This family, or at least old William Lee, came to Russell County from North Carolina. They seem to have settled in the Molls Creek section of western Russell County. There seems to have been at least three adult men named Lee in the initial settlement. They were William Lee, Giles Lee and James Lee. Their relationship is unknown.
     James Lee, according to the 1850 census, was born in Georgia, but his children claim he was born in Virginia. He is found in the 1797 tithables of Russell Co., VA.
     James Lee was born 25 April 1765, died 21 January 1851. Buried in the family cemetery at Castlewood. He
was married three times.
     First marriage was to Sarah _____ b. 10 December 1761, d. 21 October 1810 in Russell Co., VA. Children:
     [1] Peggy (Margaret) Lee, b. 4 April 1788, d. 1842, in Arkansas, m. ca 1809 John McKinney. He could possibly be the son of James McKinney who lived near the Lee Family.
     [2] Giles Lee, b. 5 February 1799, Russell Co., m. 1822 to Susanna _____. Giles d. 1863 in Civil War. They had children in the Russell County area: James, Wesley and Margaret who m. a William Mood or Moad (Mead?)
     James Lee m. a 2nd time to Rachael Hendricks, b. 20 March 1792, d. 16 February 1829. She is said to be the daughter of Thomas Hendricks, d. 1823, but is not mentioned in his will. She may possibly have been a daughter of James or Aaron Hendricks. She had brothers Aaron, Thomas and James (none of these mentioned in old Thomas Hendricks will). By this second marriage James Lee had the following children:
     [3] Sarah Lee, b. 18 October 1813 in Russell Co., VA, m. _____ Jessee. In the 1864 settlement of her father, James Lee's estate it makes mention of the unknown heirs of Sallie Jessee. In the 1852 settlement of the Curator's account of the estate Jefferson Jessee was administrator of the estate, but Jefferson Jessee is claimed to have married Nancy Counts. He was Sheriff of Wise County in 1860, and he was born 1802.
     NOTE: The Jefferson family supposedly came from Caswell Co., NC, the first being John Jessee, b. ca. 1750, d. 17 October 1815, m. Franky Lea (Lee). Children: Archer; John; Leo; David; Mary; Elizabeth; William Frances; Dicey; Sarah; James; Rebecca; George Lea, m. Elizabeth Counts; Martin; Jefferson m. Nancy Counts; Mary m. Abednego Kiser. John Jessee was mustered into the Revolutionary War from North Carolina. In May 1797, James Lee bought 100 acres on Sinking Creek on the north side of a ridge from Walter Preston.
     [4] Martin Lee, b. 29 March 1815, Russell Co., m. Fanny ______, 1850 census shows him with children: Elizabeth; Sydney; Phoebe; Rachael; David; Martha; Hugh.
     [5] Phoebe Hendricks Lee, b. 1819-1820, Russell Co., VA, d. 21 July, age 32 years, 7 months, 2 days, m. Oliver H. Price, son of Daniel Price.
     [6] Rachael Lee, b. 10 June 1823, Russell Co., VA, m. _____ Bates
     [7] Margaret R. Lee, b. 24 September 1825, m. James Edgerton.
     [8] Unicy Hebron Lee, b. 18 October 1826, Russell Co., VA, m. W. R. Porter. (Note: it will be remembered that Eunice, daughter of Old William Lee married a Hebron, thus this shows a close family connection)
     [9] James H. Lee, b. 22 November 1828, Russell Co., VA. It is believed he died shortly after birth. His mother died less than 3 months after his birth.
     James Lee married a 3rd time to Chloe Fraley, 23 June 1830. Chloe Fraley, b. 14 November 1809, was the daughter of William Fraley, b. 23 January 1773, son of Frederick and Chloe Fraley. Children of the third marriage:
     [10] James M. Lee, b. 30 June 1831, killed in 1863 in the Civil War, m. 8 October 1857 to Mary Hackney. She was 22 in 1857 and is believed to have been from Ashe Co., NC.
     [11] Alexander M. Lee, b. 16 February 1833, d. 11 January 1894, Russell Co., VA, m. 1st Fannie McReynolds. Child: Millard Fillmore Lee, b. 1854. Alexander m. 2nd Eliza G. Smith, d/o George and Abbey Smith, and had children: [a] Virginia Lee, b. 1858, d. August 1894, in the settlement of her father's estate S. H. & R. A. Fletcher to inherit her portion. [b] Georgia Alice Lee, b. 1861, d. 1898, m. William Hopkins Gose, b. 1860, d. 1907, s/o Nathaniel Gose & Rebecca Williams. Nathaniel was the s/o Stephen and Mary  E. Litz Gose. [c] John S. Lee, b. 1864, d. 1916 [d] Francis S. Lee, b. 1857, m. _____ Quillen; [e] Elvira S. Lee, b. 1869, d. 1885. [f] William Alexander Stuart Lee, b. 1875, d. 195__, m. Myrtle Kelly. They had old James Lee's Bible.
     [2] Nelly Glozner Lee, b. 20 May 1834, m. William Osborne, b. 1831, m. 2nd George Hopkins Gose. They had a son R. Walter Gose of Abingdon, Washington Co., VA and S. Christopher Gose and perhaps others.
     [3] William Fraley Lee, b. 15 August 1836, probably died young as the next son is named:
     [4] William Easterly Lee, b. 1837, m. 1853 to Mary C. Plott.
     [5] Tivis P. Lee, b. 1841, m. Mary _____
     [6] Giles D. Lee, b. 1841, probably a twin to Tivis and may have died young.
     [7] David Fletcher Lee, b. 1841, m. Mary _____ in 1860.

