Star Farm, at the time of James' birth, was in Union County, SC. It is currently in Cherokee County, SC. Col. James Jefferies was a signer of the Ordinance of Secession.
The following is from Jane G. Holland, Broken Arrow, OK
SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF JAMES JEFFERIES, SIGNER OF THE ORDINANCE OF SECESSION FROM UNION DIST. SC
James Jefferies was born December 17, 1802 in the North Pacolet Section of Union District, near the confluence of Thickety Creek and Gilky Creek. born during the times when men were forced to defend their homes from the Indians, he learned early to love State and Family more than a General Government, receiving many of his ideals of conduct from his father who played an important part in the Revolution.
He graduated from the South Carolina College at the age of 19 with the famous class of '21, nearly all of whom have distinguished themselves either in public life or private living. A worthy Alumnus of an Alma Mater that has done so much to mold the political feeling of the entire state, he conducted himself through life, always guided by the ideals of thought and action embedded from a long line of fighters and noble instructors.
In 1825, he was married to Eliza Green, and from then until 1860, lived a life of retirement, devoted to his family, the improvement of his own faculties, his large agricultural interests and aiding of his fellowman. A man of considerable education and wealth, his opinion was sought on very public questions. In the military, he was always interested, serving for some time as Colonel of a regiment.
In 1835, James was elected to the House of Representatives from his District; and more than once, he was offered the position of State Senator, but always refused, "only aiming, in the uses of his education, in his own moral and religious culture, his somewhat extensive reading and his close personal observations a judgment of men and things, at the usefulness and rewards of wise exertions in private life. These he fully secured."
In 1860, the need of the hour called him from the peaceful retirement and quiet of his home that he might aid in the birth of a new nation with his advice and counsel as his own father had used the sword for independence and freedom. Some letters (still preserved) from him at Charleston to his son, later to become Capt. John R. Jefferies of Co. F. 15th South Carolina Volunteers, show the intensity of his love for his native state and his devotion to the principles of Free Government; and guided by these principles, he was elected as a delegate to the Secession Convention and signed the Ordinance of Secession.
In bad health and advance in years, he could not fight for the Cause he had helped to form, but he gave freely of his wealth in the equipping of soldiers to uphold the Cause of States' Rights and offered no objection to his only son taking up arms at a tender age. He lived only a short time after the death of the Cause. After an illness of only 24 hours, he died April 29, 1866. A member of the Order of Free Masons, a fellow-member said of him after his death, "That fraternity has embraced among its members some of the best and purest men that have lived in any age, but none more worthy than the subject of this notice."
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Will of Col. James Jefferies
State of South Carolina
Union District October 7, 1856
In the name of God Amen.
"I, James Jefferies, being of sound mind, memory and judgment do make this as my last will in the manner and form following -- that is to say:
Article 1st. I will that all my just debts, my funeral expenses together with the cost of such monument as my children may wish to erect over me shall be paid.
Article 2nd. I will that all the land down on Gilkey's Creek embracing the home on Brick House Tract, the Halman tract (except the part sold by me to S.A. Goodman) and the part of the Joshua Petty tract, bought by me of John Smith, be sold by my Executor and the proceeds applied to the payment of my debts or be distributed among my legatees as the case may be.
Article 3rd. I give to my daughter Mary Clementine my boy, Arthur, about 19 years old and my girl, Silvia, about 17 years old and their natural increase in place of Sam and Dinah who were given her under the will of Wyatt Lipscomb, dec'd., and both of whom have died whilst in my possession and if either the above named Arthur or Silvia or both of them should die whilst in my possession or before they come into Mary's possession then my executor shall permit Mary to take one or two choices as the case may be from the whole of the negroes belonging to my estate, provided in making such choice she shall not separate man and wife or take of the negroes otherwise devised in this instrument. I also give my daughter, Mary, my piano and all the music whether in books or sheets. These negroes and piano to be without appraisement or charge of any kind against her. I also give Mary my man, Cornelius and his wife, Betty, and their children Thomas, Delphy, Heriott, Rhody, Allison and Tilly together with their natural increase and for Cornelius and his family named in this third article she will account to my estate as part of her legacy at the price of twenty eight ($2800) hundred dollars.
Article 4th. I will to my son, John Randolph Jefferies, all my land on Thicketty Creek being the plantation on which I now live bound by Thicketty Creek and lands of Spense Grier and Samuel Jefferies containing twelve hundred acres be the same more or less. I also give John my stock in the Spartanburg and Union Railroad together with all my books, maps, sword, guns and pistols and these as also the land to be a free gift without appraisement or charge of any kind against him. I also give John my man Nelson and his wife, Violet, and their children Milly, Raymond, Jacob, Richard, Edy, Amos, and Joseph for whom he is to account to my estate as part of his legacy at the price of three thousand ($3000) dollars.
