Individual Details

ENTRY RECORD BOOK 1770-1796
p.33 12 Nov 1777 James Cox entered 400 acres on W side of E fork of Cascade adj James Cox and Maryanney Cox. Transfer'd to William Macbee Jun 1783 by James Cox's order. Joshua Stone Survr.
[This is the last entry for any of the McBees. It's likely that of the William who married MaryAnn Cox.]

Married Mary Ann Cox. The name Gannum McBee shows up in the early generations with absolutely no source - I believe the name may have entered the family later through the marriage with Mary Ann Cox and friendship with her relatives. There were Cox families already in Tennessee before the McBees went there. There were Gannum families in Pittsylvania Co VA at the same time as William & Mary Ann Cox McBee. Later in Tennessee, Knox County, I found two marriages between the Gannum & Cox families.

Pittsylvania DB 4, p.519
30 Jan 1778 William McBee Sr to William MacBee Jr. 139 acres for 10£. Land on Branches of Mountain Creek. Begin at Jeremiah Walkers, along his line, a new line. Signed: William (W) McBee Wit: James Cox, Dalton Lane, Israel Macbee.
28 May 1778. Acknowledged by William Magbee

Pittsylvania Co VA, DB 5, p.335
p.505 Articles of agreement between James Cox & William Macbee, James Cox of Henry Co and MareyAnn Macbee of Pittsylvania County. Having had a patent granted to them of 275 acres they with the said Maryanns husband William Macbee hath agreed upon a future division of the said tract or parcel of 275 acres, both sides east fork of Cascade Creek. James Cox's part: [metes & bounds; hard to read] William Macbee; pointers in Russells line.
20 Mar 1780. Signed: James Cox, William Macbee, Maryann (x) Macbee
Wit: James Cox, Dutton Lane
21 Mar 1780 proved by oaths of witnesses
Patent for 275 acres grated to James Cox and Mary Anna Cox on 20 Jul 1768. PB 37, p.269. Location given as above. Likely brother and sister. Perhaps their father had died.
Pittsylvania Co VA DB 7
p.111 2nd Jun 1782 William McBee Junr of Washington, Sylluvan County in the State of North Carolina to Presley Thornton of Pittsy. 300£ pd by Presley Thornton. Tract on Waters of ???Mountain Spring
Bounded by Joseph Cons lines on the Eastward and William Mitchells SouthWestwardly, touching Edward Cahalls and joined by unpatented land Northward. 250 acres according to old established bounds.
Signed: William Macbee
Wit: Will. Tunstall, William Mitchel, Wat. Lamb, David Scales, Clement Nance
21 Jun 1783 proved by oaths of two. 19 Aug 1783, proved by another witness.
Sullivan County was one of the divisions of Washington Co NC and took place in 1779. I have not found the purchase of this land. It doesn't seem to be the land from his father.
Pittsylvania Co DB 8, p.81
20 Nov 1786 William Macbee and Maryann his wife of Washington County, NC, to James Cox. of Pittsylvania Co VA. 75£. 137 acres in Pittsylvania Co, both sides East fork of Cascade Crk. Pointers in Russells line.
Signed: William McBee, Maryann (M) Macbee
Wit: William Short, John Parks, Aaron Hutching.
15 Jan 1787. Proved by oaths of two winesses. Further proved 16 Jul 1787
21 Nov 1786. William Short & John Parks, Esqr, JP's of Pittsylvania Co examined Maryann, wife of William and she relinquished dower.
This is land from the division with James Cox - they appear to be selling it back to him


Washington Co TN, Vol. 1, p.308
State of North Carolina Grant #586. 50sh for every hundred acres paid by William McBee. Grant of 358 acres in Washington County, NC on Nobb [Knob] Creek. Begin North side of creek in Fains Line, Capt. William Coxes line, William Grishams line, William Waldons line, Jordan Roches line, North bank of Nobb Creek and up the meanders of the creek to the beginning. Grant to be registered within 12 months.
10 Nov 1784
Signed: Alexr. Martin, Governor
The grant above is also recorded in Washington Co TN, Vol. 2, p.87. The 2nd recording is the same except the name William Waldon appears as William Waldron.
Possibly, his brother James received a grant of 100 acres on the same date. His land was on the Fall Branch of Horse Creek. James did not live in Tennessee, or at least did not stay, as he went to Wilkes Co, GA. I believe this to be the land of this William - he was married to a Cox and he could sign his own name as in the following deeds, which his father could not do. His father made his mark.

