Burwell McLemore, Sr.

Notes:

Patented 190 acres of land near his father on Poplar Creek by patent dated May 20, 1742 (Patent Book 20, p.---). As he was required to be twenty-one at the time of the patent, the latest possible date for his birth would accordingly be May, 1721. Upon this land he initially settled and lived for over thirty years. It was where he took his bride and began to raise is family. (James L. McLemore, III, p. 69).

Burwell and Amy Maclemore had a large family: eleven children in all have been identified, but only two had their births recorded in the Albermarle Parish Register. The first was Sally, born June 2, 1754, and baptized August 25, 1754. Sponsors or godparents included her aunt and uncle, Robert and Lydia Magee, as well as Gilliam. A second daughter "Molly" (Mary) was shown in the Register as being born July 24, and baptized September 14, 1760. There was a sufficient interval in between these two for the birth of at least one other child (probably Howell), and the others followed along thereafter; John, Lucy, Lydia, Ann or Anna, Burwell Jr., Gilliam, Charles and James, probably in something close to that order, with their births running right up nearly to the outbreak of the American Revolution, when Burwell (Sr.) would have been 55, and Amy in her early to mid 40's. (James L. McLemore, III, pp. 70-71).

By the time his family had grown this large, it became obvious that his original 190 acres patented plantation was too small (or worn out) to support such a family. Therefore, he arranged in 1775 to exchange this plantation with John Tyler (father of President John Tyler) for a larger tract. Both deeds were dated January 17, 1775, and recorded February 16, 1775. Burwell conveyed Tyler his 190 acre plantation (inaccurately described as obtained by patent dated August 20, 1740-Sussex Deed Book E, p. 295), in return for a tract of some 275 acres originally patented to Tyler and called "The Pine Log" plantation, adjoining another Tyler plantation called "Poplar" and also bounded by Daniel Harwood and the Pine Log Branch (Deed Book E, p. 274). (James L. McLemore, III, pp. 70-71).

Burwell survived all his brothers (including Joel, who was considerably younger), and he apparently survived at least one child and his wife Amy as well. Neither his first born daughter Sally nor his wife is mentioned in his will, which was dated September 21, 1793, and admitted to probate October 4, 1798 (Sussex Will Book F, p. 123). It reads as follows:

In the Name of God Amen. This Twenty-first day of September in the year of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Ninety-three, I Burwell Maclemore of the County of Sussex in the Parish of Albemarle being weak and low in body tho perfect mind & memory (thanks be to God for the same) but calling to mind the mortality of the body and knowing it is appointed for man once to die do make and ordaing this my last will and Testament in manner and form following (Viz) First: I give my soul to almighty God who gave it me in hope of joyous resurrection and as to my wordly Estate wherewith it hath been pleased God to bless me with I bestow in manner and form following, to wit:

Impremis: my will and desire is that my land be laid off in three parts. I have and devise to my son, Gilliam Maclemore the lower part of my Land with the Building and extend up as far as the Spring branch and thence along the said branch to the head and thence a straight line form thence to a corner tree, a pine that stands in the upper prong of the Pine Log Branch to him and his Heirs forever.

Item: I give and devise to my son Charles Maclemore the Land adjoining Gilliam Maclemore above the Spring branch to the Horse Meadow to the School House path and thence a straight line from that to the head line to him and his Heirs forever.

Item: I give to my son James Maclemore all the rest of my Land adjoining Charles Maclemore between the Horse Meadow and the long Meadow branch, also my Negro boy the name of Henry also my young plantation colt to him and his heirs forever.

Item: I give and bequeath to my Son John Maclemore the sum of Five Pounds to him and his Heirs forever.

Item: I give and bequeath to my Daughter Lucy Bullock the sum of Five Pounds to her and her Heirs forever.

Item: I give my daughter Ann Maclemore the sum of Five Shillings to her and her Heirs forever.

Item: I give to my Daughter Lydia Lewis the like sum of Five Shillings to her and her Heirs forever.

Item: I give to my Daughter Molly Land the sum of Five Pounds to her and her Heirs forever.

Item: I give to my son Burwell Maclemore the sum of Five Shillings to him and his Heirs forever.

Item: My will and desire is that all the rest of my Estate that is not before given to my above mentioned Children may be sold and the money arising from the Amount of Sales after paying my Just Debts and the Legacies as above mentioned may be equally Divided between Howell Maclemore and James Maclemore to them and their Heirs forever.

Lastly: My Desire is that Gilliam Maclemore and Charles Maclemore be Executors to this my last Will and testament. Testifying this and not other to be my last will and testament. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my Seal this day and year written. Signed and seal and delivered to be my last Will and testament in the presence of Macklin Bass (his Mark); L. Mason; Thomas Pate Jr, (his mark), Herbert Pate (his mark)

Burwell B. Maclemore (his mark)

