James Lea (abt. 1707 - abt. 1792)

Born about 1707 in Colony of Virginia

Descendants

Died about 23 Mar 1792 at about age 85 in Caswell County, North Carolina, United States

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James Lea resided in the Southern Colonies in North America before 1776. Join: US Southern Colonies Project Discuss: southern_colonies

This is the profile of James Lea of Country Line Creek, Caswell Co named in 28 March 1771 Will.

Biography

This profile is part of the Graves Name Study.

According to an article by Herndon:^[1]

"James Lea was born in 1718 in King and Queen Co., Va., removed to Spotsylvania as a young man, lived there until about 1754, and after that date was in Orange Co., N.C., until Caswell was erected in 1771, and then until his death in Caswell County."

The identity of James Lea's parents and wife are disputed, as discussed below, although the evidence seems strong that he married Ann Herndon. James’ great-grandson, Solomon Graves (1784-1861), recorded in his bible that John Graves “married a daughter of James Lea, formerly of Virginia, whose name was Isabell Lea.  James Lea, her father, married a Herndon.”^[2]

According to Ben L. Rose (p. 12):^[3]

"James Lea of Country Line Creek was among the first Leas to settle in the area, having entered in March 1752 one of the earliest claims for land [Report of Research on the Lea Family in North Carolina & Virginia Before 1800 by Ben L. Rose, p. 96]. From the fact that his son, Major Lea, declared in an affidavit that he (Major) was born in Spotsylvania County, Virginia in 1742 [ibid, p. 105], we deduce that this James Lea was in that county at that time and came to North Carolina from there. He became one of the larger land owners and quite prominent in the affairs of Caswell County, and as a result there are numerous references to him in the records of that county [ibid, pp. 96-98]. He was probably the James Lea who was appointed a Justice of the Peace is 1769 [ibid, p. 96], but he was almost certainly not in the Revolution. He may have been the James Lea who entered in 1773 a "claim against the public incurred in the late expedition against the insurgents" [Colonial Records of North Carolina, Vol. IX, 1771-11775, pp. 186-188], which meant that he may have participated in the colonial government's action against the Regulators of Orange Co[unty] NC in the late 1760's, which action resulted in the Battle of Alamance in May 1771. James Lea wrote his will in March 1771 and the will was proved in Casell Co[unty] NC in March 1792 [Report of Research, p. 98]. His estate was not finally settled until 1796 [ibid, p. 99], due probably to the fact that several of his children had moved to other states."

Rose provides this list of children of James and Ann (Herndon) Lea:^[3]

• William Lea
• Major Lea
• Luke Lea
• John Lea
• Adelphia Lea
• Isabella Lea
• Nancy Lea
• Lucinda Lea

See Rose ^[3] for the sources for the list of children and for tentative lists of grandchildren.

Will & Death

Last Will & Testament of James Lea^[4]
Signed Orange County, North Carolina, 28 March 1771
Deposition Person County (?), North Carolina, 23 March 1792
Recorded Caswell County, North Carolina, 27 March 1792

His Will refers to:

• "my true and well beloved" son William Lea
• "my true and well beloved" son John Lea
• "my true and well beloved" son Major Lea
• "my true & well beloved Wife" Ann Lea
• "the Rest of my Children"

Executors: "my true and well beloved Sons William Lea & John Lea & Major Lea."
Witnesses: Tho's Camp Jr, Henry Lea.

On 23 March 1792 at Person County (?), Capt. William Lea made oath that he wrote the Last Will & Testament of James Lea as the testator ordered, and saw James Lea and the two witnesses sign the same. Capt. William Lea does not state his familial relationship to James Lea.^[5]

The Will was proved on 27 March 1792 at the Caswell County March Court 1792 by the written testimony of William Lea (23 March 1792 deposition, annexed) and was ordered to be recorded.^[6] Major Lea and John Lea qualified as executors.

