Samuel LEGG ⁴

  Research Notes:

McMinn County, Tennessee:
There is another Samuel Legg family in the 1830 census for McMinn County, Tennessee. This family appears at page 152 and consists of 1 male 10-15, 3 males 20-30, 1 male 40-50, 2 females 5-10 and 1 female 40-50. Per tax lists, this Samuel owned no property and was listed with his sons Simeon, Isaac and Wiley. There is no evidence to suggest he may have been related to my Samuel. This other Samuel is reported by Joe Garrett at Ancestry.com to have been born 6 Oct 1782 in Prince William County, Virginia, to have married Jane "Jean" Hafley 17 Nov 1802 in Blount County, Tennessee, and to have died 13 Sep 1866 in Bradley County, Tennessee. The 1850 census for Bradley County has him being born about 1788 in Tennessee.

Jefferson County, Tennessee:
The only other early Tennessee marriage that has been found for a Samuel Legg is to a Betsy Horner on 28 Jul 1822 in Jefferson County, Tennessee. While some researchers have speculated Betsy Horner may be Samuel's wife Elizabeth, there are several reasons why this does not appear to be the case: (1) there is a Samuel Legg enumerated in the 1830 census for Jefferson County where the marriage took place, which suggests it was he who married Betsy Horner and not Samuel of 1830 McMinn County; (2) James W. Legg, the first child of our Samuel and Elizabeth, was born just a few months after this marriage date, which suggests Samuel and Elizabeth of McMinn County married at an earlier date; and (3) as might be expected based on the first two reasons, Samuel Legg of Jefferson County has been claimed by another Legg line, one that has been the subject of research by Brenda Esslinger of Knoxville, Tennessee, as per a 1990 family group sheet provided me by Mary Legg of Bartlesville, Oklahoma. Mary has been in contact with Brenda and is confident her research supports her claim to Samuel Legg and Betsy Horner of Jefferson County.

Cole County, Missouri:
Besides Samuel and his children, there were some other Leggs in Cole County. There was Thomas, age 20-30, who appeared in the 1840 census for Cole County. There was also Samson, sometimes Sampson, who received land patents in 1854 and 1856 and who, per estate records, died in 1864. It is not known whether Samuel may have been related to these other Leggs. No involvement with them is shown in official records.

  Burial Notes:

The following directions were taken from the cited source: Take Road C east out of Russellville, pass Road U and continue east on Road C for .7 mile or to first road on left and turn left. Go past Blank Cemetery on the left, cross railroad tracks, and continue to where road turns to left and a private road goes to the right. Take private road to right for about .2 mile to Jacob Farm (name of farm as of 4 Nov 1960, when the cemetery was canvassed). Cemetery is back of house in a pasture.

Restoration work at the cemetery has been done by Dean King of Russellville, who belongs to a group that restores cemeteries. He and his wife Norma can be reached at njking52@earthlink.net. Norma, in e-mails sent me in Nov 2005, stated the above directions are still accurate, except there are no railroad tracks to cross. She added the location is now referred to as Fischer Farm -- whether Jacob per the cited source may have been Jacob Fischer is not known. She also added that the cemetery is located on Morff Lane off of St. Michael's Road. Morff Lane is a dead end with two houses and you walk across one of the house's lawns to reach the small cemetery. Dean and his group installed a sign for the cemetery, calling it Legg-Robertson-Van Pool cemetery. Previous records suggest it was known as Vanpool Cemetery, but apparently that name fell into disuse. I trust the Vanpool family will not mind sharing the name with the Legg and Robertson families.

  Noted events in his life were:

1. County Road Order: 1826, McMinn County, Tennessee. ⁷

7 Mar 1826
"Samuel Leg" was included in a jury "to turn the road leading from Athens to Spring Creek on the land of William Cate."

[Although there is no way to be absolutely sure which Samuel Legg of McMinn County was the subject of this road order, I suspect he was my Samuel since he lived west of Athens and that is where this road would have been located.]

2. Tax List: 1829-1832, McMinn County, Tennessee. ⁸

[These are the only tax records available on film.]

1829, Captain Rucker's Comp.: Saml Legg, 320 acres, no white poll.

1830, Capt. Mooney's Comp.: Saml Legg, 320 acres, no white poll.

1831, Capt. Mooney's Comp.: Saml Legg, 320 acres, no white poll.

