| Notes |
- There is considerable evidence to show that William D. Leeson was married to a woman named Mary and that he had a mistress named Nancy Wise who sometimes lived with them and by whom he fathered several children, all of whom had the Leeson surname. Further confusing matters is the fact that he had an unmarried sister also named Nancy, who also sometimes lived with him. The following entries are an attempt to sort out and analyze the evidence regarding the relationships between these individuals and their children.
William Leeson had a daughter named Erzilla who was born about 1838.
She married Isaac R Ellifritt in September of 1859.
William called her Mary Erzilla Ellifritts in his will.
In the chancery records, when William's land was divided, she was called Mary E. Ellifritt.
Erzilla's marriage record lists her parents as William and Mary.
William Leeson's death record lists Mary as his wife.
In the 1850 Census, Erzilla's mother is Mary Leeson.
In another household in the 1850 Census, Nancy Wise is living with her sons (Jackson, Jacob, Thomas, Eli, Leroy), all with surname Wise.
In the 1860 Census, both Mary Leeson and Nancy Wise are residing with William Leeson.
In the 1870 Census, Nancy Leeson and Nancy Wise are residing with William Leeson. Nancy Leeson & William Leeson are indicated as having foreign-born fathers, consistent with being siblings.
Leonidas Leeson's marriage record lists parents as William and Mary.
Pleasy Leeson's marriage record lists parents as William and Mary.
John P Leeson's marriage record lists parents as William and Mary.
John P Leeson's death record lists parents as William and Mary.
Hannah Leeson's parents are identifed in Bolster's Lowther genealogy as William Leeson and Mary Jane Wise.
Eli B Leeson lists his parents as William and Nancy on his marriage record.
Eli B Leeson is listed as a child of Nancy Wise in William Leeson's will.
Leroy Leeson's death record lists parents as William D. Leeson and Nancy Wise.
Leroy Leeson is listed as a child of Nancy Wise in William Leeson's will.
Leory Leeson's marriage record lists William and Nancy as his parents.
Jacob Leeson's marriage record lists William and Nancy as his parents.
Thomas D Leeson's marriage record lists William and Nancy as his parents.
Thomas D Leeson is listed as a child of Nancy Wise in William Leeson's will.
In William Leeson's will, Nancy Wise is listed as the mother of Jacob, Jackson, Thomas D, Eli B and Leroy.
1850 Census, Doddridge Co, Virginia (now West Virginia), enumerated on Aug 3 1850:
William Leason, 49 (47?), farmer; Mary, 56; Pleasy, 23; John, 20; Nancy, 17; Urzilla, 15; Lovina, 13; Leonidas, 5.
William & Mary born in Maryland, all others in Virginia.
In another household:
1850 Census, Doddridge County, Virginia (now West Virginia), enumerated on Aug 1 1850:
Nancy Wise, 40, unable to read or write; Jacob Wise, 23, farmer; Jackson Wise, 22, farmer; Thomas Wise, 18, school teacher; Eli Wise, 16, farmer; Leroy Wise, 13.
All born in Virginia except Nancy, born in Pennsylvania.
1860 Census, Doddridge Co, Virginia (now West Virginia):
William Leason, 63, farmer; Mary Leason, 49; Nancy Wise, 46; M. Leason (female), 11; R Leason (female), 7.
All born in Virginia.
Mary, wife of William Leeson, died in June 1863.
1870 Census, Doddridge Co, WV (Central Twp), enumerated on Jul 1 1870:
William Leeson, 71, b. Pa, father of foreign birth, farmer, value of real estate $3500, value of personal property $750; Leonidas Leeson, 23, b. Va, farmer, value of personal property $400; Esther J. Leeson, 26, b. Va; Marshall Adams, 13, b. Va; Joseph Adams, 12, b. Va; Marion Adams, 9, b. Va; William E. Adams, 3, b. WVa; Nancy Wise, 60, b. Pa; Nancy Leeson, 70, b. Va, father of foreign birth.
(Note: The four Adams boys are William's grandsons, sons of Joshua & Lavina/Lovinia (Leeson) Adams. Lavina/Lovinia had died the previous year.)
William Leeson died in November 1876.
1880 Census, Doddridge Co, WV (Central District), enumerated on Jun 15 1880:
Leonidas Leeson, 32, farmer; wife Esther J, 34; dau Emma E, 4; son Thomas L, 2; servant Florence Cain, 19, single; Charles Cain, 7 months.
