Father: Andrew PIERSEE, b. ABT 1770, Not in US, d. 1840/1850
This choice of a father is based on the assumption that the Mason County Virginia info on Family Search is correct and because the World Connect database has an exact marriage date that somebody obviously looked up, Mason County is probably correct. Very interesting thing there is an Elias Piersee spelled Pearcy on Family Search born in 1816 Mason County Virginia whose father is listed as Andrew Pearcy. Since there appear to only be three families in that area (see notes on Mason County census 1820, 1830, 1840 below) Elias is probably the brother of James Piersee and a son of this very Andrew Piersee. Also note that James names a child Elias, therefore naming a boy after a probable brother. This connection makes this man Andrew an even better candidate for James Piersee because of the naming pattern.In early colonial America naming patterns for males were basically taken from paternal side as opposed to the way it was done in Scotland , Ireland and England. Thus most boys were named after mostly father's relatives , fathers, grandfathers and brothers of fathers. (This pattern is not absolute but a guide.) When one looks at a census for Mason County in 1820 there are three Piersee's spelled as Pearce. Andrew, John and Absalom. Childrens names are not given in this census, however James Piersee was born in 1807 according to World Connect file and his own info given on 1860 Census.In 1820 James would have been roughly 13. John and Absalom have no male children in their households in the column listed as Free white males between 10 and under 16 which is where James would fit in. Andrew does in fact have a boy that age. listed in his column.. If James has a brother named Elias born in 1816 this also fits this man Andrew Pearce in Mason County Virginia as there is a boy in the under 5 years old column which would likely be Elias, brother of James and son of Andrew. Also, James does name a child Andrew, which could be a good clue, as to who his father is. James also names a child Elias after a probable brother. . I have chosen this as a great possible. There is no reason to doubt the accuracy of census nor World Connect and Family Search info. Mason County is now in West Virginia. It is reasonable to assume that Andrew is over the over 45 male in the household as he would have to count himself and there is a male listed in the over 45 category and he has several boys in the house that are older than James which would make him somewhat likely for that age group. The man next door John Pearce may be Andrew's father, as Absalom could not be as he is not even over 45 and has no one in that category of a male. Of course John and Absalom could be his brothers or cousins but thought it was worth adding.Also on Family Search there is a birth record about date for Andrew Piercy born in Mason VA. but no parents listed. NOTE: BY 1830 the spelling of these three mens names is Pearcy. making it quite likely it is Piersee phoentically. Andrew lives at least that long. He is listed in 1830 Mason County as being between 60 and 70. 0n the 1830 Census for Andrew in Mason County Virginia he has two males living with him between 20 and 30 and a female between 20 and 30 and two males children between 0 and 5 years old. It is not unreasonable to think that James Pearcy ,his son who was married at that time may have been living there with his father Andrew and have his wife and child in the household accounting for those individuals. and in 1840 Andrew is still alive in the 70 and 80 category with a little boy under 5 living with him. There are no other individuals living in that house in 1840 so most of his children including James probably have their own households. Indeed we know that starting with Freeman whose birth is around 1841, James's children are now born in Indiana. So that would account for James no longer being in his fathers house. In the 1850 Census Ancestry.com index there is no Andrew Pearcy under any soundex spelling for Mason County. nor in the whole US for that age group. I even gave it a 10 year leeway so it is safe to say that Andrew died between 1840 and 1850 'NOTE Andrew was probably not born in Mason Virginia in fact not in the US at all as on the census in 1820 he lists 4 residents of Alien status and probably while a few of his children may have been born in the US probably, he , his wife and the two oldest were born elsewhere. Meaning of course that he came to US after his birth in the estimated year of 1770. In Mason Co., VA, From Genforum posting locating James Pearcy family. I find these listings:
1830: Absalom Pearcy Andrew Pearcy John Pearcy …….also listed in 1820 as Pearce
1840: (indexed as Pierey/Piery) Andrew, listed in age group 70-80 Benjamin R., in age group 30-40 John W., in age group 40-50 Absalom, in age group 40-50
In 1850 Mason Co., VA, there is a John Pearcy, 54, b. VA, living with Joshua Ripley, 40 VA, wife Delila, 32 VA.
Children: