Individual Details

Those studying the James, John, and William Leas of Caswell and Person counties, North Carolina, have their work cut out for them. Here is a good example. Some researchers place John (Country Line) Lea as a son of James (Country Line) Lea, others ascribe no parents, while some strong tradition holds that he was a brother of Captain William Lea and James (Kilgore Branch) Lea. Following is an excerpt from Report of Research on The Lea Family in Virginia & North Carolina Before 1800, Ben L. Rose (1984) at 127:

Although family traditions suggest that John Lea of Country Line creek was a brother or a kinsman of James Lea of Kilgores Branch of N Hico and of Capt. William Lea of South Hico, the only evidence I found to support this is some similarity in the names of children and grandchildren. On the other hand, I found no evidence to contradict it.

This brings into serious question the ancestry of John (Country Line) Lea.

Caswell Co NC WB E, p.5
April Court 1803 Will of John Lea written 10 Mar 1803. Wife Winnyfred and six children: James, John, Benjamin, Jeremiah, Nancy, and Sally. Part of land to daughter Frankey forever; dau Betsy Evans. John & Solomon Graves appointed to appraise & divide estate.
Exec: sons John, James, Benjamin & Jeremiah
Wit: Solomon Graves, Barzillai Graves, John Graves.
Signd: John Lea, Sen.
James Lea and Jerre Lea qualified as executors.
p.14 Sale of estate of John Lea Sen. held 7 Jun 1803. Buyers included Solomon Graves, Jeremiah Lea, James Lea, John Lea (CB), Thomas Lea.
p.61 12 Nov 1803 Division of negroes and crop of corn & tobacco of estate of John Lea agreeable to clause in will to legatees: James Lea, William Zachary, Benjamin Lea, Thomas Lea, Jeremiah Lea, John Lea.

Death	1803	Caswell County, North Carolina
Marriage		Winnifred Kavanaugh

Spouse	Winnifred Kavanaugh ( - )
Child	James Lea (Shoo-Boot) ( - )
Child	John Lea (Canebrake) ( - 1839)
Child	Benjamin Lea ( - 1833)
Child	Jeremiah Lea ( - 1821)
Child	Betsy Lea ( - )
Child	Living
Child	Living
Child	Living

Father	James Lea (Country Line) ( - 1792)
Mother	Anne Herndon (1707 - 1777)
Sibling	William Lea ( - )
Sibling	Nancy Lea ( - )
Sibling	Isabell Lea ( - 1796)
Sibling	Delphia Lea ( - )
Sibling	Luke Lea (1734 - )
Sibling	Living
Sibling	Major Lea (1742 - )