Individual Details

THE VESTRY BOOK AND REGISTER OF BRISTOL PARISH, VIRGINIA 1720-1789
Transcribed & published by Churchill Gibson Chamberlayne; Richmond, VA. Privately Printed. 1898.
p.386 Tho. Son of Wm and Eliz. Walter Born 16th Janr 1727.
and
p.340
Vadrey s. of Wm and Susana Macbie Born 23 Decemr 1734 Bapt 19 Apr 1735.

[This is the only child of William McBee's with specific date and place of birth - Bristol Parish was in Prince George Co. It also places him as a neighbor of William Walters in an earlier time.]

ENTRY RECORD BOOK, 1737-1770, Chiarito [Area that would become Pittsylvania Co VA]
p.154 6 Jul 1753 Vadery McBy enters the vacant land between Wm Mcby Junr, Nicholas Edmonds & Henry Embry
Also 400 acres begin at Wm Mcby's corner pine on N side Birches Crk thence up and down.
Also 400 acres S side Sandy Creek. Begin at Beech markt D.L. thence up and down.
p.177 30 Jul 1754 Vardre Macbee. 400 acres begin on 1st Fork of Birches Crk on Edmonds's Order Line thence up John Hickey's side line.Halifax Will Book 0 [Zero]; p.50
8 Jul 1758 Moses Eckhols, Daniel Williams, and Robert (R) Walters completed the inventory and Appraisement of the estate of Richard Weavor. Rec. 20 Jul 1758.
[Note: Robert signed with his mark, which was the letter "R"]
Also 400 on Jeremiah's Fork on Matthew Stoker's side line
Also 400 including the head of Birches Crk
Also 400 acres including the Buck-Horn Branch
p.209 1 Nov 1761 John Davidson, 400 acres on Birches Crk beg. at Verdry Macbay's NW Corner.
p.214 3 Feb 1762 Verdrey Macbay. 400 acres adj Crunks lower line thence down Rentfroes Credk both side
Also 400 acres on the Mountans including head branches of Rentfroes Creek
Hugh Henry also entered 400 acres adj Verdry Macbays line when Run on Peters Crk where sd Crk runs into ye Mountain. [a later entry of Henry mentions Bull Mountain]
p.216 18 Feb 1762 Verdry Macbay. All vacant land bet lines of Read & Wilson on Lower Double Crk not to exceed 400 acre.
Also all vant land bet lines of Henry Embry, [Hugh] Henry, and Wm Macbay on the Branches of Birches Crk & Tobe's.
p.273 4 Mar 1765 Vardre Macbay. 400 acres on Mine Branch adj his own lines when run.
p.285 21 Dec 1765 Joseph Terry. 400 acres adj lines of Verdry Macbays entry when run extending up Branches of Sandy Crk.
p.295 17 Jul 1766 Verdery Macbey. 400 acres on Black Berry Crk of Smith River adj Thos. Harbours lines on the S side
Also 400 acres on above said crk adj above mentioned Harbours upper lines both side of creek [new location on Blackberry Crk - now Henry Co]

Halifax Co VA
Deed Book 1
p.90 23 Aug 1754 William Macby to Vardry Macby 10£ both sides Burche's Creek alias Midway River ...200 acres, part of a tract granted the said Wm Macby 300 acres patent dated 5 Jun 1751 ?? Signed: William X Macby Wit: Sherd Walton, Peter Akin, Thomas Dickson ...19 Sep 1754 proved by witnesses.
DB 3; p.71 21 Aug 1766 Charles Perkins of Rowan Co NC to Vardry Magby ...40# 200 A both sides of Russell Crk ...begin Thomas Jones corner ..crossing the Crk Signed: Charles Perkins. Witness: G Watkins, Jas. Miller, John Saxon. Rec 21 Aug 1766

VI (Virginia) Encyclopedia of American Genealogy edited by William Wade Hinshaw, p. 331--South River Monthly Meeting:
"Magba"
1758, 12, 16. Vardry recrq (received by request) & rtco (referred to the care of) Halifax Mtg
1758, 12, 16. Hannah, w Vardry, recrq & rtco Halifax Mtg
1761, 6, 20 Vardry, Halifax PM (Preparative Meeting) uc (under care)
for disorderly conduct; con (condemned) same. (They said his actions were bad)
1762, 5, 15. Vardry [McBee], Halifax Mtg, dis (dismissed) disorderly conduct."

