Joseph is the son of Johannes and Mary Ann See of Mt. Sterling, Montgomery County, Kentucky. He married Nancy Beaty about 1812-1813 in that county.

He was taxed in 1813 in Montgomery County where his father had settled from Virginia. His last year of being taxed there was in 1824 and soon after he settled in Monroe County, Indiana.

Marriages of Joseph See:
1. Nancy Baty abt. 1812 Montgomery County, Kentucky
2. Phoebe abt. 1847 Monroe County, Indiana
3. Mercy abt. 1851 Livingston County, Missouri

Joseph is found in the 1850 Carroll County, Missouri census living with his son John Lee and family. He is listed as a farmer, age 63 born in Kentucky. No spouse is listed. Joseph died two years later in Livingston County, Missouri. His burial place is unknown.

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See Family Expelled From Monroe County, Indiana

Indiana Tribune and Monroe Farmer
Page 2; Column 2
Saturday, June 9, 1849

Excitement

Our peaceful town was suddenly thrown into quite an excitement, on Wednesday last, by the unexpected visit of an armed force from the country, of some 26 or 30 men. Most of these men were strangers to us, but we noticed among them, some of our valued friends, who are among the most respectable and substantial citizens (sic) of the neighborhood in which they live. But the reader is ready to ask, what had occurred to arouse public feeling so much, and drive peaceable citizens to organize themselves to the number of some two hundred? Had the Mexicans invaded the country? or had the Indians returned from their homes in the woods beyond the "Father of Waters," and the Goths and Vandals, of the North come down upon us, overturning everything before them? Were the Whigs, the Free-Soilers, or the Democrats about to overthrow the government; which made such a move necessary? O, no, none of these things had happened!

It seems, that there lived in this county, and in Brown contiguous to each other on Salt Creek, a large connexion who had proved themselves a nuisance, and a perpetual pest to society, by their disregard of all law, human and divine, and their many acts of villainy, particularly theft, swindling, and rape. The law it seemed, could not get its iron hand upon them, and so the people united as we have seen in self defense, and determined to expel them from the county.

They caught and lynched some two or three of the ringleaders of the gang, and gave them some 30 days to leave the county. A portion of them had left within the time, but some of them were still behind and the time had expired. The company who rode into town on Wednesday last, were in pursuit of them, to gather them up, and compel them to leave immediately.

They succeeded in finding one of them in town, (Jo. See,) who had come to town on business. The company surrounded him, and compelled him to go home for the purpose of loading up his wagons for an early start on Thursday morning. The Captain, and others, informed us, that they would not hurt them, provided they would go away peaceably; but they intended to escort them to the county line, and see them safe away.

This was a very aggravated case, and we have not the smallest doubt, but the "See's" were a pest to society, and a nuisance. But still we have a very great repugnance to all such matters. We have heard of the sovereign people taking the law into their own hands and acting in a summary way, without the sanction of law, but we never saw a specimen before; and we hope never to see the like again. We do not doubt the good intentions of many, and perhaps of all those engaged, but we do exceedingly doubt the propriety of violating the law of the land for any such purpose. We live in a land of Law and Order, and if the laws are not strong enough to regulate such characters, let us instruct our Legislators to abolish them and enact others that will be more effectual in their operation.

We have heard of such things being done in the back woods, and in new countries, where the state of society would bear it; but such a thing in the county of Monroe, and in the town of Bloomington, and in open day-light, we think is unprecedented, and we hope it may never be a precedent for a similar transaction.

Of the grand march and escort next week.

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Indiana Tribune and Monroe Farmer
Page 2; Columns 1 and 2
Saturday, June 16, 1849

The Grand March and Escort

In our last paper, we spoke of the great excitement on Salt Creek, produced by the summary proceedings of the people in that region against the "See's." We gave some account of the proceedings of the enraged people in hunting them up, and preparing to eject them from their borders. It was then the calculation, as we understood, to march the See's through town, accompanied by an escort of armed men, numbering some 200, who would see them safe over the Northern boundary of Monroe County. Of this march and escort we promised to speak this week.

But the project we believe was abandoned, at least in part. Jo. See and his family, we learn, were escorted to within a few miles of Bloomington, where the escort dispersed, and left the emigrating party to pursue their way, "solitary and alone." Well, this was no doubt the better way. And we are happy in being able to inform our friends, that so far as we know, peace and order has been restored to the neighborhood, so recently convulsed by these circumstances, and those so recently under arms to expel the See's, are now in their cornfields making war upon the weeds that infest the crops. May success attend their efforts!
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