CHAVIS FAMILY
Daniel Chavis, son of Bartlett Chavis, sitting next to Irena King, daughter of
Forrester King and Nancy Moxley in Champaign County, Ohio
The Chavis family probably originated in Virginia before 1650 since there were free, mixed-raced members of the family in Amelia, Brunswick, Charles City, Henrico, James City, Prince George, and Surry counties, Virginia, as well as Edgecombe, Granville and Bladen counties, North Carolina, before 1750. And there were several Chavis households in South Carolina in the 1750s. The earliest recorded mixed-race ancestor was probably Elizabeth Chavis who petitioned the General Court of Virginia on 28 March 1672 to release her son Gibson Gibson from an unlawful indenture. No race is indicated in the court record, but Gibson's descendants were mixed-race.
Members of the Chavis family listed in colonial records were
i. Elizabeth1, born say 1645, the ancestor of the Gibson family. On 28 March 1672 she successfully petitioned the General Court of Virginia to release her son Gibson Gibson who had been unlawfully bound by Berr. Mercer to Thomas Barber who had gone to England leaving the boy with Samuel Austin [Minutes of the Council 1670-76, 106, Virginia Historical Society Mss 4V81935a2; McIlwaine, Minutes of the Council, 302-3, 312].
1 ii. Bartholomew1, born say 1685.
iii. ___, born say 1700, mother of John Chavis Walden whose estate inventory was presented in Brunswick County, Virginia, on 2 September 1761 [WB 4:265]. See the Walden history.
2 iv. William2, born say 1709.
3 v. Amy, born say 1710.
4 vi. Thomason, born say 1720.
5 vii. Frances1, born say 1720.
6 viii. Rebecca1, born say 1721.
7 ix. George1, born say 1728.
8 x. Menoah, born say 1730.
9 xi. Sarah, born say 1732.
10 xii. Catherine, born say 1734.
11 xiii. Henry1, born say 1735.
xiv. Gilbert, born say 1738, "a mulatto bastard boy," no parent named when he was bound apprentice to John Simmons in Prince George County on 9 May 1738 [Orders 1737-40, 105]. He was taxable in Prince George County from 1799 to 1802, called Gibb Chavis a "dark man" in 1800 and a "Mulatto" in 1801 and 1802 [PPTL, 1782-1811, frames 485, 507, 530, 551].
1. Bartholomew1 Chavis, born say 1685, was living in Henrico County on 1 March 1707 when he recorded his cattle mark in court. On 1 September 1707 the Henrico County court allowed him 200 pounds of tobacco for killing a wolf with a gun. On 2 September 1708 he sued Francis Scott for trespass, and on 1 October 1708 Thomas Evans sued him for a debt of £6 . He had left the county by 1 November 1708 when Evans attached his estate which consisted of a stallion branded "BC," a bed blanket and some corn in the field [DW, 1706-9, 66; Orders 1707-9, 28, 74, 92]. He was sued for trespass by Ruth Parker in Surry County, Virginia court on 15 October 1712, but the suit was dismissed when neither party appeared at the next session on 29 November 1712, and on the same day a suit against him for debt by Robert Rogers was dismissed when neither party appeared [Orders 1701-13, 405-6, 408]. And neither party appeared again in 1714 when he was sued for debt in Surry County court by Arthur Kavanaugh [Orders 1713-18, 32]. He was in North Carolina on 1 March 1719/20 when he received a patent for 300 acres on the north side of the Roanoke River near Urahaw Swamp in what was then Chowan County but became Bertie County in 1722 and Northampton County in 1741 [Patent Book 3:104]. On 1 September 1721 he bought another tract of land adjacent to his own between Wheeler's Mill and Urahaw Swamp from John Green for £8. This land was near the Bass and Gibson families. He (making his mark "BC") and his wife Martha sold 100 acres of their land adjoining Urahaw Swamp on 30 March 1722 [Chowen County DB C-1:153, 272]. By 30 July 1726 he had accumulated over 1,000 acres on the north side of the Roanoke and another 630 acres on the south side in what later became Halifax County.
He patented 630 acres on the south side of the Moratuck River on Quankey Pocasin (present-day Halifax County) on 30 July 1726, made a deed of gift of gift of 200 acres of this land to his son William Chavers on 7 August 1727, and sold (signing both deeds "BC") the remaining 430 acres to Edward Simmons for £40 with Barnabie McKinnie as witness. He sold 100 acres on the north side of the Moratuck River (present-day Northampton County) to Barnabie McKinnie for £20 with George Rollinson (making his mark "R") and Edward Simmons as witnesses [Bertie DB B:289, 312, 423]. He was one of the "Gentlemen of Edgecombe Precinct" who signed a petition after 11 November 1732 to alter the seat of government from Edenton to present-day Raleigh [Cain, Robert J. and Kathleen Wyche, Records of the Executive Council, 1664-1734, 7:298-9]. He was still living in Northampton County in 1743 when a deed mentioned land adjoining Bat Chavers [DB 1:127]. He died before 25 February 1750 when his son William Chavers of Granville County (signing) sold his 630 acres on Quankey Pocosin, "a grant to Bartholomew Chavers late of Albemarle" [Edgecombe/ Halifax DB 4:36]. His children were
12 i. William1, born say 1706.
13 ii. ?Jacob1 Shives, born say 1710.
14 iii. ?John1, born say 1712.
iv. ?Matthew1, born say 1715, applied for a warrant for 300 acres in South Carolina in 1752, stating that he was a "free negro" and had been in the province for twelve years [Meriwether, The expansion of South Carolina, 1729-1765, 128].
15 v. ?Thomas1, born say 1718.
16 vi. ?Richard, born say 1724.
17 vii. ?Joseph1 Cheavers, born say 1726.
18 viii. ?Bartholomew2, born say 1730.
19 ix. ?Gideon1, born say 1732.
2. William2 Chavis, born say 1709, was a "Free Mulatto," who still had two years of service to complete his indenture on 15 July 1728 when he was listed in the inventory of the Surry County estate of Nathaniel Harrison [DW 7:850]. He may have been the William Chavers who married Rebecca Gillet on 8 July 1730 in Christ Church Parish, Middlesex County [NSCDA, Parish Register of Christ Church, 167; microfilm of manuscript on http://familysearch.org/search/catalog/376010, film 8190054, image 162 of 341]. And he may have been the William Chavis who was a plaintiff in a 22 July 1758 suit in Sussex County court for a 50 shillings debt [Orders 1757-61, 188]. He owned some property in Brunswick County, Virginia, on 27 May 1760 when it was attached to pay a debt he owed Gray Briggs [Orders 1760-84, 42, 43]. He may have been the father of
i. Thomas2, a witness to a promissory note from Henry Westbrooke to John Chevas in Southampton County on 6 January 1763. And there was a Thomas Cheves, Jur., who was sued in Southampton County by John Chambless for a debt of £21 on 13 February 1764 [Judgment Papers, 1764-5, 604-5, 1160].
20 ii. John3, born say 1733.
3. Amy Chavis, born say 1710, was presented by the Surry County court on 21 May 1729 for having a bastard child and was living in Southwarke Parish, Surry County, between 16 May 1749 and 20 June 1749 when she was fined 50 shillings and given twenty-five lashes for having a bastard child [DW 1715-30, 928; Orders 1744-49, 543, 559]. She may have been the Amy Chavers who was subpoenaed for the plaintiff in the suit of the King vs. John McWilliams in the January 1766 Halifax County, North Carolina court [Gammon, Record of Estates II:2]. And she may have been the mother of
i. Benjamin1, born say 1729, won a suit against Richard Vick for a debt of £3 due by account in Southampton County on 14 March 1755 [Orders 1754-9, 68], listed in the Edgecombe County, North Carolina muster of Captain West, deceased, in the 1750s [N.C. Archives Troop Returns, box 1, folder 12, p. 7], taxable with his wife Jane in the 1757 Granville County list of Robert Harris and an insolvent taxpayer that year.
ii. William3, born say 1739, ran away from his master Thomas Burgess and was ordered by the Southampton County court to serve him an additional sixteen weeks on 11 December 1755 [Orders 1754-9, 166].
21 iii. Mary, born say 1745.
iv. Winny, born say 1755, mother of Milly Chavis who sued James Arthur for her freedom in Pittsylvania County in January 1821 and won her freedom on 20 March 1822 on testimony by Polly M'Kinney of Brunwick County that she was stolen from her mother in Brunswick County about forty or fifty years previous when she was six or seven years old. Milly registered in Pittsylvania County 20 June 1822: a bright Mulatto woman about 54 years of age about five feet five inches high has black bushy hair, was formerly held in slavery by James Arthur who obtained her by gift from William Bennett, but has lately recovered her freedom by a suit in the County Court of Pittsylvania as being the descendant of a free woman [Griffith, Pittsylvania County Register, 8, 245-6, 274]. Milly was probably the mother of Hannah, Una, Henry and Job Chavis who also won the freedom in 1822. The decision was reversed in the Court of Appeals in February 1828 on the claim that she was a slave who was born in Goochland County. However, on 16 January 1829 James, Fanny and Patsy Arthur made a formal deed of emancipation for Milly and her child Nancy Chavis and a second deed on 31 May 1829 for Hannah and her child Winny, and Milly and her child Mary Jane Chavis [Orders 1820-1, 74; 1821-3, 81-2, 99, 125, 128, 211; Michie, Jefferson Reports, VIII:642-8; http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=hvd.32044078608734&view=1up&seq=656; DB 31:309].
4. Frances1 Chavis, born say 1720, was living in Charles City County on 5 February 1755 when the court ordered the churchwardens of Westover Parish to bind out her son William. She may also have been the mother of ___ Chavis who William Hudson petitioned the churchwardens to bind apprentice to him in June 1742 [Orders 1737-51, 217; 1751-7, 178]. Her children were
22 i. ?Jacob2, born about 1736.
23 ii. ?Susannah1, born about 1740.
24 iii. ?Margaret, born say 1742.
iv. William5, born say 1747, bound apprentice in Charles City County in February 1755.
5. Thomason1 Chavis, born say 1720, was living in Lunenburg County, Virginia, in June 1752 when the churchwardens of Cumberland Parish were ordered to bind out her "Base born children" Elizabeth, Abraham, James, and Peter [Orders 1752-3, 56]. Her children were
i. ?Isaac1, born say 1737, sued John Ashwell for a debt of £2 in Lunenburg County in July 1764 [Orders 1764-5, 103].
ii. ?Findwell, born say 1739, mother of Nancy Chavis who was bound to Samuel Manning by the churchwardens of St. James Parish in Mecklenburg County, Virginia, on 18 September 1766 [Orders 1765-8, 212], perhaps the Nancy Chavous who married Charles Voluntine (Valentine), 28 November 1785 Mecklenburg County bond, Thomas Maclin security.
25 iii. ?Susannah2, born say 1740.
iv. Abraham, born say 1743.
26 v. Elizabeth2, born say 1745.
27 vi. James1, born say 1748.
vii. Peter1, born say 1750.
6. Rebecca1 Chaves, born say 1721, was a resident of Bristol Parish, Prince George County, on 11 November 1734 (no race or parent indicated) when she was bound out to John West and (her sister?) Sarah Chaves was bound to William Macewen [Chamberlayne, Register of Bristol Parish, 71]. Amelia County was formed in 1734 from the part of Prince George County where John West and William Macewen were living, and John West, Sr., was a tithable there in the list of tithables below Deep Creek in 1736. She was tithable in the Amelia County district below Deep Creek from 1740 to 1755: in William West's household from 1740 to 1744, in the household of Richard Rogers in 1755 [Tithables, 1736-77, LVA; http://familysearch.org/search/catalog/670006, film 1902616, images 78, 98, 130, 376]. On 19 September 1740 the churchwardens of Raleigh Parish, Amelia County, were ordered to bind out her son Adam Chaves (no race mentioned). On 26 August 1756 the Amelia County court ordered the churchwardens of Nottoway Parish to bind out her children Betty and Pat; on 22 March 1759 the court ordered the churchwardens to bind out her unnamed children, and on 28 August 1760 she was called a "Free Negro" when the court ordered the churchwardens of Nottoway Parish to bind out her children James, Ned, Patt, and Rebecca [Orders 1735-46, 125; 1754-8, n.p.; 1757-60, 195; 1760-3, 44]. A few months later in December 1760 the Lunenburg County court ordered the churchwardens of Cumberland Parish to bind out her son Ned [Orders 1759-60, 211]. The Amelia County court ordered the churchwardens of Nottoway Parish to bind out her children Cain and Sherred on 24 March 1763, ordered her children Patt, Beck, and Molly bound out in 1764, and ordered her unnamed children bound out on 29 April 1768 [Orders 1763, 30; 1764-5, 87, 289, 325; 1766-9, 149]. Her children were
i. Adam, born say 1738, "Child of Rebecca Chavis," ordered bound out by the Amelia County court on 19 September 1740, ordered bound out by the churchwardens of Nottoway Parish on 26 July 1754, no parent named, and ordered bound to Richard Rogers on 27 November 1755 [Orders 1735-46, 125; 1751-5, 185; 1754-8, n.p.].
28 ii. ?Lydia1, born say 1739.
iii. Kate, born say 1746, daughter of Rebecca Chaves (no race indicated), ordered bound apprentice by the churchwardens of Raleigh Parish, Amelia County, in January 1746/7 on the motion of David Ellington. She was called "Cate Chavis a poor child" on 28 July 1763 when the court ordered the churchwardens of Nottoway Parish to bind her out [Orders 1746-51, 29; 1763, fol. 102].
iv. Lucy, born before November 1747, "Daughter of Rebecca Chavis" (no race indicated), bound apprentice in Amelia County in November 1747. She was called "Lucy Chavis a Free Negro" on 26 June 1760 when the Amelia County court ordered the churchwardens of Nottoway Parish to remove her from her former master David Ellington and bind her instead to William Hilsman [Orders 1746-51, 57; 1760-3, 16].
29 v. James2, born say 1749.
vi. Edward1/ Ned, born before January 1749/50, bound by the churchwardens of Nottoway Parish, Amelia County, in January 1749/50 (no parent or race indicated). On 24 November 1757 the Amelia County court summoned David Ellington to answer the complaint of Ned and Lucy Chavis, "poor orphans" who were bound to him, and on 22 December 1757 he was called "Ned Chavis a free Negro Boy" when the court bound him instead to William Hardy. He was called the child of Rebecca Chavis on 28 August 1760 when the court ordered the churchwardens of Amelia County to bind him out [Orders 1746-51, 192; 1757-60, 36, 45; 1760-3, 44]. A few months later in December 1760, he was living in adjoining Lunenburg County when he was ordered bound out by the churchwardens of Cumberland Parish [Orders 1759-60, 211]. He was bound out on 13 December 1764 to Michael McKie (no parent named) [Orders 1764-65, 199]. He and Samuel Chavous enlisted in the Revolution on 28 August 1777, he was in the payroll of the 14th Virginia Regiment in March 1778 and in June 1778 (sick at Valley Forge), and he and Samuel were in the payroll of the 18th Regiment in April 1779 (mustered at Middlebrook on 7 May 1779) [NARA, M246, roll 109, frames 163, 175, 209; roll 112, frame 714; http://fold3.com/image/10104087]. He was taxable in Charlotte County in 1783 [PPTL 1782-1813, frame 20] and taxable in Mecklenburg County, Virginia, from 1786 to 1799 [PPTL 1782-1805, frames 122, 368, 611, 634].
