Individual Details

William Lea and his sister Betty were over the age of 14 at the death of their father and they chose their stepfather Thomas Carruthers as Guardian. Within a year, William chose instead Zachary Taylor.

There is said to be a transfer of 100 acres in Spotsylvania Co VA to William Lea from his stepfather, Thomas "Crethers", on 5 Oct 1731. William Lea and wife Frances, sold this property to Thomas White, Sept 1752.

"William Lea of Spots.Co. and Frances, his wife, to Thomas White of the same County, [pounds sterling sign] 55 curr. 100 a. whereon sd. Lea lives and part of a pat. belonging to sd. Thomas White in Spots. Co."
[Deed Bk. E, 1751-1761, Sept. 1, 17520. Crozier's Spotsylvania Co. Records, p. 191]
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
"March 6, 1753, James Lea of St. Geo. Par. Spts. Co., and Ann, his wife, to John Chapman of afds. Par. and Co. [pounds sterling sign]
80 curr. 200 a. in Spots. Co."
[Deed Bk E, 1751-1761, Crozier's Spots. Co. Records, p. 192.]


In 1753, William Lea had surveyed a tract of 332 acres on S Hico Creek in what was then Orange Co NC. In 1755 he was appointed a captain in the militia - he appears in records as Capt. William Lea.

William Lea wrote his will prior to 1803 - Frances not mentioned so apparently deceased. His estate was to be divided in five parts, one part for each of his five children. His daughter, Frances, was deceased, and left children to inherit her share. At the Dec Court, 1803, a son-in-law, James Cochran, alleged that William Lea "had lost the reason of his natural power"; a jury was charged but Lea died before they convened. His inventory of property was presented to the court in Jun 1804 by son-in-law Alexander Rose.
Referred to himself as "William Lea Sen. of South Hyco."
[Codicil to will of William Lea, dated 30 Oct., 1802, probated March Court, 1804
September Court 1804, Person Co., N.C. Bk.3, p. 290, is 'Inv. of property of Capt. William Lea, Sen. of South Hico taken 16 June 1803 by Alex. Rose, exec."

Leasburg, VA was located about three miles from William Lea's farm. It actually is in Caswell Co near the Caswell/Person line and in between the South and North Hyco Creeks.

Children of William Lea (d. 1804 in Person Co., N.C.]
In the March Court, 1804, Person County Record Books, Bk. 3, p. 243, the Legatees named in the will of William Lea, dated 30 Oct. 1802, with Codicil 5 July 1803, were:
1. Daughter Eunice Rose*
2. Oldest daughter of grandson Benjamin Lea **
3. Son Geo. Lea
4. Dau. Elizabeth Lea
5. Dau. (dec.) Frances Hendrix
6. Dau. Anness Cochran, and 6 children of 1st marriage with John McNeill
Feb. Court, 1812, Person Co., N.C. Bk. 7, p. 79.
Will of James Lea, dated Sept. 7, 1803, names sons Abner, Richard and Benjamin; Daus, Naomiah Satterfield, Frankey Lea, Nicey Chandler and Annis Lea.
[These records are in PERSON COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA COMPILATIONS>>>
by Katherine Kerr Kendall.]
*Eunice Lea married Alexander Rose
**Benjamin Lea appears to be the son of James Lea (mentioned in the will of James Lea, Feb. Court, 1816, Person Co., N.C.] and the grandson of William Lea, as mentioned in his will above.

This settlement above seems to imply there was also a son named James Lea.

Birth	Abt 1715
Death	Bef Jun 1804	Person County, North Carolina
Marriage		Frances ?Major

Spouse	Frances ?Major ( - 1802)
Child	Frances Lea ( - )
Child	George Lea ( - )
Child	Eunice Lea ( - )
Child	Annis Lea ( - )
Child	Living

Father	John Lea ( - 1731)
Mother	Ann ?Taylor ( - )
Sibling	Living
Sibling	John Lea [Richland] ( - 1781)
Sibling	Elizabeth Lea ( - )
Sibling	James Lea (Kilgore's Branch) (1720 - )