Halifax DB 4, p.306
26 Nov 1762 Vardry MackBee of Halifax to James Legrand of same. For 70£. Tract both sides of Burches Creek called Midway River. 200 acres. Part of tract granted to William Machbee containing 800 acres by patent dated 1 Jul 1751. Begin S side of Creek, to Dixons corner, along his line; to Machbe's line. Signed: Vardry Mackbee
Wit: Moses Echols, Garret Fitzgerald, Sally (x) Roch, William Johnson
Proved by witnesses 16 Jun 1763.
This is the tract given to Vardry from his father on 23 Aug 1754. It is also declared in William McBee's Will of 1759. On Aug 1763, James Legrand sold the same to John Dugless, again describing Burches Creek, otherwise Midway River, Dicksons corner and line, Magbees line. Halifax DB 4, p.396.
Pittsylvania Co
p.26: DB 1, p.241
17 Sep 1768 Vardry McBEE of McLingburg [Mecklenburg] NC to Charles Perkins of Rowan ...200 A both sides Russells Creek ...Thomas Jones corner at dividing line of a peace of land taken out of same Patent. Signed: Vardry McBEE. Wit: Peter Perkins, Dutton Lane, John Williams, Nicholas Purkins. Rec. 23 Jun 1769.

TRYON COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA MINUTES OF THE COURT OF PLEAS AND QUARTER SESSIONS 1769-1779
April term 1772
On motion of James Forsyth Ordered by the Court that a Road be viewed and opened from the Island Cherokee ford on Broad River & from Will'm Tates Ferry on y'e s'd River Leading the nearest and best way into the trading road leading towards Charles Town & that the following persons be appointed to view & lay out the same viz Geo. Blanton Esq'r, Wm Tate, Wm. McCown, Vardry McBee, Zac'r Bullock, John Nichols, Joab Mitchell, Rob't Wilkins, Rob't Lusk, Nath'l Jeffries, Adam Goudlock, Will Marchbanks, Christ'r Coleman, William Wilkins, Rob't Luney & that they meet at Jacob Randals on the last Tuesday in May to take the Necessary steps to Qualify them for their Charge.

A Capt. Vardry McBee is named in several places as the commanding officer in "Roster of South Carolina Patriots". Fold3.com has a single service record card for Vardry McBee, 5th South Carolina Regt. Enlisted Mar. 26, 1776. A starred note says this was copied from a book that was copied from original rolls in the Office of Army Accounts under the Payment General, authorized by Congress Jul 4, 1783, to settle all accounts between the U.S. and the officers and soldiers of the American army.
p.616 - Served as Captain under Col. Roebuck; 10 Jun 1780 - 10 Jan 1782. Supplied provisions.

Vardry McBee is reported to have moved to Spartanburg District, SC. In fact the Revolutionary pension of Silas states that he was brought to Spartanburg by his father when he was age one year - Silas was in 1833 age 68, so the family came about 1766 to South Carolina. Silas also stated he was born in Virginia. There is some indication Vardry may have lived in the disputed area of North/South Carolina. I found the following information on the South Carolina Archives website:

Series Number: S213184 Volume: 0018
Page: 00108 Item: 01
Date: 1772/11/25
Description: MCBEE, VARDRY, PLAT FOR 600 ACRES IN CRAVEN COUNTY
CRAVEN COUNTY/BROAD RIVER/THICKETTY CREEK
Series Number: S213019 Volume: 0034
Page: 00125 Item: 00
Date: 1774/11/09
Description: MCBEE, VARDRY, LAND GRANT FOR 600 ACRES IN CRAVEN COUNTY.
Locations: CRAVEN COUNTY/
Series Number: S111001 Volume: 0013
Page: 00483 Item: 03
Date: 1775/05/17
Description: MCBEE, VARDY, MEMORIAL FOR 600 ACRES ON BROAD RIVER, CRAVEN COUNTY.
Locations: CRAVEN COUNTY/BROAD RIVER/THICKETTY CREEK


Series Number: S213184 Volume: 0018
Page: 00108 Item: 02
Date: 1773/09/06
Description: MCBEE, VADRY, PLAT FOR 300 ACRES IN CAMDEN DISTRICT
CAMDEN DISTRICT/BUFFALO CREEK/BROAD RIVER
Series Number: S213019 Volume: 0034
Page: 00326 Item: 00
Date: 1774/12/08
Description: MCBEE, VARDRY, LAND GRANT FOR 300 ACRES ON THICKETTY CREEK.
Locations: THICKETTY CREEK/