30 vii. Elizabeth3, born say 1751.
viii. Pat, born say 1754, child of Rebecca Chavis, bound out in Amelia County on 28 August 1760, called a "free Negro" on 23 March 1764 when the court ordered the churchwardens of Nottoway Parish to bind her out [Orders 1760-3, 44; 1764-5, 87].
ix. Rebecca2, born say 1756, a child of Rebecca Chavis, ordered bound out in Amelia County on 28 August 1760, called a "free Negro" on 23 March 1764 when the court ordered the churchwardens of Nottoway Parish to bind her out, and called an orphan of Beck Chavis on 22 November 1764 when the court ordered her bound to Henry Clay. On 28 September 1786 she complained to the Amelia County court about William Dunnivant's treatment of her children Patty and Elliott Chavis [Orders 1760-3, 44; 1764-5, 87, 289, 325; 1786-8, 186].
x. Molly, born say 1758, called an orphan of Beck Chavis on 22 November 1764 when the Amelia County court ordered her bound to Henry Clay [Orders 1764-5, 289, 325].
xi. ?Tammy, born say 1760, living in Amelia County on 28 August 1760 when the court ordered the churchwardens of Nottoway Parish to bind her to John Clark [Orders 1760-3, 55].
xii. Sherwood1, born say 1760, son of Beck Chavis ordered bound by the churchwardens of Nottoway Parish in Amelia County on 24 March 1763. On 26 February 1778 he was bound to Alexander McNabb when he complained to the court that his master was beating and abusing him, but the court ordered to return to his master's service after hearing testimony [Orders 1763, 30; 1776-80, 108].
xiii. Cain, born say 1761, son of Beck Chavis ordered bound out by the churchwardens of Nottoway Parish in Amelia County on 24 March 1763 [Orders 1763, 30].
7. George1 Chavers, born say 1728, was taxable in the 1752 Lunenburg County list of Field Jefferson in his own household adjoining Robert Hudson [Tax List 1748-52, LVA accession no.20094, p.2] and taxable in Ephraim Drew's household in the 1775 list [Bell, Sunlight on the Southside, 353]. He was one of the freeholders of Lunenburg County who were ordered to clear and maintain a road in their area in September 1756 [Orders 1755-57, 187]. He and George Carter received a patent for 354 acres in Brunswick County, Virginia, on 20 August 1760 [Patents 34:698]. The 1 November 1766 session of the Brunswick County court recorded payment to him of 150 pounds of tobacco from the public levy for providing 75 ells of cloth [Orders 1765-8, 190]. While a resident of Mecklenburg County on 22 December 1781 he sold 100 acres in "the upper end" of Brunswick County on Jeryes Creek [Brunswick WB 2:228]. He was taxable in Mecklenburg County on 8 cattle in 1784, taxable on a horse and 9 cattle in 1787 and 1788, and his estate was taxable on 2 horses in 1789 [PPTL 1782-1805, frames 90, 95, 189, 235, 285]. His children may have been
i. Milden, born say 1751, purchased 50 acres adjoining James Bowen in Mecklenburg County on 14 June 1779 and sold this land for £50 on 25 March 1785 [DB 5:451; 6:503]. He was sued for a debt of 1,000 pounds of tobacco in Mecklenburg County court on 16 March 1787 [Orders 1784-87, 703]. He was head of a Mecklenburg County household of 7 persons in 1782 [VA:34], taxable in Mecklenburg County on 2 horses from 1783 to 1794 [PPTL 1782-1805, frames 45, 95, 398, 498]. The attachment of Henry Chavis against Milden abated on 12 November 1798 by Henry's death [Orders 1798-1801, 61].
31 ii. John5, born say 1755.
32 iii. Anthony, born say 1757.
33 iv. Thomas5, born say 1765.
8. Menoah/ Noah Chavis, born say 1730, was taxable in Henry County from 1783 to 1788 [PPTL, 1782-1830, frames 30, 77, 147, 265, 279]. He left a 19 January 1789 Henry County will, proved 30 November 1789, in which he named David Going and left 100 acres to his children [WB 1:180]:
i. Patty Earl, perhaps the Martha Chavers who was taxable on a horse in Henry County in 1790 [PPTL, 1782-1830, frame 338]
ii. Nancy Bigers Earl.
9. Sarah Chaves, born say 1732, was bound to William Macewen of Prince George County in November 1734 [Chamberlayne, Register of Bristol Parish, 71]. She may have been identical to Sarah Chavers who was head of a Charlotte County household of 1 "other free" in 1810 [VA:46]. She was called Sally Chavus in her 17 May 1811 Charlotte County will, proved 3 December 1811, by which she left furniture, a flax wheel and a spinning wheel to her granddaughter Betsey Chavus, a dutch oven to her son Bartlett Chavus's unnamed wife, and the remainder to her friends John Fennell and Thomas Friend. She asked that Fennell and Friend let "her old man and husband" Simon enjoy his liberty as a free man and allow him to keep together all the remainder of her estate. At Simon's death, the remainder was to be sold with one-third to go to Simon's daughter Amy and two-thirds to her son Bartlett "or his children if he be dead" [WB 3:184]. She was the mother of
i. Bartlett1, born about 1776, bound by the Pittsylvania County court as an apprentice to John Southerland on 21 March 1780 [Orders 1777-83, 292], bound apprentice in adjoining Halifax County, Virginia, on 17 March 1785 to John Nobles and bound out to John Hughes on 18 October 1787 [Pleas 11:253; 12:270]. He registered in Halifax County on 11 October 1802: Bartlet Chavus (Batteau) aged about twenty six years, five feet five and half Inches high, between a Black and a yellow Colour [Register of Free Negroes 1802-31, no. 22]. He married Betsy Talbot, 11 July 1803 Halifax County bond. He was taxable in the southern district of Halifax County in 1798 and 1800. There were two Bartlett Chavuses who were "Mulatto" taxables in Halifax County from 1801 to 1806: one called "Batteau" in 1803 who may also have been the one called "Sr." in 1801 and 1805. Both were counted as planters in the list of "free Negroes & Mulattoes" in 1801: one living on "P.C." (P. Creek) and the other on "UR" (the Upper Road) [PPTL, 1782-99, frame 810; 1800-12, frames 50, 158, 178, 308, 363, 508, 615]. He was a "Molatto" taxable in Pittsylvania County from 1806 to 1810: living on John Fitzjerald's land in 1806 [PPTL 1797-1812, frames 566, 592, 707]. A Bartlet Chavers was living in Pleasant Township, Marion County, Ohio, in 1860: age 106, Mulatto, with Elizabeth Chavers age 76, "Black," both born in Virginia.
10. Catherine Chavis, born say 1734, was a "Mullatto Girl" bound apprentice in Henrico County in July 1740 (no parent named) [Orders 1737-46, 113]. In October 1756 the Lunenburg County court ordered the churchwardens of Cumberland Perish to bind out her children Sam, Lucy, and Ann Chavus, and in November 1757 the court ordered the churchwardens of Cornwall Parish to bind her children Nan and Lucy to Philip Jones [Orders 1755-57, 223; 1757-9, 3]. Her children were
i. Samuel, born say 1751, a "Melatto boy" bound apprentice to Philip Jones by the churchwardens of Cumberland Parish in Lunenburg County in April 1751 [Orders 1748-52, 396]. He enlisted in the Revolution on 28 August 1777 and was in the payroll of the 14th Virginia Regiment in March 1778 (in the same list with Edward and Isaac Chavous), in the June 1778 muster when he was sick at Valley Forge, in the payroll of the 18th Regiment in April 1779, and mustered at Middlebrook on 7 May 1779 [NARA, M246, roll 109, frames 163, 175, 209; roll 112, frame 714, 723; http://fold3.com/image/10104087]. On 13 October 1783 the Mecklenburg County court ordered his male laboring tithables to work on a road [Orders 1779-84, 437]. He was head of a Mecklenburg County household of 7 white (free) persons in 1782 [VA:34] and taxable in Mecklenburg County in 1788 [PPTL 1782-1805, frame 211]. On 20 May 1788 he was tried in Mecklenburg County court for entering the smoke house of David Ross at night and taking a quantity of bacon valued at 10 shillings but found not guilty [Orders 1787-92, 232-6]. He was in Mecklenburg County on 14 August 1789 when he assigned his rights to his land warrant for services in the Revolution [Revolutionary Bounty Warrants, Chavis, Samuel, Digital Collections, LVA]. In 1789 he was taxable in the Dinwiddie County household of Matthew Stewart and taxable in his own Dinwiddie County household in 1790, in 1800, a "free Negro" taxable who followed "cropping" and lived near David Browder in 1801, and a "free" taxable in 1802 [PPTL, 1790 A, p.3; 1790 A, p.3; 1801 B, p.25; 1802 A, p.4]. He apparently moved with Matthew Stewart to Nottoway County where he was taxable in 1792, 1794, 1795, 1797 and 1801 [PPTL 1789-1822, frames 87, 122, 138, 168, 213]. He was taxable in Lunenburg County in 1798 [PPTL 1782-1806] and counted in the "list of free Negroes and Mulattoes" in Mecklenburg County from 1813 to 1815 [PPTL, 1806-28, frames 307, 417, 435].
ii. Lucy, born say 1753, married Robert Cole, "both black persons," according to the deposition of Mary Belcher of Charlotte County, taken on 27 April 1808. Belcher testified on Lucy's behalf when she challenged the nuncupative Wake County will of her nephew John Jackson Chavis, son of her sister Betty Chavis. Mathew Carter, a justice for Mecklenburg County, Virginia, testified that Lucy Cole lived for several years on his plantation and raised a boy named John Jackson Chaves who was afterwards bound to William Steward blacksmith who carried him with him when he moved to Wake County [N.C. Stack File C.R. 099.928.11 by NCGSJ III:21; North Carolina Apprentice bonds and records Wake County (A-TU), 1770-1903, frames 1520-2 of 2006, http://familysearch.org/search/catalog/766317]. Lucy was living in Mecklenburg County when she gave power of attorney to "friend and relation" John Chavis of Raleigh to challenge the will. She challenged the will herself in Wake County court in May 1808. Frederick Ivey and Peter Chavis also testified on her behalf [Haun, Wake County Court Minutes VII:67-8, 151]. Lucy proved the account of his Wake County estate in February 1809 [N.C. Stack File C.R. 099.928.11 by NCGSJ III:21].
iii. Ann, born say 1755.
34 iv. ?Elizabeth4, born say 1757.
11. Henry1 Chavers, born say 1735, was a Lunenburg County taxable in the list of Hugh Lawson in 1752 (called Henry Cheffers) [Tax List 1748-52, 2] and taxable in 1764 adjacent to Jacob Chavis [Bell, Sunlight on the Southside, 248]. He was sued for debt by Richard Hanson in Lunenburg County court on 9 June 1768, but the suit was dismissed because he was not living in the county [Orders 1766-69, 151]. And he was sued in Brunswick County, Virginia court on 29 September 1772, but the suit was dismissed for the same reason [Orders 1772-74, 117]. He mortgaged eight head of cattle, eleven pigs, a mare, and his furniture for £25 he owed to Dinwiddie Crawford, & Co., merchants of Glasgow, in Mecklenburg County on 9 April 1774 [DB 4:319; Orders 1774-9, 191]. He was head of a Mecklenburg County household of 8 persons in 1782 [VA:33] and was taxable there on 2 horses and 3-5 head of cattle from 1782 to 1798 [PPTL 1782-1805, frames 14, 45, 95, 236, 288, 341, 570, 681]. His 25 May 1798 Mecklenburg County will was proved 10 September 1798. He lent 50 acres to his wife Elender and their daughter Rebecca, to revert to his son Boling at their deaths and left the remainder of his land to his son Henry [WB 4:40]. Elender, Boling, and (Boling's wife) Susan Chavous mortgaged this 50 acres to Thomas Organ on 10 January 1804 for a debt of £29 they owed Benjamin Lewis [DB 12:181]. Elender was a "Mulatto" taxable on a horse in Mecklenburg County in 1810 [PPTL, 1806-28, frame 159]. Henry1's children were
i. Henry3, Jr., born say 1766, taxable in Mecklenburg County from 1786 to 1803: taxable on his son Burton in 1803 [PPTL 1782-1805, frames 136, 189, 399, 479, 570, 681, 942]. His daughter Sine was named in her grandfather's will. She married Buckner Valentine, 21 December 1802 Mecklenburg County bond, Boling Chavous security. Henry received the balance of his father's land. On 21 November 1799 he brought a suit in chancery to enjoin Ellender, Rebecca and Boling Chavis from cutting down any more of the lands or committing waste on the land they received by Henry, Sr.'s will [Orders 1798-1801, 269]. Henry, Jr.'s own 5 January 1806 Mecklenburg County will, proved 8 September the same year, lent his land and property to his wife Luviecie and then to her son Wyatt Singleton [WB 5:443]. A deed from Lucretia Chavers, Wyatt Singleton and Anne Chisman(?) his wife was proved in Mecklenburg County court on 17 June 1811 [Orders 1809-11, 469].
ii. Rebecca5, sued John Naish for trespass, assault, and battery in Mecklenburg County, Virginia, on 14 March 1786 [Orders 1784-87, 496, 699].
35 iii. Boling, born say 1772.
iv. Susannah/Suckee, born say 1773, married Frederick Goen, 9 March 1789 Mecklenburg County bond, with a note from her father Henry Chavers, Sr., Belar (Boling) Chavous and Robert Singleton witnesses.
12. William1 Chavis (Bartholomew1), born say 1706, received a deed of gift from his father in 1727 for 200 acres in Bertie County on the south side of the Roanoke River near the Quankey Pocosin in what became Edgecombe County in 1741 and Halifax County in 1758 [DB B:289]. He proved his rights for 15 "Blacks" in Edgecombe County in February 1742 [SS 906 by N.C. Genealogy XIII:1825] and received a patent for 400 acres near Nutbush Creek in Edgecombe County on 3 March 1743 [Patent Book 5:336; 10:177; Hoffman, Land Patents, I:223]. In 1746 this part of Edgecombe became Granville County where he accumulated more than 1,200 acres of land by 14 May 1751. On 29 November 1748 he was granted a license to keep an ordinary at his dwelling house in Granville County. He was mentioned in the 30 May 1753 Granville County court case of Rex vs. Samuel Harden. Complainant Henry Webb stated that Chavis, the owner of a lodging house, kept part of Webb's money in his desk for safe keeping, but Samuel Harden stole the remainder of his money from him. When Webb asked Chavers to help search Harden for the money, Chavers told him
I am a Black man & don't care to undertake such a thing [Owen, Granville County Notes, vols. I, III].
In 1753 William was taxable in Granville County on himself, his 2 children, and 7 slaves in the list of John Brantly, and in 1754 he was taxable on 13 persons including his wife Frances in the list of Edward Moore:
Wm. Chavis Francis Gibeon William Jur. Lettis Geiser Francis Sons & Wife and Daughters Negroes Gordin Peter Nune Frank Alice mol 13 [CR 44.701.19].
