Virgil Earl McLemore

Notes:

On the 1910 Federal census, he was a boarder in the home of John and Maggie Shirum in Laurel, Mississippi, working as a Machinist in a Saw Mill. He was said to have been married 15 years, but his wife was not enumerated in the home with him.

Virgil married Nettie Brown on 7 Mar 1895 in Lauderdale County, Mississippi. Nettie was born after 1872; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Married:
http://www.lauderdalecoms.com/marriages/lcmarriagesm.htm

Notes:

Rev. William P. McLemore, in a section on his website devoted to notable McLemore's (Website: http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Meadows/3476/mclem1.htm), has the following biography:

Caleb Hill McLemore was born in Covington, MS, in January, 1829, and is the fourth of a family of nine children. His father, Richard McLemore, was a native of North Carolina, and removed from that state to Tennessee with his parents when but a boy. He remained at home, assisting in the care of his family until he was twenty-one years of age. He then came to Mississippi and was married in Covington County, in August 1821 (sic), to Nancy P. Hill. They had born to them two sons and seven daughters. Capt. McLemore was twenty-one years of age when he began to till the soil and raise livestock. He located in Lauderdale county, and there were few older residents than he. He was married in his twenty-fourth year to Mrs. L. C. Brown, widow of John Brown, of Clarke county, MS. Seven children were born of this union. In 1802 (sic), he enlisted in Company I, Thirty-seventh Mississippi Volunteer Infantry, and was in the arm of the Tennessee. When his captain was killed, he was promoted to the position, which he held during the remainder of the war. After the declaration of peace, he returned to his home in Lauderdale county and resumed the pursuit of agriculture on the place where he now lives. Captain McLemore was a member of the Masonic fraternity for nearly thirty years, and a Knight of Honor. He also belonged to the Farmers' Alliance. (Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Mississippi, Volume II, 1891).

In a biography of his son-in-law, E. J. Martin, it was noted that Captain McLemore" served during the entire course of the war, while he took part in every battle in which his command was engaged, including the battles around Cornith and in the Georgia campaign from Dalton as well as battles of Franklin, Nashville and Shiloh."

(Research):

Census Information:

1860 Census
Mississippi, Lauderdale County, Beat 1. PO Marion
Enumerated 27 June 1860 by W. V. White
Page 23 and 24
148-147
C.H. McLemore 31 M Farmer $14,500 $12,000 Miss
L.C. McLemore 25 F Domestic Business Wife
Mary V McLemore 6 F Miss
Richard L McLemore 4 M Miss
Theodore J McLemore 2 M Miss
Elizabeth Smith 15 F Dom Bus Miss
J.H. Page 25 M Farm Laborer NC
John Butler 22 M Farm Laborer Miss

1870 Census
not located

1880 Census
Mississippi, Lauderdale County, Meridian, Beat 1
Enumerated 16 Jun 1880 by E.J. Martin
Page 26 SD 2 ED 91
229-237
McLemore, C.H. W M 57 Farmer Miss NC Tenn
McLemore, Louisa W F 46 Wife Keeping House Miss --- NC
McLemore, T. J. W M 21 Son Farmer Miss Miss Miss
McLemore, Inez W F 19 Dtr Miss Miss Miss
McLemore, Oscar W M 12 Son In School Miss Miss Miss
McLemore, Mittie W F 10 Dtr In School Miss Miss Miss
McLemore, Earle W M 8 Miss Miss Miss
Vaughan, Jas W M 16 Boarder In School Alabama
Snell, R. J. W M 17 Boarder In School NC

Immediately following this listing was the listing for Ben and Sylvia McLemore, and Peter and Malinda McLemore. Both families were listed as Black.

1900 Census
Mississippi, Lauderdale County, Meridian, Beat 1
Enumerated 19 Jun 1900
SD 5, ED 11 Sheet 17B
326-330
McLemore, Caleb H Head M W Jan 1829 71 M47 Miss NC Tenn Farmer (Retired)
McLemore, Louisa C Wife W F M?? 1834 66 M47 7/6 Miss SC Ala
Smith, Madori B Sister-in-law W F May 1851 49 S Miss SC Ala

Caleb married Louisa C. Smith on 8 Nov 1853 in Lauderdale County, Mississippi. Louisa was born on 24 Mar 1834 in Mississippi; died on 28 Apr 1909; was buried in McLemore Cemetery, Meridian, Lauderdale County, Mississippi. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

It is assumed, but not proven, that Louisa's maiden name was SMITH, based on the name of her sister, shown as single, that lived with the family at the time of the 1900 Census. An Elizabeth Smith lived with the family in 1860 as well. Louisa was widowed at the time of her marriage to Caleb McLemore, her first husband being John Brown of Clarke County, Mississippi. It appears she was widowed at a very young age, as she was only 19 when she married Caleb. Lauderdale Marriage records show that Caleb H. McLemore married Mrs. Louisa C. Brown on 8 Nov 1853.

http://www.lauderdalecoms.com/marriages/lcmarriagesm.htm

Her FindAGrave Memorial page also lists her as Louisa Brown McLemore.