As noted above, Burwell's will, in addition to omitting any mention of his wife, Amy, also omitted his eldest daughter Sally whose birth was registered in the Albemarle Parish Register. It is accordingly presumed that neither Amy or Sally survived to the date of the execution of the will (1793), and Sally probably died in her youth, unmarried. Burwell's other four daughters share a history similar in many respects to those of his brother John. Two are named in the will by their married names, but there is no mention in the marriage records of either. They are Lucy Bullock and Lydia Lewis. Another daughter, Ann, Anna or Anny apparently did not marry; her own will, which she signed as Anny McLemore, was dated August 18, 1818, was admitted to probate January 15, 1835, in Southhampton County (Will Book 11, p. 352), referred to her brother Gilliam McLemore, but bequeathed her property to her granddaughter Susanna Carter, daughter of HER daughter Susanna Woodward! Ann survived her brother Gilliam, and was later paid by his estate then dollars for briefly keeping his children after his death. Finally Mary, or Molly as she was called in the birth records of the Parish Register and also as she was called by her father in his will, was likewise referred to by her married name, Land; she was married (as Mary McLemore) to Littleberry Land pursuant to marriage bond issued October 4, 1791 (Southhampton Marriage Register, p. 75). (James L. McLemore, III, pp. 70-73)

Burwell had six sons to carry on the McLemore name into the 19th century in Southside Virginia. However, this was the age when farm lands in the old tobacco-growing regions of Virginia became too worn out to support growing families, while migration was taking whole families westward and southward into newly opened areas for settlement. The lure of new land, the call of McLemore cousins already emigrating southward and westward, was calling on several of the sons of Burwell Maclemore even before, and especially after, his death. Their migrations before the turn of the 19th century thus put these McLemores at the forefront of this pattern of migration, just as they had been in the Carolinas ever since the days of James and Abraham Macklemore, the original immigrant brothers. (James L. McLemore, III. pp. 73-75).

First US Census of 1790 shows Burwell McLemore as a HOH with eight whites and two slaves.(Sussex County, Virginia). Howell was not one of them (of 11 children, Sally had died, John had moved to Carolina, and Howell and one of the older daughters had married and moved out, leaving Amy and seven children). (James L. McLemore, III, p. 75).

Burwell's third son (at least his third to move away) was his namesake Burwell McLemore, Jr. (James L. McLemore, III, p. 76).

Meanwhile, back in Virigina, Burwell Sr.'s other three sons were remaining at home. Gilliam McLemore received the lower third of his father's "Pine Log Plantation, with buildings. He is known to have married three times.......Charles McLemore received the second third of his father Burwell's plantation. Charles married Lucy ROWE....The last (and probably youngest) son of Burwell and Amy Maclemore was James. Born just before the outbreak of the American Revolution, he was devised the final third of his father's "Pine Log" plantation. He married Rebecca HARWOOD, ...(James L. McLemore, III, pp. 77-79).

(Medical):Two direct descendants of Burwell participated in the Morrison yDNA study.

The main purpose of this study was to prove that the immigrant founders of this family in America, James Macklemore and Abraham Macklemore, were brothers. If brothers, then the y-DNA of the direct male descendants of both men would match. However, instead of confirming this, it appears that we have AT LEAST two distinct yDNA groups, with three additional potential lines. The first cluster of matching yDNA has ten members, who are part of the R1b1a2 haplogroup. The R1b DNA haplogroup, is the most common in Western Europe. Two of the ten participants can trace their lines back to the immigrant Abraham Macklemore, the husband of Mary Young. Another member can trace himself back to Moses McLemore b. ca. 1738 who is thought to be a son of Wright McLemore, grandson of William Macklemore, and great-grandson of the immigrant James Macklemore. If both these members are correct in their paper trails, AND if Amos can be proven to be a great-grandson of James Macklemore, then the assumption that James and Abraham have a common paternal ancestor is correct as descendants of both men share the same yDNA. The other six members of this first cluster all have the McLemore surname, and all can trace their lineages back to McLemore men who predate the Civil War, but have not conclusively linked themselves back to either James or Abraham.

The second cluster in the study have three members to date. They are all in the E1b1 Haplogroup, which is rare in Western Europe. All of them match each other, but do not match any other McLemores yet tested. All three of these members can trace their ancestry to John Macklemore of Virginia, the husband of Faith. Two of them descend from his son Burwell, and the third from his son Joel. But, as discussed above, IF we have also proven that the immigrants Abraham and James Macklemore are brothers, then it follows that John Macklemore could not be the biological son of the immigrant James, as the yDNA of these two clusters is very different.

Our current thinking is that John was likely a son of Fortune's and a stepson of James Macklemore, who raised him as his own. Alternatively, it may still be proven that James and Abraham were not brothers. They may share the same surname, but not the same paternal ancestry. More proven descendants of James and Fortune Macklemore will need to be tested to confirm or refute either theory.

See Morrison/McLemore DNA study results for Group AJ.

http://www.geneticousins.com/morrison/

Burwell married Amy Gilliam before 1753. Amy was born about 1730 in Surry County, Virginia; died before 1793 in Sussex County, Virginia. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Married:
Burwell Maclemore and his wife, Amy, had a large family: eleven children in all have been identified, but only two had their births recorded in the Albermarle Parish Register. The first was Sally, born June 2, 1754, and baptized August 25, 1754. Sponsors or godparents included her aunt and uncle, Robert and Lydia Magee, as well as a Gilliam. A second daughter "Molly" (Mary) was shown in the Register as being born July 24, and baptized September 14, 1760. There was a sufficient interval in between these two for the birth of at least one other child (probably Howell), and the others followed along thereafter: John, Lucy, Lydia, Ann or Anna, Burwell Jr., Gilliam, Charles and James, probably in something close to that order, with their births running right up nearly to the outbreak of the American Revolution, when Burwell would have been 55, and Amy in her early to mid 40's. Neither his first born daughter Sally nor his wife is mentioned in his will, which was dated September 21, 1793, and admitted to probate October 4, 1798. (B. F. McLemore His Ancestors and Descendants, James L. McLemore III (c. 1991) pp. 81-82).