Estate File^[7]

Final settlement, Caswell Co. April Court. 1796 ^[8]

• Jacob Miles Jr.
• Luke Lea, his voucher
• Joseph Henderson (twice) voucher. [Later shown to be Joseph Henderson and Joseph Peterson.]
• William Lea, by J. Lea voucher
• Isabella Graves, voucher, Apr 27 1796 Isabella ack recpt of her portion.
• Paul Haralson, voucher
• John Lea, 2st legatee
• Major Lea

Research Notes

Place Creation

• Orange County, North Carolina, was created on 1752 from Johnston County, Bladen County and Granville County.
• Caswell County, North Carolina, was created on 1777 from Orange County.
• Person County, North Carolina, was created on 1791 from Caswell County.

Misinformation

Rose (pp. 7-10) ^[3] discusses the difficulty of Lea genealogy, including:

• The number of different Leas with the same first name, which clerks dealt with through nicknames such as "James Lea of Country Line Creek".

["James Lea of Country Line Creek" does not appear to be a nickname, but rather standard legal language.] Spratlin-29 16:41, 12 August 2022 (UTC)

• That several Leas did not leave wills.

• Misinformation in DAR/SAR records and published accounts, such as Albert E. Casey's Amite County Mississippi 1699 - 1890, which, Rose calls "one of the most regular offenders in this regard … Casey recorded a number of his guesses as though they were facts and these guesses have been taken as facts by many persons working on the Lea lines." (See DAR section, below.)

Rose (pp. 12-13) ^[3] claims that while there "is much speculation about who was the father of James Lea of Country Line Creek, but, in the documents available to us at the present time [1995], there is not one substantial clue as to who he was. We know from his will that his wife's name was Ann".

An article in The Virginia Genealogist (Herndon)^[1] begins:

"Through the cooperation of Miss Frances Powell Otken, of McComb, Mississsippi, and Dr. Albert E. Casey, of Birmingham, Alabama, who are appropriately recognized as the two most serious students of the records of the Lea family of Virginia and North Carolina, the compiler of this genealogy has been able to discover the source of the misinformation that James Lea who died testate in 1788 in Caswell County, N.C., had married Ann Talbert (Talbort, Talbot, Tolbert, Tolburt, etc.)."

The article goes on to describe an 1898 transcription error by genealogist A. Elizabeth Womack (herself a descendant of James Lea) and how the error spread, and then argues that "the evidence, though circumstantial, is overwhelming that James Lea married Ann Herndon", analyzing documents pertaining to land ownership, business interests, family names, and genealogical references.^[1]

The birth year for this profile (as of 24 July 2019) appears to be from Ancestry:

• James Lea born 1707, died 1792.^{[citation needed]}

Miscellaneous Info

Database, jimjessee (22 Apr 2010) and other sources. Thank you James Jessee!

• James Lea bought 200 acres of land in Spotsylvania County, Virginia from Joseph Brock of St. George's Parish, Spotsylvania county, Virginia, May 1, 1739.
• James Lea was granted 600 acres in Orange Co., NC, Lord Granville Grant#01263, March 3, 1752. This was later voided.
• James Lea and Ann sold 200 acres of land in St. George's Parish, Spotsylvania County, Virginia to John Chapman, March 3, 1753.
• James Lea was granted 520 acres in Orange Co., NC, on both sides of Country Line Creek, November 12, 1756.

Note: This list was followed by "Source: Wills in Caswell Co.; 1792 March, LEA, JAMES, Anne (wife); William, John, and Major." but it is doubtful a will included such details (especially for events after the date given in the source).

Two Families

Apparently two James Leas:

• One with wife Anne Herndon.
• One with wife Annie Tolbert. (It has now been proven that her name was Annie Bankston. (This is incorrect. Her name was Ann Herndon) There is a separate profile for the mysterious James Lea with wife Ann Tolbert dying in TN in 1788.)