On 12 March 1754 he brought the theft of Amy Hawley's son Busby to the attention of the Orange County, North Carolina court. The child was stolen from South Carolina and recovered in Orange County. The court ordered Thomas Chavis to return him to his mother [Minutes 1752-8, 70-1]. He was called "William Chavers, Negro" in the 8 October 1754 Muster Roll of the Granville County Regiment of Colonel William Eaton. His wife Frances was probably light skinned since in the same list his sons were called "William Chavers, Junr, Mulo," and "Gilbert Chavers, Mulatto" [N.C. Archives Troop Returns, Box 1, folder 37, p. 1; http://digital.ncdcr.gov/digital/collection/p16062coll26/id/146/rec/229]. On 4 February 1755 William purchased 320 acres in Orange County and sold this on 27 August 1768 [DB 1:40; 2:549]. He sued Moses Ridley for debt in Orange County court, but on 17 February 1761 the court noted that Ridley was insolvent [Minutes 1766-71, 230]. By 7 November 1763 he had acquired over 2,900 acres in Granville, Orange, and Edgecombe counties. On 10 May 1770 he appeared in court in Bute County court to complain that he was afraid Asa Tyner planned to do him some bodily harm or damage his estate. This was the start of a series of court cases between him and Tyner. Asa Tyner also appeared as a witness against him in a case for John Smith [Minutes 1767-79, 128, 239]. Asa was William Chavis's son-in-law who married his daughter Keziah about 1765. She was taxable in her father's household in 1764 but not in 1766. Asa and "Cuzzah" Tyner sold 700 acres adjoining William Chavis, deceased, on the Granville-Bute County line on 11 August 1777 [Warren County DB 6:198]. Asa Tyner was a buyer at the sale of William's estate.
William died before 5 February 1777 when (his widow) Frances Chavers, Jane Chavers, Ann Chavers (his son Gideon's widow), Major Evans and Philip Chavers were summoned to answer an inquiry about the last will of William Chavers decd. The inventory of his estate was settled by his son Philip on 5 February 1778 in Granville County and included 11 slaves, 39 cattle, 6 horses, and 21 head of sheep. Asa Tyner sued the estate and offered the deposition of Joshua Hunt, taken in Northampton County on 1 August 1781, that in November or December fifteen years previous at Samuel Saunder's house, William Chavers offered Asa ,500, a slave named Dick, 644 acres of land with two plantations on it, cattle and hogs, and household goods if he would marry his daughter Keziah [WB 1:164; North Carolina Estate Files, 1663-1979, http://familysearch.org/search/catalog/978482, film 7641249, image 588]. William's widow Frances was taxable on a ,2,551 assessment in 1780 in Epping Forest District, and her estate was settled in May court 1781 by John Smith, her son by her first marriage. He claimed his right to six slaves which were due him from his father after his mother's death. Frances's estate, which included a bible and slaves, was sold for ,6,350 [WB 1:303]. Frances was apparently the daughter of Gibby Gibson who left his daughter Frances Smith a girl slave named Verity by his 3 March 1726/7 Charles City County will [DW 1724-31, 161-2]. British merchant Alston Young & Company loaned William £19.13 before the Revolutionary War. About the year 1800 William Hicks of Granville County informed the British claims investigator that, (William Chavis) "Died in the year 1777 or 1778. Left considerable property which was divided among his three sons Philip, William and Gibson - the first of whom administered on his estate, got a considerable part of it, which he squandered and removed himself during the War. William, son of Gibia, who in right of his father, inherited a tract of land and other property of the said deceased, sold the same in the Year 1785 and removed to South Carolina or Georgia." In 1801 William Perry of Franklin County informed the British claims investigator that, "William Chavis died in the fore part of the war...he owned land...in Granville...which he willed to Hugh Snelling...land which he willed to his son Phil & had 10 or 12 negroes...said Hugh and Phil sold their land before the Peace...The negroes were some of them bequeathed to some of his children & the rest (except 2 or 3 which the widow had for life) were sold at the sale after the old man's death. The widow died 2 or 3 years after that Old Man. Informant believes the Est. of the debtor was before the Peace all sold & squandered away by the Legatees...so that at the time of the Peace they were worth nothing at all except Hugh Snellins the grandson of Wm who besides the land was as Informant believes a legatee of one or more of the negroes. He...has a tract of land and a negroe or two. His son Wm living on the Pee Dee is his Executor" [NCGSJ XIX:151; V:7, citing Claims of British Merchants after the Revolutionary War, British Records Collection at the N.C. State Archives, microfilm reel Z.5.149 N]. William's children were
36 i. Philip1, born say 1726.
ii. Sarah Harris, born before 1735, taxable in 1750 in the Granville County household of her husband Edward Harris. On 6 September 1756 her father William made a deed of gift to her and her husband of 340 acres on the north side of Tabbs Creek [DB C:73].
37 iii. Gideon2/ Gibeon, born say 1737.
iv. William4, Jr., born say 1741, taxable in 1753 in his father's Granville County household in the list of Edward Moore. In 1761 he was head of his own household with "Slave Gorden" in Fishing Creek. He purchased 170 acres on the north side of the Tarr River in Granville County on 7 November 1763 and sold this land as William Chavers, Junr., on 19 October 1767 to Edward Silvey [DB F:507; L:327]. In 1764-67 he was in the list of Stephen Jett with wife Ellender, but was taxed on only his own tithe in the 1769 summary list. In 1771 he was a "Black" tithable overseer of slave, Gordin, in Major Evans's Bute County household in the list of Philemon Hawkins [CR.015.70001, p.12 of pamphlet]. He was charged with assault in February 1769 and felony in February 1773 in Granville County court [Dockets 1773-83]. He may have been the "William Chavous Clark Commonly Called Boson Chavers" who was one of the "free Negors and Mulattus...Raitously Assembled together in Bladen Countey October 13 1773" [G.A. 1773, box 7]. Bosen Cheves owned land near Gum Swamp and Long Branch in Richmond County, North Carolina, before 24 January 1780 [Pruitt, Land Entries: Richmond Co., 3, 12]. As William Chavis he was taxable on 150 acres in Bladen County in 1784 with (his older brother?) Philip. A deed of sale for debt of his land in Robeson County on the east side of Parsimon Branch joining the state line was proved in the April 1797 Robeson County court [DB G:47].
v. Lettice, born about 1742, taxable in her father's household in the 1754 list of Edward Moore. She married Aquilla Snelling who named his son Hugh Snelling in his will.
vi. Keziah, born about 1742, called "Geiser" when she was taxable in her father's household in the 1754 list of Edward Moore, and called Keziah when she was taxable in her father's Epping Forest District household in 1761. She was taxable in her father's household in 1764 but not in 1766, about the time she married Asa Tyner.
vii. Fanny, born before 1750, taxable in her father's Epping Forest District household in 1761.
13. Jacob1 Chavis (Bartholomew1), born say 1710, was granted a patent for 100 acres in Bladen Precinct "joining the river down to a Creek ...commonly Called Ichebe" on 15 May 1735 [Hoffman, Land Patents, I:347]. This was east of present-day Fayetteville in Cumberland County near Locks Creek and the Cape Fear River. He was called John Jacob Shives when he received a Bladen County land warrant for 220 acres on the southwest side of the Northwest River and the upper side of his own land about 3 miles above Rock Fish Creek on 13 September 1737. He was no longer on this land on 26 February 1753 when Samuel Baker entered land adjoining a line "formerly called John Jacob Shieves Survey" [Philbeck, Bladen County Land Entries, nos. 200, 845]. Perhaps he was deceased by 1755 when (his son?) John Chavis was head of a Cumberland County household of 6 "mulatto" taxables in 1755 with (Jacob's widow?) Misses Chavis:
Chivis, Jno ffredk Jo: Jacb Miss[es] Chavis & Richd do 0/6 [T&C, box 1].
Jacob's descendants may have been
i. Frederick, recorded a plat for 100 acres in Colleton County, South Carolina, on Goodland Swamp near the Edisto River on 30 January 1770 [South Carolina Archives series S213184, 15:258]. He may have been identical to or the ancestor of "free negro Frederick Chaves" who was working for James Seagrove, a Creek Indian agent, and travelling through Washington County, Georgia, when he and James Aiken were threatened with death by the local inhabitants who were opposed to making peace with the Indians according to a report to the War Department on 31 August 1793 [National Archives and Records Administration: 3d Cong, House, Sec War Confidential Rep, RG233 by Center for History and New Media, George Mason University: http://wardepartmentpapers.org/s/home/media/121792, 121793] and he may have been the ancestor of Frederick Chavis who petitioned the South Carolina Legislature with Lewis Chavis, Durany Chavis, James Jones, Bartley Jones, Mary Jones, Jonathan Williams and Polly Dunn on 9 December 1859 inquiring if persons of Indian descent were considered to be free persons of color and liable to pay the poll tax [South Carolina Archives series S165015, year 1859, item 12].
ii. John2, born say 1732, taxable in Cumberland County in 1755, taxable with his unnamed wife in Bladen County in 1776 ("Molatoes") and taxable on 150 acres in 1789 [Byrd, Bladen County Tax Lists, II:64, 75, 200].
iii. Joel Chivers, born say 1740, taxable as "Jo:" in John Chavis's 1755 Cumberland County household, taxable the Anson County household of Edward Black in 1763 [SS 837, box 1]. On 26 October 1767 he patented 50 acres in Anson County on Lanes Creek [Hoffman, Land Patents, II:423]. Administration on his Anson County estate was granted to (his wife?) Sarah Chivers who gave bond of £150 on 11 October 1775 [Minutes 1771-7, 166]. Perhaps his son was Joseph Chavis, head of a Rowan County household of 4 "other free" in 1800 [NC:399], called Joel Shavers when he was head of a Rowan County household of 4 "other free" in 1810 [NC:320].
iv. John7 Chavers, born say 1760, sold land by deed proved in Cumberland County on 24 October 1787 [Minutes 1787-91; the deed has not survived]. He was head of a Richmond County, North Carolina household of 7 "other free" in 1790 [NC:46]. Duncan McFarland sued him in the April 1795 Richmond County court. The jury found for McFarland for £20, but the court arrested judgment and found for the defendant because the action was grounded on an attachment with no bond or affidavit as required by law. He was called Jonathan Chavis when he was charged by the July 1797 Richmond County court with begetting a bastard child by Poll Pettis who was probably white. Thomas Pettis, "child of Colour," ordered bound out by the June 1802 Richmond County court, was apparently their son. Jonathan Chavis was one of the freeholders of Richmond County ordered by the July 1800 court to work on the road from Rockingham to Hitchcock Creek [Minutes 1793-1804, 291-3, 346, 520, 560]. In 1805 he was called "a free man of color also called John White" when Stephen Carrol petitioned the legislature from Sampson County, stating that he had not been paid for capturing Jonathan when he was accused of murder and placed in the jail at Fayetteville. Jonathan was convicted but later pardoned [Schweninger, Race, Slavery, and Free Blacks, Series 1, 75].
v. William, listed in the payroll of the 7th Company of the 3rd South Carolina Regiment in August 1779 and March 1780 [NARA, M246, roll 89, frames 119, 149], a soldier entitled to military bounty land in 1835 [Brumbaugh, Revolutionary War Records, 228].
vi. Elisha, listed in the payroll of the 1st Company of the 3rd South Carolina Regiment on 1 July 1779 and in March 1780 [NARA, M246, roll 89, frames 119, 241, 243].
v. Richard2 Chavers, taxable in Cumberland County in 1755, head of a Richmond County household of 5 "other free" in 1790 [NC:46] and as "Bud" Chavers, a taxable "Molato" in Archibald McKissak's Bladen County household in 1776 [Byrd, Bladen County Tax Lists, II:68], head of an Anson County household of 8 "other free" in 1800 [NC:224]. He was listed in the North Carolina Revolutionary War Army Accounts [N.C. Archives, State Treasurer Group, Military Papers, Revolutionary Army Accounts, IX:122, folio 3].
vi. Thomas Chivers, patented 200 acres in Anson County on Lanes Creek on 18 April 1771 [Hoffman, Land Patents, II]. He and Joel Chivers were on an Anson County jury to lay out a road from the Province line to the new road that ran from the Cheraws on 10 September 1771 [Minutes 1771-7, 61].
vii. Susanna4 Chavers, head of a Richmond County household of 3 "other free" in 1790 [NC:46].
viii. Richmond, born about 1771, released from his indenture in New Hanover County court on 25 February 1793 after faithful service to Joseph Gautier [Minutes 1792-98, 42]. He was head of a Brunswick County, North Carolina household of 8 "other free" in 1800 [NC:13] and 4 "other free" in 1810 (R. Chavius) [NC:232].
14. John1 Chavis (Bartholomew1), born say 1712, was tithable in the earliest Granville County, North Carolina list of Jonathan White, circa 1748 [CR 44.701.1] but not taxed again in Granville County. On 7 May 1751 he was in South Carolina where he was called "John Chevis a free negro carpenter from Virginia" when he applied to the governor and council for land on the rights of himself, wife, nine children and a foundling infant, stating that he had begun improvements on Stevens Creek. After proving his freedom, he was granted land on Long Cane Creek, a branch of Little River, near Stevens Creek [Meriwether, The expansion of South Carolina, 1729-1765, 133-4]. He sold 600 acres in Granville County, South Carolina, to John Scott by deed proved in 1753 [DB N-N:446]. He was called "John Cheves (Free Black)" on 18 July 1764 when Henry Brazile recorded a memorial for 200 acres on Long Cane Creek near the Savannah River adjoining his land [South Carolina Archives series S111001, 6:289]. He may have been the father of
i. Major, born say 1734, recorded a plat for 300 acres on the Savannah River in Granville County, South Carolina, on 21 July 1766 [South Carolina Archives series S213184, 16:286].
ii. Ann, born say 1737, recorded a grant for 50 acres in Granville County on 8 May 1758 [South Carolina Archives series S213019, 8:273], perhaps the Anes Chavos who was head of a Barnwell District household of 5 "other free" in 1800 [SC:54].
iii. John, born say 1748, recorded a memorial for 100 acres on Neds Branch and Steel Creek near the Savannah River in Granville County, South Carolina, on 3 January 1771 [South Carolina Archives series S111001, 10:294], perhaps the John Chavis, "a free black" who petitioned the South Carolina Legislature for a pension in 1823, based on the wounds he had received in the Revolutionary War [South Carolina Archives series S108092, reel 22, frames 125, 128]. He was listed in the payroll of the 7th Company of the 3rd South Carolina Regiment in March 1780 [NARA, M246, roll 89, frame 119].
iv. Hannah, head of a 96 District, Edgefield County household of 6 "other free" in 1790 and 10 "other free" in Barnwell District in 1800 [SC:58].
v. Lazarus, born about 1756, enlisted with Captain Moon in South Carolina for 14 months in 1778 under General Andrew Williamson and was in the battles of Stono and Savannah. He applied for and received a pension in Orangeburg on 4 March 1835. A lawyer contacted the pension office in Washington on 12 November 1859, stating that it was highly important to prove that Lazarus Chavis received a pension [NARA, S.9316, M805, reel 180, frame 153]. He was head of an Orangeburg District household of 6 "other free" in 1790 [SC:100] and owned land in the fork of the Edisto River near Rockey Swamp in Orangeburg District on 13 July 1802 [South Carolina Archives series S213192 39:6].
vi. Elijah, recorded a plat for 50 acres on Dunn Swamp, Colleton County, in 1784 based on a survey of 1 June 1775 [South Carolina Archives series S213190, 2:198] and was head of an Orangeburg District, South Carolina household of 8 "other free" in 1790 [SC:100].
vii. Lettice, head of a South Orangeburg District household of 6 "other free" in 1790 [SC:100].
viii. Joseph, taxable on 90 acres in Winton, South Carolina, in 1800 [S.C. Tax Returns 1783-1800, frame 304].
ix. Richard, recorded a plat for 100 acres on Crackers Neck near Rocky Branch and the Savannah River in Orangeburg District on 25 August 1784 [South Carolina Archives series S213190, 2:129].
x. Mary, recorded a plat for 84 acres on Tinkers Creek in Orangeburgh District on 15 March 1786 [South Carolina Archives series 213190 3:233].
