I began researching back in 1973-a year before the TV series Roots came out. I had read the book, among many others and obviously wanted exactly what Alex Haley got in his ending. I think it happened back in 2007 when we returned to the property of our earliest known Lee ancestor and I found a gravestone. Whether or not it was, I've found that genealogy is a lot more faith-based than it is records and good luck. Truthfully, most will never get all the answers for which they are searching. In my case, DNA testing-4 to date-gave me more than enough answers to this particular family mystery. it also helped to debunk a lot of crap that all began with a writer, Mrs. Ruckers, back in 1919. It's amazing how one person can leave generations in the dark through simple assumptions that never had any basis to begin.

For the record, this family line was of Irish origins, sates back to King Nialle of the Nine Hostages and moves forward to a distant relation to David Smith (of the murdered kids in Union County, S.C. family). In between, there are a whole lot of inter-marriages that tie nearly everyone together over the past century+

In any case, I am always looking for/hoping to find more Lee relations so I can share my work before I pass. I never married and never had any kids. Thus my work dies with me, unless I find someone to carry it forth.

p.s. the current/oldest known Lee relations were James & Mary Lee of Prince George's County, Maryland. They were likely married on land called "Ward's Pasture" and had their children there as well. It was on the western bank of the Patuxent River and is now basically protected wetlands area (thanks to modern-day farming having mucked up a once deep/shipping lane and turned it into massive islands of dirt and debris!)...something about the birds...lol