Notes on the LEA Family Heritage (my wife's family)
FROM JOHN LEA IN ENGLAND TO KIMBERLY M OWEN AND
STEPHEN M. OWEN IN BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA
The Lea family of Virgina, North Carolina and Tennessee is of
English origin. There were three Leas who came to Virginia circa
1740. Two of the Leas (James and William) were brothers and the
third, John C. Lea, was a relative although the exact relationship
has not been determined. They were all descendants of John Lea of
Lea Hall Cheshire, England. The three Leas settled in North
Carolina, circa 1749. The town of Leasburg is named for them.
James Lea, the elder brother, was born in 1718 and died June 2,
1788 at the age of about 70. His will probated in Orange County,
NC, named his wife, Anne Tolbert, and his three sons, William,
John, and Major wee appointed exectors. James Lea had served in
the North Carolina militia, as a private under his brother Captain
Gabriel Lea of Orange County, NC.
In 1776, he served under General Griffith Rutherford against
the Cherokee Indians of East Tennessee. Int the valley of the
Tennessee River they burned the Indian towns of Watauga, Mayay
and Estalal. They routed the Indians where Franklin, NC, now
stands and after completely subduing them retunred home in October.
Their Colonel was James Martin under General Rutherford. James Lea
fought the Tories at Ramsons's Mill, NC on June 29, 1780.
James Lea enlisted in the 10th Continental North Carolina
Regiment, September 10, 1782, and served through the Siege of
Yorktown. (source: book of Jesse Coleman McPherson)
James Lea (ggggg g-f) Anne Tolbert (ggggg g-m)
-------------------- ---------------------------
b 1718 England / b England
m 1738
d June 2, 1788 NC / d
---Children---
------>>> REV LUKE LEA
Major Lea 1741-1843(102 yr)
William Lea-Wash Parish, La
John Lea
Isabelle Lea (m John Graves)
Nancy Lea (m Paul Haralson)
Lucinda Lea (m Iveson Green)
REV LUKE LEA (gggg g-f) ELIZABETH WILSON (gggg g-m)
------------- ------------------
b 12-26-1739 King/Queen Cty,Va / b 11/26/1739 Yehin River,NC
m 5-4-1759 in Caswell Cty, NC / m 5-4-1759 in Caswell Cty,NC
d 1813 in Amite Cty, MS / d 1793 in Campbell Cty, Tenn
(or 1819-La)
---Children---
-------> JAMES LEA II 1760-1823
William Lea 2/1762-
Joseph Lea 2/4/1764 -
12-17-1769
John Lea 2-24-1765-
Zachariah Lea 1776-
David Lea 1779-
Mary Eliz Lea 7-31-1767-
Joseph Lea 1769-1810
Major Lea II 1771-1882
(111 years old)
John Lea 1773-1830
Jefferson Lea 1777-
Luke Lea Jr 1-24-1783
Records indicate that Rev or Captain Luke Lea is
buried in the George Lea Cemetary in Amite Cty, MS
He had a 2nd wife named Nancy who died in 1819
Luke Lea married Elizabeth Wilson, born 11-26-1739, near Yadkin
River NC. Her family was not pleased with her marriage. They soon
migrated from NC to Tennesse after the Revolutionary War (about
1790) and settled in Powell's County, Tn. After the death of his
wife,Rev Lea came down to visit his sons in Mississippi and died
there in 1813 or 1819. All the Leas came from Tennesse by river,
going up the Tennessee River and entering the Ohio River,then down
the Miss.River to Natchez. When they came down the river in flat
boats, they used chairs as shields, holding against their chests as
protection from the Indian arrows.
Luke Lea apparently had remarried a Nancy _____ prior to his death
and had Cynthia of that marriage. Records indicate that Nancy made
an affidavit of Luke's death on November 19, 1819. At that time,
he owned land in Tamany Parish (land now partially in Washington
Parish and partially in Tangipahoa) described as in Sec 41,T3S,
R9E. This property or an adjacent property in Section 39 (NE
corner) is the location of a cemetary where Luke is buried.