15. Thomas1 Cheaves (Bartholomew1), born say 1718, was appointed by the Orange County, North Carolina court to return Amy Hawley's child to her in Berkeley County, South Carolina, on 12 March 1754 [Minutes 1752-8, 70-71]. He may have been the father of
38 i. Thomas4, born say 1742.
16. Richard1 Chavis (Bartholomew1), born say 1724, was head of a household of 2 taxables in Jonathan White's 1750 Granville County list, and was taxable in the list of Robert Harris in 1753: Richard Chavers negro 1 "white" tithe. On 12 August 1760 he and his wife Luraina were charged with trespass by William Chavers; they were found guilty and ordered to pay him 39 shillings [Minutes 1754-70, 57]. In 1762 he was listed with his wife and children in the "Bare Swamp" District of Granville County:
Richard Chavers & wife Lucrese & son John & Daughter Mille 4 free blacks
Richard was an insolvent taxpayer in 1763. On 8 November 1763 he and his wife charged Philip Chavis in Granville County court with trespass, assault and battery. Philip was found guilty and ordered to pay a fine of £2. On 13 November 1765 he won a judgment for trespass against William Eaves for £5 [Minutes 1754-70, 87, 108-9]. He probably died or left the county about this time because in 1766 his wife "Luraner" was listed as a head of household with 3 taxables in the summary list [CR 44.701.20]. In 1767 Luranah Chavers was a taxable head of household in Stephen Jett's district of Granville County with her sons John and Robert and daughters Milly and Charity [List of Taxables, 1767-1823, NC Archives microfilm no. 162]. Several of their children probably moved to Sumter District, South Carolina, before 1810. Their children were
i. ?Shadrack, born say 1746, taxable in John Dickerson's Granville County household in the list of Stephen Jett in 1767 and 1768, taxable head of a household of 2 "Black" tithes in 1769. He received voucher no. 866 on 15 February 1782 in the Wilmington District for £7 for his service in the militia [North Carolina Revolutionary Pay Vouchers, 1779-1782, http://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2WT-L2PR, Schavons, Shadrick]. He was head of a Bladen County household of 6 "other free" in 1810 (called Shadrack Shavers) and called Shadrack Chavus when he was head of a Columbus County, North Carolina household of 2 "free colored" (55-100) in 1830.
ii. John4, born say 1747, taxable in his father's Bear Swamp District household in 1762, perhaps the John Chavers who was head of a Marlboro County, South Carolina household of 6 "other free" in 1800 [SC:59] and a Sumter District household of 3 "other free" in 1810 [SC:220].
iii. Milly, born say 1749, taxable in her father's Bear Swamp District household in 1762, may have married Edward Silver.
iv. Lurany, born about 1751, taxable in her father's Bear Swamp District household in 1763.
v. Suffiah, born about 1751, taxable in her father's Bear Swamp District household in 1763.
vi. Robert, born about 1755, taxable in his mother's household in the 1767 list of Stephen Jett, head of a Sumter District, South Carolina household of 3 "other free" in 1810 [SC:220a].
vii. Charity, born about 1755, taxable in her mother's household in the 1767 list of Stephen Jett, probably the Charity Chaves, "Mulato libre" native of Virginia, who was married to John Aaron Drake, "Mulato libre" of "Elisabeth, Virginia,"and had been living in the parish of Saint Martin Attapakas in Louisiana for fourteen years on 10 May 1800 when their son John Drake, a "Mulato libre natural de Carolina" (free Mulatto native of Carolina), married Rosalie Abcher (Abshier) [Hebert, Rev. Donald J., Southeastern Louisiana Records, 1750-1900 (1999), IV:195, cited by Barbara Ellison of Oklahoma in email correspondence].
17. Joseph1 Cheavers (Bartholomew1), born say 1726, was listed in the undated 1750's Edgecombe County muster of Captain William Haywood, the last person on the list after Cannon Cumber (Cumbo) and John Sweet (Sweat) [Troop Returns, box 1, folder 12, last page]. He was probably living in the part of Edgecombe County from which Halifax County was formed in 1758. Administration on his Halifax County estate was granted to Nicholas Long on 24 February 1785 on £500 security [Minutes 1784-87, 49]. His children may have been
39 i. Isham1, born say 1746.
ii. John6, born say 1757, an indentured servant of James Milner listed in the inventory of Milner's 1773 Halifax County, North Carolina estate [Grimes, North Carolina wills and inventories, 519]. He was one of the buyers in the account of the sale of the Halifax County estate of Francis Morelan which was recorded in February 1778 [Gammon, Record of Estates II:30]. He was taxable on 1 free poll in District 9 of Halifax County in 1782. John's land adjoining Hazelnut Branch in Halifax County was mentioned in an 8 April 1786 deed [DB 16:171], and he was taxable on 575 acres in District 12 of Halifax County in 1790. He wrote his name as John Chavous on 6 July 1803 when he bound himself to marry Betsy Carsey (Kersey) in Warren County, Hutchings Mayo bondsman (also signing). Administration on his Halifax County estate was granted to Elizabeth Chavis on 18 November 1824 on $1,000 security [Minutes 1822-24].
iii. Penny Cavus, head of a Halifax County household of 3 "other free" in 1800 [NC:300].
iv. Sarah, head of a Halifax County household of 5 "other free" in 1810 [NC:12].
v. Martha, head of a Halifax County household of 5 "other free" in 1810 [NC:12].
18. Bartholomew2 Chavis (Bartholomew1), born say 1730, was taxable in Jonathan White's 1749 tax list for Granville County [CR 44.701.19]. He received pay of $70 as a private in the North Carolina Line in the Revolution from 1 August 1782 to 15 November 1783, approved by Captain Bradley and Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Hogg [NARA, U.S. Revolutionary War Miscellaneous Records (Manuscript File), 1775-1790s, Records Pertaining to Troops of particular States, 14395-6, frames 7-11 of 397; http://ancestry.com]. He and Aaron Haithcock sold their household goods to John Walden in Northampton County, North Carolina, on 1 January 1796 [DB 11:42], and he was a buyer at the sale of John Walden's Northampton County estate between August 1797 and June 1800 [Gammon, Record of Estates, Northampton County, I:112]. He was head of a Northampton County household of 6 "other free" and 2 slaves in 1800 [NC:431]. William Bell of Northampton County allowed him to remain in possession of the place where he was living for six years by his 22 January 1801 will [WB 2:488]. He was one of the heirs of Jackson Hull, a Continental soldier who died at Valley Forge [NCGSJ I:160; Clark, The State Records of North Carolina, XVI:1073]. In 1803 Bartholomew was issued a grant of 640 acres for his services [N.C. Genealogy IX:1127]. He was a witness to the 6 November 1806 Northampton County will of Mike Walden [WB 2:330]. In 1810 he was head of a Halifax County household of 13 "other free" [NC:13]. His descendants may have been
40 i. Isham2, born say 1758.
ii. Henry2, born say 1760, in a list of militia men drafted from Hertford County in the Third Division commanded by Major George Little between 1778 and 1780 [Troop Returns, box 5, folder 20]. He was taxable on 170 acres and 1 poll in Hertford County in Nathan Harrel's List for 1784 [GA 64.1]. He was a soldier who served in the Revolution from November 1778 to August 1779. His widow Peggy made a deposition in Hertford County on 14 July 1792 to obtain his pay. William Manly attested to her statement [NCGSJ VIII:214]. Voucher no. 404 was issued for "Henry Chavers, late a soldier in the Continental Line" for £20 on 1 May 1792 [North Carolina Revolutionary Pay Vouchers, 1779-1782, http://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2WT-R7J4, Chavers, Henry].
iii. Uriah, head of a Halifax County household of 5 "other free" in 1810 [NC:13].
iv. Solomon, born say 1761, taxable on 1 free poll in Halifax County in 1782 and head of a Halifax County household of 2 "other free" in 1810 [NC:13]. He received Continental Army pay [Clark, State Records of North Carolina, XVII:198].
v. Robert, head of a Halifax County household of 2 "other free" in 1810 [NC:13].
vi. Matthew2, head of a Halifax County household of 1 "other free" in 1810 [NC:13].
19. Gideon1 Chavers, born say 1732, was called "a free Negroe Man Called Gideon" when he was sentenced to receive thirty-nine lashes at the whipping post in Chowan County in July court 1753 for assaulting Constable John Ross "in the Execution of his office." He was called Gideon Chavers in January and April 1754 in his Chowan County court suit against John Perry [Haun, Chowan County Court Minutes, III:207, 232, 243]. He died before September court 1769 when Jane Marshall was granted administration on his Chowan County estate [Minutes 1766-72, 476-7, 488, 508]. He may have been the father of
i. Drury, born say 1761, enlisted as a soldier in Bailey's Company of the 10th Regiment of the North Carolina Line in Edenton on 25 May 1781 and left the service on 25 May 1782. Thomas Person received his final pay of £20 [Clark, The State Records of North Carolina, XVI:1035; XVII:199]. Drewry Chavis was a substitute from Granville County [North Carolina Revolutionary Pay Vouchers, 1779-1782, http://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1951-32743-9856-78?cc=1948361].
ii. Caesar, born say 1763, in Captain William Ashburn's Militia in Bertie County on 8 April 1780 [Troop Returns, box 7, folder 8, http://digital.ncdcr.gov/cdm/compoundobject/collection/p16062coll26/id/1086/rec/1]. He enlisted in Carter's Company of the 10th Regiment of the North Carolina Line on 19 May 1782. H. (Hardy) Murfree received his final pay of £23 [Clark, The State Records of North Carolina, XVI:1037; XVII:99]. He was head of a Bertie County household of 7 "other free" in 1790 (Cezar Chevat) [NC:12]. He was the grandchild of "Free Caesar" Cook of Bertie County.
iii. Betty, born about 1765, a seven-year-old "base born Mulatoe" who was bound out by the Chowan County court to William Halsey on 19 March 1772 [Minutes 1766-72, 655].
20. John3 Chavis (William2), born say 1733, sued and was sued by Henry Westbrooke in Southampton County in cases which were dismissed by agreement of the parties on 9 September 1763. And he had a second suit against Westbrooke for a debt of £8.15 shillings which was due by note of 6 January 1763, witnessed by Thomas Chevas [Orders 1759-63, 309; Judgment Papers 1764-5, frames 604-5]. He was called John Cheaves and was of full age on 15 October 1763 when he signed a deposition in the Southampton County chancery suit of Drury Lundy against Isham Lundy [Chancery Court Papers 1750-70, frame 0472]. He was indicted by the grand jury in Southampton County for an unstated offense on 8 December 1763 [Minutes 1763-5, n.p.]. He was called John Chavis when he was paid 5 shillings by James Stewart for making a coffin for Robert Hancock of Brunswick County, Virginia, in September 1765 [DB 3:435-6]. He was granted an attachment against the estate of John Gholson in Brunswick County, Virginia court for a debt of £1.12 in April 1771. On 9 November 1772 he was tried at a court of oyer and terminer in Brunswick County for killing John Anderson. Moody Harris testified that Anderson was drunk when he came to the storehouse of Daniel Call & Company, challenged Chavis to wrestle him, and then became abusive when Chavis refused. Anderson then attacked Chavis striking him twice, and Chavis countered by hitting Anderson on the side of his head with a four inch square piece of timber. Anderson fell to the ground and died three days later. The Brunswick County court ordered that Chavis be tried in Williamsburg where he was acquitted of manslaughter [Orders 1768-72, 339; 1772-4, 151, 152; Virginia Gazette, Rind edition, p.2, col. 3]. On February 1786 he sold a wagon and five horses for £10 by Brunswick County, Virginia deed. He signed the deed, making his mark, and acknowledged the deed in court as "John Chavus" on 27 March 1786, but he was called "I the said John Chavus Walden" in the deed when he defended the buyer from any claims [DB 14:183-4]. On 24 May 1784 the Brunswick County court presented him for retailing liquor without a license, but the case was dismissed on 20 June 1784. He was sued in court for debt on 26 April 1785, on 27 June 1785 (for £5), 25 July 1785, 28 February 1786 (for £35), 28 August 1786 (for £42), 28 March 1787 (£5), 28 August 1787 (£4), and 28 July 1788 (£3). He sued William Crook on 28 February 1786 and sued Joseph Hill on 25 November 1788 [Orders 1760-84, 405, 434; 1784-8, 113, 138, 181, 237, 295, 310, 319, 453, 472, 563; 1788-92, 39, 95]. He may have been the common-law husband of Elizabeth Brooks whose son John Chavos was named in the 5 February 1798 Southampton County will of her father James Brooks [WB 5:58]. John may have been the father of
i. John, born about 1754, enlisted in the Revolution while resident in Mecklenburg County, Virginia, in 1780: age 26, 5'9-1/2" high, a planter, born in Brunswick County, black hair, swarthey complexion [Register & description of Noncommissioned officers & Privates, LVA accession no. 24296, by http://revwarapps.org/b69.pdf (p.26)]. He was listed in the 3rd Virginia Company commanded by Major Samuel Finley from 1 September 1782 to 1 May 1783, called John Chavour, listed with George Chavour [NARA, M246, roll 113, frames 672, 674; http://fold3.com/image/9648474]. He was taxable in Moses Foster's St. Luke's Parish, Southampton County household in 1790, charged with his own tax from 1807 to 1811, living on Ch. Westbrook's land in 1817 [PPTL 1782-92, frame 760; 1807-21, frames 47, 70, 189, 576]. He was called John Shivers on 16 November 1818 when he made a declaration in Southampton County court that he was a soldier in the Revolutionary War by voluntary enlistment [Minutes 1816-9, unpaged], called Jack Chavis when he was head of a Southampton County household of 3 "other free" in 1810 [VA:77].
