The Descendants of William Henry Lee Family of John Lee in Homer, Illinois --- as compiled by --- Dennis Kowallek 293 Cochran Rd. Hamilton, OH 45013 Dedication This book is dedicated to the memory of my late father-in-law, Clyde Lawrence Lee, whose great-great- grandfather's descendants are the subject of this book. When I first started researching the various branches of our family tree, I believed that my father-in-law's family, including the LEEs, would be the toughest nut to crack, if only because he was a quiet man and wouldn't talk much about them. But, in many ways, his ancestors turned out to be the most interesting branch of the family to research. -- Dennis M. Kowallek Produced by: Dennis M. Kowallek, 293 Cochran Rd., Hamilton, Ohio 45013, (513) 756-9937, [email protected], http://kowallekfamily.com/genealogy/bio-lee-william-henry.htm Preface The information contained in this book is provided "as is". It is the responsibility of those who use this information to verify its accuracy. Every attempt has been made to substantiate names, dates, places, and relationships, but more effort has been expended on direct-line ancestors and their immediate families, whose information you will find to be the most accurate. I have included the first four generations of descendants of William Henry LEE in this book. Information on remaining generations is available upon written request. The most current information is available at: http://kowallekfamily.com/genealogy/bio-lee-william-henry.htm Additions and/or corrections can be sent to: Dennis M. Kowallek 293 Cochran Road Hamilton, Ohio 45013 [email protected] Copyright © 2009 by Dennis M. Kowallek. All rights reserved. Produced by: Dennis M. Kowallek, 293 Cochran Rd., Hamilton, Ohio 45013, (513) 756-9937, [email protected], http://kowallekfamily.com/genealogy/bio-lee-william-henry.htm Conventions Abbreviations Here are some of the common abbreviations used in this publication: abt. = about b. = born bap. = baptised bur. = buried cal. = calculated (usually backwards from date of death minus age at death) Co. = County d. = died WHL = William Henry Lee Surnames A surname enclosed in parentheses, [for example (LEE)], is used to indicate the unknown surname of a spouse. Census Dates Because census dates are notoriously inaccurate, when citing a census as a source I have made the assumption that actual birthdates are within 1 year (+/-) of the date listed in the census. Approximate Dates My use of approximate dates ("before", "after", or "between") is inclusive. So, for example, when I say a marriage date is "before 1931", I mean "up to and including 1931". Locations All locations are assumed to be in the United States unless specified otherwise. Places of Residence Places of residence may be represented by a postal address and not a physical location. For example, a person may be listed as a resident of Homer, Champaign Co., Illinois (for mailing purposes) and actually be a physical resident of neighboring Vance Township, Vermilion Co., Illinois. Produced by: Dennis M. Kowallek, 293 Cochran Rd., Hamilton, Ohio 45013, (513) 756-9937, [email protected], http://kowallekfamily.com/genealogy/bio-lee-william-henry.htm Table of Contents Introduction. .1 Descendant. .Chart . .for . .William . .Henry . LEE. .3 The. .Descendants . of. William. Henry. .LEE . .5 . First. Generation. .5 . Second. Generation. .8 . Third. .Generation . .31 . Fourth. .Generation . .76 . Source. Citations. .155 . Name. and. .Location . Indexes. .162 . Produced by: Dennis M. Kowallek, 293 Cochran Rd., Hamilton, Ohio 45013, (513) 756-9937, [email protected], http://kowallekfamily.com/genealogy/bio-lee-william-henry.htm Introduction Page 1 William Henry LEE was born on 8 Aug 1798. His place of birth is unknown … as many of the available census records contradict each other. The 1850 census, the only census taken during his lifetime which recorded place of birth, says he was born in South Carolina. Other secondary sources say he was born in Maryland, Tennessee, and Virginia. WHL can definitely be placed in Clinton County, Ohio on 5 Feb 1818, where he married Rebecca SEWELL. Rebecca was the daughter of John SEWELL and Priscilla HENDRICKS. We believe that William Henry LEE's mother was named Elizabeth. In 1818, when WHL married Rebecca SEWELL, consent was given by his step-father Richard CAST ... leading us to conclude that WHL's mother was alive and married to Richard CAST at the time. We also have deeds from before and after WHL's marriage (1815, 1823, and 1838) which list Richard's wife's name as Elizabeth. The only problem we have is that the 1830 Vernon Township, Clinton County, Ohio census does not list an older female in Richard's household. This set of facts supports two wives named