Person:William Magee (17)

William Magee, son of William Magee and ___ Stewart, 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, 142). 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)

1. ↑ Duplin County Estate File of William McGee, in "North Carolina Estate Files, 1663-1968," database at www.familysearch.org.

   Inventory of William McGee sworn to by Ann (x) McGee, Administratrix, 17 July 1771.

2. ↑ Pruitt, “North Carolina Land Entries 1735-1752, 100, ref to vol 1, 144.