The March 1784 date is for a power of attorney filed by James Lea and it specifies that he is the son and heir of William Lea deceased, insinuating that William died at some point prior to that date. James, who now lives in NC, needs to transfer a deed and sell a piece of property in VA. Witnessed by Herndon Harrelson. (In the list of sources: Deed Book B, Caswell County, March 10, 1784) Note: This power of attorney is attributed to James of Kilgore's Branch Lea and NOT James of Country Line Creek Lea

Lea Links to Caswell Co., NC^[9][10]

Detached Profiles

The profile for his disputed wife was detached 24 July 2019:

• Anne Tolbert

Profiles for two sons were also detached on 7 July 2019, but apparently were re-attached in a merge of profiles for James (and they are currently, 24 July, in merges proposed with duplicate profiles attached as sons):

• Son William Lea
• Son John Lea

Land Record

Land record, originally published in Virginia County Records - Spotsylvania County, 1721-1800, Volume I, edited by William Armstrong Crozier. Remarks: James Lea of St. Geo. Par., Spts. Co., and Ann, his wife, to John Chapman of afsd. Par. and Co. 80 curr. 200 a. in Spts. Co. No witnesses. 6 Mar 1753. Description Grantor Book E.

James Lea, 5 Mar 1753. Location Spotsylvania County, Virginia. Property 200 a. in Spts. Co.

“May 1, 1739. Joseph Brock of St. Geo. Par., Spts. Co., Gent., and Mary, his wife, to James Lee of St. Stephen's Par., King and Queen Co., planter. £21 Is. 6d. curr. 200 a. in Spts. Co. Witness: Edmund Waller. May 1, 1739.” [Spots Co. Deed Bk. C p.299. Crozier p.147.^[11]

[In the original it is spelled “Lea.” 200 acres in Spots Co. being part of a patent granted Larkin Chew dec'd Jun 4 1722, by him to Joseph Brock Oct 17 1723 being for 7420 since resurved by sd Joseph Brock and patented in his own name Sep 12 1738. Beg at stone by black oak sapling, S15E230 poles to two black oaks corner to Mr. James Stevens land then with sd Stevens line S66E98 to two small hickorys in sd line corner to John Talbert, with sd Talberts line N41E178 poles to two black oaks corner to sd Talbert in the line of John Macou then with sd Mycou's line N67W144 to stone corner to sd Mycous land then N48W to beg.]

[Larkin Chew’s large patent was on the headwaters of the Mattapony River near the Caroline Co. line.]

”March 5, 1753, James Lea of St. Geo. Par., Spts. Co., and Ann, his wife, to John Chapman of afsd. Par. and Co. £80 curr. 200 a. in Spts. Co. No witnesses. March 6, 1753.” [Spots. Co. Deed Bk. E p.102,; Crozier p.192.^[11]]

[The original has the same land description as the 1739 deed and no witnesses, but also mentions that March 5 1753 James Lea acknowledged, witnessed by Richard Roaddus, Jeremiah Stevens, Richard Collins.]

DAR

A search of DAR's online records revealed three James Leas:

• James Lea (before 1718-before 23 March 1792; born Virginia, died North Carolina) Civil Service/Patriotic Service in NC.^[12]
  • Flag on file: "MAIDEN NAME OF WIFE, ANNE, CANNOT BE PROVEN AS TOLBERT OR HERNDON."
• James Lea (c1720-1788; died North Carolina) Patriotic Service in NC.^[13]
• James Lea of Connecticut (1723-1798)^[14]

DAR Lineage book^[15] shows a James Lea 1718-88 who was a private of the expedition against the Cherokee Indians under Gen. Griffith Rutherford of North Carolina. He was born in Virginia; died in Tennessee. Married Annie Tolbert.

• The dates are quite different and this James Lea died in Tennessee, not North Carolina. This is probably the reason for the confusion of wives for this profile's James Lea. It would seem that he indeed married Anne Herndon.

Google Search

The following URLs came up in a Google search for "James Lea" +"Major Lea" (21 July 2019):