Elizabeth, the first being WHL's mother (having died between 1823 and 1830). But this is in turn contradicted by the fact that no marriage record for a Richard CAST to the second Elizabeth (or anyone else) can be found in Clinton County or neighboring Warren County. So we are asked to either believe the census, or to believe the local marriage records. The second Elizabeth (b. 31 May 1772) died shortly after arriving in Vermilion County, Illinois on 15 Sep 1838 and is buried in McFarland Cemetery. If the 1830 census turns out to be wrong, this could end up being our WHL's mother. Her middle initial is given as 'C', which could be a clue to her maiden name. Other possible clues are the unusual middle names of several of WHL's grandchildren ... Ryland, Clarkson, and several Careys. Sources show that Richard CAST had an even earlier wife, possibly named Rebeckah, and had seven known children (born from about 1797 to 1815) ... some of whom could be half-siblings to our William Henry LEE. It has been rumored that this LEE family is related to that of Robert E. LEE, the famous Confederate general. Even more specifically, it has been stated that our WHL may have been a nephew of Robert E. LEE. However, Y-DNA tests on a direct male descendant of WHL prove that these LEE families are not related. In the 1820 census, William Henry LEE is enumerated in Vernon Township, Clinton County, Ohio. On 25 Oct 1827, WHL bought 107 acres from A. Fitzhugh & wife. William and Rebecca sold this land to Wm. Haines on 1 Oct 1829. This transaction was witnessed by James DALBY (Rebecca's brother-in- law) and David SEWELL (Rebecca's brother). The description of the property reads... "Beginning at the stake in the line of John (or Isham) Michel thence S8E78 poles to two red oaks Aaron ??????'s (possibly Carnahan's) line thence ??2W1?? poles to two ?????? elms and maple thence N47W150 poles to an elm red oak and maple thence thence N45E55 poles to four elms ?????? (maybe corner?) to John Sanderson thence east 103 poles to a forked white oak in the county roads thence N25E18 poles to a hickory inside Michel's line thence east 30 poles to the beginning containing one hundred and seven acres and one hundred and thirty four poles be the same more or less." This property appears to be in (or on the border of) Marion Township. Produced by: Dennis M. Kowallek, 293 Cochran Rd., Hamilton, Ohio 45013, (513) 756-9937, [email protected], http://kowallekfamily.com/genealogy/bio-lee-william-henry.htm Introduction Page 2 William Henry LEE and family moved to Vermilion County, Illinois in 1829, where he is enumerated in the 1830 census. He lived in Vance Township and owned property in Township 18 Section 2 and Township 19 Section 35. There were several William H. LEEs living in Vermilion County at this time, so care must be taken to keep them straight. To the best of the author's knowledge, our WHL is not related to the family of Vermilion County's Squire LEE. Our WHL is mentioned in the following quotation from Beckwith's History of Vermilion County, Illinois… "The Goshen Baptist Church was organized about 1832, and services were held in the Davis school- house and the Stearns school-house, at private houses, and wherever most convenient, until 1835, when a church edifice was built, as before stated, on the ground occupied by Samuel Beaver's house. Elder Freeman Smalley and Elder G. W. Riley, as in nearly all the other churches of this denomination in the county, were the leaders in this, and Benjamin Smalley preached here with more less regularity for some years. The building was frame, 30 X 40. Harvey and Luther Stearns, William Lee and James Elliott, were the leading men in this organization, and it was largely through their instrumentality that the church was built." Abigail LEE (said to be b. 2 Jan 1829, d. 3 Mar 1850, bur. Davis Cemetery) is often listed as a daughter of William Henry and Rebecca LEE. However, she is not on the list of known burials for Davis Cemetery. I suspect that she has been confused with her cousin, Abigail SMITH (dau. of James SMITH and Mary SEWELL). Abigail SMITH (b. 31 Jan 1829, d. 2 Mar 1850, bur. Davis Cemetery) was the first wife of Henry OAKWOOD. William Henry LEE died intestate on 14 Jan 1855 (Alvin STEARNS administered his estate). His wife Rebecca Sewell LEE died 18 Jun 1881. They are both buried at Davis Cemetery (near Fairmount, Illinois). Produced by: Dennis M.More Kowallek, interview 293 Cochran question Rd., Hamilton, ideas found Ohio 45013,in Capture (513) 756-9937, the Memories [email protected], books from http://kowallekfamily.com/genealogy/bio-lee-william-henry.htm www.myancestorsfound.com Descendant Chart for William Henry LEE Page 3 An up-to-date Descendant Chart for William Henry LEE can be found at..