John McLeod (abt. 1780 - 1848)

Born about 1780 in North Carolina, United States [uncertain]

Ancestors

Husband of Ann Touchstone (Williams) McLeod — married 1835 (to Apr 1848) in Richmond, North Carolina, United States

Descendants

Died Apr 1848 at about age 68 in Rockingham, Richmond County, North Carolina, United States

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Biography

In almost 50 years of research, there has been very little information found on Dr. John McLeod's, life other than land purchases and his Will, Death and Probate Law Suits in the late 1840's. His father was the original immigrating ancestor who left Scotland and settled in Sutherland, Canada and lived in Queen's, Prince Edward Island, Canada. The first document residences of Dr. John are all in or around Rockingham,Richmond County, NC. John's Will documents that he owned a large farm with negro slaves and a medical practice near Rockingham and Elerbe in Richmond County when he died.

John is thought to have had either 2 or 3 wives....the first two which have very little, illusive documented evidence, however, they are mentioned in many McLeod Family Trees. They are thought to be a Nancy Robinson (may have been the mother or the first two children) and possibly a second second wife, Harriet LeGrand .There were 5 children born of these possible two early marriages... William, John R., Ann, Martha and Harriet. After possible wife Harriet LeGrand's death around 1827, John would then marry his much-younger widowed neighbor about 1835.

Ann Touchstone (Williams) Harris was the widowed first wife of John's neighbor... Peter Harris. (1830 Census research shows Dr McLeod lived next door to Peter Harris & his wife Ann.) John and Ann's first son (my direct ancestor), Stephen William McLeod was born in 1836. John and Ann Touchstone Williams (Harris) had a total of 6 young children when he died in April of 1848 near Elerbe, NC. Documents state that Widow Ann T. McLeod was appointed their legal Guardian.

Dr. John's Last Will and Testament, Appraisal and Probate of the Estate are on file in the Rockingham County Courthouse and are published online to research. John's oldest sons William McLeod, were near the age of their step-mother....their Father's current wife, Ann T. McLeod. Sons William and John R. would then sue widowed step-mother Ann and her 6 very young children for their late father's estate lands to be partitioned so they could receive their part of their father's estate immediately instead of later...per the terms of Dr. John's Will. The court case dragged on for 3-4 years and was finally heard before the NC Supreme Court. There are over 100 pages of digital documents that include his Will, land survey, inventory of the Estate and the multiple lawsuits filed in this matter. (See Sources Below)

POSSIBLE Residences

• 1810 - Richmond County, NC
• 1830 - Steeles District, Richmond County, NC
• 1840 - Steeles District, Richmond County, NC
• 1848 - Death in Rockingham, Richmond County, NC
• 1848 - Burial in a small McLeod Cemetery found by the side of the road in Elerbe, NC outside of Rockingham. Richmond County, NC.

Notes on Immigrant John McLeod

• It is believed that the "Elder" John T. McLeod immigrated to Canada (and later to NC) from Scotland in the late 1700's. It is not known which Port of Entry he came into: however it was possibly Philadelphia or Cross Creek/Fayetteville since many of the Scottish immigrants eventually migrated to 3-4 Counties in NC to live with their Scottish Clan members. There were McLeods found to be living in Cross Creek, NC ( which is present day Fayetteville, NC ) before settling in Rockingham, NC. Records show his son....Dr. John McLeod bought several large parcels of land over a number of years and had a large working Farm, Medical practice and some negro slaves when he died in April 1848. (The Fayettville Observer newspaper briefly mentioned his death.)

Dr. John McLeod and Ann Touchstone (Williams) McLeod were my 4th Generation Great Grandparents.........

T.D. McLeod

• Dr. John McLeod, lived and died in Rockingham on the Little River in Richmond District (later County), NC. (see the Last Will and Testament below)

• 1790 Census shows multiple McLeod families living in Cumberland, NC.

• 1800 Census shows two different families of John McLeod's in Cross Creek/Fayetteville, Richmond County, NC with a Nancy McLeod living near them. It is not certain if these were our family lineage, cousins or distant relations.

• 1830 Census of Richmond District, NC, [page 184] is the first proven documents that lists my family lineage. This Census lists an elderly 70-80 year old white male living in the home of Dr. John McLeod, age 30-40. This would possibly be Dr. John McLeod's father John T. McLeod who we now know would have been born about 1761and was living with his son until his death sometime around 1836.

• 1830 Census Note: This Census showed there was a Peter Harris family living next door to Dr. John McLeod! After John's first wife/wives died...John remarried Ann T. Williams Harris. John and young widow Ann Williams Harris married about 1835 as their first son and my ancestor, Stephen William McLeod was born in 1836.

Sources

• information of Dr. John's Death, Will and Marriage found in letters written by Ann Touchstone McLeod's cousins....their kin the Allreds; http://www.allredfamily.com/joseph.htm ( Dr. John's Death, Will and Marriage Information)

• "United States Census, 1840," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XHBQ-3VQ : 24 August 2015), John Mcleod, Steeles District, Richmond, North Carolina, United States; citing p. 232, NARA microfilm publication M704, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 370; FHL microfilm 18,097.

• "United States Census, 1830," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XHPD-5ZL : 18 August 2015), John Mcleod, Richmond, North Carolina, United States; citing 184, NARA microfilm publication M19, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 124; FHL microfilm 18,090.

• "United States Census, 1810," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XHLM-PWC : accessed 17 March 2017), John Mc Leod, Richmond, North Carolina, United States; citing p. 195, NARA microfilm publication M252 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 38; FHL microfilm 337,911.

• "North Carolina Estate Files, 1663-1979," database with images; https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1971-35516-30861-42?cc=1911121 : 20 November 2015), Richmond County > M > McLeod, John (1848) > image 53 of 118; State Archives, Raleigh.

• "General Assembly Sessions Records 1799 and Petitions", NC State Archives, Raleigh, NC

• "Abstracts of Land Entries: Richmond County, NC 1780-1795" by Dr. R.B. Pruitt, ISBN#0-944992-18-8