Series Number: S213184 Volume: 0018
Page: 00109 Item: 02
Date: 1774/10/19
Description: MCBEE, VARDY, PLAT FOR 350 ACRES IN NINETY SIX DISTRICT.
Locations: NINETY SIX DISTRICT/THICKETTY CREEK
Series Number: S213019 Volume: 0034
Page: 00328 Item: 00
Date: 1774/12/08
Description: MCBEE, VARDRY, LAND GRANT FOR 350 ACRES IN NINETY SIX DISTRICT.
Locations: NINETY SIX DISTRICT
Series Number: S111001 Volume: 0013
Page: 00520 Item: 01
Date: 1775/06/22
Description: MCBEE, VARDRY, MEMORIAL FOR TWO TRACTS, ONE FOR 350 ACRES ON THICKETTY CREEK, NINETY SIX DISTRICT, AND ONE FOR 300 ACRES ON THICKETTY CREEK.
Locations: NORTH CAROLINA/NINETY SIX DISTRICT/THICKETTY CREEK
Probably a resurvey of the 300 acres:
Series Number: S213190 Volume: 0009
Page: 00012 Item: 00
Date: 1785/09/07
Description: MCBEE, VARDRY, PLAT FOR 300 ACRES ON THICKETTY CREEK, NINETY SIX DISTRICT, SURVEYED ON FEBRUARY 9, 1774.
Locations: NINETY SIX DISTRICT/THICKETTY CREEK

Series Number: S213212 Volume: 0001
Page: 00088 Item: 02
Date: 1774/12/20
Description: MCBEE, VARDRY, BY ORDER OF THE COURT OF CAVEATS, PLAT FOR 1,740 ACRES ON MILLERS FORK AND THICKETTY CREEK, NINETY SIX DISTRICT, SURVEYED BY ZACHARIAH BULLOCK.
Locations: //NINETY SIX DISTRICT/THICKETTY CREEK/MILLERS CREEK/
Series Number: S213184 Volume: 0018
Page: 00109 Item: 01
Date: 1774/12/20
Description: MCBEE, VARDRY, PLAT FOR 1,700 ACRES IN NINETY SIX DISTRICT.
Locations: NINETY SIX DISTRICT/THICKETTY CREEK

Series Number: S108092 Reel: 0096
Frame: 00308 ignore: 00
Date: 1776 C. OR LATER
Description: MCBEE, VARDRY, ACCOUNT AUDITED (FILE NO. 4877) OF CLAIMS GROWING OUT OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION.

Vardry McBee also worked as a surveyor:
Date: 1785/01/10
Description: COOPER, JOHN, PLAT FOR 600 ACRES ON BEAVER DAM AND CHEROKE CREEKS, NINETY SIX DISTRICT, SURVEYED BY VARDRY MCBEE.
Locations: NINETY SIX DISTRICT/BEAVER DAM CREEK/CHEROKEE CREEK/BROAD RIVER
Date: 1785/01/14
Description: MORRIS, WILLIAM SR., PLAT FOR 415 ACRES ON WATERS OF THICKETY CREEK, NINETY SIX DISTRICT, SURVEYED BY VARDRY MCBEE.
Locations: NINETY SIX DISTRICT/THICKETTY CREEK/BROAD RIVER

Unfortunately the following deed of lease and release does not give the location:
Series Number: S363001 Volume: 05M0
Page: 00331 Item: 00
Date: 1785/01/24
Description: MCBEE, VARDY TO JOHN WATSON, LEASE AND RELEASE.

Son Silas also had land platted in the same area:
Series Number: S213190 Volume: 0014
Page: 00108 Item: 00
Date: 1785/05/19
Description: MCBEE, SILAS, PLAT FOR 640 ACRES ON THICKETTY CREEK, NINETY SIX DISTRICT, SURVEYED BY DAVID HOPKINS.
Names Indexed: MCBEE, SILAS/HOPKINS, DAVID/MCBEE, LACY/WADE/MCBEE, VARDRY/
Locations: NINETY SIX DISTRICT/THICKETTY CREEK/SALUDA RIVER

There are many, many more plats for Vardry McBee - hundreds of acres - but not the matching grants that would more likely be in county deed books. And many more surveys done by him, particularly in the years 1788-1798, most in Ninety Six District on Thicketty Creek or the Pacolet River. Many plats list Vardry McBee as surveyor but do not give the actual date the survey was made - however some dates as late as 1798 are given as the date of the survey itself. It is possible that young Vardry could also have done some of these surveys, but certainly not the ones in the 1780's.

