The Shemwell Family

Biography: "Jonathan Magee married Rebecca James recorded 1793 in Georgia The first record of Jonathan Magee is the 7 November 1785 entering of land in his name in Richmond County, Georgia by John Smith, his step-father: “John Smith in behalf of the heirs of Jonathan McGee entered two hundred acres of land between Spirit Creek & Mcbean including the long pond” (Richmond County, Georgia Land Court Minutes 1784-1787, 92). re. Other Richmond County records relative to Jonathan Magee include the 1793 bond for his marriage to Rebecca James, and the 1795 Richmond County tax digest (viewable at cdm.sos.state.ga.us) showing John Smith paying taxes on his behalf, and on behalf of his brother William. There are tax documents of Jonathan, his brother William, father Evans James and Richard Burch his brother in law. In Adams County Mississippi, later on Dry Creek near present day Bude Franklin County Mississippi, They travel Southwestern in presently Walthall County Magee) Settlement, Dry and Magee Creek. Homestead in Spanish Florida now Washington Parish .in .Louisiana before 1810. This land was near the tributary of Hayes Creek and Bogue Chitto River. (Some researcher listed his brother William's death18 before Jonathan's move north to join his sons Evans Magee (Simpson Tax 1828) and Holden Magee (Simpson Tax Jonathan Magee (age 50-60) on the 1830 Census of Washington Parish, Louisiana, page 86. Jonathan was William Magee’s brother, Jonathan moved to Sampson County Mississippi, circa 1830. The Treaty of Dancing Rabbit was signed in 1830. After William Magee died in the 1820s (the traditional death year given him is 1827), Jonathan remained in Washington Parish for a few more years. He was shown as head of household there in the 1830 census, aged 60-70. Sometime in 1831 or 1832, he removed to Simpson County, Mississippi, where he was assessed for the first time in the tax return of 1832. There was quite a significant migration of families from Washington Parish, Louisiana and its surrounding areas into the central Mississippi counties of Simpson, Rankin, Hinds, Copiah, etc. during this general time frame. Jonathan followed his sons Evan and Holden into Simpson County. Evan is first found in the 1828 tax return for Simpson, and Holden is first found in the 1829 return. Curiously, neither Jonathan nor any of his boys are assessed with any land in Simpson County during their stay there through the 1830s decade. The last record of Jonathan is his entry in the 1841 Mississippi State Census in Simpson County. He is believed to have died shortly after this time. Neither he nor any of his sons are found in the 1842 tax assessment for Simpson County. Bevin Creel."