The following deeds appear to the disposition of the above land, although the acreage totals almost 40 acres more than the 358 acres granted.

Washington Co TN [NC], Vol 3, p.87
9 Feb 1788 William McBee to Thomas Gibson, both of Washington Co NC for 100£. 117 acres. Begin at cedar on Knob Creek, William McBee's line, limestone rock on the Indian Ridge, oak in Waldrons line, Samuel Dentons line on Knob Creek, up the meanders of the Creek.
Signed: William McBee
Wit: John Carr, Senr; John Carr, Junr; Samuel Denton

Washington Co TN [NC], Vol 3, p.150
9 Feb 1788 William McBee to Samuel Denton, both of Washington Co NC for 100£. 152 acres on Knob Creek. Begin at maple in John Carrs line, oak in Grishams line, limestone rock in Gibsons line, cedar on Knob Creek in said Samuel Dentons line, up the meanders of the Creek to the beginning.
Signed: William McBee
Wit: Thomas Gibson, John Carr, John Carr, Junr.

Washington Co TN [NC], Vol 8, p.195
9 Feb 1788 William McBee to John Carr both of Washington Co NC for 70£. 132 acres in Washington Co NC. Begin at cedar stake on Knob Creek in Fains line, oak in Wm Coxes line, William Grishams line, oak in said William McBees line to maple on Knob Creek then up the meanders of the Creek.
Signed: William McBee
Wit: Thomas Gibson, Samuel Hinton, John Carr, Junr.
Feb. Session, 1788. Proved in open court & ordered recorded
Registered 27 May 1806.

In 1779, Sullivan Co was formed out of Washington Co, then in 1782, Greene Co TN was formed out of Washington Co. Hawkins Co was formed from Sullivan in 1786. In 1792, both Jefferson & Knox Counties were formed out of parts of Greene Co & Hawkins. Anyone wanting to study this family further probably needs to examine the early records of all these counties.

Early Tennessee Tax Lists, by Byron & Barbara Sistler, 1977, lists in Franklin Co TN in 1812, both a William McBee and William McBee, Jr. which doesn't quite seem to fit any of these Williams.

Around 1792, William McBee purchased land on the north side of the Holston River where he constructed a ferry. He also purchased 25 acres from William Terrell & Joseph Evans on the south side of the river. Operation of the ferry went to his youngest son Gainum, in 1831 he was authorized by the state legislature to build what is thought to have been the first bridge acrross the Holston at the site of the ferry.
William McBee apparently conducted additional business at the ferry site: In 1795, the following ad appeared in the Knoxville Gazette:
"Travellers may be supplied, on the lowest terms, with liquors, corn, oats, and fodder.."
There is an historical marker at the site:
McBee's Ferry
1/2 mile NW, near the present railway bridge, this ferry was established by William McBee in the last decade of the 19th century. Many early travelers have, in their diaries, mentioned using it.