21. Mary Chavis (Amy), born say 1745, was called Moll Chavis when her illegitimate child Lucretia Chavis was ordered bound out by the Southampton County court on 11 November 1773. She purchased 10 acres In Southampton County on the north side of Three Creeks adjoining Joseph Markes for £5 on 9 August 1782 and sold this land for $30 on 14 April 1810 [Orders 1772-8, 283; DB 6:59; DB 12:350]. She was taxable in St. Luke's Parish, Southampton County, on a horse from 1794 to 1807: taxable on a free male tithable in 1801 and 1802, called a "Mulatto" in 1804, charged with John Chavis's tithe in 1805, taxable on a free male tithable and a horse in 1806 and 1807 [PPTL 1792-1806, frames 76, 158, 185, 264, 314, 375, 409, 511, 549, 618, 686, 802, 838; 1807-21, frame 47]. She was the ancestor of
41 i. ?Frances2/Fanny, born say 1765.
ii. ?Edward2/ Ned, born about 1767, registered in Southampton County on 12 May 1794: a free man born in Sussex of free parents, a yellowish black complexion, 27 years of age lives in Southampton County & works at the trade of wheelwright [Register of Free Negroes 1794-1832, no. 30]. He married Mary Cannady, 21 December 1799 Sussex County bond, and was a "Mulatto" taxable in St. Luke's Parish, Southampton County, on a horse from 1795 to 1804: taxable on 2 free male tithables and a horse in 1802 and 1804 [PPTL 1792-1806, frames 157, 185, 263, 313, 375, 409, 511, 618, 686]. He was a wheelwright living on Mary Chavis's land in the list of free Negroes and Mulattos in St. Luke's Parish in 1801 and listed on Mary Chavis's land in 1803 with Mary Chavis junr [A List of free negroes & mulattoes in the County of Southampton & Parish of St Lukes, 1801, African American Narrative Digital Collection, LVA]. (His widow?) Molly Chavis was a "f.n." taxable in Southampton County on a horse and James Cannada's tithe in 1805, taxable on a free male tithable and a horse in 1806 [PPTL 1792-1806, frames 803, 839].
iii. Lucretia, bound out in Southampton County on 11 November 1773 [Orders 1772-8, 283], married John Cannady, 9 December 1806 Sussex County marriage.
iv. Benjamin, born about 1785, taxable on a horse in St. Luke's Parish, Southampton County, from 1807 to 1811 [PPTL 1807-21, frames 48, 70, 167, 189]. He registered in Southampton County on 27 March 1816: age 31, Blk, 5'6", free born [Register of Free Negroes 1794-1832, no. 1003]. He left a 27 June 1817 Sussex County will, proved 4 September 1817, naming his sister Lucretia Canaday, brother-in-law John Canaday, and nephew Sam Chavers [WB H:398].
v. ?Milly, born about 1774, registered in Sussex County on 16 October 1812: light Complexion, 5 feet 4-1/2 inches, age 38, free born [Certificates Granted to Free Negroes & Mulattoes 1800-50, no. 188].
v. ?Jacob, born say 1775, a poor child bound out by the Southampton County court on 10 June 1784 [Orders 1778-84, 444], taxable in Moses Foster's St. Luke's Parish, Southampton County household in 1791 and 1792 [PPTL 1782-92, frame 815, 874].
vi. ?Samuel, born about 1777, a poor child bound out by the Southampton County court on 10 June 1784 [Orders 1778-84, 444], taxable in St. Luke's Parish, Southampton County, in Moses Foster's household from 1791 to 1795, a "Mulatto" taxable on a slave aged 12-16 and a horse in 1802, taxable on a horse in 1803 [PPTL 1782-92, frame 815, 874; 1792-1806, frames 52, 79, 160, 550, 619]. He registered in Southampton County in December 1804: age 27, blk., 5 feet 9 inches high, free born [Register of Free Negroes 1794-1832, no. 316], perhaps the Samuel Chavers who was taxable in Petersburg in 1810 [PPTL 1800-33, frame 283].
vii. ?Betsy, born about 1777, registered in Southampton County on 11 July 1810: age 33, Mulatto, 5 feet 5 inches, born free [Register of Free Negroes 1794-1832, no. 582].
viii. ?Henry, born about 1779, registered in Southampton County in August 1801: age 22, Black, 5 feet 11-1/8, free born [Register of Free Negroes 1794-1832, no. 217]. He was taxable in St. Luke's Parish, Southampton County, in 1798, a "Mulatto" taxable in 1804 and 1805 [PPTL 1792-1806, frames 313, 375, 688, 803], in the list of free Negroes and Mulattos for St. Luke's Parish for 1801 with Mary Chavis on Mary Jarrell's land [A List of free negroes & mulattoes in the County of Southampton & Parish of St Lukes, 1801, African American Narrative Digital Collection, LVA].
ix. ?Mary, taxable in Southampton County on a free male tithable and a horse in 1807 [PPTL 1807-21, frame 47].
x. ?Lucretia, born about 1786, registered in Sussex County on 1 December 1831: free born, light complexion, 5'4-5/8", aged 45 [Certificates Granted to Free Negroes & Mulattoes 1800-50, no. 531].
xi. ?John, born about 1788, registered in Southampton County on 22 April 1809: age 22, Mulatto, 5 feet 9 inches, free born. He registered again on 16 March 1816 [Register of Free Negroes 1794-1832, no. 844, 1000].
22. Jacob2 Chavis (Frances), born about 1736, purchased 100 acres in Lunenburg County on the south side of Little Bluestone Creek adjoining Hudson on 6 October 1761 [DB 6:475]. The Lunenburg County court ordered the churchwardens to bind James Chavis to him in June 1762 [Orders 1761-62, 32], and he was taxable with James Chavis on 100 acres in the Lunenburg County list of Edmund Taylor in 1764 [Bell, Sunlight on the Southside, 248]. On 13 May 1763 he was among seven residents of Lunenburg County who were sued for minor debts by Starling, Thornton, and Company, and the same day Hugh McVay's suit against him was dismissed on the recommendation of David Christopher and Matthew Marable, Gentlemen, who investigated the matter and reported to the court. On 10 May 1764 he was one of six residents of St. James Parish, Lunenburg County, who were presented for unlawful gaming (gambling) at David Christopher's ordinary [Orders 1763-4, 42, 59; 1764-5, fol. 2]. On 10 May 1764 he provided security for Henry Chavis's Lunenburg County court case, and on 11 May 1764 his suit against John Ragsdale was dismissed by the Lunenburg County court. On 13 July 1764 the court ordered the churchwardens of St. James Parish to remove Thomas Brandon from Hutchings Burton and bind him instead to Jacob [Orders 1764-5, fol.5, pp.11, 108]. He sued Charles and William Humphries for debt in Orange County, North Carolina court in August 1766 [Minutes 1762-6, 478]. By 14 February 1774 he owned over 1,000 acres of land in the part of Lunenburg County which became Mecklenburg County in 1765. He received a patent for 287 acres in Mecklenburg County at the head of Reedy Branch on 15 June 1773 [Patents 41:315], purchased 148 acres on 18 May 1772 from the executors of Thomas Hawkins, deceased, for 5 shillings, and purchased 200 acres on the head branches of Little Creek adjoining Stith from William Donathan on 16 July 1773. Chaves Creek, located between Stiths and Stony creeks in the northwest corner of Mecklenburg County, was probably named for him [DB 3:417; 4:144; Ludwig Bucholtz Map, LVA]. He purchased 340 acres on Middle Bluestone Creek on 14 February 1774, and purchased 150 acres adjoining John Hudson and Benjamin Pulliam on 4 March 1779 [DB 4:243; 5:398-9]. On 9 December 1777 the Mecklenburg County court allowed the sheriff, Jacob, and two white men ,3 each for taking prisoner Thomas Green to Williamsburg to be tried for murder, and the court allowed Jacob ,6 for "bringing up the Laws" (transporting a copy of the law books from Williamsburg) [Orders 1773-9, 350, 387; 1779-84, 6]. He was taxable in the upper district of Mecklenburg County on 712 acres from 1782 to 1787, taxable on 430 acres from 1793 to 1798 and taxable on 330 acres until 1809 [Land Tax List 1782-1811A, A lists]. He assigned his right to a grant of 362 acres on Sandy Creek in Mecklenburg County, based on a survey of 17 May 1783, to Thomas Stewart of Dinwiddie County [Land Grants L:614]. He was arrested for counterfeiting by order of the governor on 4 December 1778 but found not guilty by the York County court on 2 January 1779 [McIlwaine, Journals of the Council of the State of Virginia, II:229, 246; York County Orders 1774-84, 199]. He was head of a Mecklenburg County household of 13 "whites" (free persons) and 2 slaves adjoining William Hudson in the 1782 census [VA:34]; taxable on slaves Cork and Bess, 24 cattle, and 8 horses in 1782; on slaves Cork and Bess, 18 cattle and 8 horses in 1783 and on a slave, 17 cattle, and 7 horses in 1787 [PPTL 1782-1805, frames 4, 24]. He sold 200 acres in Mecklenburg County on the head branches of Little Creek to William Stewart on 8 March 1779 [DB 5:399]. On 29 July 1797 he mortgaged 430 acres where he was then living on Bluestone Creek adjoining Thomas Brandom and mortgaged his slave Cork, 3 horses, 8 cattle, 6 featherbeds and other household effects to James Hester, Thomas Vaughan, and David Stokes for an execution against his estate in the suit of George Purdie. And on 14 September 1787 he mortgaged two tracts of land, one of 142 acres called Cabin Point and the other of 182 acres on Sandy Creek for a debt of £198 he owed merchants Field & Murray. On 8 June 1789 and 26 August 1789 he and his wife Elizabeth sold these two tracts near the ferry road on Little Bluestone Creek for ,500 [DB 7:187, 362, 505-6, 589; 8:123]. He sued Thomas Evans and William Stewart in Mecklenburg County on 13 Feb 1786 [Orders 1784-87, 461]. On 13 September 1790 Henry Chavis, Sr., Henry Chavis, Jr., and James Stewart testified in Mecklenburg County court that they were indebted to William Stewart and could help pay his debt to Jacob Chavis [Orders 1787-92, 536]. He sold his slave Cork, 5 cattle, a mare and 5 feather beds on 11 February 1792 (making his mark J.C.) for a debt of ,100 he owed Robert Smith [DB 8:123]. He was sued for debt in Dinwiddie County in November 1789 [Orders 1789-91, 129]. A group of Glasgow merchants won a suit against him for a debt of ,136 in Mecklenburg County court on 16 May 1798 [Orders 1795-8, 458]. In December 1799 James Hester, Thomas Vaughan and David Stokes released him from the bond they held on the property he mortgaged in 1788 [DB 10:46-7]. On 13 November 1800 his assignee Jacob Shelor sued Thomas Epps Hobson and William Epps in Lunenburg County court for a debt of ,7 [Orders 1799-1801, 112]. He registered in Mecklenburg County on 15 March 1803:
On the application of Jacob Chavous It is ordered that the said Jacob aged sixty seven, born free, Black, stature about six feet high, be registered as a free man and that a certificate of the same be granted him [Orders 1801-3, 388].
On 11 July 1806 in Mecklenburg County he gave power of attorney to (his son?) John Chavis of North Carolina to recover a debt from William Stewart of North Carolina [DB 13:1-2]. His 26 April 1805 Mecklenburg County will, proved 11 July 1808, lent his lands and personal estate to his unnamed wife, after her death gave 5 shillings apiece to his unnamed sons and divided the land among his unnamed daughters [WB 6:104]. His widow Elizabeth gave permission for her daughter Elizabeth to marry Arvy Scott by 9 January 1809 Mecklenburg County bond. Elizabeth (Sr.) apparently died before 16 May 1814 when her brother Thomas Evans brought a Mecklenburg County chancery suit against the heirs of (their father) Thomas Evans, deceased. He named Elizabeth's children then living: John, Isaac, Jacob, William, Susannah, and Elizabeth Chavous, Patsey (wife of Arva Scott), Sarah (wife of Thomas Brandom), and Peter Chavous [Orders 1813-15, 187, 210]. He also stated in his suit that (his father) Thomas Evans died in 1787 and that his land passed to his widow who held possession "about thirteen years until her Death, after which Jacob Chaves who married one of the daughters of said Thomas Evans...rented the land to Elizabeth Naish and put her in possession" [LVA chancery file 1819-006]. Jacob and Elizabeth's children were
i. Isaac2, born say 1758, enlisted in the Revolution on 3 February 1777, a pioneer listed in the muster of the 14th Virginia Regiment commanded by Colonel Charles Lewis from 29 April 1777 to December 1777, paid a bounty of $20 to enlist in Charlotte County for 3 years between July and November 1778 [NARA, M246, roll 112, frames 111, 619, 631, 637, 642, 649; http://fold3.com/image/10102100]. He was over 16 years of age in 1788 when he was counted in the Mecklenburg County property tax list of his father Jacob Chavous [PPTL 1782-1805, frame 211]. He married Elizabeth Evans, 6 September 1800 Granville County, North Carolina bond, Peter Chavis surety. He was taxable on 1 poll in Abrams Plains District of Granville County in 1791 and on 2 "black" polls in Napp of Reed District in 1796, taxable on a free poll and a slave poll in Abrams Plains in 1799, and 1 poll and 100 acres in 1800 [Tax List 1796-1802, 25, 187, 244]. He purchased 150 acres in Granville County on Island Creek for $184 on 5 February 1802 and sold this land on 5 August 1807 to satisfy a debt of ,30 to John Washington [DB Q:522, T:184]. He was head of a Granville County household of 3 "other free" in 1800, 3 "other free" and a white woman in 1810 [NC:858], and 1 "free colored" in Mecklenburg County in 1820. He died intestate "without having any children or the issue of such but having a widow Elizabeth Chavus & several Brothers and Sisters of whom John Chavus is one" according to a Granville County quit claim deed which John Chavis made to Isaac's widow Elizabeth Chavis on 8 July 1831, relinquishing any part of Isaac's estate [DB 7:253]. On 1 May 1837 his heirs Jacob Chavos, William Chavos, Sally Brandom and Patsy Scott applied for a land grant for his services in the Revolution, stating that he was a "free man of color of Charlotte County" who enlisted in the 14th Virginia Regiment in March 1777 and was included in the muster roll of Captain Michaux. Their petition was rejected [Chavos, Isaac: Petition, 1837, Revolutionary War Rejected Claims Records, Digital Collections, LVA]. Also in 1837, his widow Betsey Chavis petitioned the Granville County court for her dower in 150 acres of land in Granville County [North Carolina Estate Files, 1663-1979, http://familysearch.org/search/catalog/978482, film 7641248, image 584]. Betsy Chavus (age 55-100) was head of a North Regiment, Granville County household of 1 "free colored" woman in 1830.
42 ii. John8, born say 1764.
43 iii. Jacob3, Jr., born say 1772.