JAMES LEA (ggg g-f) ELIZABETH RODDY (ggg g-m)
----------- -----------------------
b 4-30-1760 / b 1767
m Tenn, 1785 / m Tenn, 1785
d 4-7-1823 Amite Cty, MS / d 9-20-1833 Amite Cty, MS
they are buried in the Lea-Reynolds
Cemetery about 10 miles SE of Liberty
Ms near Wiley Smiths home
(also noted as being buried in the
Mt Vernon burying ground, Amite,ms
See separate page for the RODDY FAMILY
---Children---
------->> ALEXANDER BENJAMIN LEA
1792- ?
Dr James Squire Lea 1786-1826
(Army surgeon--died of
wounds from a duel at a
plantation on Bayou
Manchac, La)
(His son, James N. Lea
served in the La Supreme
court and his photo is
supposed to be on the
walls there)
Cecelia Lea 1789-1819
George Roddy Lea 1796-1869
Franklin Lea-died in youth
----->> Alexander Lea 1792-1814
Sarah Ann Lea-1794-1873
(married to Judge Harper
of La district court)
Records indicate that both James Lea and Elizabeth Roddy Lea are
buried in one of the Lea cemeteries in Amite Cty,Ms
along with Cecilia and William Lattimore.
Cecilia Lea married Dr William Lattimore and this is probably the
source of the middle name of Lattimore being used in later
generations. There is apparently no Lattimore with a direct
blood line in the Lea family other than the branch of Cecelia's.
Much of the data in this paper comes from a book by Jesse Coleman
McPherson (1978) entitled "A History of the Lea-Lattimore-Hadden-
Pagaud Families" which traces the early ancestors down to Cecelia
and then follows her branch of the family on to the present. Very
little is included about the remaining branches of the Lea family.
ALEXANDER BENJAMIN LEA (gg g-f) MARY ANN MAY (gg g-m))
---------------------- ----------------
B 10-25-1792 / b 12-25-1797
m 2-1-1814 / m 2-1-1814
d Texas / d 1834--La
---Children---
------->> JAMES THOMAS LEA
Benjamin Lattimore Lea 1820 La 1890 Line Crk
other data or children unknown
They lived in Washington Parish, La
Mary Ann May was the daughter of Thomas and Mary May (ggg g-f & ggg g-m)
JAMES THOMAS LEA (g g-f) MARGARET McELVEEN (g g-m)
----------------- ---------------------------
b 12-9-1822 in Ms / b 1-23-1823 in Ms
m 1-21-1845 Line Creek, La
d 8-31-1865 Stoney Pt, La / d 2-8-1898 Line Creek, La
James is actually buried in the Wall
Familiy Cemetery in Ascencion Parish
near Port Vincient
---Children---
Elizabeth Ellen Lea b 1845 m Judson Cox
12-22-1859
Benjamin Alexander Lea b 1847
m Fanny Lebo 1-11-1867
Martha Ann Lea b 1849 d 1-15-1877
m Frnak Miller
Sarah Margarete "Sally" Lea b 1-19-1851
d 2-20-1906
m John Jehu Wall b 2-20-1849
m 3-3-1871 he died 9-1-1891
Samantha Bethany Lea b 1-29-1853
d 5-8-1898 buried at Wall Cemetery
m William H Wall d 3-3-1907
children:
Willie Lea Wall b 7-4-1880 d 8-20-1891
Margret E Wall b 1-13-1884 d 3-2-1907
------>> WILLIAM LATTIMORE LEA (see details below)
Nancy Theodosia Lea b 10-12-1857
James Franklin Lea b 10-31-1859
m Susan F A Bridge 12-22-1880
Moses Andrew Lea b 12-16-1862 d 10-12-1928
buried in Line Creek Cem
m Annie Hilburn d 7-29-1888 Line Creek
2nd m Lizzie Raborn b 2-28-1861
Mary JaneLea b 1864 d 4-29-1940
m William Phillips
WILLIAM Lattimore LEA 1st SAFRONIA ANGELIN BRIDGES
--------------------- ------------------------
b 8-30-1855 Port Vincent,La,
or Osyka, Ms / b 1-6-1861
m First Marriage / m 12-10-1879
d 10-14-1902 gunshot,Kentwood La/ d 6-15-1890
---Children---
Margaret P Lea 9-24-1880--unkn
William James Lea 7-23-1882-1943
(Herbert's father)
Benjamin Aquillar Lea 4-11-1884-
1945
Martha Ellen Lea (Mrs Washington
Guy) 2-14-1886--unknown
Major Green Lea 12-17-1888--
10-26-1951
Safronia A Lea (Boots)
1-15-1890--4-18-1968
SECOND MARRIAGE
WILLIAM L LEA (g-g) 2nd Edna Carolina Funk (g-m)
--------------- ----------------------
b 8-30-1855 Port Vincent,La /b 9-12 or 29- 1861 Liberty, Ms
m Second Marriage / m 5-29-1891
d 10-14-1902 gunshot,Kentwood La / d 3-7-1930 (N. O.)
