George LAIR ^{1 2}

  Research Notes:

While census records for James Lear show a male born 1802-1804 in James' household, query whether this was George. I have tentatively concluded it was based on the 1825 tax list, which shows a George Layer following the entry for James Layer. This initial appearance on the 1825 tax list is consistent with being a son born 1802-1804. Also, a George Lair was one of the witnesses to the 1821 deed by the heirs of Charles Hamilton, Dec'd, which included James and Sally Lair, to the Trustees of The Methodist Episcopal Church. Would a son born 1802-1804 and thus age 17-19 in 1821, be too young to serve as a legal witness? (It's difficult to get a handle on legal age requirements for different actions.) If he was too young, perhaps legal niceties were not being observed, especially since there were two other witnesses. In this regard, note that Dolly Hamilton, one of the heirs who signed the deed, may also have possibly been a minor.

Complicating matters is the existence of a George Lear who sold land on Otter Creek in 1826. Is this the same individual who appears on the 1825 tax list owning no land, or is it another George Lear? No subsequent records have been found for any George.

No George is mentioned in James' Will, but that may have been because he had died or moved elsewhere. A common though disconcerting feature of Lear Wills that I've seen is that they do not name all the children.

  Noted events in his life were:

1. Census: 1810, Wayne County, Kentucky. ⁴

Household of James Lear: May be the male under age 10.

2. Census: 1820, Wayne County, Kentucky. ³

Household of James Layer: May be the male age 16-18 and age 16-26.

3. Witness: 1821, Wayne County, Kentucky. ¹

George Lair was a witness to the 20 Oct 1821 deed by the heirs of Charles Hamilton, Dec'd, to the Trustees of The Methodist Episcopal Church.

4. Tax List: 1825, Wayne County, Kentucky. ²

1825, District 1: Layer, George; 1 white male 21+; 1 horse, $100.

5. Deed: 1826, Wayne County, Kentucky. ^{5 6}

Dated 29 Nov 1826, Recorded 29 Jan 1827, Bk D:302
George Lear to John Francis, $600 for 130 acres on Otter Creek, part of 338 acre Patent granted by State on 9 Dec 1819 and surveyed 8 Jan 1803. (This may refer to the 388 acres surveyed 7 Jan 1803 by Samuel Kelley per Kentucky Land Grant records.)

Note: A confirming deed seems to have been executed on 2 May 1828, recorded 27 May 1828, Bk D:424

This data is for informational purposes only, for it seems unlikely this could be the George Layer of the 1825 tax list who owned no property. More likely, this George was a relation via the Garrard Co., KY Lears.