44 iv. Peter2, born about 1775.
v. William9, born 22 February 1776, the son of Jacob Chavis, married Priscilla Drew in January 1806, and died in Virginia in January 1848 according to the biography of his son James M. Chavis [Buck Township, Ohio, Biographical Sketches, 1038-9]. William was also identified as Jacob's son in 1796 when he was taxable in his father's Mecklenburg County household and taxable in his own household in 1797 [PPTL 1782-1805, frames 610, 634]. He may have been the William Chavis who was taxable in Dinwiddie County in 1804: Chavis, Wm (free) school master [PPTL 1800-1809, 1804 List of Braddock Goodwyn, p.4]. According to the Mecklenburg County marriage bonds, William Chavous married Priscilla Drew, 29 ___ 1806 bond, Benjamin Lewis and Richard Russell securities. He was also identified as the son of Jacob when he and a female over the age of 16 (probably his wife) were counted in the list of free Negroes and Mulattos for Mecklenburg County in 1813 [PPTL 1806-28, frame 307]. Priscilla was listed as a 70-year-old "Mulatto" in Mecklenburg County in the 1850 census with Martha, Polly, Betsy, Susan and Emily Chavious [VA:141b].
vi. Susannah, perhaps the Susannah Chavis, a "fn" weaver, who was taxable on a horse in Charlotte County from 1810 to 1812 [PPTL 1782-1813, frames 773, 783, 804, 814, 846].
vii. Elizabeth9, born say 1791, married Arva Scott, 9 January 1809 Mecklenburg County bond, with a note from Elizabeth Chavis "mother of Elizabeth," Frederick Ivy security. She did not marry Arva; her sister Martha did. She may have been the Betty Chavus who was listed as a weaver in Charlotte County with a male child in her household in 1809 and 1810, listed with John Cousins and his children in 1811 and 1812 [PPTL 1782-1813, frames 751, 783, 814, 846].
viii. Martha/ Patsy, married Arva Scott. He and his wife Martha Scott released their rights to land due to her from the estate of her father Jacob Chavis, Sr., to her brother Jacob Chavis, Jr., of Charlotte County by deed proved in Mecklenburg County on 10 July 1809 [DB 14:107, 308].
ix. Sarah, married Thomas Brandom.
23. Susannah1 Chavis (Frances), born about 1740, a "free Negro," had a daughter Elizabeth whose 19 November 1764 birth was registered in Bruton Parish (York and James City counties) [Bruton Parish Register, 28]. She registered in Petersburg on 14 August 1800: Sucky Chavis, a brown Mulatto woman, five feet three inches high, thin made about sixty years old, born free & raised in the City of Williamsburg [Register of Free Negroes 1794-1819, no. 169]. She was a 70-year-old tobacco stemmer living in Petersburg with 30-year-old Thomason Stewart in 1803 [List of People of Color in Petersburg 1803, African American Narrative Digital Collection, LVA]. She was the mother of
i. Elizabeth5, born 19 November 1764, "Daughter of Sukey Chavis a free Negro" [Bruton Parish Register, 28].
ii. ?Thomason2, born about 1765, registered in Petersburg on 18 August 1794: a dark brown, well made Mulatto woman, five feet two inches high, about twenty nine years old, born of a free woman in the City of Williamsburg [Register of Free Negroes 1794-1819, no. 21]
45 iii. Susannah3, born 21 June 1767.
iv. ?Elizabeth6, born about 1775, registered in Petersburg on 15 August 1800: a light brown Mulatto woman, five feet five inches high, twenty five years old, with short bushy hair, born free & raised in the City of Williamsburg [Register of Free Negroes 1794-1819, no. 173].
24. Margaret Chaves (Frances1), born say 1742, was a "Mullatto Girl" living in Charles City County on 1 August 1750 when the court ordered the churchwardens to bind her to Richard Hailes. On 1 July 1761 the court ordered the churchwardens of Westover Parish to bind out her son George, and on 2 September 1761 the court bound out her daughter Rebecca [Orders 1737-51, 574; 1758-62, 302, 313]. Her children were
i. George2, born say 1759, listed in the 3rd Virginia Company commanded by Major Samuel Finley from 1 September 1782 to 1 May 1783, called George Chavour, listed with John Chavour [NARA, M246, roll 113, frames 672, 674; http://fold3.com/image/9648474].
ii. Rebecca4, born say 1760, orphan of Margaret Chavis, bound out by the Charles City County court in September 1761.
25. Susannah2 Chavis (Thomason1), born say 1740, may have been the mother of Nanny Chavous, "orphan of Frederick Chavous," who the Mecklenburg County, Virginia court ordered bound to Samuel Manning on 8 September 1766 [Orders 1765-8, 170, 212]. The churchwardens of St. James Parish sued her for debt in August 1768, perhaps for having a bastard child. On 13 September 1768 the court allowed her to take the deposition of the wife of Samuel Manning, and on 9 July 1771 the churchwardens discontinued their suit and were ordered to pay Susannah her costs. She and her son Yarborough sued Benjamin Pennington, Jr., perhaps the master he was apprenticed to, in Mecklenburg County on 8 September 1783. James King obtained an attachment on her estate for a debt of £40 due by note of hand for arrears of rent. On 15 March 1787 the sheriff reported that he had attached six head of cattle, a colt, a basket, two spinning wheels, three water pails, three basins, a box, a candlestick, a pot and a cow hide [Orders 1768-71, 38-9, 91, 126; 1771-73, 54; 1779-84, 425, 485; 1784-7, 701]. She probably had a child by a member of the Manning family since was called the mother of Polly Manning when she sent a note approving Polly's 9 December 1794 Mecklenburg County marriage. She was the mother of
i. John, born say 1764.
ii. ?Ann/ Nanny, called "orphan of Frederick Chavous" when the court ordered the churchwardens to bind her to Samuel Manning on 8 September 1766 [Orders 1765-8, 212].
iii. Yarborough, born say 1769. He and "Susannah Chavous his Mother & next friend" sued Benjamin Pennington, Jr., in Mecklenburg County on 8 September 1783 [Orders 1779-84, 425, 485]. He was a 16-21 year old taxable in Mecklenburg County in 1787, called Earby Chavious in 1799 [PPTL 1782-1805, frames 190, 756]. He was called Earby Chavis when he married Fanny McLin, 9 March 1797 Mecklenburg County bond, Thomas McLin surety.
iv. ?Benjamin Manning, born say 1774, married Fanny Guy, 5 May 1796 Mecklenburg County bond, Earbe (Yarborough) Chavis security.
v. Polly Manning, born say 1776, married John Ginnet Stewart, 9 December 1794 Mecklenburg County bond, Earbe Chavis security, "with a note from Susanna Chavous, mother of Polly."
26. Elizabeth2 Chavis (Thomason1), born say 1745, was called "Betty Chavis a Malato" on 23 April 1752 when the Amelia County court ordered the churchwardens of Nottoway Parish to bind her out as an apprentice [Orders 1751-5, 37]. She was living in Lunenburg County in October 1759 when the court ordered the churchwardens of Cumberland Parish to bind her to French Haggard. On 11 May 1769 the court ordered her children Rebecca and Benjamin also bound to Haggard. She complained to the court on 11 April 1771 that Pleasant Meredith was holding them in servitude, and the court ordered them bound out to someone else on 10 December 1772 [Orders 1767-69, 214; 1769-77, 112, 183, 267]. However, they were all in Cumberland County five months later on 24 May 1773 when the court ordered the churchwardens of Littleton Parish to bind out her "mulattoe" children Beck and Ben Chavers to Pleasant Meredith [Orders 1772-4, 216]. On 28 July 1785 the Amelia County court ordered the churchwardens of Nottoway Parish to bind out her children Patty and Alexander Chavis [Orders 1785-6, 14a]. She was the mother of
i. Rebecca3, born about 1767, registered in Bedford County on March 1812: aged 45, Black Colour, 5 feet 63/4" inches high, Born free [Register of Free Negroes 1820-60, p.16]. Beck was called a free Mulatto woman when the Cumberland County court bound her son Jesse to John Wright on 26 October 1789 [Orders 1788-92, 174, 209]. He was a "free N" taxable in Bedford County in 1816 [PPTL 1806-16, frame 623] who registered in Bedford County on 26 June 1820: age 32, dark complexion, 5'5", Born free [Register of Free Negroes, 1820-1860, p.2]. Rebecca was head of a Bedford County household of 13 "free colored" in 1820 (Rebeccah Shavers).
46 ii. Benjamin2, born say 1769.
iii. ?James3, born about 1775, a farmer and shoemaker living on Zachariah Davis's land in the lower district of Lunenburg County in 1814 when he was counted with his wife Lucy, members of the Kelly family and Becky Chavers in the "List of Free Negroes and Mulattoes" [Magazine of Virginia Genealogy 33:266], called James Cavers when he was head of a Lunenburg County household of 10 "free colored" in 1820. He registered in Lunenburg County on 14 November 1837: about 62 years of age, black complexion, His eyes rather Red, His hair a little grey [WB 5, after page 89, no. 87].
iv. Alexander, born about 1783, registered in Pittsylvania County on 20 June 1820: a black Man about thirty seven years of age about five feet seven inches high, working at the Blacksmith trade, served an apprenticeship with Robert Johns who discharged him on 17 November 1804 [Griffith, Pittsylvania County Register of Free Negroes, 8].
v. Betty, born say 1784, taxable on a horse in Franklin County in 1815 [PPTL, 1805-20, frame 420], perhaps the mother of John and Isham Shavers who were bound to (their uncle?) Benjamin Shavers in Franklin County in 1807.
vi. Jesse, born about 1785, called the son of Betty Chavis on 22 December 1800 when the Cumberland County court ordered him bound to John Jackson instead of his former master William Meredith [Orders 1797-1801, 432]. He married Rebecca Beverly, 16 December 1805 Franklin County bond, Harod Beverly surety, and registered in Franklin County on 1 May 1809: a Black man, aged about Twenty four Years about five feet nine Inches high, born free and Served his time with William Meredith of the County of Cumberland. He was sued by Jacob Fishburn in Franklin County court, but the case was dismissed on 5 June 1810 [Minutes 1806-11, 273, 354]. On 13 September 1827 he purchased 261/2 acres in Franklin County on Chestnut Creek for $145 [DB 12:114].
vii. ?Aaron, bound by the Cumberland County court to Archibald Anglea on 25 January 1790 [Orders 1788-92, 203].
27. James1 Chaves (Thomason1), born say 1748, was one of the children of Thomason Chavis who was ordered bound out by the churchwardens of Cumberland Parish in Lunenburg County, Virginia, in June 1752 [Orders 1752-53, 56]. He was ordered bound out by the churchwardens of Mecklenburg County to Jacob Chavis in June 1762 [Orders 1761-62, 32] and was a taxable in Jacob Chaves's household in the Lunenburg County list of Edmund Taylor in 1764 [Bell, Sunlight on the Southside, 248]. He purchased 100 acres in Mecklenburg County adjoining Christopher Hudson on 9 November 1767 and sold this land to John Hudson on 13 July 1772 [DB 1:521; 3:426]. He was head of a Mecklenburg County household of 3 in 1782, listed adjacent to Henry Chavous [VA:33]. He and his wife Jane Evans were named in the 22 May 1787 Mecklenburg County will of her father Thomas Evans [WB 2:250]. He was probably the James Chavis who was head of a Granville County household of 5 free males and 3 free females in 1786 for the state census. He was taxable in Granville on 2 polls in 1788 and 4 polls in 1789 [Tax List, 1786-91]. In May 1791 he mortgaged 12 head of cattle, 2 bulls, 40 hogs, and other items in Granville County [WB 1:241]. On 6 August 1794 he sold 220 acres on Grassy Creek in Granville County to (his brother-in-law) Thomas Evans of Mecklenburg County, and on 8 November 1796 he purchased 200 acres in Granville County on Grassy Creek [DB P:90; Q:37]. He married, second, Betsey Smith, 4 July 1799 Granville County bond, Thomas Wilson bondsman. He was head of a Granville County household of 3 "other free" in 1800 and taxable on 183 acres and no polls (over 50 years old) in Country Line District in 1804 [Tax List 1803-09, 62]. His children were
i. ?Kinchen, born say 1760, a Mecklenburg County taxable from 1787 to 1804 [PPTL 1782-1805, frames 189, 236, 287, 498, 795, 916, 1021]. He married Milly Chavous, 22 December 1788 Mecklenburg County bond, and he was surety for the 6 April 1804 Mecklenburg County marriage of John Walden. Kinchen was head of an Orange County, North Carolina household of 5 "other free" in 1810 [NC:818] and 5 "free colored" in 1820 [Book A:410]. His Orange County estate was administered on 20 October 1837. George Chavers was a buyer at the sale of the estate North Carolina Estate Files, 1663-1979, http://familysearch.org/search/catalog/543585, Chavers, Kinchen, film 7384068, image 637].
ii. Evans, born about 1770, called the son of James and Jane Chavis in Thomas Evans's 1787 Mecklenburg County will. He was a "free Negro" taxable in the 1798 tax list for Country Line District, Granville County, and taxable on a free poll and a slave in Abrams Plains in 1799 [Tax List 1796-1802, 139, 187]. He married Lucy Smith, 21 April 1802 Granville County bond, Charles Chavis bondsman; and second, Ciller Smith, 29 July 1805 Granville County bond, H. Hutchings bondsman. He purchased 15 acres in Granville County on 24 December 1821 for $60 and mortgaged this land the following day for $62 [DB 1:109, 169]. He was head of a Granville County household of 4 "free colored" males and 3 female slaves in Country Line District in 1820 [NC:35]. He was taxable in Country Line District in 1818 but was exempt from poll tax by 1823 when he was taxable on 30 acres, and a "Mulatto" head of a Granville County household in 1850.
iii. ?Thomas, married Lucy Chavas, 15 February 1804 Granville County bond, Pearson Hawley surety, taxable in Country Line District of Granville County in 1805, head of a Granville County household of 10 "other free" and a slave in 1810 [NC:866].
28. Lydia1 Chavis, born say 1739, was ordered bound out in Amelia County on 19 March 1741 (no parent named). She was living in Nottoway Parish, Amelia County, on 24 March 1763 when the court ordered the churchwardens to bind out her son David [Orders 1735-46, 96; 1763, 30]. She was the mother of
i. David, no parent named when the Mecklenburg County court ordered the churchwardens of St. James Parish to bind him to John M. Luce on 10 October 1768 [Orders 1768-71, 129].
ii. ?Sherwood, born say 1760, no parent named when he was ordered bound out by the churchwardens of St. James Parish to John M. Luce in Mecklenburg County on 10 October 1768 [Orders 1768-71, 129]. He, Isaac Malone, alias Rouse, and Joseph and Elijah Locklear were in the Salisbury, Rowan County, North Carolina jail on suspicion of robbery on 2 April 1779. They were released when no evidence appeared against them, and they were willing to enlist in the Revolution [Clark, The State Records of North Carolina, XIV:287]. He assigned his rights to 150 acres in the fork of Shoeheel Creek in Bladen County to John McIntyre on 3 February 1779 and assigned 165 acres on the south side of Little Marsh in present-day Robeson County to Angus Gilchrist on 10 May 1779 [N.C. Archives, S.S. 1461 & 1449, call nos. S.108.497, S.108.1008; http://archives.ncdcr.gov/doc/search-doc].
