑ New England Historic Genealogical Society; Boston, Massachusetts; Vital Records of Dartmouth, Massachusetts to the End of the Year 1850. Ancestry.com. Massachusetts, Compiled Birth, Marriage, and Death Records, 1700-1850 [database on-line]. https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/61401/dvm_primsrc000052-00231

   Name: Wait Shearman

   Gender: Female

   Event Type: Birth

   Birth Date: 9 Dec 1743

   Birth Place: Dartmouth, Bristol, Massachusetts

   Father: Ebenezer Shearman

   Mother: Wait Shearman

5. ↑ Anderson, Great Migration Begins [note 195], 3:1670–73 (Philip Sherman).
6. ↑ Ricketson, Daniel. The history of New Bedford, Bristol County, Massachusetts: including a history of the old township of Dartmouth and the present townships of Westport, Dartmouth and Fairhaven from their settlement to the present time. Boston, MA: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1998. pg. 33 - 35, 98-99. https://archive.org/details/historyofnewbedf00rick archive.org
7. ↑ Museum, New Bedford Whaling. "Religion." New Bedford Whaling Museum. Accessed January 17, 2018. https://www.whalingmuseum.org/explore/exhibitions/harboring-hope-in-old-dartmouth/religion.
8. ↑ Howland, Franklyn. History of the Town of Acushnet: bristol county, state of massachusetts (classic reprint). S.l.: FORGOTTEN BOOKS, 2015. pg. 14 archive.org
9. ↑ "Colonial Period (1675-1775)." Westport Historical Society. Accessed January 17, 2018. http://wpthistory.org/explore-2/chronological/colonial-period-1675-1775/.
10. ↑ "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q29G-TN2C : 5 November 2017), Ebenezer Sherman in entry for Hannah Sherman, 12 Apr 1748; citing Birth, Dartmouth, Bristol, Massachusetts, United States, , town clerk offices, Massachusetts; FHL microfilm 775,496.
11. ↑ O'Callaghan, E. B. The Documentary history of the state of New-York. Albany: Weed Parsons & Co., public printers, 1849. "Enrollment of the People Called Quakers - Pursuant an act of General Assembly of this province passed the 19th of february 1755, Entitled an Act for Regulating the militia of the Colony of New York. Those for Dutchess County ..." pg. 1027.google books
12. ↑ ^{12.0 12.1 12.2} Aldrich, L. Cass. (1892). History of Yates county, N. Y. Syracuse, N.Y.: D. Mason & Co. Archive.org Page 275.
13. ↑ Dutchess County, NY: The Settlers of the Beekman Patent (Online database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2016), (Orig. Pub. by Frank J. Doherty, Pleasant Valley, NY. Frank J. Doherty, The Settlers of the Beekman Patent, Dutchess County, New York: An Historical and Genealogical Study of All the 18th Century Settlers in the Patent, ten volumes. 1990–2003).Vol. 9, pg. 883 AmericanAncestors.org $
14. ↑ ^{14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3} Guinn, J. M. A history of California and an extended history of Los Angeles and environs: also containing biographies of well-known citizens of the past and present. Vol. 3. Los Angeles: Historic Record Co., 1915. Citing pg. 905 - 907 for Thomas Lee. [c Archive.org] (Vol 3., Pages 905-907)
15. ↑ Hughes, Thomas P. American ancestry: giving the name and descent, in the male line of Americans whose ancestors settled in the United States previous to the declaration of independence A. D. 1776. Vol. 8, pgs. 232-234, Albany: J. Munsells Sons, 1887. HathiTrust.org
16. ↑ Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 23 November 2018), memorial page for Abigail Lee Ross (1760–1834), Find A Grave Memorial no. 113121214, citing Oak Hill Cemetery, Lewistown, Fulton County, Illinois, USA ; Maintained by KenRoss (contributor 48130584) .
17. ↑ New York State Education Department, Office of Cultural Education; Albany, New York; U.S. Census Mortality Schedules, New York, 1850-1880; Archive Roll Number: M2; Census Year: 1849; Census Place: Fayette, Seneca, New York. Ancestry.com. U.S. Federal Census Mortality Schedules, 1850-1885 [database on-line]. https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/8756/31817_B00466442B-00607

    Name: Nancy Keeler

    Gender: Female

    Marital Status: Widowed

    Estimated Birth Year: abt 1765

    Birth Place: New York

    Age: 84

    Death Date: Dec 1849

    Cause of Death: Old Age

    Census Year: 1850

    Census Place: Fayette, Seneca, New York, USA

    LINE: 10

18. ↑ Andrews, Alfred. "Genealogical History of John and Mary Andrews, Who Settled in Farmington, Conn., 1640 : Embracing Their Descendants to 1872; with an Introduction of Miscellaneous Names of Andrews, with Their Progenitors as Far as Known; to Which Is Added a List of Some of the Authors, Clergymen, Physicians and Soldiers of the Name." Genealogical History of John and Mary Andrews. January 01, 1872. Accessed November 23, 2018. https://archive.org/details/genealogicalhist00andr/page/140.
19. ↑ Lineage Book : NSDAR : Volume 111 : 1914. Ancestry.com. North America, Family Histories, 1500-2000 [database on-line]. https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/61157/46155_b290436-00207

    Name: Patience Lee

    Gender: Female

    Age: 70

    Birth Date: 1771

    First Marriage Date: 1790

    Death Date: 1841

    Father: Thomas Lee

    Mother: Watey Sherman

    Spouse: Lewis Birdsall

    Child: Jane Birdsall

20. ↑ Whittelsey, Charles Barney. "The Roosevelt Genealogy, 1649-1902." The Roosevelt Genealogy, 1649-1902. January 01, 1970. Accessed November 23, 2018. https://archive.org/details/rooseveltgenealo00whit/page/n79.

