Phebe LEFFEW

  Research Notes:

Phebe has been determined to be a daughter of Joseph Leffew by virtue of her participation in the 11 Dec 1841 deed by the heirs of Joseph Leffew, Dec'd to William Leffew. ^{8 9}

  Death Notes:

Phebe died after the 1870 census and before Thomas' marriage to Lucinda Jones on 6 Nov 1871.

  Noted events in her life were:

1. Census: 1830, Grainger County, Tennessee. ¹⁰

Household of Joseph Lefew:
Free White: 0-0
Free Colored: 00001-21

The age ranges of the Free Colored schedule differed from Free White. The above profile indicates a male over age 55, two females under age 10. and 1 female age 10-24. Phebe is presumed to be the female age 10-24.

2. Census: 1840, Grainger County, Tennessee. ¹¹

Household of Thomas Majors: 20001-21001

3. Deed: 1841, Grainger County, Tennessee. ^{8 9}

By a Deed dated 11 Dec 1841, James Kirby (assignee of Sarah Leffew, widow of Joseph Leffew, Dec'd), Reas and Nancy (Leffew) Williams and Thomas and Phebe (Leffew) Majors conveyed 45 acres on Puncheon Camp Creek to Wm Leffew for $45. The deed goes on to say that this was the land owned by Joseph Leffew, Dec'd.

This deed was recorded twice, with only subtle differences in the text. One difference was in the heading of the deed, which in the first recorded version was "James Kirby, Reas Williams & others to Wm Leffew" and in the second was "The Heirs of Joseph Leffew to William Leffew." The second recorded version also puts the word "interest" in quotation marks when stating that the grantors were conveying "all our 'interest' property claim and demand to the before described tract of land being the land whareon the said Joseph Lephew, deceast and all the land belonging to him at his death."

I suspect the second recording with its heading change was made in connection with the sale of this same land to Levina Leffew by William Leffew and Nancy Williams by deed dated 19 Dec 1850 (Book L, Page 386) and was done at the request of Levina's lender to clarify chain of title.

The emphasis of the word "interest" in the second version probably also resulted from a chain of title concern. The emphasis suggests that the 1841 deed to William was not of full title but only of the interests of Sarah Leffew, Nancy Williams and Phebe Majors in the Estate of Joseph Leffew, Dec'd. The purchase price paid by William also suggests that only partial interests were being conveyed, since Joseph Leffew had paid $90 for the land in 1818 and it was valued at $150 in 1837. That suggests there were other heirs. It is likely that William and Levina were also heirs of Joseph. There were probably other younger heirs as well, whose interests were satisfied informally.

J. A. Haworth/Haweth (depending on the recorded version), presumably James A. Howeth, was one of the witnesses to this deed, along with Lucinda Williams.

4. Census: 1850, Grainger County, Tennessee. ⁴

Household of Thomas Majors: Phebe Majors, 39, F, TN, Illiterate

5. Census: 1860, Grainger County, Tennessee. ⁵

Household of Thomas Majors: Phebe Majors, 45, F, TN, Illiterate

6. Census: 1870, Grainger County, Tennessee. ⁶

Household of Thomas Majors: Majors, Phebe, 58, F, W, Keeping House, TN, Can't Write

Phebe married John FARMER Jr. on 20 May 1832 in Grainger County, Tennessee.¹ (John FARMER Jr. was born about 1811 ¹² and died in 1837-1838 ^{7 1 13}.)

  Marriage Notes:

John Farmer to Phebe Leffew; license issued 19 May 1832; bondsman, Hugh Farmer; date of marriage per return, 20 May 1832; married by John Latham, J. P. ^{1 7}

Phebe next married Thomas MAJORS, son of Elias MAJORS and Margaret FLOYD, on 27 Aug 1838 in Grainger County, Tennessee.^{2 3} (Thomas MAJORS was born in 1810-1811 in Tennessee ^{4 5} and died after Jun 1884 in Grainger County, Tennessee ^{14 15 16}.)

  Marriage Notes:

Per Film Source:
Thomas Majors to Phebe Farmer, Aug 27, 1838 by John Robinson, J.P., Aug 27, 1838.

Per Actual Record:
Marriage License issued 27 Aug 1838 at Rutledge to Thomas Majors and Pheber Farmer by Edward Tate, Clerk of the County Court for the County of Grainger. License contains the following return information: "This Day the above named Couple was Joined together as husband and wife this 27 August 1838," signed John Robertson, Justice of the Peace.

Note: Some descendants have recorded the year of their marriage as 1835. I assume this date was extrapolated -- probably by someone unaware of the marriage record -- from the ages of the children appearing in their household in the 1850 census, particularly James, age 15. The actual date of the marriage records raises questions whether James and Absalum were children of Thomas and Phebe. See Research Notes for Thomas Majors.