NOTE 1
SPECULATION along with circumstantial evidence on the parentage of James McGehee 1780 Tenn.
James McGehee was born in Tennessee in the 1780s. We are unsure who his father and mother were but we are on the trail. The closest LEAD that we have (note this is NOT verified at all, it is only a lead) is William and Direna Shelton McGehee. William McGehee was the son of James McGehee Jr and Ann Chiles. William was a twin whose brother's name was James III.
William moved from Pittsylvaina Co Virginia to the Tennessee
area to the county of Sullivan. He was later found to be in
Hawkins County in its earliest records. It is POSSIBLE that he
never actually moved, because Hawkins County was created out of
Sullivan county Tennessee. He lived there for some years and was
probably there during the time that James McGehee married Jane
Patterson. Then William and Direna moved on to Lincoln County
Tennessee. Then, shortly after 1809-1812 we find James McGehee
living on Shelton's creek. This is NOT VERIFIED to be our James
but it seems likely. We do know that our James McGehee was in
Lincoln County and this IS VERIFIED several ways. One of which
Pleasant McGehee is shown working on Road crews in the early
1800s.
Also, later on, James and Jane's grandson Alexander McGehee's
family would pass along that his family was from Lincoln County
Tennessee.
Bk D p 49
Tenn Grant #5249
By virtue of Certificate #610 dated June 28, 1811 issued to
William McGehee
and entered 20 Aug 1811 by No. 3340. There is granted by the
State of Tenn
unto William McGehee a tract of land containing 23 1/2 ac of land
in Lincoln
Co in 2nd dist of Harps Creek a S branch of Elk River. Said land
sursveyed 17
Sept 1812 by J Bright DS Reg 10 Mar 1816.
Another man living in Lincoln County Tennessee at the time named Asa Pennington had several children, three of which married McGehees. There was an Elijah McGehee lviing there in Lincoln county who was about the same age as our James McGehee (this is important). Elijah McGehee married Asa Pennington's daughter Sarah. Then, two of James and Jane's daughter's married two of Asa Pennington's sons. Nancy McGehee and Elizabeth McGehee married Simeon and Corbin Pennington.
The James McGehee living on Shelton's creek is shown selling his land just before 1830 and in 1830 James McGehee shows up on the census in Morgan County Illinois living next door to his son Pleasant McGehee. Shortly thereafter they would be in Knox county Illinois where James McGehee would pass away after his term in the Black Hawk war.
After James' death Jane McGehee and most of her children (one died in Illinois and one married and stayed there) moved South to Lawrence county Missouri. Here Jane spent the rest of her life. Also living here was the same Elijah McGehee that had been with them in Lincoln County Illinois. Also, Elijah McGehee's nephew Eli (this is also verified by documentation) McGehee moved to Lawrence county as well. He had been born in Lincoln County Tennessee. And lastly Asa Pennington lived here in Lawrence county, just near the McGehees also.
Elijah McGehee is PROBABLY the son of William and Direna McGehee. Elijah named his children very similiar names to that of James McGehee. A boy named "Carroll", Elizabeth, Lucy, and Nancy. James' son Pleasant had a son who he named Elijah.
Jack McGehee
10-5-02