1832, Capt. Rucker's Co.: Samuel Legg, 320 acres, no white poll.

[It is unclear why Samuel was exempted from the poll tax. Perhaps he had an "old age" exemption, which elsewhere in Tennessee was as low as 50.]

3. Census: 1830, McMinn County, Tennessee. ⁹

Samuel Legg: 2 males 5-10, 1 male 1 male 50-60; 1 female under 5, 1 female 30-40.

Samuel is presumed to be the male age 50-60.

4. Court Order: 1833, McMinn County, Tennessee. ¹⁰

6 Sep 1833
". . . Saml Legs released from the payment of a poll tax for the year 1833 . . ."

5. Tax List: 1836, McMinn County, Tennessee. ¹¹

District 8: Leg, Samuel, 160 acres valued at $1,400, 160 acres of school land valued at $100, no slaves, no white poll, total tax of $2.25.

[District 8 was the district just west of Athens.]

6. Deed: 1838, McMinn County, Tennessee. ¹²

Dated 6 Jun 1838, Registered 26 Jun 1838, Bk E:347
Samuel Legg of McMinn County to Charles W. McDonald of McMinn County, $1700 for 320 acres in the Hiwassee District as follows: (1) the NE1/4 of Sec. 35, Range 2W, Twp. 2 and (2) the SW1/4 of Sec. 36, Range 2W, Twp. 2. Witnessed by Richard A. McAdoo and A. Sloan. [The referenced Twp. was 2S, west of Athens.]

[The Hiwassee District was the land purchased by the U. S. from the Cherokee Indians in 1817 and from which McMinn County was organized in 1819. It is reputed to be the first land in the United States to have been laid out in Townships and Sections. The deed or land grant by which Samuel acquired this land has not been found.]

7. Deed: 1839, Cole County, Missouri. ¹³

Dated 2 Mar 1839, Filed 19 Apr 1839, Bk C:402
George W. Vernon and Rebecca his wife to Samuel Legg; $500 for (1) the W1/2 of the NE1/4 and (2) the SE1/4 of the NW1/4, all of Sec. 21, Twp. 44N, Range 13W, containing 120 acres.

8. Census: 1840, Cole County, Missouri. ¹⁴

Household of Samuel Legg: 1 male age 5-10, 2 males age 15-20, 1 male age 60-70; 1 female age 10-15, 1 female age 50-60.

Samuel is presumed to be the male age 60-70.

9. Land Patent: 1841, Cole County, Missouri. ¹⁵

Dated 10 Nov 1841
Purchased the NE1/4 and the SW1/4 of the NW1/4 of Sec. 21, Twp. 44-N, Range 13-W, consisting of 80 acres.

Dated 10 Nov 1841
Purchased the W1/2 and the NE1/4 of the SE1/4 of Sec. 19, Twp. 44-N, Range 13-W, consisting of 120 acres.

10. Deed: 1841, Cole County, Missouri. ¹⁶

Dated 8 Dec 1841, Filed 8 Dec 1841, Bk E:106
Samuel Legg and Elizabeth his wife to Johan Dampf; $95 for the NE1/4 of the SE1/4 of Sec. 19, Twp. 44N, Range 13W, containing 40 acres.

11. Deed: 1845, Moniteau County, Missouri. ¹⁷

Dated 25 Jan 1845, Filed 31 Jan 1849, Bk B:259
Heirs of John Robertson, Dec'd (Ward and Nancy Howard, John and Mary Robertson, William and Mary Robertson, James and Cintha Robertson, George J. and Maremma Robertson, Edmund and Margaret Stinson, Stephen and Sarah Howard, and Martha Robertson) to Samuel Legg; $250 for (1) the W1/2 of the SE1/4 of Sec. 28, Twp. 45, Range 16 and (2) the N1/2 of the E1/2 of the SE1/4 of Sec. 28, Twp. 45, Range 16, about 120 acres. Deed was executed and acknowledged in Morgan Co., MO.

12. Deed: 1848, Cole County, Missouri. ¹⁸

Dated 11 Feb 1848, Filed 21 Oct 1850, Bk I:368
Samuel Legg and Sarah his wife of Cole County to James W. Legg of Cole County; $125 for the W1/2 of the SE1/4 of Sec. 19, Twp. 44[N], Range 13W, containing 80 acres.

