John Lindsey Senior's Family

Elce Lindsey

Elce, (Alce, Alice) probably married John Lindsey in Maryland.  Their first son, James, was born ca. 1731, so John and Elce had probably married by 1730.  Little is known about Elce.  Her maiden name is unknown.  Author George Leland Summer stated that Elce was a Crosson, but his information was incorrect.  See my research page about this for more information.  Numerous descendants were named after Elce, who must have been a beloved mother and grandmother.  Later spelling variations of the name included Alesey, Alsea and Ailsey.

It is not known when Elce Lindsey died.  The last record I have of her is in 1789, when she purchased a crosscut saw at the estate sale of Charles King.  John Lindsey willed his land and farm tools to his youngest son, Samuel, but Elce was to have possession of the land and all the personal property until she died.  Samuel Lindsey sold the land he inherited in May of 1788 (deed abstract).  Elce Lindsey was still living (see court records below) when Samuel sold the land, so she must have been living with one of her grown children at the time.  Elce did not appear on any census records in Newberry County as head of household.  She may have died by the time the 1790 census was taken, or she may have been living in a household headed by another family member.

Records for Elce Lindsey:

Newberry County Court.  The following records are from: Newberry County, South Carolina Minutes of the Country [i.e. County] Court, 1785-1798. (1977). Greenville, SC: Southern Historical Press, Inc.

Pg. 26 - September 1786 court: Ailse Lindsey, adm'x of John, dec'd, against Hugh Lavinder, defendant.  In trover, alias awarded.

Pg. 31 - March 1787 court: Ailse Lindsey, adm'x of John dec'd, plt'f against Hugh Lavinder in Trover and Conversion.  Came the Plaintiff by James Yancey, Gent'l her attorney and the Defendant by Peter Cerns Gent'l his attorney comes and defents & says he is not guilty of the Trover and conversion that the Plt'f complains of in her decl'r Complains of Therefore he puts himself upon the County & the Plaintiff does Likewise the same therefore parties Join Issue the the trial at next court.

Pg. 40 - June 1787 court: Ailse Lindsey Plaintiff against Hugh Lavinder Defendant in Trover and Conversion.  All matters and things in Controversy depending between parties by consent of the Parties and assent of the Court is Refer'd to Philemon Waters & Levi Casey Esq'r with leave to choose an Umpire whose award returned to next court shall be the Judgment of the Court.

Pg. 61 - June 1788 court; Ailse Lindsey Plaintiff against Hugh Lavinder Defendant in Trover and Conversion. All matters & things in controversy between the above parties having been submitted mutually to the determination of Samuel Murray, Joseph Hampton & Robert Rutherford, Esquire Returned their Award on the Premises as follows to wit That the Plaintiff recover against the said Defendant  £11 with costs of suit.

2 April 1789 - Alse Lindsey purchased a crosscut saw at the estate sale of Charles King.  Source: Estate of Charles King of Newberry County, pg. 38.  Copy reproduced from microfilm at the South Carolina Archives: Newberry County estates, Estate Box 357, #22. 

Sarah Lindsey

Sarah Lindsey, the oldest daughter of John and Elce Lindsey, was born ca. 1733-1735.  Sarah was bequeathed the great family bible in her father's will.  She married Capt. Thomas Speake ca. 1752.  There are no records for Thomas Speake in Newberry County, so he may have died before Sarah made the move from Virginia to South Carolina. According to family tree information, Thomas and Sarah Lindsey Speake had children named Richard, who married Margaret Tate; John (Col. John), who married his first cousin Sarah Smith; George; Hezekiah; and Sarah, who married Isaac Cannon. There may also have been a daughter named Theodocia, who married Revolutionary War soldier James Sherer, but this has not been proved.  Both Richard and John Speake served as sheriffs of Newberry County.

Records for Sarah Lindsey Speake:

1.  Gilreath, Amelia C. Frederick County, Virginia Deed Book Series, Volume 4: Deed Books 12, 13, 14 1767-1771. Westminster, MD: Willow Bend Books, 2001. Pg. 167: Deed Book 14, pg. 187 - 1 Feb. 1769: "Whereas a Mortgage was made to me and others some time in the year 1757 of a House and Lot in Town of Winchester by James Lemon being his Property ... whereof I Assign all my Right Title Interest and demand whatsoever of the same to my Daughter Sarah Speake wife of Thomas Speake ..." signed by John Lindsey, and witnessed by Jas. Lindsey, Stephen Southard, and J. Skelding.  Recorded on 5 March 1771.
 

Holcomb, Brent. Newberry County, South Carolina Deed Abstracts, Volume 1: Deed Books A-B 1785-1794 (1751-1794). Columbia, SC: SCMAR, 1999. Pg. 55: Newberry County Deed Book A, pgs. 664-667- 8 Nov. 1774: Jacob Farington sold land to widow Sarah Speak.  The land was adjacent to land owned by Charles King.  The deed was witnessed by James Lindsey before John Lindsey, JP, and recorded on 22 June 1789.