Craven County was actually one of the first three divisions of South Carolina and was discontinued in 1769 although the first plat of Vardry McBee was dated 1772 in Craven County. Camden District was created from Craven and existed from 1769 until 1798. Ninety-Six District also was created in 1769 and existed until 1798 and was to the west of Camden - this is the area that later included Spartanburg and Greenville counties.

Vardry McBee is listed in a census substitute list in 1779 in Ninety Sixth District and on a Grand Jury list in 1780 - Spartan Division, Ninety Sixth District, South Carolina.

Union Co SC, DB A, p.239-240
14 Jul 1786. Vardry McBee of Spartanburgh sold to Peter Peterson of Union Co, 200 acres adj Gabriel Patrick and Lewis Akin on north side of Abbington's Creek. Part of tract of 535 acres granted McBee, 7 Sep 1785 by Wm Moultrie, Gov. of SC. Wit: Drewry Harrington, James Petty, Isham Safold. Rec. 25 Sep 1786.
15 Jul 1786 Vardry McBee of Thicketty Creek SC sold to James Petty of Abbington's Creek, for 10sh sterling, 112 acres on Abbington's Creek in Union Co, part of same 535 acres as above. Wit: Drewry Harrington, Peter Peterson, Isham Safold. Rec. 25 Sep 1786.
Note: This tract not found in grants above.

It's difficult to reconcile the evidence of Vardry McBee in South Carolina with evidence that he was supposedly at one time in Tennessee and Kentucky [estate files in Logan Co KY, ca 1801]. One wonders how many men named Vardry McBee there could have been.

WorldConnect database shows Vardry McBee married Hannah Echols, daughter of William & Sarah Turner Echols.
The writings of Milner Echols, 1850, state that one of "Old William's daughters married Vardre McBee who moved from Virginia to South Carolina before the Revolutionary and was a Captain. He mentioned Vardre had two sons, Silas and Vardre. Silas went to Mississippi and died there. Vardre [the son] was still living in Greenville District, SC.
"Old Vardre has several daughters. I don't know their names. One married a
man by name of Ross. How many children she had I know not. I only know one
of her sons who is by name of Rice F. Ross. One married a man by name of
Asher. They have one son in Dade County, Georgia, by name of William Asher,
a very smart man. That is all I know of that family."
Another possible daughter: Vardry, son of Vardry & Hannah, is reported to have gone to Lincolnton, NC in about 1793 where he was apprenticed to his brother-in-law Joseph Morris, to learn the saddler's trade. Since he was not yet married, he must have referred to a sister that married Joseph Morris.

Rice Farrar Ross married Sarah Bonham, daughter of Absalom Bonham
in Lincoln County, NC abt. 1803. They had many children and migrated to
Coffee County, TN. Researchers of this family believe his mother's name might have been Elizabeth and she could have been Elizabeth McBee. Their children carried on names of the McBee & Echols families.

The book Out of the Wilderness in the appendix of McBee Ramblings states that Vardry McBee was a Constable in Tryon Co NC in 1770 and settled in what is now Spartanburg District in SC. He is said to have died about 1787, probably in Sumner Co TN. Hannah moved to Kentucky with her son Silas. She received a KY land grant of 200 acres in Christian Co KY, 8 Oct 1799. Silas received grants for over 1900 acres in that county between 1799 and 1817. Silas moved to Monroe Co MS; he died 6 Jan 1845. Silas fought at King's Mountain and was interviewed by Lyman C. Draper for his book King's Mountain and its Heroes. Children of Vardry are said to have been sons Silas and Vardry Echols McBee, possible daughters are one who married Joseph Morris of Lincoln Co NC and one who married a Clarke, brother of Gen. Elijah Clarke.
For the most part the book Out of the Wilderness has totally erroneous connections concerning the McBee families - particularly the relationship of the McBees found in Jefferson Co TN.

1790 Census. North Carolina, Fayette Co.
Vardray Magby 1 - 4 - 2
South Carolina, Spartanburg
Vardy Magbay: 1 - 3 - ?5 [number off the page]
It would seem that father and son were counted in this census - although the son would have been quite young. Or this is still a third unidentified Vardry.