29. James2 Chavis (Rebecca1), born say 1749, was ordered bound out by the churchwardens in Amelia County on 12 March 1753 (no parent named) and called son of "Rebecca Chavis a Free Negro" when he was bound out in Amelia County on 28 August 1760 [Orders 1751-5, 149; 1760-3, 44]. He was listed in the payroll of Captain Dudley's 2nd Virginia State Regiment commanded by Colonel Gregory Smith from 1 July 1778 to November 1779 (in the same list as John and Rhode Brandom and Elias Pettiford) [NARA, M246, roll 96, frames 532, 535, 541, 545, 547; http://fold3.com/image/10081826, 10081833, 10081873] and received bounty land for his service [Revolutionary War Bounty Warrants, Chavis, James, Digital Collection, LVA]. He was taxable in Mecklenburg County from 1782 to 1820: taxable on a horse and 2 cattle in 1782, a "Mulatto" taxable with his unnamed wife in 1813, over the age of 45 when he was taxable in 1815 [PPTL 1782-1805, frames 14, 45, 141, 234, 478, 681, 1021, 1051; 1806-28, frames 160, 232, 257, 333, 386, 502, 702]. On 14 May 1800 the Mecklenburg County court ordered Frederick Gowen to pay James and his wife Fanny Chavous $1.06 as witnesses for him in the suit of John George [Orders 1798-1801, 367, 424]. He purchased land in Mecklenburg County by deed recorded on 25 January 1817 and sold land by deed recorded 5 April 1823 [DB 16:401; 20:285]. He was head of a Mecklenburg County household of 10 "free colored" in 1820. His estate was settled in Mecklenburg County in 1824 [WB 10:85]. A chancery suit in Mecklenburg County in 1832 named his children [Chancery file 1832-026, LVA]. They were
i. James4, born say 1777, taxable in Mecklenburg County on a horse in 1798, 1800, 1804 and 1805 [PPTL 1782-1805, frames 682, 795, 1021, 1051], perhaps the James Chavous who married Luvina Nash, 24 February 1829 Mecklenburg County bond, Edward Brandon surety.
ii. Lydia2, born say 1780, married Jeremiah Harris, 13 November 1797 Mecklenburg County bond, James Chavis surety.
iii. Jincy, born say 1788, married Archer Stewart, 14 August 1809 Mecklenburg County bond, Edward Brandon surety. Archer, born 1775-1794, was head of a Mecklenburg County household of 8 "free colored" in 1820. The chancery suit named their children Fanny, Nancy, Dabney, Pettus and William who was administrator of his father's estate.
iv. William10, born say 1789, a "Mulattoe" taxable in Mecklenburg County from 1812 to 1814, called "son of Js." [PPTL, 1806-28, 285, 307, 417]. He married Elizabeth Ivy, 6 March 1819 Mecklenburg County bond, Edward Brandon surety.
v. Thomas4, born say 1791, a "Mulattoe" taxable over the age of 16 in Mecklenburg County in 1815 [PPTL, 1806-28, 502].
vi. Ann, wife of Drury Wilson.
vii. Pleasant, born about 1795, married Dicey Singleton, 28 December 1821 Mecklenburg County bond, Henry Stewart security. He was a 55-year-old "Mulatto" shoemaker counted in Mecklenburg County with his wife Harriet in 1850 [VA:128].
viii. Henry4, born about 1798, a "Mulattoe" taxable over the age of 16 in Mecklenburg County in 1815 [PPTL, 1806-28, 502], a 52-year-old counted in the 1850 census with his wife Betsy [VA:88b].
ix. Ellison, bought land by deed proved in Mecklenburg County on 21 June 1824. He and Susan Chavous sold land by deeds proved on 22 May and 6 August 1827 [DB 21:37; 22:416; 476].
x. Elizabeth6, married Edward Brandon, 10 March 1806 Mecklenburg County bond, Frederick Ivey security. Her husband was called Nathaniel Brandon in the chancery suit.
30. Elizabeth3 Chavis (Rebecca1), born say 1751, was called the daughter of Rebecca Chavis on 26 August 1756 when the Amelia County court ordered the churchwardens of Nottoway Parish to bind her out [Orders 1754-8, n.p]. She was living in Lunenburg County in September 1760 when she successfully sued Hutchings Burton for her freedom dues [Orders 1759-61, 32, 159, 170]. She may have been the Betty Chavus who was head of a Halifax County, Virginia household of 2 persons in 1782 [VA:24]. She was called Liza Chavers on 17 June 1784 when the Halifax County court ordered her to show cause why her illegitimate son Barltett should not be bound out [Pleas 1783-6, 78]. She was the mother of
i. Jesse1, born say 1766, "child of Elizabeth Chavious," bound out by the churchwardens of St. James Parish, Mecklenburg County, on 13 November 1769 [Orders 1768-71, 278].
ii. Bartlett2, born about 1780, taxable on a horse in the southern district of Halifax County in 1798 and from 1801 to 1806 [PPTL 1782-1800, frame 49; 1800-12, frames 158, 178, 308, 615]. He married Elizabeth Mathis (Matthews), 10 February 1803 Halifax County bond. He was a "free Negro" taxable in Bedford County from 1810 to 1816 [PPTL 1806-16, frames 217, 268, 311, 349, 421, 493, 624]. Bartlet Shavers registered in Bedford County on 24 October 1831: Mulatto, five feet nine and a half inches high, 51 years of age, Born free [Register of Free Negroes 1820-1860, p. 16]. His wife was probably the Elizabeth Shavers who registered on 22 August 1836: age 54, Dark Mulatto, 5 feet 3 inches high, born free p.22]. He was a F.B. head of a Bedford County household of 6 "other free" in 1810, 12 "free colored" in 1820 and 10 "free colored" in Campbell County (Bartlett Shavers).
iii. Sally, bound by the Pittsylvania County as apprentice to John Southerland on 21 March 1780 [Orders 1777-83, 292].
31. John5 Chavis (George) born say 1755, enlisted in the 5th Virginia Regiment in December 1778 and served for 3 years. Captain Mayo Carrington, in a bounty warrant written in March 1783, certified that Chavis had "faithfully fulfilled [his duties] and is thereby entitled to all immunities granted to three year soldiers" [Mecklenburg County Legislative Petition of 14 December 1820, LVA]. He was listed in the payroll of Captain Mayo Carrington's Company for the month of July 1779 [NARA, M246, http://fold3.com/image/9946464]. He and Anthony Chavis brought a suit against Robert Taylor which was dismissed by the Henrico County court by agreement of the parties on 13 March 1784 [Orders 1781-4, 477]. He was taxable in Mecklenburg County on his own tithe in 1785 and a tithe and 3 horses in 1786 [PPTL 1782-1805, frames 99, 127, 211]. He was deceased by 11 June 1787 when the Mecklenburg County court ordered the overseers of the poor to bind out his orphans Charles, John, Mary and Randol Chavous [Orders 1787-92, 32]. On 20 April 1818 his sons John, Charles, and Randolph Chavis of Mecklenburg County gave their power of attorney to Melchizedek Roffe to collect money due to them from the state treasurer for their father's service in the Revolution [Mecklenburg County DB 17:218-9]. William O. Goode, former member of the General Assembly from Mecklenburg County, wrote a letter on 12 January 1836 in support of the petition to the legislature made by his son Randall. Goode stated that John and his brother Anthony Chavis were wagoners in the Revolution who were issued certificates of public debt at the end of the war, about £21 for Anthony (signed by Captain Young) and £89 for John (signed by Captain Carrington). These certificates were burnt in a fire in the Petersburg home of Charles Watts whose sister was John Chavers's wife according to testimony of Thomas Evans who had been a resident of Petersburg at the time of the fire [Townes, Joseph: Petition, Mecklenburg County, 1820-12-14; Goode, William O., Correspondance, Mecklenburg County, 1836-01-19, Legislative Petitions Digital Collections, LVA]. John was the father of
i. John10, born say 1780, married Sally Blair, 27 July 1801 Mecklenburg County bond, Thomas Cypress security. He may have been the John Chavers who was taxable in Petersburg in 1804 [PPTL 1800-33, frame 113] and head of a Petersburg household of 8 "other free" in 1810 [VA:122a].
ii. Charles2, a "Hireling" living in the lower district of Lunenburg County on Hounds Creek in 1802 when he was counted in a "List of free Negroes & Mulattoes" [LVA, Lunenburg County, Free Negro & Slave Records, 1802-1803]. He married Lucy Chapman, 20 December 1810 Lunenburg County bond, and was a "Mulatto" taxable in Mecklenburg County in 1813 [PPTL, 1806-28, 333].
iii. Mary.
iv. Randolph/ Randol, about 1785, a "FB" taxable in Nottoway County from 1805 to 1812 [PPTL 1789-1822, frames 278, 307, 323, 352, 376, 395]. He registered in Mecklenburg County on 21 March 1815: Randill Chavis a free man of yellowish Complection, about twenty four years old, about five feet six inches high. He was called Randolph Chavis when he registered again in February court 1818 and on 18 August 1823 when his date of birth was estimated as 1785 [Free Person of Color, pp.6, 10, 17]. He was head of a Mecklenburg County household of 6 "free colored" in 1820. He made a deed of release in Mecklenburg County which was proved in November 1832 [DB 25:246]. He was a 65-year-old "Mulatto" blacksmith living with 60-year-old Selina Chavers in the 1850 census for the southern district of Halifax County, Virginia.
32. Anthony Chavis (George1), born say 1757, was identified as a brother of John Chavis in the Mecklenburg County petition of John's son, Randal Chavis [Mecklenburg Petition of 19 January 1836, LVA]. He bought 101 acres in Mecklenburg County from William Avery for 3,000 pounds of tobacco on 11 November 1780 and sold this land adjoining Henry Avery and Thomas Stewart for £20 on 10 March 1792 [DB 6:103; 8:220]. He was head of a Mecklenburg County household of 3 persons in 1782 [VA:33]. He and John Chavis brought a suit against Robert Taylor which was dismissed by the Henrico County court on agreement of the parties on 13 March 1784 [Orders 1781-4, 477]. He was taxable on a tithe, 2 horses, and 2 cattle in Mecklenburg County in 1786 and a tithe in 1791 [PPTL 1782-1805, frames 122, 368]. He married Rebecca Stewart, 10 September 1792 Mecklenburg County bond. He was a taxable "Blackman" in Island Creek District of Granville County in 1803 [Tax List 1803-09, 42] and head of a Granville County household of 7 "other free" in 1810 [NC:858]. He died in Granville County in May 1831 according to the survivor's pension application of his son Peter [NARA, R.1889-1/2, M805, reel 180, frame 145; http://fold3.com/image/12037220]. On 21 October 1839 Richard Evans, age 67, a resident of Chatham County, North Carolina, testified that he was born in Mecklenburg County and was a neighbor and brother-in-law of Anthony Chavis. He and Anthony moved to North Carolina about the same time, upwards of thirty years past. Anthony's only heir was Peter Chavis, "now about sixty seven years of age." On 21 October 1839 Lucy Evens testified that she was raised in Mecklenburg County, that Anthony Chavers married her sister Betsy Evens, that they resided in Virginia about thirty-five years previous, and they lived on the same plantation before they moved to North Carolina [Revolutionary War Bounty Warrants, Chavers, Anthony, 1840, Digital Collection, LVA]. His children were
i. Peter3, born say 1778, married Maron Bird, 4 November 1800 Granville County bond, Charles Evans bondsman, and was bondsman for the 29 December 1812 Chatham County marriage of James Chavis and Nancy Bird. He was one of the freeholders of Chatham County who were ordered by the court to work on the road from New Hope Bridge to William Goodwin's in February 1814 [Minutes 1811-18, 147]. He was head of a Chatham County household of 6 "other free" in 1810 (adjacent to Charles Evans and Jacob Bird) [NC:193], living in Orange County, North Carolina, on 13 January 1840 when he applied for bounty land based on his father's Revolutionary War service.
ii. ?Miles, head of a Chatham County household of 5 "other free" in 1800.
iii. ?Washington, head of a Chatham County household of 7 "other free" in 1810 [NC:208].
iv. ?Garrison, born say 1785, an insolvent taxpayer in Chatham County in Captain Marsh's district in 1806 [Minutes 1805-10, 158], taxable on a free poll in Captain B. Jones's 1815 list for Chatham County and head of a Moore County household of 5 "free colored" in 1820 [NC:312].
v. ?James5, born say 1786, married Nancy Bird, 29 December 1812 Chatham County bond, Peter Chavis bondsman. He and John Chavis were among the freeholders of Chatham County ordered by the court to work on the road from White Oak Bridge to Polly Leavin's in November 1814 and from New Hope to the big falls in Cape Fear in February 1818 [Minutes 1811-18, 180; 1816-22, 101]. There is no record of his purchasing land in Chatham County, but he was taxable on 75 acres and a free poll in the 1815 list of Ed Farrar.
47 vi. ?Elizabeth8, born say 1789.
vii. ?Banister, born 1776-94, one of the freeholders of Chatham County who were ordered by the court to work on the road from New Hope Bridge to William Goodwin's (with Peter Chavous) in February 1814 [Minutes 1811-18, 147]. He married Milly Walden, 29 December 1819 Mecklenburg County, Virginia bond, John Stewart surety, married by Minister Alexander M. Cowan. He was head of a Mecklenburg County household of 4 "free colored" in 1820 [VA:148b].
33. Thomas3 Chavis, born say 1765, married Nancy Thaxton, 27 January 1786 Charlotte County bond, William Dabbs surety, 3 February marriage by Rev. Thomas Johnston [Minister's Returns, 90]. He was taxable in Charlotte County from 1787 to 1795 and from 1801 to 1813: taxable on a horse in 1789, listed as a "fn" planter in 1805 and 1806 [PPTL 1782-1813, frames 93, 159, 190, 240, 288, 516, 586, 648, 682, 788, 895]. He was taxable on 2 horses in Halifax County, Virginia, in 1798 [PPTL, 1782-1799, frame 769] and a "Free Negro" head of a Charlotte County household of 5 "other free" in 1810 [VA:68]. He was in the lists of "free negroes and Mulattoes" in Charlotte County from 1810 to 1817: a planter with wife Nancy and children John and Isaac in 1810, with child Isaac, 4 grandchildren Dotia, Crotia, Judy, and Isaac and Nancy Jackson in 1817 [Commissioner of Revenue Memorandum Books, 1806-1818, LVA]. He was probably the father of
i. Polly, a "free negro," married Isaac Jackson, 19 August 1801 Charlotte County bond, Thomas Chavus surety.
ii. Isaac, born about 1806, registered in Charlotte County on 21 October 1831: a man of dark complexion, was born free in this County, is about 25 years of age, 5 feet 91/2 inches high.
iii. John, born about 1809, registered in Charlotte County on 2 January 1832: a free man of dark complexion born free in this County about twenty three years of age, five feet five and a half inches high [Register of Free Negroes, 1794-1865, nos. 114, 136].
