William McLeod, Jr.

Profile Of William McLeod, Jr.

By Spessard Stone

William McLeod, Jr., a pioneer settler of Myakka Head, Florida, was a Confederate soldier and farmer.

William McLeod, Sr., father of William, Jr., was born February 24, 1814 in North Carolina. He married Emily Sloane, born May 15, 1814, North Carolina. According to the CSA pension application of William McLeod, Jr., the family moved to Florida in 1841. By 1856, they had located in the Hillsborough-Manatee area as William, Sr., age 42, during the Third Seminole War, joined for duty and enrolled at Fort Meade on February 18, 1856 in Capt. Hooker�s Indpt. Co., Fla. Mtd. Vols. (2d Service-6 months, 1856), and was mustered in February 21, and mustered out August 20, 1856. On January 10, 1857, William, Sr., age 43, joined for duty and enrolled at Fort Brooke (Tampa) in Capt. Edward T. Kendrick�s Co., Florida Mtd. Vols. (1st Service-6 months, 1856-7) and was mustered out on July 13, 1857.

The McLeods settled in Myakka Head, Manatee County. The William McLeod, Sr. family, consisting of William, Emily, and children, Daniel, William, Margaret, Julia Ann, Sarah A., Martha A., and Angus, were enumerated in household 63/63 in the1860 census of Manatee County. Neighbors included Thomas H. Albritton, John Platt, Enoch Collins, Shadrack Hancock, and John Hollingsworth. Emily McLeod died in January 1862 and was buried on the McLeod farm, later known as the John Rooney grove, north of SR 64 on the Manatee County side.

William, Sr. married (2) on March 19, 1866 Mrs. Martha E. Davenport Stephens, born May 16, 1831 in Alabama, widow of Joseph Stephens. They had two children, James, born 1867, and Norman, born 1870. They later moved to Sandy, near now SR 70. William McLeod, Sr. died, according to his tombstone, on December 28, 1881. Martha Stephens McLeod died September 28, 1906. They are buried in New Zion Cemetery, Ona, Florida.

The 1885 census of Manatee County, however, has W. McLeod, 70, farmer, as head of a household. Enumerated with him were as follows: M. E. McLeod, his wife, 55; M. A. Stephens, 22, daughter; J. H. McLeod, 18, son; N. W. McLeod, 15, son; F. Stephens, 4, daughter. Therefore, the tombstone must be in error, and when he died is uncertain.

Detail from 1885 Manatee County Census, courtesy of Teresa McGowin

William McLeod, Jr., son of William, Sr. and Emily (Sloane) McLeod, was born June 11, 1837 in Richmond County, South Carolina. (In his CSA pension application, William variously gave his birth as June 11, 1837 and June 11, 1836. The 1860 census of Manatee County has his age as 17, while the 1880 census of Manatee County has his age as 38.)

He served in two wars. During the Third Seminole War, he served in Capt. Kendrick's Company. During the Civil War, William McLeod, Jr. enlisted as a private on March 30, 1862 at Manatee, Fla. for the war in Company B, 7th Florida Infantry, C.S.A. He appeared on the muster rolls until January and February, 1864. The records also show him as a private in Company G, 1st Florida Volunteers (formed in part of Company B) and paroled at Greensboro, North Carolina on May 1, 1865 in accordance with the terms of a military convention of April 26, 1865 between General J. E. Johnston, C.S.A., and General W. T. Sherman, U.S.A. William later averred he was honorably discharged at Green Springs, North Carolina.

On November 4, 1865, he married Susan Howard Arnold, born April 25, 1845, Simmons Hammock, Hillsborough County, Florida, daughter of James Seth Howard (1804-1887) and Harriett C. Weeks Howard (1820-1892). Susan was the widow of Furman Dotson Arnold, whom she had married on August 4, 1859.

Under the Acts of July 27, 1892 and June 27, 1902, William McLeod 2nd (to distinguish him from his father) applied for and received a pension from his service in Captain Kendrick�s Co. He was granted $8 per month, which commenced June 27, 1902 and was increased to $20 per month from February 19, 1913.

On February 17, 1908, William McLeod, appearing before W. D. Payne, a notary public, applied for a pension from his service in Co. B, 7th Florida. Although residing in Manatee County, he gave his postoffice address as nearby Tura, Fla., birth as Richmond Co., South Carolina, 11th June 1837, and that he had been a citizen of Florida 67 years.

Supporting affidavits were given respectively on March 18 and March 2 by W. B. Henderson, a former Co. B captain, living in Hillsborough County, and Daniel G. Graham of Oneco, Manatee County. Graham stated that William McLeod of Head of the Miakka �has been here for 45 years.� His claim, pensioner no. 7127, was approved on June 25, 1908, with pay from April 10, 1908 at the rate of $120 per annum.