In the Jefferson Co TN Will Book 2, I found the following:
WB 2, p.37
Dudley Cox, Will. 21 Jan 1812
Three daughters: Betsy, Poley [Polly] and Darkiss [Dorcas] to have all my land on Mossy Crk to be equally divided between them.
Daughter Leah - $20
Remainder to be divided among the three daughters.
Executors: brother William Cox and Robert Massingile
Signed: Dudley Cox
Wit: John Sanders, John R. Hamboak, John Hick
p.45 Sale held 14 & 15 Jan 1813, William Cox, Ext.
p.45 Purchases by Lemuel McBee - 1 mattock for $1.60
William McBee - 1 mattock for $1.30
William McBee - 1 mattock for $1.12
p.47 Pad to William McBee on notes - $297.87
The above was all returned to the court as part of Settlement 16 Dec 1813. Commissioners: Thomas Snoddy, Benjamin Thornburgh, Adam Meek
p.335 Mar Session 1821 Benjamin Thornburgh & Thomas Snoddy, Commissioners to settle with Benjamin Neal, Guardian of Betsey, Polly & Dorcas Cox, children of Dudley Cox, dec'd. Report signed on 13 Mar 1821.
Dudley Cox was the son of William Cox as shown by his will, dated 19 Dec 1804, found in Jefferson Co TN Will Book 1, p.25. William Cox named no daughter MaryAnn in his will, but he did have a son James. Notice that William McBee's grant adjoined land of William Cox. Any relationship to MaryAnn is unknown.

Will of William Cox, Jefferson Co WB 1, p.25
Names wife Mary; to receive furniture, stock (except the sorrel mare & cold & Negro Nance) and the farm on which he now lived during her widowhood.
Daughter Mary Gulls, Negro Sal now in her possession and $10
Daughter Elizabeth Jones, $10
Son Dudley, Negro Jacob now in his possession and $1
Sons William & Reed to have land West side Massey/Mossey Creek to be equally divided with an east-west line. Reed to have East side, William the West side
Son William to have slave Dick and bed and furniture
Son Reed to have slave Tom, sorrel mare & cold, and bed & furniture
Son Hopkins, slave boy Sandy
Son James, slave girl Luce
Daughter Leannah, slave girl Rachel
Remainder to be dived equally. Wife and son William, Executors.
19 Dec 1804. Signed William Cox Sr.
Wit: Willinton Talbott, Georce Hickle, Joseph (X) Boyd, Jess Bennett

Tennessee Land Grants, Vol. II, Sistler
There were grants to a William McBee earlier in Washington Co TN which were probably those of his father. These in Knox Co, I would believe are this William's.
All in Knox Co, Eastern District, granted to William McBee
1817 - 40 acres, Bk 5, p.93 Grant #5494
1821 - 37 acres, Bk 6, p.252 Grant #6740
1825 - 37 acres, Bk 12, p.301 Grant #11379
The only other grants in Knox Co to a McBee were those to Ganum McBee and are listed in his notes.


RootsWeb Message Board "McBee", 8 May 2000
Knox Co TN, Estate Bk 4, p.136
Will of William McBee written 22 Jul 1822, probate Apr 1826
Names wife Mary Ann; youngest son Gainum C. McBee
Oldest dau Waters [last name? Walters? ] and her children William, John Gainum, Samuel & Sarah Ann
Eldest son Lemuel McBee [found in Knox Co census 1830 & 1840, born between 1780-1790]
2nd daughter Betsy Ann, youngest daughter Abigail
Deaf & dumb grandson, Gainum Frazer.
Wit: William Cox, William Brazleton