Notes:

Married:
http://www.lauderdalecoms.com/marriages/lcmarriagesm.htm

McLemore, Caleb H. to Brown, Mrs. Louisa C. 8 Nov 1853

Notes:

Meridian, the capital of Lauderdale county, is situated 140 miles east of the Mississippi river, from Vicksburg, and 15 miles west of the State of Alabama; being on the Mobile & Ohio Railroad, 135 miles above Mobile. It claims a population of 25,000 and is growing rapidly. The Alabama Great Southern, New Orleans & Northeastern and Alabama & Vicksburg railroads have their terminals at this point. Its location, about 1854, was the result of the proposed crossing of the Mobile & Ohio by the Alabama & Vicksburg, then known as the Vicksburg & Montgomery railroad.
Cotton and corn fields occupied its present site, surrounded by oak and pine forests over clay hills and bottom lands of the head waters of the Chickasawhay. Richard McLemore possessed most of the lands and his plantation home was the only notable residence in the vicinity. So little did the M.& O. regard the point for a while, that it was with difficulty persuaded to put in even a switch for a flag station; and when it did, called the place "Sowashee Station," from a creek near by.
L.A. Ragsdale, meanwhile, had brought out R.McLemore, and John T. Ball had purchased a tract of 80 acres, and both parties immediately began to lay off town lots. They were the pioneers. Mr. Ragsdale's plat was for "Ragsdale City;" Mr. Ball's for "Meridian," he having first secured a postoffice by that name.

Source: Rowland, Dunbar, LL.D. MISSISSIPPI; COMPRISING SKETCHES OF COUNTIES, TOWNS, EVENTS, INSTITUTIONS, AND PERSONS, ARRANGED IN CYCLOPEDIC FORM, V. 2. Atlanta, Southern Historical Publishing Association, c1907.

(Research):
Census Information:

1850 Census
Mississippi, Lauderdale County, Southern District
Enumerated 17 Oct 1850
315-324
Richard McLemore 52 Farmer South Carolina
Nancy McLemore 48 NC
Martha McLemore 23 Miss
Caleb McLemore 21 Miss
Sarah McLemore 17 Miss
Charity McLemore 15 Miss
Moriah [Juriah?} McLemore 13 Miss
Joshua McLemore 10 Miss
Equilla T/Siner? 90 North Carolina

1860 Census
Mississippi, Lauderdale County, Beat 1. PO Marion
Enumerated 27 June 1860 by W. V. White
Page 24
149-148
Richard McLemore 63 M Farmer $36,000 $60,000 Tenn
Catherine E. McLemore 40 F Dom Bus Miss
J.W. Wiggins 35 M Farmer Ala
Charity Wiggins 26 F Dom Bus Miss
William Wiggins 6 M Miss
Louis Wiggins 4 M Miss

1870 Census
Mississippi, Lauderdale County, Township 6, P.O. Meridian
Enumerated 28 July 1870
Page 31, Stamped 36
244-245
McLamore, Richard 71 M W Farmer $10,000 $1,000 SC
McLamore, Catherine 58 F W Keeping House Miss
David William 19 M W Attending School Miss
McLamore, John 65 M B Domestic Servant Miss
McLamore, Jane 50 F B Domestic Servant Miss

1880 Census
Mississippi, Lauderdale County, Beat 1
Enumerated 5 Jun 1880 by E.J. Martin
Page 2, SD 2, ED 91
14-18
McLemore, Richard W M 80 Farmer SC SC SC
McLemore, Isabella W F 52 Wife Keeping House Ala Ky Ga

Richard married Nancy Perry Hill on 9 Aug 1821 in Covington County, Mississippi. Nancy was born on 20 Mar 1802 in North Carolina; died on 30 Sep 1858 in Marion, Lauderdale County, Mississippi; was buried in McLemore Cemetery, Meridian, Lauderdale County, Mississippi. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Said to be the daughter of Caleb HILL and Mary FLYNT, and sister of Elizabeth HILL, the wife of Amos McLemore, a brother of Richard's.