• Geni.com, James "of Country Line Creek" Lea profile. Based on information from DAR Ancestor #: A067574. Lists sources.
• "Major James Lea (1760–1823)," Caswell County Genealogy (profile), James Lea, died 1823, aged 63 in Amite, MS. "Some researchers ascribe the title "Major," but without supporting documentation."
• "James Lea (1707–1792)," Caswell County Genealogy (profile), James "Country Line" Lea. Lots of information with sources, citations, and explanations.
• "Children of James Lea and Anne Herndon., NC," Genealogy.com, 20 July 2005 (https://www.genealogy.com/forum/surnames/topics/lee/18051/).
• "James Lea, Son of John Lea, Brother of William Lea," Genealogy.com (https://www.genealogy.com/forum/surnames/topics/lea/1355/).
• "James Lea of Country Line Creek," Lea Links To Caswell Co., NC: Will the Real James Lea of Caswell Co., NC Please Stand Up?, 28 October 2007 (http://lealinkscaswellco.blogspot.com/2007/10/researching-james-lea-of-caswell-county.html). Explains Major connection: "There are no records proving parentage for James Lea County Line. While the parents of this James Lea are unknown, the discovery of a baptismal record for a Frances Major, daughter of George Major is important. (NOTE: There is no known baptismal record for Frances daughter of George Major as this site claims exists but provides no evidence.) Long-held tradition and naming patterns suggest James Lea's mother had a maiden name of Major."
• Ancestry.com, Frances Major profile. (NOTE; There is a baptismal record for 19 Nov 1698 for Frances Major, dau. of William Major in St. Peter's Parish, New Kent, VA. Source Citation for New Kent County, Virginia St. Peter's Parish Vestry Book and Register, 1684-1786; Ancestry Record Citation Details Associated Facts Media; New Kent County, Virginia St. Peter's Parish Vestry Book and Register, 1684-1786.)
• The Rev. Dr. Cynthia Vold Forde, Anne Curtis Terry, J.D. and Cousins, The Spirit in the South: Stories of Our Grandmothers' Spirit (Bloomington, IN: AuthorHouse, 2009); image copy, Google Books (https://books.google.com/books?id=QLETmBQzY8YC&pg=PA346&lpg=PA346&dq=%22james+lea%22+%2B%22Major+lea%22&?=bl&ots=mMPU6ibzrG&sig=ACfU3U2BgKSpppH3aYxP3-JYJ25Q3jn3IA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi_4vHzx8fjAhUww1kKHWTtC4k4ChDoATAAegQICBAB#v=onepage&q=%22james%20lea%22%20%2B%22Major%20lea%22&f=false). Appears to be source for much information posted elsewhere.
• Katherine Kerr Kendall, Mary Frances Kerr Donalson, Caswell County, North Carolina, Will Books 1777-1814, …, Books 1777-1880; image copy, Google Books (https://books.google.com/books?id=KEFW5FXYT3YC&pg=PA51&lpg=PA51&dq=%22james+lea%22+%2B%22Major+lea%22&source=bl&ots=tSQxi2i8uA&sig=ACfU3U1qaHDQpdZ1ABHvBINDesWLlMYwAw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi_4vHzx8fjAhUww1kKHWTtC4k4ChDoATAQegQICRAB#v=onepage&q=%22james%20lea%22%20%2B%22Major%20lea%22&f=false).
• "Here a Lea, There a Lea - Everywhere A Lea, A Lea! Part 1," The Kansas City Public Library, 8 November 2013 (https://kchistory.org/blog/here-lea-there-lea-everywhere-lea-lea-part-1).
  • "… James Lea, the ancestor who emigrated from England to the Americas. James was born at Lea Hall in Wimboldsley, Cheshire County, in 1718."
• "Reminiscences of Miss Willie Lea," Caswell County North Carolina, 31 July 2012 (http://ncccha.blogspot.com/2012/07/reminiscences-of-miss-willie-lea.html).