See email of Annette Mey:
Robert McGinnis sent the following plus the copy of William McBee's Will. Robert McGinnis has done extensive work on cemetery data in Knox County, Tennessee. If you obtain the rest of "the story" of William McBee's Will, I would be very interested.
William McBee Departed this life January 28th 1826 Aged 70 Years (vault) (see will & obituary)
(1) Mary Ann wife of William McBee Departed this life October 26 1840 Aged 84 Years (vault)
(2) Lemuel son of Wm & Mary Ann McBee married Sarah (Meek) on January 22 1806, Departed this life May 23 1843 Aged 60 Years (vault)
(3) Inscription unreadable (vault)
(4) L C Walters Died September 29 1849 Aged 18 Years, 4 Months & 6 Days
(The above are buried in the McBee II Cemetery in Eastern Knox County, Tennessee.)
April Sessions 1826
Will of William McBee
In the name of God Amen, I William McBee of the County of Knox and State of Tennessee being of sound mind and disposing memory considering the uncertainty of human life and being desirous to dispose of all such worldly substance as it hath pleased God to bless me with, I give and bequeath the same in manner following that is to say, 1) I give unto my beloved wife Maryann McBee all that tract of land with the Ferry that I live on containing 502 acres her lifetime and after her death I give it to my youngest son Gainum C McBee and I also give to my wife her choice of the negroes and all my household furniture and also my stock of every kind and all my money to have her lifetime and after her death all the negroes together with the other personal property to be equally divided among my children. 2) I give to my oldest daughter Libby Waters, widow 130 acres of land lying in Knox County the land she is living on to hold her lifetime or widowhood and then to be equally divided among her children and I also give to my oldest daughter one negro man named Nutta to have together with the balance of negroes she will share at my death and the balance at her mother’s death to have her lifetime or widowhood and after her death the Land the negroes and their increase I give to her children William, John Gainum, Samuel, and Sarah Ann to be equally divided among them. 3) I give to my eldest son Lemuel McBee one negro man named Jo now in his possession. 4) I give to my second daughter Betsy Ann two negroes, one named Morners and the other named Nancy given to her sometime ago. 5) I give to my youngest daughter Abigail two negroes named Kissy and Elsy now in her possession. 6) I give unto my grandson def and dum boy Gainum Frazier one negro boy named Simon son of Bettie. 7) I give to my youngest son Ganium C McBee one negro boy named Davy and also the balance of my lands at my death and Gainum to pay to his oldest brother Lemuel McBee Eight Hundred dollars in current money or current banknotes of the State of Tennessee within two years after the proving this my Last Will and Testament. 8) After the payment of my debts the balance of my negroes I give to my beloved children to be equally divided among them and not to be sold. 9) I do hereby Constitute and appoint my beloved wife Mary Ann Executration and Gainum C McBee and Julian Frazier executors of this my last Will and Testament. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 22nd July 1822.
Wm McBee SEAL
Acknowledged in the presence of :
William Cox, William Brazleton, William P Cobb
Samuel Todd


William and his wife are buried in Eastern Knox Co, TN, McBee Cemetery.


http://jc-schools.net/rss-history/meeks.htm
The McBee family also played an important part in the history of Strawberry Plains, TN. In 1792 William McBee established a ferry across the Holston River. Andrew Jackson and Davy Crockett were frequent ferry Passengers. From 1845-1850 his son G.C. McBee built a public toll bridge near the ferry. This is believed to be the first bridge to span the Holston River. The bridge was later flooded and the McBee family resumed the ferry business. In 1902 the ferry was purchased by Knox County.

1850, Knox Co TN, Subdivision 15, p.157, Dwelling 883, Family 892
Gainum C. McBee, age 51, Farmer, Value of real estate $20,000, b. TN [as was the entire family]
Sarah, age 48.
William, 24, Merchant
Robert, 21, Student
Albert, 15, Student
Lousia, 12
Gainum 8
Amanda 7
Calvin Spence, age 34, Farmer
Israel Huddleston, age 20, Student

The will of his son Lemuel was apparently also witnessed by William's youngest son as G. C. McBee. This will shows that William McBee's estate may not have yet been settled. [a more complete version is in the notes of Lemuel McBee]