Copied from Rev. William P. McLemore's website, "McLemore Notables"

http://www.oocities.org/wmclemore.geo/mclem1.htm

1. Sally McLemore was born on 2 Jun 1754 in Albemarle Parish, Sussex County, Virginia; and died.
2. Charles McLemore was born between 1756 and 1769 in Albemarle Parish, Sussex County, Virginia; died in Oct 1818 in Sussex County, Virginia.
3. Mary "Molly" McLemore was born on 24 Jul 1760 in Albemarle Parish, Sussex County, Virginia; died after 1830 in Halifax County, North Carolina.
4. John McLemore was born after 1760 in Virginia; and died.
5. Howell McLemore was born about 1762 in Virginia; died on 16 Feb 1807 in Southhampton County, Virginia.
6. Lucy McLemore was born before 1764 in Virginia; died before 1800 in Isle Of Wight County, Virginia.
7. Anna McLemore was born after 1764 in Virginia; died before 15 Jan 1835 in Southhampton County, Virginia.
8. Lydia McLemore was born about 1768 in Virginia; died before 1820 in Lincoln County, North Carolina.
9. Burwell McLemore, Jr. was born about 1770 in Virginia; died after 22 Jan 1851 in Rogersville, Lauderdale County, Alabama.
10. Gilliam McLemore was born about 1772 in Virginia; died before 7 Feb 1814 in Sussex County, Virginia.
11. James McLemore was born about 1778 in Virginia; died after 1825 in Surry County, Virginia.

Notes:

Grew to manhood in Virginia, and was left cash, not land, under his fathers will. His family remained in Virginia. (James L. McLemore, III, p 46).

Probably named for Fortune's father....He was apparently born about 1698 to 1700, but could have been born as much as three or four years earlier. Unlike his siblings, however, he remained where he was born, in Albemarle Parish of Surry County (later Sussex County), Virginia, ending his days only a few miles southwest of the location of his father's abandoned 1714 land patent. He did not follow his parents and their other children into North Carolina, although it appears he may have acquired some property or other interests in South Carolina later in his life. Accordingly, John is known as the founder of the Virginia family, though one son also started a South Carolina line, and several grandsons also migrated southward and westward into North Carolina, Tennessee and Alabama to start lines of their own. (James L. McLemore, III, p 54).

A John MACKMORE is referenced on a November 13, 1713 patent issued by George WYCHE, but it is not known if this is our John Macklemore. The first certain reference to our John Macklemore was a patent issued to him on New Year's Eve, 1725 (March 24, 1725/6). This was for 150 acres of new land astride the county line between waht was then Surry and Isle of Wight Counties, on the south side of Nottoway River, on the north side of Three Creeks, on the east side of "the Great Ready Branch" (Patent Book 12, p. 441). He paid fifteen shillings for this land....he would have been required to be at least twenty-one....(therefore) would have been born not later than March 1704/5 (James L. McLemore, III, pp. 54-55).

In addition to the 1725 patent described above, he witnessed a deed in 1730 in Bertie County, North Carolina, along with his brother Charles, apparently while on a visit to his family there. On May 21, 1746, the Surry County Court entered an order that he be paid 150 pounds of tobacco as a witness fee for appearing in a matter then before the court (Surry County Order Book, 1744-1749, p. 174). (James L. McLemore, III, p. 56).


Will of John MacLemore
(As transcribed by Mark Freeman)

Will Book B, p. 108. "In The name of God Amen. I John Macklemore of Nottoway Parish in the County of Southhampton being of sound sense & memory do make this writing my last will & testament in form & manner following.

Imprimis I give & bequeth to my son John Macklemore one pound current money.

Item: I give & bequeath to my son Burrell Macklemore one pound current money.

Item: I give & bequeath to my son Joel Macklemore the land & plantation I now live on containing two hundred and fifty acres be the same more or less, I say I give the said land to my said son Joell & to his heirs forever.

Item I give to my Daughter Sarah Macklemore one pound current money.

Item I give and bequeath to my Daughter Lydia Macklemore one feather bed & furniture, one cow & calf & one sow & piggs.

Item I give the use of the following articles to my loving wife during her natural life and at her decease to my son Joell (that is to say) one feather bed & furniture, two cows & calves, and one sow & piggs, and one bay horse.

Item I give and bequeath to my son Joell Macklemore, after my debts & funeral charges be paid, the rest and remainder of my estate of all kinds whatsoever and I do constitute & appoint my son Joell my sole executor of this my last will & testament as witness by hand this 17th day of March 1758.

