Hello, I am looking for information on a Peter Lee son of Ephraim Lee of NY. Having worked for about two years now on my side of the Lee family, I believe I have information on Ephriam Lee that might allow someone to make a connection to Peter. If the following correspondence is familiar to anyone please contact me at 104341.1350@compuserve.com. Letter received 7/15/1997 As I stated in our phone conversation, I am very excited to have found the files and records of Charles Lee and his son Steven Lee. They both spent many years and trips back to New York, and Ontario Canada, in their search to go back beyond Ephriam Lee to our origin in England. As you now know, I come down from Ephriam to his son Palmer (brother of Samuel-first child of Ephriam) I have enclosed a chart done by Charles Lee in the late 70's which shows all eleven children of Ephriam. The census of 1790 in Renselaerwyck township, New York shows an Ephraim Lee with 2 males under 16, 2 males over 16, and 4 females. There was an indication that he may also be in the town records of Stephentown New York which start in 1784. Ephraim was in the 2nd and 8th Regiments- Albany New York during the Revolutionary War, serving from 1775-1779. He enlisted at the age of 17 and participated in the battle of Saratoga and was present at the surrender of General Burgoyne, Commander of all british forces. In the book written by another direct relative of mine, Nelson Lee, written and published in New York in 1859 and titled "THREE YEARS AMONG THE CAMANCHES" NELSON LEE writes: "Our family was originally from Catskill on the Hudson New York, the native town of my grandfather (Ephriam) born to Virginia parents. The Ephraim and Jerusha Lee family is also listed in the census and tax records in the area of Old Chattam New York for the year 1790 and some prior. They lived on the same property as one Peter Lee in Rensselaer Township. This Peter Lee may have been Ephraim's father. I have a letter written by Charles Lee in 1980 that states Peter Lee came from E. Greenwich R.I. where he served in the French and Indian Wars with the Army of Rhode Island 1756-1763. Peter Lee shows to have at least one son, Ephriam, who was born in 1758 and who served in the 2nd Regiment Albany New York at the age of 17. Both Peter and Ephriam show in Kings District Tax List of 1779 in Columbia County New York. A Peter Lee appears in the 1790 census of Rensselaerwyck, Albany County with one male and one female over 16 years of age. Another letter written by Charles Lee June 26, 1978 states My great great great Grandparents, Ephriam and Jerusha Lee, lived in what is now Columbia county N.Y. in the area of Old Chatham at least until 1790. It appears they lived on the same property as Peter Lee who was probably Ephriam's father. They were probably protestant and possibly Quaker. Their children were raised Methodist. As you can see Charles Lee made notes on his chart that the first 6 children were probably born in the Chatham New York Are up to 1790. (Note) the chart shows Samuel born Feb. 25, 1778. Your book shows Feb. 27, 1778. (Feb. 27 is shown in an old Lee bible that I have a copy of) The next 4 children show to have been born in the Poestenskill - Berlin N.Y. area after 1790. The last child Lorra was born in Elizabethtown, Ontario Canada in 1803. Charles Lee indicates the family left for Canada around 1800. Note: You mentioned the move to Canada as possibly with Loyalist motives. This would not make sense since the Revolutionary War ended October 17, 1777. The Family is listed in the census and tax records of 1790 in New York. We need to research this a lot more. (Dave-my Canadian geneologist also confirms that there does not seem to be a loyalist connection) In this first correspondence I am also sending a copy of the only records the National Archives have on Ephriam. Its not much but verifies that he did indeed serve in the Revolutionary War. I was successful in getting a lot of war records on my other direct relatives that served in the Civil War. They must have kept better records for the Civil War. If you are interested I will show you how to get these records. I have some extra forms that I can send you. We are in the process of getting the gold Civil War Grave markers from the war dept for Civil War Vets. We have located 3 of the graves. I am sorry that my work and records are not nearly as organized as yours, however I have only been at this for 2 years and I do plan to do a better job so I can send this information in a more organized form to the various Lee family members I am now getting letters from. I look forward to our future correspondence, and know that after my trip to Wichita Kansas I will be able to supply you with a gret deal more information. Thanks again for the books. I plan to take them with me to Tomahawk Wisconsin next week to show to all the relatives. _______________ To be honest, I do not think that Charles' records go back prior to Ephraim. Gerald mentions that Charles researched the family back to England but Charles did not seem to leave any work at any of the libraries he visited regarding Ephraim's parents--other than the suggestion that Ephraim's father may be Peter. As you may be aware, Charles left copies of most of his work in Brockville Museum, a Toronto library and several places in NY. My geneologist has found and copied all of this information. As you know, I have a professional geneologist working on our line. It does indeed look like Peter may be Ephraim's father. In fact, my geneologist found a the Peter Lee (b. 1727) in East Greenwich, RI (not from Virgina??) who married Rachel and who had several children: Ruth (1729), Jonathan (1731), Sarah (1733), Mary (1737-8), Patience (1742-3), and Ephraim (1758). If this Peter is the father of Ephraim, then Peter's parents are John (bca. 1702) and Jane Lee of E. Greenwich. My geneologist made the connection between Peter and John, but we have not concluded the connection between Peter and Ephraim. The geneologist is going to go to Catskill, NY to look for the connection to prove that Peter and Rachel were in Catskill in 1758. It will be interesting to see how this pans out. I have ordered the military papers on Peter and Ephraim and I should get them in a couple of weeks. As soon as I prove beond doubt that Peter is Ephraim's father, then I will update the Lee web page starting with John of RI. Thank you for your time. William Lee