buried in Woodland, Kentwood
---Children---
Lillie May Lea 3-6-1881--8-12-1975
Edna Emma Lea 2-26-1892--6-19-1985
Esther Annie Lea 4-14-1895 --
3-26-1982
Wilmay Henrietta Lea 2-12-1897
1-14-1956 -?-
------->> HENRY LATTIMORE LEA 6-19-1899
1-14-1956
Mable Leona Lea 4-30-1902-2-18-80
The 1900 census showed the following data:
father's mother's
name birth age born birth birth occup
Wm L Lea Aug 1855 44 La Ms Ms Butcher
Lena E 9 1860 39 Ms Germany Germany
Lilla W 3 1880 20 Ms La Ms
Margout P 9 1880 19 Ms La Ms
Wm J 7 1882 17 Ms La Ms
Benjamin E. 2 1886 14 Ms La Ms
Major 12 1888 11 Ms La Ms
Saphronia 1 1890 10 Ms La Ms
Edna E 2 1892 8 La La Ms
Esther A 4 1895 5 La La Ms
Willmary H 2 1897 3 La La Ms
Henry L 6 1899 1/2 La La Ms
The above census indicates that Bill Lea lived in Miss but moved
to La between 1890 and 1892. His birth was previously stated as
being in Port Vincent, La.
Little information is available about Lena C. Funk's background. Her
death certificate in Orleans Parish, La lists her father as Henry Funk.
I found a ship record of a Henry Funk arriving from Germany to Philadelphia
in 1847. Although I don't know that this is Lena's father, it was the only
Henry Funk listed and is a good possibility for checking out. It is listed
in United States: Index to records of Aliens' Declarations vol 1-11, A to Z
and on page 169. I still need to check Pa and other census records for
1850 and 1860 to learn more about this family.
There were only 3 Funk families living in Miss or La in 1860 and I
ruled out two as not likely since one or both of the parents were
listed as having been born in the USA whereas word of mouth is that
they were both born in "Germany". A third family is listed below
which fits the known criteria except that the age of "Lena"
indicates she would have been born in 1856 rather than the 1860
date referred to in other sources.
name age birthplace
Jacob Funk 30 Bavaria dockworker
Eliza 40 Bavaria
Peter 8 La
Jos 7 La
Lena 4 La
Louisa 3 Ms
Jacob 1 Ms
Louise 24 Prussia
Joseph Funk 3 Italy
May 2 Ms
William Lattimore Lea was shot to death on the street in Kentwood,
La on 10-14-1902. The following is an excerpt provided by Lillie
Redon and Eva April of a newspaper clipping of the shooting. No
source is available for the clipping.
MARSHALL LEA SHOT
"Town Marshal W L Lea was shot and almost instantly
killed Tuesday night as he was passing the store of U V
Simmons, about 7 O'Clock. He was assassinated cold
bloodedly without a chance for his life.