Witness: Edmund Pate, Abraham Wiggins, Joshua Nicholson, Jr.. In a Court held for Sussex County the 19th day of February 1767 the last Will & Testament of John Macklemore decd. was presented into Court by Faithy widow & relic of the said John and the said Faithy declared that she would not accept receive or take the lagacy or legacies to her given or bequeath'd by the said Will or any part thereof & did renounce all benefit & advantage which she might claim by the said Will which declaration on her motion is recorded. And thereupon on the motion of the said Faithy (Joell Macklemore the Executor in the said Will named being out of the Country) who made oath as the law directs and the said Will being proved by the oaths of Abraham Wiggins & Joshua Nicholson, Jr., two of the witnesses thereto & ordered to be recorded. Certificate is granted her for obtaining letters of administration of the Estate of the said Jo. Macklemore with the will annexed, giving security whereupon she with Joshua Nicholson & Charles Gilliam her securities entered into and acknowledged their bond for her due administration of the said estate. Exd. Teste: A. Claiborne, CSC.

John Macklemore made his mark, "J", on the will.

Faith Macklemore filed the household inventory, which consisted mostly of household furniture, etc. (Sussex Will Book B, p. 113). She also filed her accounting signed by her "Faithy V Macklemore" and recorded September 15, 1768 (Sussex Will Book B, p. 217). In it she showed a distribution of one pound current money to each of John's two older sons, John Jr. and Burrell, and also a similiar distribution to Thomas Clifton, the neighbor [and brother-in-law] of John Jr. (James L. McLemore, III, p. 58). John Macklemore Sr. may have also died owning property in South Carolina, as his nephew Richard McLamore was appointed on December 23, 1767 as administrator of the estate of John McLamore in that province, and following Richard's death in 1771, John's son Joel took over in his place. Indeed, when John's will was admitted to probate in Sussex County, Virginia, his widow Faithy had to qualify as administrator, since Joel, the named Executor, was "out of the country" (outside Virginia) at the time, and hence was probably in South Carolina helping to take care of matters there.

In an 1986 letter to Rudy Leverett, Jim McLemore (the author) indicates that Simon TURNER was a witness to the will of John McLemore, Sr.

(Medical):For yDNA study of this branch of the McLemore family, see:

http://strongfamilytree.org/showmedia.php?mediaID=2082

Two descendants of John and Faith son Burwell, and one descendant of their son Joel, have tested their yDNA and are matches. They are all members of the E1b1 Haplogroup, which is rare in Western Europe.

Edwin Holcombe indicates this branch of the McLemore family most closely match a number of members of a Hooper family.

John married Faith ??? about 1718 in Surry County, Virginia. Faith was born before 1703 in Surry County, Virginia; died before 1771 in Sussex County, Virginia. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Mark Freeman indicates that her maiden name : "might be Howell, Harrison, and Burwell...among others. McLemore, Harrison and Burwell names are linked through marriage, and include ancestors of the Presidents Benjamin Harrison and William Henry Harrison. Faith Magee/McGee is also suggested as a possibility in "B. F. McLemore"

James L. McLemore, III, in a posting to http://boards.ancestry.com/ notes that her maiden name is "possibly Edmonds, probably not Briggs or Magee." In his book, James explained that "one of her oldest grandchildren was named Howell, a family name or surname used frequently in the Edmunds and Briggs families as a given name; both of these families were related to Thomas Blunt (oldest son of Henry Briggs's first wife Mary, and father-in-law of Howell Edmunds) with whom, as already stated, the early McLemore family had had a close connection." (James L. McLemore, III, p. 55).

Jim White, another researcher, states that her maiden name was Briggs.

Faith's renunciation of John's will gave her a widow's life right in the homeplace, but she apparently died by 1771 when we find the last Virginia reference to Joel, the sale of his father's homeplace. The deed for transfer, dated March 6, 1771, and recorded March 21, 1771, was from Joel McLemore (without a spouse joining in) of "Coleton County" (Craven County?), South Carolina, to Adam FOY of Sussex. This deed (Sussex Deed Book D, p. 317) was witnessed by Burwell McLemore, among others. (James L. McLemore, III, p. 59).

Notes:

Married:
James L. McLemore, III notes that due to the great disparity in the age of their children, their may have been more than the five surviving children born to the couple. (James L. McLemore, III, p. 55).

Notes:

Both James and (brother?) Abraham Macklemore settled on the banks of the Roanoke River, just across the Virginia-North Carolina line following its establishment by the Byrd Commission in 1728. Just what had the Macklemores been doing, just where they had been located, during the period from Mun. Macklemore's importation in 1681 to the 1732 repatent of the James Macklemore patent following his removal to North Carolina, has long been a matter of inquiry and dispute. Without further record, we may never know for sure. (James L. McLemore, III, p 36). It is assumed that James and Abraham were immigrants, but it is possible they were born on U.S. soil to an unknown progenitor, possibly even Mun. Maklemore.

Mun. Macklemore is the earliest recorded family member in the Americas. His relationship to James and Abraham is unknown. Although it has been speculated he might be the father of James Macklemore he is more likely an uncle or cousin, based on their projected ages.

James began having his children while still in Virginia. It is probable that all six (known) children were born prior to James' 1714 patent adjoining Richard Washington. (James L. McLemore, III, p 40).

Will, dated 7 Feb 1733/4 Bertie Co., NC: (Extract courtesy of Mark Freeman)

" ... being sick and weake of body ..."

