By their
first anniversary they had welcomed their first child, a son. They had 5 more
before the 1840 United States Census. A boy, 3 girls, and another boy. Sadly,
their second oldest only lived for 26 days3.
John is
listed in the 1840 United States Census4 as living in Leeds,
Fauquier, Virginia, USA. This census only lists head of households by name. Any
other member of the family was tallied by sex and age group. Free persons of
colour were tallied in a separate section than free white persons. The 1840 US
Census was taken on June 1st, 1840.
John’s
household consisted of 1 white male under 5 years, 1 white male between 5 &
10 years, 1 white male between 20 & 30 years, 2 white females under 5
years, 1 white female between 5 & 10 years, and 1 white female between 20
& 30 years. There were no free persons of colour.
John
joined the Long Branch Church and was baptized by Elder Barnett
Grimsley on June 28th, 1840. A week later, on July 4th,
Elizabeth joined the same church and was baptized.
On
January 25th, 1843, John was ordained as a Deacon.
On June
27th, 1846, they obtained a letter of Dismission from
Long Branch Church to join Carter’s Run Church closer to their new home. That
letter was presented to Carter’s Run Church on July 20th, 1846.
Carter’s
Run Church is approximately 20 miles southwest of Long Branch Church.
I’m still
piecing together where their homes were before and after their shift to
Carter’s Run Church. And why they moved but I think it might have to do with an
inheritance that Elizabeth may have received from her father or grandfather.
They
obtained another letter of Dismission from Carter’s Run Church on
August 18, 1848 prior to moving from Virginia to Arkansas. On the same day,
John was licensed to preach the Gospel of Christ.
The 1850
United States Census5,
taken November 30, 1850, finds them in Ruddell, Independence, Arkansas, USA.
They had welcomed 5 more children to the family. 3 daughters and 2 sons. All 10 living children
are with them.
John is
also listed as owning 4 slaves. A black male 22-years-old, a black female
19-years-old, a black female 4-years-old, and a one-month old black female.
The
1850’s saw John & Elizabeth welcome 5 more children, 4 boys and
1 girl. This included a set of twins, Randolph & Rudolph. Sadly, Rudolph
passed away at only 3 days old. Another son left passed away at the
age of 9 years, 9 months, and 12 days. Leaving them with 13 living children.
11 of these
children were living with them in Ashley Township, Independence County,
Arkansas in the 1860 United States Census7. Taken on the 27th
day of June. This included a widowed daughter. Her 3 young children were also
living with them.
The Slave
Schedule for that same Census shows John owning 8 slaves. One 30-year-old black
male, a 28-year-old black female, 4 black females ages, 5, 8, 10 & 12 and 2
black males ages 3 months and 3 years.
The
1860’s brought the Civil War and John & Elizabeth said goodbye to 5 more of
their children. Two lost in battle fighting for the Confederates
in 1862 & 1864. They lost one adult daughter in 1867 and in 1868, their
oldest son died, leaving a wife and 3 children.
Before
all this they laid to rest their youngest daughter in April 1861. She was 3
years, 4 months, and 15 days old.
The 1870
United States Census8,
taken September 28th, shows them still in Ashley Township,
Independence County, Arkansas, with a much smaller household. It is them and 3
teenage sons. Their daughters having married (or remarried) and left home. I
can confirm this with all but one of their daughters. After the 1860 Census,
she disappears. I can not locate a marriage or death record and she doesn’t
appear with another family.
Two of
the 3 remaining sons married during the 1870’s. Sadly this decade is also the
one John leaves this earth. On October 7th, 1875, Elizabeth said
goodbye to her husband of 43 years. He was 65 years, 2 months and 10 days old9.
In the
1880 United States Census10, Elizabeth is living with
her son Randolph and family. Still in Ashley Township. The census was taken on
June 8th, 1880.
Five
years later, Elizabeth, at the age of 71 years, 4 months, and 19 days passed
away11. She was interred next to
her husband in the Chinn Cemetery in Independence County.
More details of their
children:
1. Charles Richardson
CHINN was born on Jan 16, 1833 in Fauquier Co., Virginia, USA. He died on Jul
20, 1868 in Independence, Arkansas, USA. He married Nancy N MEACHAM on Nov 23,
1852 in Independence, Arkansas, USA.
2. John Franklin CHINN was
born on Jul 30, 1834 in Fauquier Co., Virginia, USA. He died on Aug 25, 1834 in
Fauquier Co., Virginia, USA.
3. Sarah Elizabeth CHINN
was born on Jul 04, 1835 in Fauquier Co., Virginia, USA. She died on Mar 10,
1901 in Independence, Arkansas, USA. She married William Riley COMER on May 04,
1854 in Independence, Arkansas, USA.
4. Penelope Jane CHINN was
born on Feb 02, 1837 in Fauquier Co., Virginia, USA. She died on May 01, 1911
in Independence, Arkansas, USA. She married William T SEASAY on Aug 27, 1857 in
Independence, Arkansas, USA. She married James Joseph KIMBROUGH on Jan 14, 1866
in Independence, Arkansas, USA.
5. Pandora CHINN was born
on Oct 20, 1838 in Fauquier Co., Virginia, USA. She died on Feb 04, 1897 in
Independence, Arkansas, USA. She married John R MEACHAM on Jan 23, 1862 in
Independence, Arkansas, USA.
6. Marcus Luther CHINN was
born on Mar 02, 1840 in Fauquier Co., Virginia, USA. He died on Dec 31, 1862 in
In Battle near Murfreesboro, Rutherford, Tennessee, USA.
7. Margaret Rebecca CHINN
was born on Apr 10, 1842 in Fauquier Co., Virginia, USA. She died about Abt.
