Thomas League. My Uncle told me that our family (Leagues) fled France because of persecution. I do not know if this is true; have no records, or anything to back it up. They may have fled to England first and scattered throughout the United Kingdom. Just guessing at this point, but eventually they moved to America. I know very little about Thomas League; who I have told was George Stephen Leagues father.(1860 and 1870 Illinois Federal Census) list George League as being born in Virginia in 1806, and at some point became an orphan. In 1835 George League married Mary Catherine Etherton. They lived in Kentucky until the year 1849 or 1850 when their children are recorded as being born in Illinois.
George Stephen League; my Great, Great Grandfather was always said to be a lay minister; or preacher, whichever you refer for the Methodist church no one has come up with any evidence for that; however, if you understand what was going on in the early 1800's it is possible to believe that he was. Also, I have no records for George Stephen League before 1835, or no one has given me. I did receive a marriage license from the Green County Courthouse for their marriage. So I do not know when he moved to Kentucky. Also, there is another possibility, just guessing at this point, but at some point part of Virginia divided up and was given to the state of Kentucky. Thus some people were born in Virginia and ended up being in Kentucky without ever having to move.
There may be other possibilities also.
The Ethertons: Benjamin Etherton; 5 Greats, who was born in Virginia in 1748, is said to be the father of Moses Etherton; my Great, Great, Great, Great Grandfather, was born in 1770 in Virginia and came to Green County, Kentucky as a young man. Moses married Rachael Skaggs May 19, 1789 in Bardstown, Nelson County, Kentucky. He was a Baptist Minister at the Brush Creek Baptist Church and later at the Liberty Baptist Church. Reverend Moses joined the Liberty Baptist Church in 1801. Reverand Moses Etherton has his first son; William, in 1790 in Kentucky and this is my Great, Great, Great Grandfather. and he married Mary Elkins in 1804 in Kentucky. Mary Catherine; my Great, Great Grandmother was born in 1815 in Green County, Kentucky, and was his third child. Moses also had a son who became a minister, Reverend Elijah Etherton who became a preacher at the Liberty Baptist Church, and his son James Etherton also became a minister at the Liberty Baptist Church in Green County, Kentucky. George Stephen League also helped out as a messenger at Liberty Baptist Church in Green County, Kentucky. All of the children of George Stephen League and his wife Mary Catherine moved to Illinois with them and so did William Etherton,and his wife Mary; who were Mary Catherine's parents.