Son William Macklemore - plantation formerly laid off for George Mosley. Son James Macklemore - plantation where I now live, and the land from the line formerly laid off to Mosley to the riverbank. Son Charles Macklemore - rest of the land from the riverbank to the head. Son Ephraim Macklemore - 70 or 80 acres on Peehill Creek on the upper side of the first branch of the creek. Sons William and James - cattle each. Daughter Margery Macklemore and son Charles Macklemore - cow and calf each. Sons William, James, Charles, and Ephraim - sows and pigs each. Remaining estate to my wife Fortain Macklemore for her lifetime with reversion to my said children.

Ex. wife

Wit. John Doyle, Abraham Macklemore, Thomas Roberson

Most of James' children moved along the edge of the frontier in north central North Carolina in the early to mid 18th century, and their families are not as easily traced. Some speculation is therefore involved in the following outline of their activities. A careful review of the last will and testament of James Macklemore can aid the reader in understanding the early subsequent history of his sons. As we shall see shortly, the oldest two boys, William and John, had grown to manhood while the family lived in Virginia, and remained there to start families.

William, either due to being the oldest son or stronger ties to his father, was left land by his father. John, already firmly established with land of his own--and being a younger son---was left money instead. James left most of his land to be divided among his three younger sons, and by devising oldest son William with them as well, he preordained that the descendants of the younger three, plus descendants of William, would be Carolinians (at least initially), and that John's posterity would comprise the Virginia branch of the family. (James McLemore, III, p 46).

James married Fortune Gilliam about 1690. Fortune (daughter of John Gilliam and Margaret Henshaw) was born between 1668 and 1671 in Surry County, Virginia; died after 1736 in Bertie County, North Carolina. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Fortune or Fortain. Assumed to be the daughter of John and Margery GILLIAM, she would have had to have been one of their youngest children (if not the youngest), as she was probably born with a few years of the time of her father's death in 1671.(James L. McLemore, III, p 39).

Robert McLemore Butler shows her date of death as 12 May 1754 in Surry County, Virginia, much later than the date shown by James McLemore and Mark Freeman.

Billy W. McLemore of Alabama shows her to be half-Cherokee Indian.

Notes:

James McLemore, III, attorney and author of books regarding the earliest McLemore immigrants to America wrote the following about the probable ancestors of James and Abraham Macklemore of southside Virginia:

"William McIlmorrow.....(the) probable father of James Macklemore the immigrant (husband of Fortune Gilliam)....died in Colmonell Parish, Ayrshire, Scotland in July 1664 and he had at least one other son after James.....younger brother Abraham who came to America with him. William's Testament Dative is recorded in the Glasgow Commissariot records of the Scottish Records Office but it does not name his children, just his widow Mary Aitken. A legal analysis of it proves William had children, however.

Source: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/mB0.2ACEB/434.1.1.1.1.1 29 April 2005 8:42 pm


James L. McLemore, III, the family authority, posted a message board note about his changes in thoughts to this theory:

I thank you for citing my earlier book as authority for several of the statements that you make in your posting. However, I hope that no one thinks that I am your authority for the assertion that the immigrant McLemore brothers James and Abraham came from Argylshire in Scotland; they did NOT. They came from Ayrshire, the old Carrick District thereof, where Robert the Bruce was earl before he was king. This was the southernmost third of the shire, consisting of Ballentrae, Colmonell, Barr, Girvan and Dailly Parishes (and perhaps one or two others to their immediate north), where the family name was rendered McIlmorrow, and the name appears in the records frequently from 1526 until the mid 1800's. The "Il" in Scottish was generally heard by the English ear in Britain and America as "Le", and the Scottish ending "ow" or "owe" was usually dropped by English writers on both sides of the Atlantic, though at least one example of it has been found in Surry County, Va. record! So I hope that your plans to do research in Scotland will allow you to change location from Argylshire to Ayrshire, or you may be barking up the wrong tree based on perpetuated misinformation that has been floating around the family in this country for years.

All of this will appear in a new edition of my book which I hope to get back to writing soon. I have just finished moving this past fall & have not yet unpacked the boxes and boxes of research materials that I have collected over the years. Once I have set up a new home office and organized these files, I anticipate about a year to complete the book, now 60% done in rough draft. But there are other projects as well. Still I hope to announce something on this and other boards then.

By the way, there were several Abraham McLemores and I do believe that I recall hearing that at least one of the later ones was a Presbyterian Minister, but I have never heard that the original one was. If you have some authority for that statement, I'd like to see it. I have always believed that the immigrants' father William McIlmorrow (d. July 1664, Colmonel Parish, Ayrshire, Scotland) was a religious man - or that his wife Mary Aitken was - as they gave religious or Biblical names to most of their sons (except the probable 1st born, William), including Abraham (after the Patriarch), James (after the eldest brother of Jesus), and Mungo (after the patron saint of Glasgow & the SW Lowlands. And James named his youngest son Ephraim, another Old Testament name. I have always believed from the date of their arrival in America that the brothers came as a result of the Covenanting Wars, which ended in the year of their arrival, 1689, but I have never been able to determine for sure which side they had been on - the Anglican or the Presbyterian one. But I have always told my own preachers every time we got a new one at church that my ancestors left Scotland to get away from long-winded Presbyterian preachers and that each should remember that we don't pay for overtime!