1922 in Ashley, Independence, Arkansas, USA. She married William Eleazer
STRICKLAND on Aug 23, 1863 in Independence County, Arkansas, USA.
8. Frances Grimsley CHINN
was born on Jan 20, 1844 in Fauquier Co., Virginia, USA. She died on Mar 31,
1867 in At Father's House. She married G W THURMAN on Apr 28, 1863 in
Independence, Arkansas, USA.
9. Louisa Georgia CHINN
was born on Dec 22, 1845 in Fauquier Co., Virginia, USA.
10. John Judson CHINN was
born on Sep 02, 1847 in Fauquier Co., Virginia, USA. He died on Oct 25, 1864 in
Battlefield near Westport, Missouri, USA.
11. William Edward CHINN
was born on Jan 02, 1849 in Independence County, Arkansas, USA. He died on Sep
14, 1858 in Independence, Arkansas, USA.
12. Randolph CHINN was born
on Dec 11, 1850 in Independence County, Arkansas, USA. He died on Mar 03, 1938
in Independence, Arkansas, USA. He married Dora C A HENDERSON on Sep 03, 1873
in Independence, Arkansas, USA.
13. Rudolph CHINN was born
on Dec 11, 1850 in Independence County, Arkansas, USA. He died on Dec 14, 1850
in Independence County, Arkansas, USA.
14. Arthur CHINN was born
on Jul 03, 1853 in Batesville, Independence Co., Arkansas, USA. He died on Nov
16, 1911 in Independence, Arkansas, USA.
15. Asbury Rosal CHINN was
born on Jan 16, 1855 in Batesville, Independence Co., Arkansas, USA. He died on
Jan 04, 1941 in Independence, Arkansas, USA. He married Fannie WADE on Sep 23,
1894 in Independence, Arkansas, USA. He married Elizabeth M. THOMPSON on Sep
09, 1908 in Independence, Arkansas, USA.
16. Virginia Aurelia CHINN
was born on Nov 21, 1857 in Batesville, Independence Co., Arkansas, USA. She
died on Apr 05, 1861 in Independence, Arkansas, USA.
I
have never looked that closely at the CHINN line before now. Much of the
research had already been done by distant cousins. And as a fellow genealogist
recently said ‘There is a real thrill in the hunt’ so with nothing to hunt I
hadn’t really looked. I’m glad I finally did. Experience has helped me realize
how much more to genealogy there is then just names and dates. I would like to
learn more about where they lived. Both their private property and the larger
communities in Virginia and Arkansas. I’m intrigued by the fact that John was a
Deacon in the Baptist Church but at least 2 of his children were married by
Methodist Episcopal Church South ministers, 2 by Baptist ministers and several
more by Justices of the Peace. My heart aches for them when I think about how
many children they buried, 8 (possibly 9), 4 of them as children.
You’ll
find John & Elizabeth as #22 & #23 on the Bruce Pedigree.
Note:
For the most part the information on their children comes from the Chinn Family
Bible. Three of those pages have been uploaded to John’s Find-A-Grave memorial.
A big THANK YOU to my 2nd Cousin, June, for sharing them.
I
have found more information on most of their children that is not included in
those pages but have not include the source citations here to keep them at a
minimum. If you are interested in learning more feel free to email me, jodi.familytree@gmail.com, I’m
happy to share anything I have.
1 "Virginia, Marriages, 1785-1940," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XR8C-P8Z : accessed 31 Aug 2014), John F. Chinn and Elizabeth Byrne, 23 Jan 1832; citing Fauquier, Virginia, reference r4 p370pr5 p7; FHL microfilm 31634.
2 “Chinn Family Bible, Marriages” image, https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/find-a-grave-prod/photos/2015/252/17123156_1441879111.jpg
3 “Chinn Family Bible, Births & Deaths” image, page 1 of 2, https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/find-a-grave-prod/photos/2015/252/17123156_1441879093.jpg
4 "United States Census, 1840," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHTK-R19 : 24 August 2015), John Chinn, Leeds, Fauquier, Virginia, United States; citing p. 190, NARA microfilm publication M704, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 558; FHL microfilm 29,686
5 "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M67Z-QDQ : 9 November 2014), John F Chinn, Ruddell, Independence, Arkansas, United States; citing family 1008, NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
6 “Chinn Family Bible, Births & Deaths” image, page 2 of 2, https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/find-a-grave-prod/photos/2015/252/17123156_1441879175.jpg
7 "United States Census, 1860," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/M8W7-DC3 : accessed 07 Dec 2013), John F Chinn, , Independence, Arkansas; citing "1860 U.S. Federal Census - Population," Fold3.com; p. 88, family 578, NARA microfilm publication M653; FHL microfilm 803043.
8 "United States Census, 1870," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MNCQ-5VG : accessed 5 May 2015), John Chinn, Arkansas, United States; citing p. 4, family 28, NARA microfilm publication M593 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 545,554.
9 "Find A Grave Index," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVVJ-797V : accessed 5 May 2015), John French Chinn, 1875; Burial, , Independence, Arkansas, United States of America, Chinn Cemetery; citing record ID 17123156, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com.
10 "United States Census, 1880," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MNWH-7LJ : accessed 5 May 2015), Elizabeth Chinn in household of Randolph Chinn, Ashley, Independence, Arkansas, United States; citing enumeration district 119, sheet 134B, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 0047; FHL microfilm 1,254,047.
11 "Find A Grave Index," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVVJ-7972 : accessed 5 May 2015), Lydia Elizabeth Byrne Chinn, 1885; Burial, , Independence, Arkansas, United States of America, Chinn Cemetery; citing record ID 17123160, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com.