1900 Census, Doddridge Co, WV (Central District), enumerated on Jun 21 1900:
Leonidas Leeson, 54, b. Dec 1845, farmer, married 30 yrs; wife Florence, 38, b. Dec 1861, married 10 yrs, mother of 8 children (5 still living); son Charles, 22, b. Apr 1878, single, farm laborer; son Walter, 18, b. Nov 1881; son William, 17, b. Feb 1883; dau Etta, 8, b. Sep 1891; son Boyd, 3, b. Jun 1896.
1910 Census, Doddridge Co, WV (Central District), enumerated on Apr 23 1910:
Leondes Leeson, 65, farmer, married 15 yrs (2nd marriage); wife Florence, 43, married 15 yrs (1st marriage), mother of 5 children (all still living); son Walter, 25, single; dau Etta, 15; son Boyd, 13; son Loyd, 9; son Wheeler, 4.
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WILLIAM LEESON'S LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT
I, William Leeson, residing in the County of Doddridge, State of West Va., do hereby publish & declare this my last Will & testament.
First, I command my soul to the God who gave it & my body I commit to the earth.
2nd - I bequeath unto Nancy Leason & Nancy Wise fifty acres of land, commencing at the mouth of Bear Run, thence up Main Run so as to include the House & garden, for their only use and benefit during their natural life, and after their decease, the same fifty acres of land to fall back to the persons named hereafter the said Nancy Wise & Nancy Leason to have sufficient Bed & Bedding, Household & Kitchen furniture to keep House.
3rd - All the Residue of my personal estate, farming utensils, Horses, catttle, Sheep, money, Bonds whatsoever there may be after paying my funeral expenses and my other debts if any or paid the remainder, these to be divided, share & share alike, unto the 12 different persons or heirs who are named to receive the remainder of my Real Estate.
4th - I do hereby further bequeath unto my son Leonidas Leason one hundred acres of land on the upper end of my farm.
5th - The residue of my farm I do give and bequeath to be equally divided between the following name persons: Pleasy Mason, 1 share. Hannah Lowther, 1 share. John Leason's heirs, 1 share. Nancy Hudkins, 1 share. Mary Enziller Ellifritts, 1 share. Lovina Adams' heirs, 1 share. Leonidas Leason, 1 share. The following are the children of Nancy Wise, all of which shall share alike with the former named parties. Jacob Leason, 1 share. Jackson Leason, 1 share. Thos D. Leason, 1 share. Eli B. Leason, 1 share. Leroy Leason, 1 share.
Given ... my hand & Seal this the 9th day of August 1876.
Wm (his mark) Leason (Seal)
We the undersigned Witnesses have at the request of the testator attached our signature thereto.
D. W. Hansford
Jacob Benninger
State of West Virginia, Doddridge County Clerk's Office, August 10th 1877.
The last Will and testament of William Leeson decd, bearing date August 9th 1876, was this day presented in the Clerk's office aforesaid and proved by Jacob Benninger, one of the subscribing witnesses thereto, and the affidavit of D. W. Hansford the other subscribing witness who is now deceased, and thereupon the said Will was admitted to record as the last Will and Testament of the said Wm Leeson decd.
Teste H. Holmes, Clerk
(NOTE: The foregoing transcription is the entirety of William Leeson's will, as recorded in Doddridge County Will Book 1, pages 84-86. It is exactly as written, with the exception of minor spelling and punctuation corrections for ease of reading and understanding. The various "Leeson" and "Leason" spellings are as contained in the originial document.)
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As recorded in Doddridge County Chancery Book 3, page 49, William Leeson's land was divided as follows:
Nancy Leeson and Nancy Wise - 50 acres
Leonidas Leeson - 100 acres
Division of other lands (237 acres):
Lot #1 14.25 acres Leonidas Leeson
Lot #2 14.25 acres Jackson Leeson
Lot #3 14.25 acres Jacob Leeson
Lot #4 20.25 acres Thom. D Leeson
Lot #5 20.5 acres Heirs of John P Leeson (Virginia, William, Charles, Stonewall Jackson, Leroy, Cornelia)
Lot #6 21 acres Heirs of Lovina Adams (Marshall, Joseph, William E, Marion, Samuel)
Lot #7 25 acres Mary Enzilla Ellifritt
Lot #8 22.25 acres Pleasy Mason
Lot #9 23.25 acres Eli B Leeson
Lot #10 22 acres Leroy Leeson
Lot #11 18 acres Nancy Hudkins
Lot #12 22 acres Hannah Lowther
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1798 - 1876 (78 years)
[1, 2, 3] 