 Old Giles Lee

     The old Giles Lee bought 94 acres from William Fugate and his wife Jane, of Lee Co., VA, on 25 July 1797. This land was in Moccasin Valley on Moll's Creek.
     Deed Book 2, page 537, Russell Co., VA, Giles Lee and his wife Rachael on 28 August 1798, sell to Colbet Fugate, 50 acres being part of the above tract bought of William Fugate.
     Deed Book 2, page 245, Russell Co., VA, 28 May 1809 Giles Lee and Sarah, sell to Colbert Fugate, another 15 acres part of the William Fugate tract.
     Deed Book 5, page 43 - Russell Co., VA, 5 April 1814, Giles Lee sells to Colbert Fugate, 29 acres being the remaining part of the 94 acres of William Fugate tract.
     In 1803, Giles Lee and his wife, Sarah were dismissed from the Stoney Creek Baptist Church (Fort Blackmore). In 1798 he had wife "Rachael" and in 1803 and 1809 he has wife "Sarah" which means Rachael died sometime between 1798 and 1809.
     Deed Book 2, page 436, 26 September 1797, Giles Lee sells to William Sergeant 50 acres in Glade Hollow, being land patented to Cornelius Roberts, in 1787, Roberts was killed by Indians on Black Mountain in 1788.
     On November 3, 1817, Giles Lee buys from Briant Fannin and wife Rachael 5 « acres of land on Castle Run, bordering Daniel McKinney's land. Then on November 13, 1817, just ten days later the death of Giles Lee is recorded in the Bible of James Lee. James Lee named a son Giles and old Giles Lee's death is recorded in his Bible. His son Giles was killed in 1863. So this possibly shows a brother or father and son relation.
     
William Lee
                                
     In 1797 there was also a William Lee in Russell Co. and owned land also in the Molls Creek triangle. He died in Russell Co., VA in 1810, and in his will he mentions a son Abner Lee by a former marriage. Also mentioned are his daughters Franky Whitley, Elizabeth Hobbs, grandson William Hobbs, sons: Ephaim Lee, Joseph Gold Lee, Alvey Lee and George Lee. His 2nd wife, mentioned in this will was Sarah Lee.
     Also in this will he stipulates that his wife is to comfortably maintain his son George Lee and his (William's) brother James Lee. This probably suggests that his son George was some sort of an invalid and possibly his (William's) brother James was very old.
     William Lee's will was made 2 April 1810 and probated 5 June 1810. The DAR records show this William Lee to have been born ca 1735-1740.
     Ephraim Lee (youngest son of the above mentioned William Lee) and his wife Sally, sells to his brother Joseph G. Lee, 180 and 30 acres of land on Copper Creek in 1818. This is probably the property he inherited from his father "when he comes of age."
     Old William Lee served in the Revolutionary War from Montgomery Co., VA.
     There was an Abner Lee (pension R-6257) in Lt. Thomas McCulloch's Co., at King's Mountain under General William Campbell. Uncertain whether this was William's son Abner.