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} John Goodwin Herndon, "Ann (Herndon) Lea," The Virginia Genealogist, Volume 5, Number 3, Whole Number 19 (Jul-Sep 1961), pp 99-106; image copy, AmericanAncestors.org (http://www.americanancestors.org/databases/virginia-genealogist-the/image/?pageName=104&volumeId=8721&rId=119940709).
2. ↑ Soloman Graves’ Bible Record. https://graves-fa.org/gen-histories/gens/gen169app6.html
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4} Ben L. Rose, Lea families in Caswell & Person Counties, North Carolina and in Virginia before 1800 (Decorah, Iowa: Anundsen Publishing Company, c1995); hardcopy book, Family History Library (https://familysearch.org/search/catalog/745785).
4. ↑ Division of Archives and History, North Carolina, Wills and estate papers (Caswell County), 1663-1978, Original wills Adkins, Nancy - Lee (Lea), John; database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99GQ-662P?cat=456833), images 1883-1887.
5. ↑ Division of Archives and History, North Carolina, Wills and estate papers (Caswell County), 1663-1978, Original wills Adkins, Nancy - Lee (Lea), John; database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99GQ-662P?cat=456833), image 1886.
6. ↑ County Court Clerk, Caswell County, North Carolina, Minutes County Court, 1777-1868, 1788-1809.; database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSQQ-V7P9-R?i=163&cat=257579), image 164.
7. ↑ Division of Archives and History, North Carolina, Wills and estate papers (Caswell County), 1663-1978, Estates records Kimbro, William - Lea, Jeremiah > Lea, James (1792); database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9RV5-CZK?wc=Q6WT-N2V%3A183208301%2C183334401%2C191003201&cc=1911121), images 1-19.
8. ↑ Caswell Co. WB.Bk.C, p.157.
9. ↑ Research by Spiritsouth and Raquel Lindaas, Heritage Communications, "James Lea of Country Line Creek," Lea Links To Caswell Co., NC: Will the Real James Lea of Caswell Co., NC Please Stand Up?, 28 October 2007 (http://lealinkscaswellco.blogspot.com/2007/10/researching-james-lea-of-caswell-county.html).
10. ↑ Research by Spiritsouth and Raquel Lindaas, Heritage Communications, "James Lea of Country Line Creek," Lea Links To Caswell Co., NC: Will the Real James Lea of Caswell Co., NC Please Stand Up?, 28 October 2007; post, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/mediaui-viewer/collection/1030/tree/6989691/person/-1121353883/media/cefc0bf7-0ba4-4966-9cc5-e0d58ff8b1ad?_phsrc=OXj857&usePUBJs=true).
11. ↑ ^{11.0 11.1} Crozier, W.A, Spotsylvania County Records, 1721-1800, https://www.wikitree.com/photo.php/e/e2/Johnson-53626.pdf
12. ↑ Daughters of the American Revolution, DAR Genealogical Research Databases, database online, (http://www.dar.org/ : accessed 21 July 2019), "Record of James Lea (a1718-a1792)", Ancestor # A067574.
13. ↑ Daughters of the American Revolution, DAR Genealogical Research Databases, database online, (http://www.dar.org/ : accessed 21 July 2019), "Record of James Lea (c1720-1788)", Ancestor # A067590.
14. ↑ Daughters of the American Revolution, DAR Genealogical Research Databases, database online, (http://www.dar.org/ : accessed 21 July 2019), "Record of James Lea of CT", Ancestor # A067592.
15. ↑ Lineage Book : NSDAR : Volume 144 : 1919, pg. 127, ref 143408 & ref. 138503

See also:

• Deed Book B, Caswell County, March 10, 1784.
• 1790 United States Federal Census Caswell County NC.
• North Carolina, Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 1790-1890, NC Early Census Index 1755 Orange County NC.
• North Carolina, State Census, 1784-1787 1784 in Caswell Co, NC.
• Lineage Book : NSDAR : Volume 144 : 1919, pg. 127, ref 143408 & ref. 138503.
• Virginia, Land, Marriage, and Probate Records, 1639-1850. 1753.

• The following sources given for this profile are from Ancestry, none of which led to any reliable sources that I could see (I am not a member):
• Ancestry.com, Private Tree Connection. (should be deleted as a source)
• US & International Marriage Records (Herndon), Yates Publishing (Ancestry Online publication, 2004; APID 1,7836::0). Original data... extracted from a variety of sources including family group sheets and electronic databases. (is this a reliable source?)
• Family Data Collection - Individual Records, Edmund West, comp. (Ancestry Online publication, 2000; APID 1,4725::0). (is this a reliable source?)
• Ancestry.com Title: Virginia Land, Marriage, and Probate Records, 1639 - 1850 Publication: Name: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004. Original data - Chalkley, Lyman. Chronicles of the Scotch-Irish Settlement in Virginia, 1745 - 1800. Extracted from the Original Court Records of Augusta County. (which record?)
• https://wc.rootsweb.com/trees/117534/I1420/jamescountryline-lea/individual
• Gresham, Robonson & Allied Families https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/6989691/person/-1121353883/facts