"The trouble leading up to the killing began a few weeks
ago when Mr Lea arrested Mr U V Simmons, charging him
with selling whiskey. He was tried before the Mayor and
fined $50 from which he appealed and gave bond for his
appearance at the circuit court at Amite. Since that
time the men have not been on the best of terms, and
Simmons is said to have approached Lea several times in
regard to the matter.
"On Tuesday, Simmons assembled three or four of his
friends around him and the party imbibed pretty freely of
"bad booze". They stopped the Marshal on the streets
again and began to censure him for the part he had played
in the matter. He informed them politely but positively
that he had done his duty as he conceived it to be and
that he did not want them to say one word further to him
about it. He walked off up the street leaving the crowd,
and feeling, perhaps, that he was in danger from the
crowd, secured his shot gun and returned to the streets,
and Simmons and his friends returned to the store. This
all happened about four o'clock and from that time till
dark everthing was ordinarily quiet.
"A short while before dark Mr. Lea went to his residence
and spent a little while there, returing to the streets
a little before seven o'clock. Several of his friends
were apprehensive of his safety and endeavored to get him
to go home but he refused. Just a few moments before the
shooting, Mr W R Mullins passed up the streets, and
seeing Mr Lea in the vicinity of Simmon's place induced
him to go down the streets with him and they started
toward the railroad. However, they had gone but a short
ways when Mr Lea concluded to go to the Fenn Hotel, and
he and Mullins walking arm in arm, were bound for that
point when he was shot.
"The weapon used was evidently a rifle as the skull was
pierced through and through. The ball, apparently of 38
calibre, though it was so flattened and disfigured it is
hard to tell the size, was found next morning on the
gallery of the residence of Mr J F Norman living across
the street from where the shooting occurred.
"Mayor Kent was soon upon the scene and an effort was
made to arrest the parties in the house but they had gone
and are still at large.
"Coroner W L Powlette of Hammond came up Wednesday
morning and held an inquest over the remains. The jury,
composed of Messrs A L Stoessell, W V Brock, L L Parker,
S M Shrader, and L DeCoux, were in session till about
three o'clock when they returned a verdict that Mr Lea
came to his death by a gunshot would inflicted at the
hands of W U Simmons.
"The funeral of mr Lea took plaace Wednesday morning at
9 o'clock under the auspices of Poplar Camp No. 59 W.O.W.
of which he was a member.
"The religious exercises were held at the home of the
deceased and wre conducted by Rev C T Stepp of the
Methodist Church.
"Bill Lea, as he was familiarly known to almost every
man, woman and child in this section, will be sadly
missed from the walks and circles in which he was want to
move.
"The long years he had spent in contact with the rougher
element of the parish in discharging the duties of Deputy
Sheriff and City Marshal were not conducive to an easy
polished mein, but withal he was honest and sincere in
all his dealings with his fellow man, and within the
rugged fram we knew so well there dwelled a soul as pure
as ever animated human clay, a heart as tender as the
spring's first bud, and as his form is laid away we place
forever the mantle of sweet charity over his misfortunes
and remember his virtues only with a loving memory.
"The burial took place in the family cemetary at his
home, and he sleeps among the scenes and friends he loved
so well. "The sod, green under the smile of the
returning spring, will lie lightly on his breast, and the
forest, dewy with nature's tear drops, shall mourn his
requiem and grieve."
HENRY LATTIMORE LEA (dad) IRMA BLADES (mom)
-------------------- -----------------------
b 6-19-1899 (Kentwood ?) / b 4-29-1914
m / m
d 1-14-1956 / d Oct 5, 1990
---CHILDREN---
------>> EDLENA ANN LEA (m Owen)
Charles Henry Lea
MARVIN EDGAR OWEN EDLENA ANN LEA
----------------- ----------------------
b 10-20-1941 Longview Tx / b 11-6-1943 New Orleans, La
m 2-21-1965 / m 2-21-1965
d ---- / d ----
---CHILDREN---
Kimberly Michele Owen 9-30-1970
Stephen Michael Owen 5-19-1974
Any help in further in
identifying the family, especially the Funks, would be appreciated.
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