Rev. James McLemore, IV

Notes:

The younger James (IV), a minister, died in 1834 in Alabama, leaving a widow Mary Elizabeth (Harper) and ten children. (James L. McLemore, III, p 50).

"Born in North Carolina and for more than 30 years was a leading divine of the Baptist persuasion. He had finished his pilgrimage on earth and nothing of him now remains but the memory of his virtue."

Melba Gene McLemore notes that the "Alabama Genealogical Register, V. 6, No. 3.4, Sept-Dec 1964 cites a Will for a James McLemore, will dated 31 July 1832, probated 26 Jan 1835.


McLemore Burying Ground, Montgomery, Alabama

From DAR records 1936

The McLemore Burying Ground is about one mile off the Montgomery -Atlanta
Highway to the right facing east, and is about five miles from Montgomery.
It is on a knoll behind the old James McLemore home built about 1820. In
1936 Mrs. Lizzie Taylor Dickerson occupied it. A low brick wall and
iron fence surrounds the lot. Outside the main cemetery is another smaller
one, also enclosed. There are graves of slaves and faithful servants, mostly
unmarked outside all enclousures. Graves listed begin at the southwest
corner of the plot.

http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/al/montgomery/cemeteries/mclemore.txt

James married Mary Elizabeth Harper about 1808 in Hancock County, Georgia. Mary was born on 25 Dec 1786 in Virginia; died on 22 Nov 1853 in Montgomery, Montgomery County, Alabama; was buried in McLemore Taylor Burying Ground, Montgomery County, Alabama. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Married:
Mark Freeman lists their children as William, Martha, James, Joseph, Moses, Rebecca, Andrew, Pleasant and Lousia. He does not list Benjamin.

Mary Lynn Santa shows an additional son, John, being the youngest, as opposed to Benjamin.

1. Moses McLemore was born about 1809 in Georgia; died before Oct 1878 in Montgomery County, Alabama.
2. Rebecca McLemore was born on 29 Oct 1811 in Hancock County, Georgia; and died.
3. Martha McLemore was born on 29 Oct 1811 in Hancock County, Georgia; died on 3 Oct 1851.
4. Andrew Jackson McLemore was born on 14 Sep 1814 in Jones County, Georgia; died on 25 Jan 1870 in Montgomery County, Alabama; was buried in McLemore Taylor Burying Ground, Montgomery County, Alabama.
5. James M. McLemore, V was born on 7 Apr 1817 in Georgia; died on 22 Aug 1858 in Montgomery County, Alabama; was buried in McLemore Taylor Burying Ground, Montgomery County, Alabama.
6. Louisa McLemore was born on 12 Nov 1820 in Georgia; died on 27 Jun 1902; was buried in McLemore Taylor Burying Ground, Montgomery County, Alabama.
7. Pleasant W. McLemore was born about 1823 in Alabama; and died.
8. William McLemore was born about 1825 in Alabama; and died.
9. Joseph Pierce McLemore was born about 1825 in Montgomery County, Alabama; died in Sep 1827 in Montgomery County, Alabama; was buried in McLemore Taylor Burying Ground, Montgomery County, Alabama.
10. Benjamin J. Franklin McLemore was born about 1832 in Montgomery County, Alabama; died on 29 Dec 1834 in Montgomery County, Alabama; was buried in McLemore Taylor Burying Ground, Montgomery County, Alabama.

Notes:

In 1769 we find a James McLemore and three taxable whites listed in Granville County, North Carolina. This was probably James III, his wife Elizabeth, and their two oldest children. A year later (1770) "James McLemore Sr." (James Jr.) took an oath in Granville, and the use of the Sr. indicated the presence of a namesake son (James III), who was probably the subject of the above mentioned tax list reference the year before. James III would have been about thirty at this point. Then, in 1772 a James is mentioned in the will of Robert WALLACE, but it is unclear which one of the two is meant. However, the James McLemore who signed the (subsequent?) Granville County Oath of Allegience on May 30, 1778, was most probably James III, then about age 39.

James McLemore, Jr. (III) bought land from Benjamin McCULLOH in Granville County in 1779. The use of "Jr." indicates that his father may still have been living.

Futher references to James McLemore in Granville County probably refer to this James McLemore, or to his son, the Rev. James McLemore (1782-1834). Father and son moved to Hancock County, Georgia, after 1803, where the elder James died in 1811. His children were subsequently named in the will of his brother, Charles McLemore who died in Georgia as well in 1815. Charles had no children and named as his heirs James's children: John, William, James Jr. (IV), Rebecca Jones, Pleasant and Jesse. James' widow, Elizabeth, was named as executrix.

(James L. McLemore, III, pp 49, 50).

James married Elizabeth Walker. Elizabeth was born before 1758 in Granville County, North Carolina; died after 1815 in Hancock County, Georgia. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Inherited land from his father on Peahill Creek on the north side of the Roanoke River, in what would become Northhampton County. He also got some land on the island between his brothers William and Charles (James L. McLemore, III, p 46). Based on the migration patterns of his children, he is probably the ancestor of the Georgia and Alabama McLemore families. (James L. McLemore, III, p 50).

James Jr. began his independent productive life on the lands devised him by his father on Peahill Creek. As James MACLIMER, he witnessed a deed from Walther LASHLEY of Viriginia to (his sons?) Patrick and William LASHLEY dated August 17, 1737, and recorded in Bertie County. The following year, 1738, he married Nancy JONES of the same county. He witnessed deeds in Bertie County (as James MACKLIMORE in 1740, and after Northampton County was formed in 1741, in that county as well (in 1751 and 1753), indicating that he was still living on Peahill Creek. The last of these was the deed from Atkins MACLAMORE to his brother Young.

On May 9, 1755, James MACLAMORE was granted a patent for 612 acres in Northampton County, North Carolina, and within a few days conveyed 340 acres of this tract, located on Lizzard Creek at Spring Branch, to Jesse GILLIAM (May 20, 1755). He held onto the rest until 1758, when he conveyed 172 acres , located on "Jesse Gillham's Spring" to Marquess RAWLINGS, a Brunswick County, Virginia tailor. (Northhampton Deed Book 2, p. 445). By computation, this left him with about 100 acres of patented land, plus his homeplace inheritied from his father. However, this was the last reference to him in Northampton County.

He may have taken an oath in Granville County in 1770.

(James L. McLemore, III, pp 48, 49).

Robert McLemore Butler cites the following from "North Carolina Revolutionary Soldiers, Sailors, and Patriots & Descendants" Vol II:

James McLemore (R-PAT-NC) c 1718-1800 m. Nancy Jones

James married Nancy Jones about 1738 in Bertie County, North Carolina. Nancy was born before 1720; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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.