13. Deed: 1848, Cole County, Missouri. ¹⁹

Dated 11 Feb 1848, Filed 4 Nov 1854, Bk K: 458
Samuel Legg and Sarah Legg his wife of Cole County to John R. Legg of Cole County; $125 for the W1/2 of the NE1/4 and the E1/2 of the NE1/4 of the NW1/4 of Sec. 21, Twp. 44, Range 13, containing 100 acres.

14. Deed: 1848, Cole County, Missouri. ¹⁹

Dated 11 Feb 1848, Filed 4 Nov 1854; Bk: K:459
Samuel Legg and Sarah Legg his wife of Cole County to Samuel H. Legg of Cole County; $125 for the SE1/4 of the NW1/4 and the NW1/4 of the NW1/4 and the W1/2 of the NE1/4 of the NW1/4, Sec. 21, Twp. 44, Range 13W, containing 100 acres; provided, however, that Samuel reserved possession for the rest of his life.

15. Deed: 1848, Moniteau County, Missouri. ¹⁷

Dated 7 Mar 1848, Filed 31 Jul 1849, Bk B:258
George J. Robertson of Moniteau Co. to Samuel Legg of Cole Co.; $175 for E1/2 of the SE1/4 of Sec. 3, Twp. 44, Range 16, about 80 acres.

16. Census: 1850, Cole County, Missouri. ⁶

Dwelling 784, Family 794
Samuel Legg, age 74, male, farmer, $600 real estate, born in Maryland
Sarah Legg, age 44, female, born in Virginia
John Legg, age 24, male, born in Tennessee
Harrison Legg, age 19, male, born in Tennessee
Mary Legg, age 2, female, born in Missouri
Marcelmus Barry, age 17, male, born in Kentucky
Richard Barry, age 15, male, born in Illinois
Elizabeth Barry, age 10, female, born in Illinois

17. Slave Schedule: 1850, Cole County, Missouri. ²⁰

Samuel Legg:
Slave No. 1, age 24, female, black
Slave No. 2, age 21, male, black

[Note wife Sarah was also shown as a slave owner.]

18. Deed: 1855, Moniteau County, Missouri. ²¹

Dated 17 Aug 1855, Filed 17 May 1856, Bk E:167
Samuel Legg and Sarah J. Legg his wife of Cole Co., MO to William Robertson of Moniteau Co., MO; $320 for the E1/2 of the SE1/4 of Sec. 3, Twp. 44, Range 16, about 80 acres. [Both Samuel and wife, Sarah Jane, signed by their mark.]

19. Estate Administration: 1857-1860, Cole County, Missouri. ^{22 23 24 25}

9 Jul 1857
John R. Legg appointed Administrator of the Estate of Samuel Legg, Dec'd. Samuel died intestate.

Dated 22 Jul 1857 (appraisal), Filed (presumably) 12 Aug 1857
[Inventory records for this period of time have not been filmed. Copies of the original Inventory and Certificate of Appraisement were provided by Mary Legg. Query whether the Sale of Personal Property also exists at the Courthouse. The Certificate of Appraisement by Robert Simpson, Thomas Meadows, and John Ross is dated 22 Jul 1857. The Inventory was acknowledged by John R. Legg, Administrator of the Estate of Samuel Legg, Dec'd, on 12 Aug 1857 before James W. Legg, J.P. His affidavit notes the Inventory did not include "property Reserved as the absolute property of the widow.]

The total value of the personal property inventoried and appraised appears to have been $615.925. Such personal property (and the appraised value in the case of items valued at $5.00 or more) per the appraisal was as follows: one lot of old irons; two clevises(?) ring and steeple; one lot of five augers; drawing knife and chisels; plow gears; two pair of stilliards; sheep shears; rat trap and mouse trap; [next item unreadable due to apparent crease in document -- appears to be two iron wedges, reap hooks and hammer per the inventory]; one tar bucket (and grind stone per inventory); one lot of three hoes; five axes; fan irons [wheat fan irons per inventory]; double tree and a strip of iron; three plows; plow single tree clivis and Ring; log chain; one pair stretchers and beast chains; one scythe and cradle; one mowing blade; four bells; two bridles and curry comb; one-half bushel; one clock; one table and spread (oil cloth per inventory); one cupboard ($8.00); one glass frame and drawer; one trunk; one saddle ($9.00); one pair of saddle bags; one small _____ of corn (15 acres per inventory); one pair of andirons; one wagon ($30.00); one wagon tounge; three cows and calves ($15.00 each); one dry [dairy?] cow ($16.00); two 2 year old cow beasts ($9.00 each); three 1 year old cow beasts ($6.6667 each); one yoke of work cattle ($20.00); one sorrel yearling mare ($50.00); one sorrel horse ($85.00); one sorrel mare ($100.00); one chesnut sorrel mare ($50.00); one cow beast ($7.00); one lot of 5 hogs ($7.50); another lot of 5 hogs ($12.50); another lot of 3 hogs; one razor; one shoe float; one large bell; sixty-one dozen oats ($9.15); and one bridle.

