Pike County AlArchives Biographies.....DeFee, John L. ca1800 - ca1861 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/al/alfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Bill Sweeney w.a.sweeney@satx.rr.com October 2, 2012, 6:25 am Source: Personal Research Author: Bill Sweeney Biography for John L. DeFee John L. DeFee was born about 1800 in South Carolina. He was a farmer for his entire life. He is believed to be the son of James DeFi (DeFee) of Rowan County, North Carolina. His name is on the 1790 census is DeFi but have found the name DeFee spelled many different ways when it comes to a Census. He is on the 1790 Rowan County, N.C. Census. Image : 0506, roll M637_7, listed as #469….# 476 is a James McCulloch! This may be the reason that John L. DeFee’s first son has the middle name of McCullouch. James also has land near the Great Pee Dee River which flows southward into South Carolina and to Darlington, S.C. which is where many DeFee’s lived and even to this day, there are DeFee’s there. James was born about 1760 in North Carolina. He was married to a Delilah and later to a Margaret. Maiden names are unknown. James had at least three sons. Thomas Homer DeFee, John L. DeFee, and a William DeFee….It is unknown when James DeFee died. Found Thomas Homer DeFee and John L. DeFee in Pike County, Alabama. John was buying land in Alabama in the early 1820’s. Thomas Homer DeFee is also there but he is later found in Crenshaw County, Alabama. And much later Thomas is found in northern Louisiana with his family. Thomas also has a son named Green P. DeFee which is also a name that John L. DeFee has given his son. The only thing different is the middle name…Pinkham and Pleasant…The latter being with Thomas’ son. Thomas is married to Ann Elizabeth Goddin. Ann was born about 1817 in South Carolina and died 18 July 1877 in Union Parish, Louisiana. She and Thomas Homer DeFee were married 6 January 1846, Pike County, Alabama. Marriage Book #1, page 264. Both are buried in the Taylor-Liberty Cemetery, Union Parish, Louisiana. John L. Defee is married to Isabella Baygents (It was spelled Bagience but children of the Bagience family changed it to Baygents.) Isabella and John L. married about 1829. Isabella was born about 1811 in South Carolina. Isabella is the mother to all of John L’s children. Isabella dies about 1853. Unknown where she is buried but believe it was on land owned by John L. DeFee. Isabella was the daughter of John and Elizabeth Bagience. The children of John L. DeFee and Isabella are: James McCullouch DeFee, (1835), Sara Ann(1836), Green Pinkham (1840), Josephine (1841), Andrew Jackson(1843), Harmon Pratt(1846), Julia Ardella (1849),Margaret Adella (1850)….Following Isabella’s death, John married Elvira E. Ruffin on 26 March 1854, Pike County, Alabama. Elvira was born unknown and died unknown. John married for a 3rd time to Elizabeth Mirian Carr. They were married 17 March 1859, Pike County, Alabama. Elizabeth was born about 1827 and died in the mid 1860’s, Pike County, Alabama. She was previously married to Joseph Carr and had two children, Pernetta and Julia Carr. Joseph Carr was the son of Isaac and Rosanna Carr. John L. DeFee owned at one time, almost 400 acres in Pike and Bullock Counties, Alabama. John would die on 7 September 1860, Pike County, Alabama. From Glo Records we find the following land coordinates owned by John L. Defee: Section: 6/Township: 9-N, Range 23-E, Section: 28/, Township: 10-N, Range: 22-E, Section: 29/, Township: 10-N, Range:22-E, Section: 22/ , Township: 11-N, Range: 10-E, Section: 36/,Township: 10N, Range: 22E……..Total acreage on all: 399.81 On 1 April 1861, The Special Probate Court received Elizabeth M. DeFee’s petition for land belonging to the Estate of John L. DeFee, deceased. His estate went into probate and lasted years. During this time, Elizabeth M. died. The estate was finally settled and divided among the children of John L. DeFee. It is unknown where John L. DeFee, Isabella DeFee, Elizabeth DeFee , James McCullouch DeFee , and Elvira DeFee are buried…Believed to be buried on “DeFee Land” somewhere….From my understanding, is that years ago, some farmer had bought this land and just plowed over the graves and threw the head stones into a ditch!...Because of such action, the state of Alabama made laws against desecration of any graves. The exact location of the Defee graves are unknown. Additional Comments: John L. DeFee and Isabella DeFee nee Baygents are my Great, Great Grandparents, maternal side. God’s love is eternal. May they all rest in peace. John 3:16 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/al/pike/bios/defee37bs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/alfiles/ File size: 4.9 Kb