The 1790 census for Newberry County, SC listed Widow Speak living next door to John Speak.  Edmund and William Lindsey lived nearby.  Sarah Speake did not appear on any census records as Head of Household after 1790.  She may have remarried, or perhaps she died before the 1800 census.  The 1800 census for Newberry County showed that Hezekiah Speake had a female over age 45 in his household.  Perhaps this was his mother, Sarah Lindsey Speake.

Abigail Lindsey

Abigail Lindsey, daughter of John and Alce Lindsey, was born ca. 1735-1740.  She married Dr. Humphrey Wells.  Humphrey and Abigail Wells migrated to Georgia, where Humphrey died in Richmond County ca. 1781.  Humphrey's will mentioned sons named Humphrey, George, Samuel, and Jesse, and a daughter named Sibella. In 1781, all of Humphrey and Abigail Lindsey Well's children were listed as minors. An abstract of Humphrey Well's will appears below (Source: Historical Collections of the Georgia Chapters Daughters of the American Revolution. Vol. 2: Records of Richmond County, Georgia (formerly Saint Paul's Parish), by Grace Gillam Davidson, pp. 16-17):

The birthdates of two of Humphrey and Abigail Lindsey Wells's children are known from St. Luke's Parish records in Maryland.   Humphrey Wells Jr. was born in 1758, and John Wells was born in 1760. (Source: Maryland Eastern Shore Vital Records, Book 3, 1751-1775, by F. Edward Wright. Page 18: St. Luke's Parish, Queen Anne's County.) John Wells was not mentioned in his father's will, so he may have died young.

Family information states that Humphrey and Abigail moved to Virginia about 1762, and that Humphrey Wells purchased land from John Lindsey. (Source: Ancestry.com. Maryland genealogical notes. [database on-line]. Provo, UT: The Generations Network, Inc., 2005. Original data: Montgomery, Henry B.,. Maryland genealogical notes.. Baltimore, Md.: I. C. Wilkins Foundation, 1954.) An excerpt from p. 20 appears below:

Abigail Lindsey Wells moved to Newberry County sometime after the death of her husband. She appeared on the 1800 and 1810 censuses in Newberry County. Abigail Wells wrote her will in Newberry County in 1813.  Abigail's will mentioned her sons Samuel and George, and the children of a deceased daughter name Sibella, who had married Moses Lindsey (Moses was the son of James Lindsey).  Sons Humphrey and Jesse Wells were not mentioned in Abigail's will, so they had probably predeceased their mother. Abigail Wells also mentioned a great-granddaughter, Rebecca Carter Wells, in her will.  Abigail appointed her sister, Esther Smith, as an executor or her estate.  A transcription of Abigail's will appears below:

Will of Abigail Lindsey Wells, 1813

SC, Newberry District    In the name of God Amen I Abegail Wells
of the state and District afore said being sick of body but in mind
sound and Perfect Memory and knowing that it is appointed for
all men Once to die and after death to come to Judgment and as
to temporal Estate which it hath pleased God to bestow on Me I
give and dispose of as followath-------

1st.. My Will is that all my Just debts and funeral Expences be paid
out of my estate

2nd.. My Will is that Jack Hannah & Hager should be sold and the
Money arising from the sales of them shall be appropriated to the
payments of my just debts that shall not be herafter otherwise provided
for and that the Remainder of the money be equally devided between
my son George Wells & my son Samuel Wells, But should my said
sons George & Samuel pay my Just debts that may not be hereafter
provided for my will is that they Equally divide the said Negro amongs
them selves as they can agree to them and their heirs forever

4thly.. I give and bequeath to my Grand son Humphrey Wells
Daughter Rebeckah Carter Wells One bed to her heirs for ever

5thly.. I give and bequeath to Ruth Lindsey daughter of Moses
Lindsey one feather bed to her &  her heirs for ever
6thly.. I give and bequeath to Polly Lindsey daughter of Moses
Lindsey 1 cow that I purchased of Mathias Elmore to her and her
heirs for ever.

7thly.. My will is that my executors pay unto my Grand son
Humphrey Wells the sum of ten Shillings out of my estate if
demanded

8thly.. My will is that my executors pay unto the Children of
Sibbella Lindsey wife of Moses ten Shillings out of my estate if
demanded.

9thly.. and lastly it is my will that the Remainder of my property that
I have not willed or Disposed of otherwise be sold and the Money
arising there from go to the payment of my just debts  I do also hereby
Nominate constitute and appoint my sister Esther Smith my
Executrix and my son Samuel Wells my Executor this being my
last will and testament Revoking all other former wills confirming this
to be my last and no other  In witnefs I have here unto set my hand &
seal this 24th day of December 1813.

In presence of                                                     her
Jared Smith                                             Abegail X Wells (L S)
William Smith                                                    mark
 

Images reproduced with permission from the South Carolina Archives:
http://167.7.33.100/onlinearchives/search.aspx

Esther Lindsey

Esther Lindsey, daughter of John and Alce Lindsey, was born in 1745, according to her tombstone.  She married Col. Jarret (Gerrard, Jared) Smith, who died ca. 1788.  According to family tree information, Jarret and Esther Lindsey Smith had children named John; Alce, who married Joseph Smith; Sarah, who married her first cousin John Speake; Elizabeth, who married William Allen; William, who married Esther Speake; Miriam, who married Gabriel Anderson; and Jarred, who married Mary.