[This writer can not verify the supposed connection between William South (3) to Zedekiah South (2) so it should be independently researched and verified. Other research by Gee is known to be erroneous. This information here is only presented to have it on the Internet and should NOT be taken as an endorsement.]
The South Family is an old English family of southern England. They were seated at Bossington Hall in Hants, and at Swallowcliffe Manor in Wiltshire. Swallowciffe is
mentioned in the Domesday Book, a survey made in 1085 by order of William the Conqueror. The Souths were well known in Salisbury, Wiltshire, as early as 1400. One Robert South was
Mayor of Salisbury in 1479. His two sons were mayors of Salisbury, John in 1502 and Robert in 1506. This last named Robert's son was mayor in 1531. It was from this family that the
Souths of Maryland, Virginia, Kentucky and South Carolina are descended while the research on the immediate ancestors of John Henderson South, who married Hattie Alice Puckett, is
now being carried on and will be published when completed, the line is fairly well established as follows:
1. John South, was probably the son of Thomas South who
died in Prince Georges Co., Md. in 1743. This John is believed to be the founder of the Hagerstown, Md. family. He himself pushed on over to Kentucky with the early pioneers and
was in the battle at Boonesborough with Daniel Boone. One or more sons remained behind at Hagerstown and vicinity. Sons John, Thomas, and Zedekiah went with him to Kentucky or
followed soon after. John South, Sr. was killed at the battle of Estill's Defeat in Ky. in 1783. His son:
2. Zedekiah South married Nancy Violett, dau. of Thomas
Henson Violett. Lived in Berkeley Co., Va. (now West Va.) not far from Hagerstown. Inherited his father's land grant in Kentucky and moved there about 1784. He was one of the
founders and a trustee of Port William, now Carrolton, Ky., where he died in 1813. His son:
3. William South, b. 1760-65, d. 1844 (Will proved Laurens Co., S. C.,
Aug. 5, 1844). Married Oct. 8, 1785, Catherine Daniel, dau. of John Daniel and Sarah (probably a Montague). The Daniels had moved from Essex Co., Va. to Bedford Co. William South
and some others of the South family had also moved to Bedford Co. William South came to S.C. with the Daniels about 1789 instead of going to Ky. with his South realtives.
Catherine Daniel was born about 1760-65 in Essex Co., Va. Died in Laurens Co., S. C., 1857 (Estate settlement, Laurens Co.). Their son:
4. Gabriel South, b.
in Virginia 1786-89, d. May 11, 1853 in Mississippi, m. Martha Norwood. Their son:
5. James Benjamin South, b. Oct. 15, 1825 in Laurens Co., S. C., d. April
15, 1875 in Laurens Co., m. Dec. 5, 1850, Sarah Elizabeth Smith Puckett, dau. of William Smith Puckett and his wife, Deliiah Knight. Sarah Elizabeth Smith Puckett was born
Jan. 1, 1829, d. Dec.23, 1863. Their son:
6. John Henderson South, b. July 17, 1858 in Laurens Co., d. Aug. 8, 1935, m. Hattie Alice Puckett, b. Nov.28, 1867 in
Laurens Co., d. Nov. 11, 1916 in Greenwood, S. C., m. Nov.14, 1882. Their daughter:
7. Christine South, b. June 8, 1884, m. June 23, 1923 Nathaniel Gist Gee, b.
Union, S. C., April 20, 1876, d. in Greenwood, S. C., Dec. 18, 1937. For connection with Puckett family see descendants of John Mexander Puckett and his wife, Sarah Martin.