Article 5th. I give my daughter, Mary, and son, John, all my household and kitchen furniture to be equally divided between them. Also one yoke of oxen and cart, one wagon and harness, also to each of them three horses or mules, six head of cattle and ten head of sheep to be chosen by themselves or some person for them out of all the stock, wagons, and carts which may belong to my estate. A cow and calf to count one. Also the whole stock of hogs which may be on the house place at the time of my death. Also what provisions of all kinds three disinterested persons may deem a liberal support for the place for one year after the division of my estate takes place and if Mary should marry then she shall take her part of the household furniture and her horses or mules and cattle and sheep leaving last the oxen, cart, wagon and provisions for John's sole use and benefit. All the property mentioned in the fifth article to be a free gift without appraisement or charge of any kind against Mary and John.
Article 6th. I desire that Mary shall have equal and joint occupancy of the house and land given to John in the fourth article of this writing with privilege to work her negroes on the same, and if any difficulty should arise about the company of said house and land, then the Ordinary for the time being shall appoint three disinterested persons who shall lay off to Mary one third part in value of said land to be occupied by her for her sole use and benefit as long as she remains single or during her natural life and at her death or marriage to return to my son John or his heirs or assigns.
Article 7th. I confirm to James and Eliza, children of my daughter, Rachel P. Camp, dec'd., the property heretofore given to her, Viz: boy Aaron at $600, Cinthia and child Sophy at $700, Giles at $700, Mariah at $500, horse and household furniture $200 making a total of twenty seven hundred dollars. To my daughter Sarah Louvisa Wilkins I confirm the following property heretofore given, Viz: Jacob at $600, Nell at $450, Delphy at $250, Champ at $550, Simpson at $550, horses, ash and furniture $200 making a total of twenty six hundred dollars. To my daughter Pamela Ann Duncan I confirm the following property heretofore given, Viz: Daniel, $700, Cindy and child Randall $700, Ritter $350, Andrew $600, horse and furniture $200 making a total of twenty five hundred dollars. To my daughter Ellen Eliza I confirm the following property heretofore given, Viz: Silvia and boy Nelson $700, Abraham $600, horse and furniture $200, making a total of fifteen hundred dollars. I further give to my daughter Ellen my boy Henry, son of Old Henry and Malinda at $550, and his sister Margaret at $450. All the property mentioned in this seventh article to be accounted for by each one receiving it as a part of legacy in my estate.
Article 8th. I will and direct all my remaining negroes not herein before disposed of shall be as equally divided as may be among all my legatees, viz: James and Eliza Camp, children of my daughter, Rachel P. Camp shall receive one sixth part of my estate to be equally divided between them and if either of them should die leaving no heirs of their own body then the other or the heirs of his or her body shall have one sixth part of my estate and my daughters Sarah Louvisa, Pamela Ann, Mary and Ellen and my son John shall each receive one sixth part of my estate, my intention being that each of my legatees shall be ultimately equal with the exception of the property herein before given to my daughter, Mary and son, John, without charge against them.
Article 9th. I direct all my other property of every description not herein devised to be sold, notes and accounts collected and after payment of my debts and equalizing the share of the different legatees (except the gifts made Mary and John) the balance to be divided amongst the different legatees as is herein before provided.
Article 10th. I hereby appoint my friend, Davis Goudelock, present Commissioner in Equity sole executor of this my last will and testament. In witness thereof, I, the said James Jefferies have hereunto set my hand and seal this seventh day of October in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred fifty six. Signed, sealed and published by the said James Jefferies in the presence of us as and for his last will and testament who at his request and in his presence have subscribed our names as witness thereto.
Robert Macbeth
James G. Fernandis
John L. Young James Jefferies (L.S.)
NOTE: The number of legatees in the will was six: five daughters and one son. Colonel Jefferies does not here state how many slaves were omitted from the provisions of his will; but leaves the inference that there may have been several more slaves remaining for division amon his heirs. Up until the time of his death in 1866, the slave property might have increased the number of slves unrecorded in the will to as many as fifty-seven slaves. This last number, 57, was said to have been in the possession of Colonel Jefferies at the time the slaves were freed in May of 1865.
NOTE: James Jefferies received a Presidential Pardon from President Andrew Johnson for his part in the Secession Movement. Col. Jefferies drew up a contract between himself and the freed negroes still in his possession showing their agreement to remain on his plantation and the provisions he made for them.
This researcher has found in all documents pertaining to the slaves, that the Jefferies family always strongly believed that the slave families should not be separated.