http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/mB0.2ACEB/377.1.3

The earlier theories about the origin of the McLemore family name that James referred to was that the McLemore clan originated among the mixed cultures of Gaelic-speaking inhabitants of eastern Ireland and western Scotland. This culture resulted from the intermarriage of the native Gaelic population with the Norwegian and Danish Vikings who raided and occupied these areas. The surname was thought to be derived from "Mac Ghille Mhuire" which literally means "son of the Servant of the Blessed Virgin Mary." It was quite common for Norsemen, upon converting to Christianity, to take names with some sort of religious significance. The name was first used during the first half of the 12th century among the Scandinavian population in Waterford, Ireland and/or among a similar population in the west of present day Scotland. In the last half of the 15th century, it was common in the parts of western Scotland known to have been strongly influenced by the Scandinavians, such as Galloway and Argylshire. Whether the Scottish clan descend from those of Waterford, or vice versa, is not known with certainty. When the early Macklemore's emigrated to America, they also preserved the name, which has since evolved to the present spelling of McLemore. In Scotland, the name continued to evolve, in the Highlands to Gilmore, and in the lowlands to Murray.

The first family member known to be in America was Mun. Macklemore. He immigrated to Virginia from probably from Argylshire or Ayshire, Scotland around 1679, as an indentured servant to a Virginia landowner. He is either the older brother or father of James and Abraham Macklemore, the brothers who are generally conceded to be the founders of the family in the United States. Both James and Abraham were farmers near the Virginia/North Carolina border. Their descendants settled first in that area, and then gradually spread to Georgia and Tennessee and further even westward.

This theory was from the books "The Early History of The McLemore Family of Virginia and The Carolinas" by James L. McLemore, III (available for purchase at P.O. Box 1085, Suffolk Virginia 23434) and "Ole Rosinheels: A Genealogical Sketch of the Family of Major Amos McLemore, 27th Mississippi Infantry Regiment, C.S.A" by Dr. Rudy H. Leverett.

And finally, a very detailed post regarding the most current theory, including an extract of the will of William McIImorrow was posted to the following website:

http://www.unsolvedancestry.com/awards.asp

Many believe Mary Aitken (Aitkine) and William McIlmorrow of Colmonell Parish, Ayreshire, Scotland are the parents. - William McIlmorrow died in July 1664, and has a Testament Dative on file with the Scottish Archive (Scottishdocuments.com). There is no mention of children, but people believe they had children because of the word (bairns). - Other Mary Macklemore's seem to exist, causing confusion on the connection (finding out who these Mary's are might help solve the puzzle.) The following is a message I wrote earlier describing my thoughts on a Mary Macklemore that helps the confusion about the McLemore Scottish roots: "Mary could possibly fit in the position of this Mary Aitken, but I feel it is more unlikely than likely. William McIlmorrow died 6/8/1664, so it's possible that Mary moved to Aberdeenshire and remarried William Turner in 1670. However, with the birth of James and Abraham being around 1660, this would make the Mary in your document only 10 or 11 when she had children. Plus, according to a McLemore researcher, in 17th century Scotland the women kept their maiden name throughout life?so I don't believe this is the same Mary, since she would have to be the daughter of a McLemore/Mcilmorrow. So now I wonder about the possibility of James and Abraham having a sister. I recently came across another family line that has a Mary Ann McLemore married to Dr. Thomas Gibson Carson. According to a couple of people's research (I have no documentation on this), her birth was in 1688 in Londonberry, Tyrone, North Ireland. This also has her married in July 27, 1707. If documentation of this person exists, then that opens the possibility of a sister or at least another documented McLemore as old as James and Abraham. It also opens the possibility of where the family was located. Also, if this Mary Ann were born around that time and was a sister, then that would put serious doubt on the William and Mary McIlmorrow connection since this person was born after William's death. Then there is the land grant for Col. Edward Hill, which he is receiving land for bringing people over, including a Mary Macklemore. According to a McLemore researcher, this was a repatent of the same land to Col. Hill with Mungo Macklemore on the first one (dated 1681)." This can be found online at the Library of Virginia Digital Collection: Land Office Patents and Grants. - Notes from Turner-Parker Pedigree, Oct. 1898, This manuscript was written by Wm. Parker in 1791 and copied by Wm. H. Sassnet in Oct 1898." Wm.Turner, a minister of the Kirk of Scotland was born in Aberdeenshire Scotland in 1645. He married Mary McLemore, born in same shire in 1650. married in 1670. On account of persecution of the Covenanters he fled with his young bride and settled in the North of Ireland. Persecution followed him and his co-believers there and with quite a colony he came to Maryland in 1680 and settled in Worcester Co. in 1680- not far from Snow Hill the present county seat. There were born to this couple; William-1671. Elisha-1672. Mary 1674. Ebenezer 1675. John 1675. John 1677. Gertrude 1679. Thomas 1681."