Reapplying under the Act of 1909 on August 2, 1909, William, contradicting an earlier affidavit, gave June 11, 1836 as his birth and stated he�d resided in Florida continuously since 1841. He listed his property to consist of 20 acres of land & small house in the northeast portion of the county, valued at $200, and 1 horse & a few hogs, valued at $100. J. R. Swain and A. C. Pope attested to his application. Manatee County Commissioners, R. B. Smallwood, J. S. Brand, N. B. McLeod, and E. L. Hendry, on August 2, 1909 recommended that a pension be granted. The claim of William McLeod of Tura Postoffice was approved August 24, 1909, with pay from July 1, 1909 at the rate of $120 per annum. On January 12, 1911, he gave his address as Ona, Fla.

Anne Hendry Stone (born 1912) recalled as a young girl she attended a birthday party for �Uncle� Billy where he told of washing his hands in the clouds of the mountains of North Carolina while serving as a Confederate soldier.

William and Susan were members of New Zion Baptist Church. Clyde S. Stephens in Stephens Ancestors and Pioneer Relatives wrote of their membership: �They withdrew from the congregation after a quarrel about the use of a pump organ. �Billie� contended that the Bible did not permit musical instruments in the church.�

Susan died March 3, 1911. William died March 7, 1925. They are buried on their farm, just north of SR 64 in Hardee County, near the Manatee County line.

Susan and Furman Dotson Arnold had two daughters:

1. Missouri Arnold, born Nov. 8, 1860; died Sept. 9, 1944; married on Oct. 7, 1880 Angus �Bud� McLeod, son of William McLeod, Sr. and Emily (Sloane) McLeod.
2. Laura Virginia Arnold, born Nov. 14, 1862; died May 18, 1941; married on Aug. 31, 1884 Wilson Elihu Stephens, son of Benjamin Stephens and Silence Wilson (Davenport) Stephens.

William McLeod, Jr. and Susan (Howard) McLeod had the following children:

1. Martha Maude �Molly� McLeod, born Sept. 10, 1867; died June 28, 1955; married (1) on Sept. 26, 1887 John Rooney; (2) on Nov. 9, 1898 William Whidden, son of Willoughby Whidden and Eliza (Pennington) Whidden..
2. Naaman Seth McLeod, born Aug. 1, 1870; died June 14, 1931; married on Feb. 20, 1895 Harriett Josephine �Hattie� Bryant, daughter of Charles Bryant and Nancy (Rich) Bryant.
3. Florence McLeod, born Aug. 27, 1871; died Dec. 28, 1963; married on March 31, 1897 Noah Smith.
4. Harriett Ellen McLeod, born Dec. 15, 1872; died Nov. 1, 1961; married on Dec. 11, 1895 Benjamin Bryant, son of Charles Bryant and Nancy (Rich) Bryant.
5. Susan Jane McLeod, born Feb. 28, 1875; died Dec. 22, 1958; married Richard Harris Keene, son of Silas Owen Keene and Mary Serena (Bird) Keene.
6. Mary Cornelia McLeod, born May 11, 1878; died Dec. 8, 1971; married on Jan. 12, 1898 Edward Timothy Young, son of John Jack Albritton and Nancy Jane (Albritton) Young.
7. William Haaman McLeod, born January 26, 1880; died 1971; married on Sept. 30, 1903 Mary Civility Young, daughter John Jack Albritton and Nancy Jane (Albritton) Young.
8. Ethel M. McLeod, born Feb. 17, 1884; died Oct. 1, 1981; married on March 19, 1903 Joseph Henry Young, son of John Jack Albritton and Nancy Jane (Albritton) Young.
9. Thomas Williford McLeod, born Jan. 11, 1885; died Jan. 13, 1967; married Ruth Ella Cribbs.
10. Lessie McLeod, born July 17, 1888; died Oct. 28, 1918; married on April 27, 1902 Robert W. �Rob� Roberts, son of Grey Roberts and Sally A. Roberts.

Acknowledgments: Betty Jo White, McLeod family data, including genealogical sheets, military and pension data; Clyde S. Stephens, Stephens Ancestors and Pioneer Relatives, July 1982; censuses of 1860 and 1880 Manatee County; Manatee and DeSoto County marriage records; 1885 Manatee County Census, courtesy of Teresa McGowin, Feb. 27, 2009.

This article was published in The Herald-Advocate (Wauchula, Fla.) on April 4, 2002, but was first posted on web site on December 3, 2001. 1885 Manatee County Census data was added on Feb. 28, 2009.