John McLemore, III

Notes:

Probably the oldest of John McLemore's three sons. His father had devised his plantation to Joel and John, with the division between them to be made by his executors. No record has been found of this division, but thereafter the two appear to treat their shares separately. Joel seems to have ended up with the 80 acres, more or less, lying on the north side of Frank's Branch, while John must have received the remaining part (100 acres, more of less) lying south of the branch. (James L. McLemore, III, p. 63)

Apparently John III's only deed record was a chattel mortgage in which he conveyed certain personal property to Humphrey DREWRY to secure the latter 42 pounds in current money of Virginia. This instrument was dated April 8, 1797, and recorded October 16, 1797 (Southampton Deed Book 8, p. 681). He made no conveyance of any land during his lifetime, and apparently what he received from his father he died with. It uncertain when John died, but the same Humphrey DREWRY qualified before the Southampton County Court on February 20, 1815, on the estate of John McLemore, presumably John III (Southampton Order Book 13, p. 63); it is undoubtedly the same John McLemore who gave the chattel morgage above. (James L. McLemore, III, p. 64). James L. McLemore, III goes on to detail some conflicting, but undocumented information, that John MAY have still been alive at the time of death of his brother James, said to be dated September 17, 1820.

John married Rebecca Womack before 1788. Rebecca was born before 1768; died before 1794. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Married:
They married prior to 1788, at which time they jointly witnessed the marriage on January 17, 1788, of Anselm HARRISON and Elizabeth GEE (Southampton Marriage Register, p. 54).

1. Elizabeth "Betsey" McLemore was born between 1786 and 1788 in Southampton County, Virginia; and died.
2. James McLemore was born between 1788 and 1790 in Southampton County, Virginia; and died.
3. Polly McLemore was born between 1790 and 1792 in Southampton County, Virginia; and died.
4. John McLemore, IV was born between 1792 and 1794 in Southampton County, Virginia; died between 1836 and 1837 in Southampton County, Virginia.

John married Sylvia Reese on 13 Mar 1794 in Southampton County, Virginia. Sylvia was born before 1774; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Married:
Southampton County Marriage Register, p. 96.

The year following their marriage, 1795, John McLemore received on behalf of his wife Sylvia a bequest from the estate of her mother Olive (Southampton Will Book 4, pp. 578, 684). (James L. McLemore, III, p. 64).

Notes:

On September 5, 1749, a patent was issued for 100 acres on Poplar Creek to John Macklemore (Patent Book 28). This patent was probably to John Jr., however, rather than to his father, and was for land apparently adjoining that of the elder Macklemore; shortly thereafter John Macklemore Jr. and his wife Elizabeth, of newly formed Southampton County, conveyed to his father, John Sr., a tract of unspecified acreage, but apparently encompassing all of this 100 acre patent on the south side of Poplar Swamp, by deed dated and recorded January 8, 1751/2, and witnessed by Burrel Macklemore (Surry Deed Book 6 (1749-1753), p. 179). This conveyance gave John Sr. a plantation of 250 acres on Poplar Creek, on Southampton/Surry (soon to be Sussex) County line. Apparently son John no longer needed this land for himself, as his new father-in-law, William SPENCE, conveyed 80 acres, more or less (cut from a September 5, 1749 patent to him), to his daughter Elizabeth Macklemore, land which lay on the north side of "Frank's Branch", adjoining the lands of Thomas CLIFTON, William Spence and John CALTHROP, the deed therefor being dated August 28, 1750, and recorded in the Southampton County Clerk's Office on April 11, 1751 (Deed Book 1, p. 215). Shortly thereafter this same William SPENCE conveyed to his son-in-law John Macklemore (Jr.) an additional 100 acres, more of less, from the same patent, described as adjoining the aforesaid branch, CALTHROP, CLIFTON and one Capt. John RUFFIN, by deed dated October 9, and recorded October 11, 1751 (Southampton Deed Book 1, p. 266.). (James L. McLemore, III, p. 56).

John McLemore, Jr. and his wife Elizabeth witnessed the will of Simon TURNER, dated July 7, 1761, and admitted to probate in Southampton County December 10, 1762 (Southampton Will Book 1, p. 410). (James L. McLemore, Chapter IX "Simon Turner and his Southampton County Descendants, frp, an unidentified manuscript in the possesion of Rudy Leverett.