Abraham and James Macklemore were very likely brothers. - Abraham Macklemore's will was signed Jan 4, 1735 (NC State Archives) witnessed by Wiliam Gillim, William Clanton, and Joseph Brady. - Three sons, Atkins (b. 1724 Bertie Co., NC, d. May 1791 in Warren Co., NC), Young (b. 1726, d. bef. April 9, 1804, Williamson Co., TN) and William (b. 1728, d. bef. 1736/7 in Bertie Co., NC) - Wife, Mary (Young) who died in Northampton Co., NC around 1737/38 - James Macklemore's will dated Feb 7, 1733 in Bertie Co. NC. Witnessed by John Doyle, Abraham Macklemore, and Thomas Roberson. - James's children, William (b. abt 1692, d. 1750), Margery (b. abt 1696), John (b. abt. 1698 in Surry Co., Virginia, d. abt 1767 in Sussex Co., VA), James (b. 1702-5, d. abt. 1770), Charles (b. bet. 1705-9), Ephraim (b. 1709-12), d. abt. 1787) - Wife, Fortune (Fortain) Gilliam (b. 1671 in Surry Co. VA, d. abt. 1736 Bertie Co., VA), possible daughter of John Gilliam and Margery Henshaw. - There is a 1695 Virginia headright record for the importation into Virginia of a Mary Macklemore in a patent to Col. Edward Hill, and it was a repatent of a 1681 patent to the same man for the same land in Charles City County (I think), and for the most part with the same headrights, with one or two exceptions, specifically including the Macklemore one - in the earlier patent it was to Mun. Macklemore. This is the only reference to a Mun. (Mungo) Macklemore, so there is room for error in the interpretation of who this is.