    Name: Elizabeth Lee

    Gender: Female

    Age: 68

    Birth Date: 4 Jul 1773

    First Marriage Date: 4 Apr 1793

    Death Date: 6 May 1842

    Spouse: Lambert Van Alstyne

    Child: Thomas Van Alstyne

21. ↑ Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 23 November 2018), memorial page for Co Thomas Lee (1774–1852), Find A Grave Memorial no. 21070125, citing DeWitt City Cemetery, DeWitt, Clinton County, Michigan, USA ; Maintained by Glenn Geirland (contributor 40342511) .
22. ↑ "New York State Census, 1865," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVNJ-SKCT : accessed 23 November 2018), James Lee in household of Robert R Roberts, District 02, Milo, Yates, New York, United States; citing source p. 3, line 54, household ID 22, county clerk, board of supervisors and surrogate court offices from various counties. Utica and East Hampton Public Libraries, New York; FHL microfilm 838,914.
23. ↑ Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 23 November 2018), memorial page for Joshua Lee (1783–29 Nov 1842), Find A Grave Memorial no. 6400971, citing Lakeview Cemetery, Penn Yan, Yates County, New York, USA ; Maintained by Find A Grave .
24. ↑ Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 18 January 2018), memorial page for Maj Sherman Lee (2 Oct 1785–2 Feb 1830), Find A Grave Memorial no. 55446447, citing Lakeview Cemetery, Penn Yan, Yates County, New York, USA ; Maintained by Craft (contributor 46839565) .
25. ↑ Reese, William Willis, and Helen Wilkinson Reynolds. Eighteenth century records of the portion of Dutchess County, New York, that was included in Rombout precinct and the original town of Fishkill. Albany: J.B. Lyon Company, printers., 1938. pg. 30.
26. ↑ Dutchess County, NY: The Settlers of the Beekman Patent (Online database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2016), (Orig. Pub. by Frank J. Doherty, Pleasant Valley, NY. Frank J. Doherty, The Settlers of the Beekman Patent, Dutchess County, New York: An Historical and Genealogical Study of All the 18th Century Settlers in the Patent, ten volumes. 1990–2003). citing Thomas Lee and Waite Sherman in Oats Family sketch pg. 605. Ancestors.org $
27. ↑ Dutchess County, NY: The Settlers of the Beekman Patent (Online database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2016), (Orig. Pub. by Frank J. Doherty, Pleasant Valley, NY. Frank J. Doherty, The Settlers of the Beekman Patent, Dutchess County, New York: An Historical and Genealogical Study of All the 18th Century Settlers in the Patent, ten volumes. 1990–2003). citing Thomas Lee in Oats Family sketch pg. 600-601. Ancestors.org $
28. ↑ Roberts, James A. New York in the Revolution as Colony and State: a compilation of documents and records from the Office of the State Comptroller. J.B. Lyon Co., 1904. Citing pages 47, 56, 77, and 152 for Thomas Lee.
29. ↑ ^{29.0 29.1} New York (State). Comptroller's Office, Roberts, James A., 1847 New York in the Revolution as Colony and State. Weed-Parsons Printing Company, printers, 1897. Archive.org (Vol 1 pages 55. Vol 2. page 205, 209)
30. ↑ Heitman, Francis B. Historical register of officers of the Continental Army during the War of the Revolution: April, 1775, to December, 1783. Citing biograhpy of Capt. Thomas Lee (NY) pg. 261. Baltimore: Genealogical Publ. Co., 1914. archive.org
31. ↑ McGuinness, Richard. "History of the 5th New York Regiment of the Continental Line Preliminary Report of Unit Documentation." 5th New York Regiment. Accessed January 20, 2018. https://www.5thny.org/
32. ↑ "Women's Role in the American Revolution." History of American Women. April 09, 2017. Accessed January 20, 2018. http://www.womenhistoryblog.com/2009/01/womens-role-in-american-revolution.html.
33. ↑ "Women's Service with the Revolutionary Army." Women's Service with the Revolutionary Army : The Colonial Williamsburg Official History & Citizenship Site. Accessed January 18, 2018. http://www.history.org/history/teaching/enewsletter/volume7/nov08/women_revarmy.cfm.
34. ↑ "Lee, Joshua - Biographical Information." Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Accessed January 20, 2018. http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=L000197. Citing birth of Joshua Lee in Hudson, New York in 1783. U.S. House of Representatives Biographical Directory
35. ↑ ^{35.0 35.1 35.2 35.3} "JOSHUA LEE: Soldier, Surgeon, Politician." Yates County Historian's Office - Joshua Lee. Accessed January 19, 2018. https://yates.nygenweb.net/joshlee.html
36. ↑ Ross, Harvey Lee. The early pioneers and pioneer events of the state of Illinois including personal recollections of the writer; of Abraham Lincoln, Andrew Jackson and Peter Cartwright, together with a brief autobiography of the writer. Chicago: Eastman Bros., 1899. Citing Lee family pp. 193 - 195.

see also:

• DAR Patriot index https://services.dar.org/public/dar_research/search_adb/?action=full&p_id=A068766
• Dartmouth Historical Society Online Records
• William Richard Cutter. New England families, genealogical and memorial. 4 vols
• Old Dartmouth Historical Sketches
• Dartmouth Heritage Preservation Trust
• https://www.beekmansettlers.com/
• FamilySearch Person: LC8Y-1DD