Other items that were part of the Inventory but not part of the appraisal were as follows: cash on hand in the amount of $106.25; Pacific Railroad certificates in the amount of $4.25; bed stead and bedding; and one trundle bed stead.

5 Nov 1857, Vol 3:352
Administrator of the Estate of Samuel Legg, Dec'd, ordered to pay to the widow of the deceased the sum of $15 for her support and the support of the children of the deceased for the present year.

2 Feb 1858, Vol 3:368
Michael Boneberger vs. Estate of Samuel Legg. Claim of $13.925 presented, allowed and placed in the 5th class of demands against the estate.

15 Jan 1858 [Copy of original provided by Mary Legg]
Additional Certificate of Appraisement for the Estate of Samuel Legg, Dec'd, by John W. Ross and E. Bolton. Lists barrels and pecks of what appear to be corn products. Total value was $99.675.

4 May 1858, Vol 3:393
J. J. Russell vs. Estate of Samuel Legg. Claim of $10 presented, allowed and placed in the 2nd class of demands against the estate.

2 Nov 1858, Vol 3:439
John R. Legg, Administrator of the Estate of Samuel Legg, Dec'd, made his first annual settlement, which was approved and ordered to be filed. [The records of the Probate Court do not include details of the settlements and such have not been filmed for this time period. It is not known whether these settlements exist at the Courthouse.]

20 Dec 1858, Vol 3:451
James M. Armstrong vs. Estate of Samuel Legg. Claim (with amount left blank) presented, allowed and placed in the 2nd class of demands against the estate.

2 May 1859, Vol 4:1
Court ordered distribution from Estate of Samuel Legg, Dec'd to heirs as follows: $600 in equal parts to J. W. Legg, J. R. Legg, S. H. Legg, P. R. Legg and R. F. Vanpool. [Although the probate court records do not include supporting documents, Mary Legg provided me with a copy of the original petition by John R. Legg for this distribution. It is believed this a copy of the original document at the Courthouse, since such records for this time period have not been filmed. The petition more fully identifies the heirs (mistakenly called Legatees, a term reserved for beneficiaries of a Will) as follows: James W. Legg, John R. Legg, Samuel H. Legg, Polly R. Legg and R. F. Vanpool (husband of Eliza J. Legg).]

10 Nov 1859, Vol 4:55
John R. Legg, Administrator of the Estate of Samuel Legg, Dec'd, made his second annual Settlement; approved and filed.

7 Nov 1860, Vol 4:122
John R. Legg, Administrator of the Estate of Samuel Legg, Dec'd, made his final settlement; approved and filed.

Samuel married Elizabeth.⁴ (Elizabeth was born about 1793 in Kentucky,^{4 5 26 27 28 29 30} died on 24 Sep 1843 in Cole County, Missouri ^{4 5} and was buried in Legg-Robertson-Van Pool Cemetery, Cole County, Missouri ^{4 5}.)

  Marriage Notes:

Given that James W. Legg was born when Samuel Legg was age 46, it seems reasonable to speculate Samuel may have been previously married. However, no evidence of a prior marriage or prior children has been discovered.

Samuel next married Sarah Jane KING, daughter of John KING and 1st Mrs. John King, on 20 Nov 1844 in Morgan County, Missouri.^{2 3} (Sarah Jane KING was born about 1806 in Virginia ⁶ and died after 1880 in Vernon County, Missouri ³¹.)

  Marriage Notes:

"Samuel Leg to Sally Berry, 20 Nov 1844"

[Sarah/Sally King was previously married to Joseph Stewart Barry.] ^{2 3}