In addition to the land conveyed to John and Elizabeth by his father-in-law, he had other land holdings. In a deed dated January 14, 1762, he conveyed to William Watson GRAY 130 acres bounded by William TAYLOR and the William SPENCE Estate on the east, Thomas CLIFTON on the southeast, and Hugh NORVILL and Henry HARRIS on the north (Southampton Deed Book 3, p. 109). Thomas CLIFTON was the husband of his wife's sister, Sarah. A few years after the conveyence, the grantee William Watson GRAY died, and in 1770 John McLemore sued his executor, John GRAY. The verdict came back for GRAY on September 13, 1771 (Southampton Order Book 5, p. 457). A month earlier, John conveyed his 80 acre tract on the north side of Frank's Branch to Henry MOUNGER as security for a loan of 22 pounds (Southampton Deed Book 4, p. 347), but was able to repay the loan and MOUNGER released the 80 acres by deed of release (Southampton Deed Book 5, p. 209). (James L. McLemore, III, p. 61).

In a 1986 letter to Rudy Leverett, the author notes that John McLemore, Jr., along with his first cousin William McLemore, was a witness to a deed of "acquitaner" and a companion deed involving Thomas TURNER recorded May 9, 1776.

John McLemore's will, dated December 27, 1782, and admitted to probate in the Clerk's office of Southampton County (Will Book 4, p. 15), was transcribed by James L. McLemore III as follows:

In the name of God Amen. This 27th day of December 1782 I John McLemore of Southampton county being sick and weak in body but of sound and disposing mind and memory do make & ordain this my last will & testament in manner & form following: first & foremost: I recommend my soul to almighty God who gave it in hope of a joyful resurrection of the same. And as for what wordly goods it hath pleased God to bestow upon me I dispose of the as follows (to wit):

Item: I give to my sons John and Joel McLemore all my land to be equally divided between them, the division to be made by my Executors hereafter to be mentioned together with whosoever they think proper to appoint, and in case either of my above mentioned sons shall die without lawfull issue or dispose of their part of said land, then I give the whole of said land to the other son above mentioned, to him and his heirs forever, but in case both of my said sons should die without lawful issue or make sale of sd land then I give my said land to my Daughters Elizabeth, Olive & McKinna McLemore to be sold & the money equally divided between them, to them and their heirs forever.

Item: I give to my son James McLemore one bed and furniture, some pewter he has already in possesion, also all the money that he owes me except four pounds S five that he is to pay to George Ivey.

Item: I give to my daughters Martha MORGAN & Mary NORVILL to each of them ten Shillings.

Item: I give to my daughter Priscilla McLemore one Bed & furniture which she has in possession, and after her decease to her daughter Eliza. McLemore to her heirs forever.

Item: I leave all the rest of my estate after my just Debts being paid to be equally divided between my wife Eliz. McLemore & three daughters Elizabeth, Olive and McKinna McLemore to them and their heirs forever.

I do hereby appoint John ROGERS and Thos. TURNER Executors of this my last will and testament. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal the day and year first above written.

John McLemore (Seal)

Sealed, signed and acknowledged in presence of us
John GRAY, Frederic EMMORY, Thos. (his mark) BLAKE, Thos. TURNER

At a court held for the County of Southampton on the 8th day of May 1783. This will was proved by the oaths of John Gray, Frederic Emmory, and Thos. Blake three of the witnesses thereto & ordered to be recorded. S. KELLO

John married Elizabeth Spence. Elizabeth was born between 1730 and 1740; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Her sister Sarah, was married to Thomas CLIFTON, the Clifton's and McLemore's being neighbors.

When Elizabeth's father, William SPENCE died in early 1758, his will left all of his land to another daughter, Mary, and left his son-in-law John five shillings, apparently for Elizabeth. Other bequests were made to SPENCE's son John and to (daughter?) Lucy POWELL, with Simon TURNER Sr. named as executor. (Southampton Will Book 1, p. 240). John McLemore sued his father-in-law's estate, receiving a conditional judgement on October 12, 1758 (Southampton Order Book 2, p. 460), which matured at the next term of court into a full judgement on November 9, 1758 (Order Book 2, p. 469). A jury was ordered impaneled to hear the issue of damages only, and they did so on January 12, 1759, finding for him in the amount of 12 pounds, 5 shillings, 9 pence, 3 farthings (Order Book 2, p. 483). (James L. McLemore, III, p. 60).

Note that William Spence's executor, Simon Turner, own will dated July 7, 1761, was witnessed by Thomas Clifton (husband of Sarah McLEMORE), John McLEMORE, Jr., Elizabeth McLEMORE (John's wife), and Mary SPENCE.

Notes:

Married:
Eldon and Ann McLemore of Derby, Kansas, show that she was listed as Elizabeth Spence Faithy on the US and International Marriage records, 1560-1900.

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.