Robert Gee of Brunswick County, Virginia



The following material was compiled by Bob Skinner.

There can be little doubt that Robert Gee, of Brunswick County was the youngest son of Charles and Hannah Gee. Brunswick County was created in 1720 from Prince George, Surry and Isle of Wight Counties. While there are no records of Gees being in Isle of Wight, both Prince George and Surry Counties abound with them including records for both Charles and Hannah. James Gee, the eldest son of Charles and Hannah, was known to live in the part of Surry Co. that was cut off to form Sussex County. In March 1745 Robert, a James Gee, and others were ordered to build a road in Brunswick County. At the March 1745 Brunswick Court a James Gee and others filed a petition to build a road, but it was rejected at the May 1746 Court, because the road was not in Brunswick County. The James Gee mentioned in these records very well could have been the eldest son of Charles and Hannah.

Since Robert does not show up in any early Prince George records nor is he mentioned in the 1728 deed at his mother's death, this would imply that he hadn't turned 21 by this date. Since he would have to be born by the time of his father's death (1708/9), this would place his birth date at 1707/8.

There was one big difference between Robert and his older brothers and that was wealth. Robert for all practical purposes was relatively poor compared to his older brothers, as the records bear out. In 1748 he sells 413 acres of land he received by 1746 patent for 37 lbs. and 10 shillings (about 11 acres per lb.). In 1749 Robert purchses for 10 lbs. 300 acres (30 acres per lb.). This 2nd tract of land was not near the quality of land as the 1st tract he sold. In 1764 for 15 lbs. he sold some land, which was probably 1/2 of his 300 acres (A survey of 1764 Brunswick County deeds show the poorer quality land goes for about 10 acres per lb., where the better tracts sell for 4-7 acres per lb.). In his 1783 will he leaves his oldest son Robert Jr. "my land and plantation whereon he now lives by estimation containing more or less 150 acres". His will also specifies " unto my loving wife my stocks of all kinds and household furniture and 3 head of horses during her natural life and after her decease to be equally divided between my children namely Robert Gee, Hannah Jones and Sarah Banks".

Many Va. wills end with a phrase similar to, "the remainder of my estate to be divided up among all my children" and then they are all named. Robert's will doesn't say this. He very well could have had more children, especially younger sons. The laws of the time specified that the father's land went to the oldest son. You can hardly divide up 150 acres among several sons and expect them to live off it. Younger sons would have probably gotten whatever they could from their father's estate and moved on to find a residence where they could get land. Therefore they may not have been mentioned in their father's will, as they had received their share of his estate and this in deed is exactly what happened, as we'll see.

Since there are so few records for people that are not very wealthy and we're dealing with counties where the records of this era were destroyed, there will not be a lot of data available to put this family together. However let's start with its' progenitor. Robert was born 1707/8, which would imply he was probably having children between roughly 1728 thru the early 1740's.

The Children of Robert Gee

  1. Robert. Gee, Jr.

    The oldest son, was not listed in the Brunswick 1748 Poll List. This means he wasn't 21 by that date, thus he was born after 1727. The first record in which he appears for sure is a 1758 deed, thus he would be born before 1737. Since he was the oldest son, it would be logical to think that his birth date would be closer to 1727 than the 1737.

  2. Phillip Gee

    We know Robert had a son Phillip from the following:

    May 1747 LUNENBURG Ct.: Ordered that the Church Wardens of Cumberland Parish in Lunenburg Do bind out Philip Gee, son of Robert Gee, to Samuel Wynne, it appearing to the court that his father is not able to provide for him and instruct him in Christian principles. Court orders Bk. 1 pg. 204

    There is more evidence of this from Brunswick County:

    March Court 1748 (p. 473) - Robert GEE (plaintiff) against Thomas NOBLIN (defendant) upon petition ... Court ordered that Petitioner recover 7 shillings and 1 penny ... Ordered that Robert GEE pay unto William BURROW, Philip GEE and Henry BAILEY 75 pounds of tobacco each for 3 days attendance at this court as witnesses for him against Thomas NOBLIN (BC Court Orders)

    Phillip Gee shows up on the Greenville County, NC tax list in 1755, therefore he is born by 1734. He was bound out in 1747 so he couldn't have been 21 by then, thus he was born after 1726. As far as being a witness for your father in a court case, from "Misconceptions Concerning Legal Ages" by Edgar MacDonald, "An "infant", the legal term for anyone under 21, could testify at any age, when understanding was presumed, and under common law the age of 14 was accepted without question as the age of discretion", thus Phillip would have to be born by 1734 or before. This puts his birthdate at 1734. This would place Robert's, the oldest son's, birth date before 1734, which fits nicely.

  3. Henry Gee of Halifax County

     Henry died in the Revolutionary War and was in Halifax County by 28 Apr 1777, when he enlists in the 14th VA Regiment, which served out of Halifax County. He is tied to Robert by the following Brunswick record:

    Indenture made the 28th day of November, 1758, between William BROWDER and William HOUSE, for 26 pounds, conveying 100 acres, adjoining lands of Isham LUCY, Robert GEE and Benjamin WHELER. Witnesses were Robert GEE, James PROCTER (his mark), and Henry GEE. Indenture and Memorandum of Livery of Seizin were acknowledged in Court on February 27, 1759, by William BROWDER. Deed Book 6, page 323.

    I'm assuming the Robert referred to in this deed is the elder Robert. His son appears to have always referred to himself as Robert, Jr. even after his father's death. Henry could have witnessed a deed with his father as early as age 14, thus was born 1745 or before. However it would be more likely that he witnessed a deed with his father, because he was an adult, which would mean he was born 1738 or before. This latter date certainly fits in with the birth dates of Robert's 2 oldest sons.

    Henry is also tied into very strongly into Robt. by the names of his children:

    1. Charles (named for Henry's grandfather)
    2. Elizabeth (named for Henry's his mother)
    3. Sarah (named for Henry's sister)
    4. Robert (named for Henry's father)
    5. Henry (named for Henry)

  4. John Gee

    John shows up in Pittsylvania Co. land records in 1773, already owning land and sells his land there in 1778. In 1779 he is on the tax list in Orange County, NC, which is just south across the state line from Pittsylvania County. Phillip Gee also resided in Orange County for several years prior to this. John is tied into Brunswick County per the following: the 1761/4 Account for the estate of Littleton Tazewell names John Gee and it is returned to Court 26 Mar 1764 WB 4, pt. 2 pg. 257.

    This would mean that John was born 1740/3 or before. John's land transactions in Pittsylvania County make no mention of a wife and it appears he married ca. 1780 in NC.

It should be noted that in the records for all 3 of these younger sons after they leave Brunswick County that there are references to them being in debt. This would imply that they came from a poorer background.

See information on Robert Gee by Bobby Jay Wadsworth.



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