These next two likely the son Vardry - he is said to have remained in Greenville, SC but the census does not show that.
1800 Census, NC, Rutherford Co.
Vardry McBee: 1m -10, 1m 10-16, 1m 16-26, 1m 26-45. 2f -10, 1f 26-45
There was no surviving census for Kentucky in 1800
1810 Census, NC, Lincoln Co
Vardry McBee: 3m 16-26, 1m 26-45. 2f -10, 1f 16-26

A Vardry McBee is said to have settled in the Watauga Valley settlement of Tennessee, but I find no record of that. It seems he may have died in Logan Co KY since his estate was sold there:
Logan Co KY [Parent county of Christian Co, formed 1797] Court Order Book 2, p.138. Date not given - book goes from May 1801 to Aug 1804.
Vardery McBee's estate sold to include pewter, books, hogs.

1800 Tax List, Logan Co, KY: Verdery McBee

Logan Co KY Court Order Book 10, p.136 has a list of sales or inventories that did not get recorded in the will or settlement books. Among these is: Vardry McBee, 1801.

Hannah received the land grant in Christian Co KY [formed out of Logan Co] in 1799, perhaps indicating Vardry had already died by then. There is a marriage in Logan Co of Henry Glissen to a Lucy McBee on 13 Oct 1795. Silas had several land grants in Christian Co over the next several years.

Tax Lists Logan Co KY 1792-1800
1799: McBee, "Bardy" 1 white male over 21, 1 white male 16-21
1800: McBee, "Berden" 1 white male over 21, 2 horses

It seems quite possible son Silas was in Logan Co KY first - he was in the tax lists beginning 1794; he was not listed in the same years as Vardry. In 1797 Christian Co was formed from Logan Co and that's where Silas' KY land patents were located.

Index to Surveys Logan Co KY
Book B, p.324 Elizabeth McBee 120 acres, 20 Feb 1799 [I don't know who???]
Book D, p.337 Hannah McBee 150 acres Green River [Hickory Camp Cr] 9 Nov 1807.

The inclusion of the Hannah makes it so likely that this could be Vardry's widow Hannah Echols. Of course it's also possible she was a daughter. It seems unlikely that two different Vardry McBees could have been married to a Hannah.

To further confuse the issue concerning the Vardry McBees. In the 1840 census in Pontotoc Co MS is Silas McBee who served in the Revolution and received a Pension. Israel McBee of Grainger Co TN is the only other McBee I have found who received a Revolutionary pension. However, in Walker Co AL in 1840 is listed a Robert Magby who was aged 50-60 and had living with his family one Varder Magby, age 102, listed as a military pensioner. Vardry, husband of Hannah, had apparently already died in Kentucky as estate documents are found there. Vardry of Greenville SC was alive and well in South Carolina and never received a pension, nor was he this old. Searches on various possible spellings of McBee/Magby, as well as on the given name Vardry/Varder have not found any pensioner of this name. This 1840 record would indicate a Vardry/Varder McBee born about 1738.

Fold3.com has the Revolutionary War service records. One Vardry McBee was in the 5th Regiment, South Carolina. He enlisted 26 Mar 1776. [copied from pay accounts]
The affidavit in support of William Headen for a Revolutionary pension, mentions serving under Capt. Vardry McBee in the 96th District of SC.

The following would appear to be relatives of the son Silas, or perhaps that third Vardry from North Carolina that's otherwise unidentified:
1860 Census. Chickasaw Co, MS, Hh 742
Alice Magby, age 58, b. NC
Vardry, supt. of farm, age 35, b. MS [as are all the rest].
Walter, age 22. Kate, age 20.
Vardry Warren, age 19. Lydia Warren 14. Alice Warren 12.

Birth	23 Dec 1734	Bristol Parish, Prince George County, Virginia
Death	Abt 1800	Christian County, Kentucky
Marriage		Hannah Echols

Spouse	Hannah Echols (1740 - )
Child	Silas McBee (1765 - 1842)
Child	Vardry McBee (1775 - 1864)

Father	WILLIAM McBee (1700 - 1759)
Mother	SUSANNAH Vardry ( - 1762)
Sibling	WILLIAM McBee (1725 - 1812)
Sibling	Samuel McBee (1728 - )
Sibling	Elizabeth McBee (1732 - )
Sibling	Joannah McBee (1733 - )
Sibling	Mary McBee (1734 - )
Sibling	James McBee (1737 - )
Sibling	Mathias McBee (1738 - 1817)