Notes:

Married:
Marriage certificate not viewed.

Rueben McLemore prepared a two page typescript (undated) titled "McLemore History." He writes that "Richard McLemore was born in Virginia, Sept. 21, 1798. He married Nancy Perry Hill, also of Virginia, and in 1831 he moved into what is now Lauderdale County. Here he bought several thousand acres--the entire region of Meridian and Marionpppand built his home...To McLemore and Nany Hill were born two sons, Joshua and Caleb; and seven daughters, Mary, Nancy, Martha, Lavina, Sarah, Charity and Juriah. Sarah McLemore, the sixth child, was born in 1833. Her birth is the first recorded white birth in Lauderdale county. After the death of Nancy Hill McLemore in 1858, Mr. McLemore married Catherine E. Carter, and after her death, Isabella Ann Roberson. He died Aug. 11, 1881....The old family Bible, from which most of the information in this article was taken, is being kept at the home of Meridian businessman, T. J. McLemore, a great-grandson of Richard McLemore. There are, of course, no children of this Meridian pioneer living today, however, two grandchildren still make their homes in Lauderdale county. They are Mrs. Silas THOMPSON and Mrs. Sally McNEALEY, both of Bonita. "

Notes:

James L. McLemore, the author, and Mark Freeman both show that Amos was a son of Moses McLemore and grandson of Wright McLemore. However, another researcher, Jim White, does not think Amos descended from the Wright McLemore family. In January, 2009, he posted to Mark Freeman's McLemore online tree:

"Check the 1820 Giles County Tennessee Census and explain who Burwell and John McLemore are on that census..... Someone missed a necessary fact somewhere...Amos and his family did not descend of any Wright McLemore."

Some researchers also show them as the parents of Lavina, Matthew and Louisa.

Larry Kingsley is one such researcher. He shows that Lavina married John J. JOHNSTON, and that they had a large family.





(Research):
Census Information:

1790 Census
South Carolina, Cheraws District, St. Thomas

Amos McLemore 1-2-1

One Free White Male of 16 and Upwards: Amos
Two Free White Males under 16: Moses, Unknown Son
One Free White Female: Equilla

Amos married Equilla ??? between 1785 and 1787. Equilla was born between 1760 and 1762 in North Carolina; died after 1860 in Mississippi; was buried in McLemore Cemetery, Meridian, Lauderdale County, Mississippi. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Mark Freeman's notes for Equilla Byler http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~markfreeman/mclemore.html

Her surname, often repeated, is not certain. May be Aquilla Bierly.

She is also called Aquilla Byler, or Equilla Tiner (1850 census, listed as 90 years old; 1860 census, 98 years). She likely married 2nd Mr. Tiner.

Abraham & Jacob, were neighbors of the McLemores in Bedford & Giles Co. TN. When Amos McLemore bought land in Giles Co. in 1812, Abraham Byler, Jr. was one of the chain bearers for the survey. When Amos sold land there in 1816, Jacob Byler was a witness to the sale.

Byler is often described as a Swiss name, descendants of the Beiler family that immigrated from Bern, Switzerland to Pennsylvania. One family was that of Jacob Franklin Byler, born about 1765 in Pennsylvania - went with his parents to (now Rowan Co.) North Carolina where he later married Bathsheba Oxford, daughter of Samuel Oxford and Bathsheba Barrett.

Samuel Oxford's wife Bathsheba Barrett was the daughter of Jonathan Barrett (Perrot) and Jar Fly Jarman, said to have been a full blood Catawba Indian.

Some of the descendants of this family went through Tennessee. There is not a known link to this Equilla Byler. A lot of info is available on the Byler family.

When Amos McLemore bought land in Giles Co. in 1812, Abraham Byler, Jr. was one of the chain bearers for the survey. When Amos sold land there in 1816, Jacob Byler was a witness to the sale. It is possible that the surname for Equilla / Aquilla was taken from this, and not a marriage record.

A two page document entitled "McLemore History" by Rueben McLemore, Jr." states that when Richard McLemore "came to Lauderdale county he brought with him an old relation, a Mrs. Tiner. When she died he buried her behind the church he had built. One after another his family was added to the same plot until, after some time, the McLemore Cemetery was instituted and given to the usage of the public." The McLemore Cemetery is listed in the National Register of Historic Places, and is located at the corner of Sixth Street and Tenth Avenue. Others buried there include victims of the 1871 riot and the 1878 yellow fever epidemic.