p.675/255
Will
Lemuel McBee of Granger, TN, formerly of the County of Knox.
1st My beloved wife Sarah McBee
2nd To my eldest son William C. McBee, a piece of land
3rd To my second son Adam H. McBee the tract of land he now lives on
4th To my third son Israel [later entries and the censuses indicate that this son was named Issac, not Israel] M. McBee, the lower half of a tract
5th To my fourth son Ganum C. McBee, the upper half of the above mentioned Island where he now lives together with a Negro Boy to be equal in value to one now in his possession namely Manual., or two small ones to amount to the same in value as. Manual now in his possession will have to be divided amongst the heirs of Wm McBee dec'd agreeable to a decree of Chancery Court at Knoxville.
6th To my fifth son Lemuel J. McBee a tract of land 206 acres
7th to my Sixth son, Milo McBee. Two Negroes, Joseph & Frank together with $1000
8th to my Seventh son Daniel M. McBee. All that tract of land
9th to my Eighth son Callaway McBee, one Negro boy namely Alfred together with $1000 and one yearling gray filly
10th to my youngest son James A. McBee
11th to my daughter Patsey, five Negroes
12th to my daughter Mary Ann the tract of land bought of Stephen Graves containing 150 acres the land she now lives on together with one Negro choice of any of the female slaves I may draw at the Division of the slaves belonging to the Estate of William McBee dec'd. which is to take place at Knoxville betwixt this and next October.
Appoint my two sons Israel M. McBee and Ganum C. McBee executors of this my LW&T. Set my hand and seal April 21st 1843. Lemuel McBee
Wit: G. C. McBee, T. D. Thornton, Samuel Shield. Rec. 5 Jul 1843

The division of the estate of William McBee must have taken place - the final estate settlement of son Lemuel McBee filed with the Grainger Co Court on 28 Sep 1846, had this note:
Amount rec'd from Estate of Wm. McBee decd $110.61

In an attempt to find the estate settlement above, I looked at Microfilm #1021330, Court Minutes from Knox Co TN, Books A & B, 1832-1850 - there was an Index. There was little to find except evidence of difficulty in settling the estate of William McBee:
p.9a & 10a 21 Oct 1833 Julian & Betsy Ann Frazier vs. Ganum C. & Mary Ann McBee. In this cause the Respondents by their solicitor having moved the Court to dissolve the Injunction which has issued in said cause, it was ordered adjudged and decreed by the court that said motion be _____ and that said injunction be continued.
p.20a Tuesday, April 21st, 1835 Julian Frazier & Betsy Ann Frazier vs. Ganum C. & Mary Ann McBee. It appearing to the satisfaction of the Court that this cause has not bee prosecuted in conformity with the rules; it is therefore ordered adjudged and decreed by the Court that complainants Bill be dismissed and that he pay all the costs accruing in this cause for which execution may issue.
p.341 Sat, Oct 8th 1842 McBee & Ramsey vs. Betsy Ann Frazier & others. Crossbill. This cause comeing on to be heard & determined before the Hon. Thos. L. Williams, Chancellor, etc. upon bill & answer etc. And it appearing from the pleadings in the case that the complainants are not entitled to the relief prayed for in the bill in this case - the chancellor is pleased to adjudge & decree that the bill be dismissed & that the complainants pay the costs.
Curious about who Ramsey might be, I looked back in the Index and found on p. 193, Apr 6, 1841, a case concerning Wm. B. A. Ramsey, as Administrator of James Scott vs. Julian Frazier & others. It was a request for dismissal of the Bill.

Birth	Abt 1756	Halifax County, Virginia
Death	28 Jan 1826	Knox County, Tennessee
Marriage		Mary Ann Cox

Spouse	Mary Ann Cox (1756 - 1840)
Child	Libby McBee ( - )
Child	Lemuel McBee (1783 - 1843)
Child	Betsey Ann McBee (1780 - )
Child	Abigail McBee (1789 - )
Child	Gainum C. McBee (1799 - )

Father	WILLIAM McBee (1725 - 1812)
Mother	ABIGAIL ?Hubbard ( - )
Sibling	SELETHA MCBEE (1751 - 1830)
Sibling	James McBee (1757 - 1814)
Sibling	Israel McBee (1761 - 1861)
Sibling	Susannah McBee (1762 - 1850)
Sibling	Isaac McBee (1764 - 1849)
Sibling	Abigail McBee (1770 - 1825)
Sibling	Samuel McBee (1772 - 1858)
Sibling	?Tabitha Ann McBee (1780 - )