Michael Adam See
Birth 1727
Tulpehocken Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania, USA
Death 3 Jul 1795 (aged 67–68)
Lost City, Hardy County, West Virginia, USA
Bio by Sara Patton
Due to the confusion by some early 20th century genealogists, Michael See has been mistakenly called Michael Adam or Adam Michael See or even Frederick Michael, which combines the names of two brothers Frederick of Greenbrier and Michael of Hardy counties. All official records in Hardy County, WV, where Michael lived throughout his adult life, show him as Michael See. He did have a son named Adam Ib. 1764) who became a well-known lawyer and VA state legislator.
Michael See was the son of Johann Georg and Margaret ZEH/See . His exact birthdate has not been documented though it is usually given as 1726/27 when the Zeh family was living in the Swatara region of today's Lebanon Co, PA near today's Myerstown, PA, on the border with Berks Co. Until 1752, this entire area was part of Lancaster Co., PA. If he was born earlier than 1725, he was born in Schoharie, NY where the Zehs were then living.
The Zeh (aka SEE) family moved to the South Branch Valley of the Potomac in today's Hardy and Grant counties, WV (then part of Augusta Co, VA then Hampshire Co, VA) around 1747-48 when his father and brother appear on South Branch tax lists
Michael married Barbara HARNESS about 1750. Their fathers, George Zeh/See and Michael Ernst/Harness are listed as land holders in the same neighborhood of Tulpehocken-Swatara regopm of Pennsylvania from 1725-1740s and again as close neighbors in the South Branch Valley west of Moorefield WV. So Michael and Barbara may have known each other in Pennsylvania.
The first mention of Michael See as a land holder comes in the Fairfax Rental rolls where he is identified as leasing 216 acres on Lot #40 of the South Branch Manor. Brothers Frederick and George See are signatories to the transaction. Although no date is given, the dates for transactions on nearby manor lands are 1748 and 1749, and several other names listed are known to be dead by 1751, so it is assumed that this is about the time the South Branch Manor was settled and about the same time Michael got married and wanted his own land. While there is no contemporary map to show the location of Michael's land, lot numbers can be compared with other known landmarks to get the location. Anthony Baker (of Baker Rocks) was on Lot 46, and several Harness sons were on Lot 49 & 48. Knowing that the Baker and Harness family lived southwest of Fisher, WV, we can assume that Michael's land was close by -- near where the golf course is today. There are many entries for Michael and Barbara See in early Deed Books. The description of one piece of land they bought in 1787 states that the land was located along the South Branch River, at the foot of the mountain and near a ridge line including a portion of an island in the middle of the river. According to the inventory of Michael's estate, he had at least 15 acres planted in corn, including "five acres on the Island."
[Reference: Northern Neck Surveys No. 1, 1786-1789, p. 154; Northern Neck Grants S, 1780-1788, p. 197-198, images online at Library of Virginia (http://www.lva.virginia.gov/public/wv/index.htm)] and Augusta Co, VA Survey Records, Hardy Co, WV Deed Books.
Fairfax Rental Rolls, WV Archives by Morrison, Chas. "Early Fairfax Land Grants and Leases along the South Branch of the Potomac" WVA History V38:#1: 1-22 Oct 1976
Michael's father died in the summer of 1751, leaving no will but a fairly substantial inventory of some value. Brother Frederick, the eldest son, was made the administrator of the will. Michael's mother Margaret died in 1757-58, some seven years later leaving a will that named her children, including "Michel". His father-in-law, Michael Ernst died in 1785, naming his daughter "Barbara Zee" in his will.
Because neither Michael nor Barbara left wills with the names of their children, putting together the list of their children has been challenging. There are many charts with differing names and dates, all without documentation based on memories of various great grandchildren. Probably the most accurate is a list from Peter H. See, a grandson of Adam See, son of Michael and Barbara. Peter wrote: My great grandfather Michael See had three sons and seven daughters: Adam, George who married Cathrine (sic) Seymour and Michael. The eldest daughter Polly (Mary) married a Mr. (John Robert) Shanklin, the second daughter (Hannah) married a Mr. (Felix) Renick ; the third, Christine married Wm. Seymour, the fourth, Barbara married Mr. (John) Pancake, The fifth, Betty (Elizabeth), married Isaac Miller, the sixth, Katy (Catherine), married Leonard Stump, the seventh, Dolly (Dorothy), married twice, first to Thompson 2nd to McKinley Adams (or Adam McKinley)...." The most UNRELIABLE list comes from Thomas Jefferson Jackson See who got the generations all mixed up. Unfortunately, his material was used in a couple of published local histories like the History of Randolph Co. WV and Montgomery Co, MO, thus perpetuating mistaken information.
In spite of the danger from Indian attack during the French and Indian War (1754-63) and Pontiac's War (1763-66), both of which hit settlements on the Virginia frontier particularly hard, the family remained in the South Branch Valley. Two of Michael's brothers, John and Frederick, both living in the Greenbrier region, were killed by Indians. In 1765-66. Michael and Barbara took in 2 or 3 of his nieces and nephews after their father, Frederick See, was killed by Indians and the children taken captive. Some family stories state that Michael paid a ransom for the return of the children though no evidence can be found to support this.
In the fall of 1790, Michael and Barbara sold the 90 acres to their son Adam for £100 current Virginia money. Adam, in turn, sold the same land to his brother George, for 5 shillings in February 1795. On the same day, February 11, 1795, Michael also sold land to George, who turned around and leased the land back to Michael for the yearly rent of "one pepercorn" for the rest of his natural life. Four days later, Michael sold George 216 acres for 5 shillings — land which Michael was granted by lease from Fairfax in 1773. Apparently these Hardy County land transactions occurred just prior to or just after sons Adam and Michael Jr. moved to Randolph County and just before George and father Michael were killed by lightning the summer of 1795.
Most family histories give date of Michael's death as July 1795 stating that he, son George and one of the family slaves, were killed by lightning while gathering hay. This "death by lightning" story has been handed down to numerous great grandchildren. Hardy Co land and estate records show Michael and son George both alive Feb 1795 but both dead by 1796.
Some family histories claim that Michael and George were living in Lost City, Hardy Co, when they were killed but land documents show that they were living on the South Branch just west of Moorefield.
Michael was in his 60s when he died. While he left no will, he did leave a fairly valuable estate including numerous horses, cows, hogs, and sheep, in addition to his land, household goods, farm equipment and 3 slaves. The estate sale brought in some £746.19.0, a sizeable amount. Barbara, his widow, received her legal one-third share.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/89082268/michael-adam-see
