The Shemwell Family

Transcribed: "The Last Will and Testament of William McGehee (deceased) was presented in Court by John McGehee and William McGehee, the Executors therein named, who made an oath thereto recording to Law and being further proved by the Oaths of Roger Quarles, John Quarles, Roger Quarles (Jr) witness thereto is ordered to be recorded on the motion of the said Executors and the performing what is usual in such cases. Certification is granted them for obtaining aprobat thereof in due form they having entered in Bond with Roger Quarles according to Law. It is ordered Dan Thompkins, Charles Thompkins, Will Higgins, and William Taylor, or any three of them being first. Sworn before a Justice of the Peace for this County appraise the Estate of William McGehee (deceased) for money and return their proceedings to next Court."

Biography: "William Magee, birth 1702 - death after 1796 married Elizabeth McCullough Children William was born before 1725. The first mention of him in the records, of which we are certain, is his entering on 5 April 1745 of 250 acres of land in Edgecombe County, North Carolina on Conehoe Creek, bordering Joseph Moore (Pruitt, “North Carolina Land Entries 1735-1752, 100, ref to vol 1, 144). He was probably over age 20 at the time of the land entry, hence the birth estimate “before 1725.” The Joseph Moore who was his neighbor was also his father-in-law, as shown by a deed of gift in Edgecombe County, North Carolina: 30 May 1748, Joseph Moore to William Magee, both of Edgecombe County, “for the natural love and affection I bear my son-in-law,” 125 acres on the NS Conehoe Creek below Indian Branch, part of a patent to sd Moore 14 Feb 1739 (Hofmann, “Abstracts of Deeds Edgecombe Precinct NC 1732-1758,” 98, ref to DB 3, 272). William Magee removed from Edgecombe County to Duplin County, North Carolina very soon after he received this land from Joseph Moore, for on 10 Dec 1750, William Magee “of Duplin Co” resold this same 125 acre tract to “Joseph Moore Jr, Goldsmith,” for 20 pounds VA (Hofmann, 53, ref to DB 2, 14). The elder Joseph Moore named in his 15 Feb 1753 will, probated at Feb 1757 Edgecombe County court, wife Ann, sons Joseph, James, Hodges, Jesse, Ezekiel, daughters Ann Magee, Martha Hinton, Celia Moore. William McGee was also mentioned in the will (Williams and Griffin, “Abstracts of the Wills of Edgecombe County NC 1733-1856,” 230). Of these Moore children, James Moore would join William Magee in Duplin County, North Carolina. William Magee acquired quite a bit of land after his removal to Duplin. This included a whopping 1460 acres acquired by patent, including (1) patent 31 March 1755 for 300 acres on WS Great Cohera (Margaret Hoffman, “Colony of North Carolina 1735-1764 Abstracts of Land Patents, 51, ref to Patent Bk 2, 119); (2) another patent 31 March 1755 for 600 acres on Little Cohera Swamp, joining a point near Marsh Branch (Hoffman, 51, ref to Patent Bk 2, 119); (3) patent 10 April 1761 for 460 acres on ES Little “Coheiry” between his own land and Owens’ land, joining the swamp and Little Coheiry (Hoffman, 409, ref to Patent Book 15, 355); (4) patent 7 April 1770 for 100 acres on ES Little Cohera, including the “Governors Foard,” joining the swamp, his own line, and Bad Branch (Hoffman, “Colony of North Carolina 1765-1775 Abstracts of Land Patents, 176, ref to Patent Book 20, 546). He purchased one other parcel by deed, that is, 3 May 1755, 100 acres bought for 10 pounds “Virginia” currency, in the fork “between Great and Little Coheary” (Duplin Co NC DB 2, 304-5). William Magee died before 17 July 1771 in Duplin County, when his wife swore to the inventory on his estate. On 19 Oct 1772 in Duplin County, his son Thomas Magee, for 5 pounds, sold to Phillip Magee, “brother to said Thomas,” 100 acres, being part of the contents of a patent “granted to William Magee now deceased and fell to said Thomas Magee by heirship bearing date the 10th day of April 1761” (Duplin Co NC DB 3, 371-2). Contributed by Bevin Creel (Nov 2011) 3 Ralph Magee circa 1730 - 1789 married Mary _; Duplin County Estate File of Ralph Magee, in "North Carolina Estate Files 1663-1968" Inventory on his estate July 1782; Mary Magee was administratrix; Buyers at estate sale 2 Aug 1782 were Thomas Cashwell, Mary Magee, Nehemiah Scott, Drury McClemore, Wm. Williamson, John Williams, John Owens, Henry Lewis, Wm. McClemore, "Leuchnecy" Magee, James Magee, John Magee (several entries, possibly more than one), "Dysea" Magee, Jacob Warrin, Barneybas Hall and Benjamin Scarborough. 2 Duplin County, NC Deed Book 4, 129-30. 3 Jan 1768, Ralph (x) Magee to Sarah Boykin, for 22 pounds, sold 150 acres on WS Great Coheary, granted by patent 26 Nov 1757 to sd. Ralph; wits. Robert Butler Senr., George Holden, William (x) Butler; Recorded 10 Nov 1768 A SON - John Magee 8 Oct 1795, John (x) McGee of Bladen County to Ever Currie of New Hanover County, for 62 pounds, sold 100 acres in Sampson County, bounded E by South River, and on the head of Hufman's Branch, granted by patent to John Owens 14 Nov 1771, and conveyed by sd Owens to Ralph McGee, and by him devised to John McGee "by heirship"; wits. Alexander Currie, William Cromartie Jr. 4 Solomon Magee circa - William Magee was born sometime before about 1700. He was living on a tract of land on the northeast side of Fishing Creek, Edgecombe Precinct, North Carolina on 22 Aug 1733, when John Stewart of Edgecombe Precinct bound himself in the sum of 100 pounds, with the provision that he would make “unto the sd. McGee title of inheritance in fee simple in a tract of land on the north east side of Fishing creek, being the plantation whereon the sd. McGee now lives” (Edgecombe Co NC deed, 22 Aug 1733, John Stewart to Wm. McGee, recorded in Halifax Co NC DB 1, 42). On the same date, John Stewart made bond for 100 pounds to Robert “Greaves”, on the condition that Stewart would “make one deed of gift for 300 acres being the upper part of that tract whereon the above bound John doth live, within 6 months after the sd. Stewart shall receive a patent for the same” on the north east side of Fishing Creek (Edgecombe Co deed 22 Aug 1733, recorded in Halifax Co NC DB 1, 41). This leads me to the conclusion that William McGee and Robert Greaves married daughters of John Stewart, and that he was giving them his property in preparation for Stewart’s removal from the area. Since I conclude that John Stewart’s daughter married William Magee, this would mean that the William Magee in the above bond could not have been the William Magee who married Ann Moore. The latter (William Magee who married Ann Moore) was the son of the former. John Stewart made two other deeds in Edgecombe. The first was executed 20 Aug 1734, for 6 pounds, for a tract on the north side of Fishing Creek, part of a grant to James Bryant 4 Aug 1730 (Hofmann, 11, ref to DB 1, 116); the second was executed by John Stewart “of Onslow Co.” to George Stephenson 9 Jan 1737, 25 pounds, for 320 acres on SS Marratock River and the north side of the north east branch of the first fork of Fishing Creek, joining James Bryant (Hofmann, 21, ref to DB 1, 237). William Magee appears to be the father of John, William and Solomon Magee. John and Solomon also held land on the north side of Fishing Creek, acquiring their holdings several years after 1733. All of the children of the elder William will receive further treatment in the appropriate places. Contributed by Bevin Creel (Nov 2011)"