Transcript of testament dative for William McIlmorrow: ["The testa[men]t dative & inventar of the goods geir debts & soumes of money q[uhi]lks perteinit to umq[uhi]le W[illia]m Mcillmarrow in McCallastoune within the parochin of Cammonell the tyme of his deceis wha deceist in the moneth of Julii last bypast 1664 yeirs ffaithfully maid & givin up be Mary Akin relict of the defunct & ex[ecut]orix dative surrogat in place of Mr Jon & Jon Herbertsouns pro[curato]r fiscalls of the Com[m]issariat of Glasgow who are exe[cut]ors dative decernit to the defuncts goods geir & debts be de[crei]t of the Com[m]issar of Glasgow his deput upon the 4th day of August instant 1664 yeirs as the sam[en] beirs Inventar Item the defunct had the tyme fors[ai]d perte[n]ing to him the goods & geir underwr[itte]n of the pryces following viz In the first the saweing of nyne bolls corne estimat to the thrid corne pryce of the boll with the fodder iiij lib Inde jct and viij lib Item the saweing of thrie firlots of beir estimat to the fourth corne pryce of the boll w[i]t[h] the fodder v lib Inde xv lib Item four ky pryce of the peice o[ve]rheid x lib Inde xl lib It[em] twa stotts pryce of the peice o[ve]rheid x lib Inde xx lib Item twa yeir old qua[n]ddoch pryce of the peice o[ve]rheid iiij lib Inde viij lib Item thrie stirks pryce of the peice o[ve]rheid xlsh Inde vj lib Item twenty sheip pryce of the peice o[ve]rheid xxx sh Inde xxx lib Item ane old hors pryce th[e]rof vj lib xiijsh iiijd It[em] insyt & plenisching of the hous in utencills & domicills with the abulziements of the defuncts body estimat worth xx lib Sum[m]a of the invent[ar] ..... ijctLiij lib xiijsh iiijd Debts awand in Item ther was awand to the defunct the tym fors[ai]d the soumes of mo[ne]y following be the persons underwry[tte]n viz In the first be Hew Cathcart of Carrilltoune Lxxiij lib vjsh viijd It[em] be Andrew Ros at the Bridgend of Girvan viij lib It[em] be Patrick Carnochan in Lowstoune xxx lib It[em] be James Andersoune in Daly xx lib It[em] be Andro Ramsay y[ounge]r x lib Item be James Mcillwraith in Meikle Brochloch xij lib Sum[m]a of the debts in ...... jct xiij lib vjsh viijd Sum[m]a of the invent[ar] & debts .... iijct xvii lib Debts awand out Item ther was awand be the defunct the tyme fors[ai]d the soumes of mo[ne]y efterspe[cife]it to the persons eftermentionat viz In the first to the heritor of Killoux of duty the s[ai]d yeir jct xliij lib It[em] to the minister of Daly of teynd the s[ai]d yeir ix lib vjsh viijd Item to Helen Glen of fie & bounteth the s[ai]d yeir xx lib It[em] to Jon Begs off fie & bounteth the s[ai]d yeir vij lib xsh iijd Item to Hew Kennedy of Daljavoch of deuty the s[ai]d yeir xiij lib vjsh viijd Sum[m]a of the debts out .... jctLxxxxiij lib ixsh iiijd Rests of frie geir debts deduceit ......ijct xxxiij lib xvijsh iiijd To be divydit in thrie p[air]ts Deids pairt is ..... Lxxiiij lib xijsh vd (In margin ? quota iij lib) I Mr W[illia]m Ffleiming of Ferm Com[m]issar of Glasgow be the tenor heirof eft[er] dew warning maid be edict opinly as effeirs ratify approve & confirm this p[rese]nt testa[men]t & inventar in swa far as the sam[en] is leillily & treuly ma[i]d & givin up nothing omittit furth th[e]rof nor set w[i]t[h]in the just availl th[e]rinconteinit & give & com[]itt full power of intromissoune w[i]t[h] the goods geir & debts abovewry[tte]n to the s[ai]d ex[ecut]orix dative abovesurrogat allenderly w[i]t[h] power to hir to call & persew therfor if neid beis becaus schoe hes maid faith as use is & fund cation as law will as ane act m[ai]d therupon att lenth beirs Att Glasgow the eight day of August 1664 yeirs The q[uhi]lk day compeirit perso[na]ly Patrick Aikin in Balachduan & becam actit as cau[tione]r & sur[e]ty for Mary Aikin relict & ex[ecut]orix confirmit to um[quhi]le W[illia]m Mcillmarrow th[a]t the goods geir & debts conteinit in the defuncts confirmit test[amen]t salbe maid furth cum[m]and to all p[air]tys haveand entres as law will & the s[ai]d ex[ecut]orix becam obleist for his releif q[uhe]rupon they askit acts befor thir witnessis James Hamiltoin wryter in Glasgow Walter Graham mess[enge]r ther James Bishop ther & Hew Kennedy of Daljavoch] First testament of William The testa[men]t dative ad omissa and invent[ar] of the guids geir debts & sowmes of mo[n]ey q[uhi]lks perteinit to u[mquhile] W[illia]m Mcillmurrow in Mcallastoun w[i]thin the parochine of Camonell the tyme of his deceis who deceist in the moneth of July jajvjct and thrie scoir four yeirs omittit & left furth of the defuncts prin[cipa]ll confermit testa[men]t the tyme of the confermatione th[ai]rof be Marie Aikine relict of the defunct and onlie exe[cut]orrix dat[ive] surrogat & confermit to him and of new againe ffaithfullie made & givin up be the s[ai]d Marie Aitkine who is exe[cut]orix dative ad omissa surrogat in place of Mr Jon & Jon Herbertsounes pro[curato]r fischalls of the Comissariat of Glesgow who is exe[cuto]rs datives decernit ad omissa to the defuncts guids geir & debts omittit furth of his prin[cipa]ll confermit testa[men]t be dec[rei]t of the Comissar of Glesgow his dep[u]t upon the sixt day of July jajvjct and thrie s[c]oir fyve yeirs as the samyne beirs Inventar Item ther was omittit and left furth of the defuncts confermit testa[men]t the tyme of the conferma[tio]ne th[ai]rof be the exe[cut]orix fors[ai]d xxxvj lib as being the worth of ane irone luddie in the custodie of Agnes Mcclaimount in Clachine of Camonell (in margin ? xxviijs viijd) Sum[m]a of the invent[ar] patet ..... xxxvj lib Nae divisioune I Mr W[illia]m Flyming of Ferme Comissar of Glesgow be the tennor heirof ratifie approve and conferme this p[rese]nt testa[men]t & invent[ar] in sua far as the samyne is leillie & trewlie made & givin up nathing omittit furth th[ai]rof nor set w[i]thin the just availl th[ai]rincontenit and give and comitt full power of intromissioune w[i]th the s[ai]d sowme abovewr[itt]ine to the s[ai]d exe[cut]orix dative ad omissa above surrogat allenerlie w[i]th power to her to call & persew th[ai]rfor if neid beis becaus she hes made faith sas use is & fund ca[utio]une as Law will as ane act made th[ai]rupon at length beirs givin att Glesgow the twenty ane day of July 1668 The q[uhi]lk day compeirit James Hamiltoune wryt[er] pro[curato]r speciallie constitut be the p[air]tie obligator eft[er]spe[cife]it and consentit for th[e]m to the reg[ist]ra[tio]une of the band underwr[itt]ine q[uhi]lk the s[ai]d Comissar dep[u]t admittit q[uhe]rof the tennor follows I Andrew Mcillmurrow in Kilrie be the tennor heirof binds and obleissis me my airs and successors as cau[tioune[r & sovertie for Marie Aikine relict and exe[cut]orix dat[ive] decernit and confermit ad omissa to u[mquhile] W[illia]m Mcillmurrow in Calmonell that the guids geir & debts givin up and confermit in the defuncts confermit testa[men]t ad omissa sall be made furth cumand to all p[airti]es haveand intres as Law will and I the s[ai]d Marie Aikine binds & obleissis me & my successors to warrand my s[ai]d cau[tioune]r & his fors[ai]ds of his cau[tioun]rie & of all danger th[ai]ranent Consenting thir p[resen]ts be reg[ist]rat in the buiks of counsell & Sessioune Comissar Court buiks of Glesgow that exe[cutoria]lles neidful may pas heirupoune on sex dayes and constituts James Hamiltoune wryt[er] our pro[curato]r wr[itt]ine be Jon Eastoun wryt[er] in Glesgow & sub[scrivi]t as follows att Idailie the threttin day of July jajvjct thrie scoir fyve yeirs Befor thir witnessis Jon Mcknabeine at Daill & Jon Couper ther Jon Abercrumbie not[ary] inserter of the dait & witnessis & James Andersoun att Daillie & is thus sub[scrivi]t Andrew Mcillmurrow & Marie Aikine w[i]th our hands att the pen led be the not[ary] following at my co[m]mand becaus we cannot wryt o[u]r selves Ita est Joannes Abercrumbie no[ta]rius publicus in premissa requisit[us] de mandat[o] dict[e] personatir scribere nescein[tis] Johne Couper witnes John Mcknabine witnes James Andersone witnes

Prob. married Mary Aitken. Mary was born before 1642 in Scotland; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

John married Margaret Henshaw. Margaret was born before 1648; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]