34. Elizabeth4 Chavis (Catherine), born say 1757, was living in Lunenburg County in May 1761 when the court ordered the churchwardens of Cornwall Parish to bind her as an apprentice to Philip Jones [Orders 1761-2, 17]. She may have been the Elizabeth Chavis whose son John Jackson Chavis was bound as an apprentice to William Stewart in Mecklenburg County. Stewart moved to Wake County, North Carolina, about 1790, and John Jackson went with him and died there about 1808 when Stewart tried to prove his nuncupative Wake County will. Elizabeth's sister Lucy, wife of Robert Cole, challenged the will by presenting a deposition taken from Mary Belcher of Charlotte County, Virginia, on 27 April 1808 that John Jackson Chavis was christened in her home and that Lucy was his only living relative [N.C. Stack File C.R. 099.928.11 by NCGSJ III:21; Haun, Wake County Court Minutes VII:67-8, 151]. Elizabeth was the mother of
i. John Jackson, bound as an apprentice blacksmith to William Stewart in Mecklenburg County, Virginia, died in Wake County about 1808.
ii. ?Stephen, born about 1777, a "Mulatto Boy" who was stolen in Bladen County and returned to his mother Elizabeth Cheaves in Surry County, North Carolina, on 17 February 1782 [Absher, Surry County, North Carolina, Court Minutes, 40].ii
iii. ?Cole, born say 1786, a "Molatto" taxable in Pittsylvania County in 1807 [PPTL 1797-1812, frames 566, 592, 707].
35. Bolling Chavis (Henry1), born say 1772, was taxable in the Mecklenburg County household of (his father) Henry Chavis from 1790 to 1793 and taxable in Mecklenburg County in 1800 and 1803 [PPTL 1782-1805, frames 341, 423, 479, 794, 943]. He first married Nancy Thomerson, 14 June 1793 Warren County bond with Eaton Walden security; and second, Suckey Thomason, "daughter of Amy Thomason," 25 January 1798 Mecklenburg County bond, Banister Thomason surety. Suckey may have been identical to Suckey Chavus who purchased her daughter Sally Chavus from Thomas Read, Jr., for £40 and emancipated her by 31 January 1799 Charlotte County deed [DB 8:150-1]. Bolling, his mother Ellender and his sister Rebecca brought suit in Mecklenburg County against his brother Henry over a dividing line in their land on the Meherrin River which they received by their father's will. Boling died before 24 March 1804 when Henry and the others reached agreement [Mecklenburg County unrecorded deed 1804, LVA]. On 12 March 1806 the Mecklenburg County court ordered the sheriff to dispose of his estate since no one would administer it and appointed Jabez Northington as guardian of Bolling's orphan Edwin Chavous [Orders 1805-6, 124]. Bolling was the father of
i. Edwin, born say 1794, perhaps the Edward Chavous who was a "Mulatto" taxable in Mecklenburg County from 1815 to 1819 [PPTL, 1806-28, frames 500, 534, 652].
36. Philip1 Chavis (William1, Bartholomew1), born say 1726, bought 100 acres of land in Northampton County, North Carolina, on 25 February 1752 and purchased another 108 acres a few days later on 4 March 1752 from Edith Booth "for a valuable consideration" [DB 2:62, 68]. This was land adjacent to his own land in the northeast corner of Northampton County near the Meherrin River, part of an island on the "old county line." His father William Chavis gave him 300 acres in Granville County on the north side of the Tar River at the mouth of Collins Creek on 4 March 1752 [DB B:47], and he was taxable on a tithe in Granville County in the list of Lemuel Lanier adjacent to his father in 1753. On 27 May 1756 he and wife Selah sold the 108 acres in Northampton County [DB 2:267]. In 1757 he had 3 persons in his household in the list of Samuel Henderson adjacent to his father, and in the 1758-9 undated list of Phil. Hawkins he was listed with wife Selah and slave Jordin [CR 044.701.19]. By 29 July 1761 he had accumulated 1,350 acres of land, most of it on Buffalo Creek in Granville County [DB B:47; E:43, 178; Northampton DB 2:62]. His land in Craven County, South Carolina, near Wassoo Creek was mentioned in an estate sale advertised in the 26 July to 2 August 1760 issues of the South Carolina Gazette [Warren, South Carolina Newspapers, 34]. In 1761 he was taxable on 2 "free black" tithes for himself and his wife "Celea" and black tithes for 2 female slaves, Peg and Parrott, in Granville County. He had two illegitimate children by Hannah Francis of Johnston County about 1760 [Haun, Johnston County Court Minutes, I:86, 89].
He was called "Free negroe Planter" on 12 August 1763 when he sold the 300 acres in Granville County which his father gave him on 4 March 1752 [DB G:209]. On 13 August 1764 he sold an unstated number of acres of his land in Bute County on the north side of the Tar River to his father [Warren DB 1:102]. He was sued in Granville County court by William Hamilton & Company in November 1765 for a debt of £10 which John Williams, Jr., confessed to by power of attorney [Minutes 1754-70, 123]. The sheriff sold 700 acres of Philip's land in Granville County to pay this debt on 5 August 1766 [DB H:172]. He was a resident of South Carolina on 3 December 1766 when he sold his father 400 acres in Bute County on both sides of Buffalo Creek adjoining his father's Granville County land [DB 1:266]. He also resided in Bladen County, North Carolina, where he bought land on the east side of Wilkinson's Swamp which is in present-day Robeson County on the South Carolina border. This was land formerly owned by Robert Sweat. Philip and his wife "Sele" sold this land on 21 November 1768 [DB 23:104].
He was a resident of Craven County, South Carolina, on 15 June 1772 when he sold 100 acres of his land in Northampton County [DB 5:246]. On 22 July 1772 he repurchased the same 100 acres he had sold in Bladen County in 1768 [DB 23:424].
On 5 February 1778 he was back in Granville County where he settled the inventory of the estate of his father in Granville court. According to the account of sales, Philip bought 2 slaves, 39 head of cattle, 22 sheep, and many other items worth over £1,000 [WB 1:164-5]. He was called Philip Cheaves of South Carolina on 3 March 1778 when he sold a tract of land of unstated acreage in the part of Bute County which became Franklin County in 1769 [DB 1:9]. About a month later on 7 May 1778 he entered 100 acres on the Franklin County border with Granville County "near the Buffuloe Race paths" joining his deceased father's land [DB O:85]. He was residing in Georgetown District, South Carolina, on 20 November 1778 when he sold land in Granville County to Hugh Snelling [DB O:3]. The 2 November 1779 Granville County, North Carolina court called him "Phillip Chavers an Inhabitant of another State" when it subjected him to fourfold tax because his property was not inventoried. He was called Philip Chavis of Bladen County on 16 February 1780 when he sold his 100 acres in Granville County "near the Buffuloe Race paths" and another 500 acres on the Franklin-Granville County lines south of the Tar River to Major Evans for £3,000 [Franklin DB 1:140]. In 1780 he was assessed tax on £4,260 property in Granville County's Fishing Creek District in the list of Col. Dickerson, and was taxable in Granville County on 1,060 acres, 4 slaves, and 8 cattle in 1782. He was charged with felony in Granville County in 1782, but there is no record of a trial taking place [Minutes 1773-83, November 1782 Dockets]. He and his wife Celia sold land in Granville County on 28 December 1782 [DB O:236].
On 8 March 1783 he purchased 200 acres in Bladen County, 160 acres of which was the land he had sold in 1768 [DB 1:95], and in 1784 he was taxable in Bladen County on 750 acres, 3 free polls, and a slave [GA 64.1]. He was called "Philip Chaves, Senr." on 2 September 1785 when he sold two tracts of land of about 200 acres each in what was by then Robeson County. On 25 June 1786 he sold a tract of 100 acres on Shoe Heel Swamp in Robeson and as "Philip Chavers" (no Senior) he sold 300 acres on both sides of the Lower Ashpole on 8 December 1793 [DB A:83; B:160; D:227]. His children were
48 i. ?Ishmael, born say 1747.
ii. Philip2, born say 1758, "alias Philip Frances," Philip's illegitimate son who was bound an apprentice by the Johnston County court in January 1762 after the death of his mother Hannah Francis [Haun, Johnston County Court Minutes, I:89]. Perhaps his will is the one written by "Philip Shaver" in Little River, Camden District, South Carolina, on 18 July 1793 and proved on 9 September 1793 [WB 2:95]. He lent his wife "Maria Margaret Shaver" plantations of 250 acres and 450 acres as well as 5 slaves, which at her death were to go to his daughters Maria Margaret Polick and Mary Scott.
iii. ?Charles1, born in October 1760, three years old in October 1763, "son of Hannah Chavis," bound as an apprentice shoemaker by the May 1763 session of the Orange County, North Carolina court [Haun, Orange County Court Minutes, II:586]. Perhaps Hannah Chavis was identical to Hannah Francis who was deceased when her son Philip was bound apprentice in Johnston County court in 1762. (Johnston County adjoined Orange County in 1762.) Charles was taxable on 1 poll in Abrams Plains District of Granville County in 1788, perhaps one of the 4 taxables in James Chavis's household in 1789, taxable in Abrams Plains District of Granville County in 1796 [Tax List 1796-1802, p. 40]. He married Nancy Taborn, 4 November 1795 Granville County bond, Benjamin Bass bondsman and was head of a Granville County household of 4 "other free" in 1800 and 11 in 1810 [NC:858].
49 iv. ?Erasmus, born say 1768.
v. ?Benjamin Shavers, head of a Bladen County household of 3 "other free" in 1810.
vi. ?Morris Shavers, head of a Bladen County household of 3 "other free" in 1810.
37. Gibeon2 Chavis (William1, Bartholomew1), born say 1737, was taxable in 1753 in his father's household in the Granville County list of Robert Harris. He and Gideon1 Bunch were probably named for Gideon Gibson who was living on the south side of the Roanoke in the same area as Gibeon's father in 1727. He married Ann Priddy who was the "daughter Anne, wife of Gibby Chavers," named in the 2 July 1759 Granville County will of her father Robert Priddy, proved 18 December 1759 [North Carolina, Wills and Probate Records, 1665-1998; Granville, Wills, Vol. 29; Unrecorded, Granville, 1746-1771, 51; Owen, Granville County Notes, vol. I]. Robert Priddy was a white Granville County farmer. On 1 June 1755 Gibeon's father made a deed of gift to him for 400 acres on Little Creek on the north side of Tar River [DB C:73], and in 1757 he was taxable on 1 tithe in his own household in the list of John Martin. By 1761 he had married and was listed in Fishing Creek: taxable on himself and his wife Nanny [CR 44.701.19]. He was charged with trespass, assault, and battery by John Babtist Marr in Granville County court on 11 August 1765 but was found not guilty [Minutes 1754-70, 147]. In 1769 he was taxable on 3 persons, and in 1771 he had 6 taxables in his household. He left a 4 January 1777 Granville County will (signing), proved in May 1777, which named only his wife and son William. Aquilla Snelling (signing) and Elender Chavis were witnesses. The inventory of his estate included 5 horses, 17 cattle, and 53 hogs [WB 1:158]. Part of his land was sold and 150 acres assigned to his wife Ann by her right of dower [WB 1:143, 166]. She was assessed £2,000 property tax in Fishing Creek in Colonel Dickerson's District in 1780. Their children were
i. Patience, born say 1755, called "daughter of Anne Priddy, daughter of testator," in Robert Priddy's will. She married John Jackson, a white man, and was living with him in Rowan County on 16 September 1771 when they sold the land she inherited from her grandfather [Granville DB I:309].
ii. Susanna2, born say 1756, called "daughter of Anne Priddy, daughter of testator" in Robert Priddy's will. She married Andrew Ingram, a white man, and was living with him in Cumberland County, North Carolina, on 1 December 1772 when they sold the land she inherited from her grandfather [Granville DB K:202].
iii. William6, born say 1760, received a plantation by his father's will. In 1780 he was still under the care of a guardian, his uncle George Priddy, who paid his tax on an assessment of £2,362 in Fort Creek District. On 13 March 1785 he sold 400 acres on both sides of Little Creek in Granville County on the north side of the Tar River for £543, purchased 20 acres adjoining his own land and Snelling on the Tar River in Granville County for £4.10 on 13 October 1786, and sold (signing) this land on 10 February 1788 [DB O:376, 575, 585]. He was head of a household of a free male and female and a slave for the 1786 census of Granville County, taxable on 2 "Black" polls in 1780, a free poll and a slave in 1786, a free poll in 1791 [List of Taxables, 1786-1791]. He married Sarah Kersey, 13 March 1790 Granville County bond, and was head of a Wake County household of 6 "other free" in 1800 [NC:757]. He died before August 1814 when his estate was administered in Granville County [North Carolina, Wills and Probate Records, 1665-1998, Chavis, William, 1814, ancestry.com].
iv. Jesse2, born about 1766, called orphan of William Chavis, deceased, on 9 August 1780 when Thomas Person posted bond as his guardian to provide an inventory of his estate when he reached the age of twenty-one [North Carolina Estate Files, 1663-1979, http://familysearch.org/search/catalog/978482, film 7461248, image 605]. He was taxable on 1 poll in Granville County in Hugh Snelling's household in 1787 and on his own poll in 1790 [Tax List 1767-1809; http://familysearch.org/search/catalog/353959, film 8152187, image 25; Tax List, 1790]. Benjamin and Absalom Bass were his securities in August 1794 Granville County court when he was charged with having an illegitimate child by Nelly Bass [Minutes 1792-95, 197-8], and he had a son Henry Anderson by Rhody Anderson before 31 January 1796 when she married Darling Bass. He was called Jesse Chavers of Petersburg on 8 April 1798 when he sold 8 head of cattle in Granville County for ,20 [WB 5:276], but was back in Granville County in 1802 when he was taxable in Oxford District [Tax List 1796-1802, 337]. He may have been the Jesse Chavis (son of James Chavis?) who was taxable in Oxford District in 1809 and taxable on 1 poll (under the age of 50) in Country Line District in 1822: listed after Evans Chavis who was taxable on 20 acres and no polls (over 50) [Tax List, 1803-9, p. 337; 1810-23] and was head of a Granville County household of 6 "other free" in 1810 [NC:912]. He married Nancy Mitchell, 2 May 1812 Granville County bond, Darling Bass surety, and was head of a Granville County household of 8 "free colored" in 1820 (age 26-45) and 5 in 1830 (over 55). Nancy Chavors was a 70-year-old "Mulatto" woman counted in the 1850 census for Granville County with 49-year-old Riddin Chavors.
38. Thomas2 Cheaves (Thomas1, Bartholomew1), born say 1742, was taxable in William Eaves's Bare Swamp District household in Granville County in 1763. This part of Granville County became Bute County in 1764 and Thomas was a "black" taxable in William Mackbie's household in the 1771 Bute County list of Philimon Hawkins [CR.015.70001, p.5 of pamphlet]. He may have been the father of
i. Jordan2, born say 1775, purchased 25 acres in Wake County on the east side of Mine Creek adjoining Hugh Snelling on 21 June 1800 and sold this land to John Chavis on 25 July 1805 [DB Q:429; U:433]. He married (his second cousin?) the daughter of Aquilla and Lettice Snelling (nee Chavis) and was named in Lettice's 2 April 1814 Wake County will. He was head of a Wake County household of 2 "other free" and 4 slaves in 1800 [NC:756]. His Wake County tax was paid by Reuben Evans in 1820 [CR 99.252]. He purchased 300 acres on lower Long Branch, north of the Yadkin River and on the waters of Mulberry Creek, in Wilkes County in 1813 and purchased another 100 acres adjoining this in 1814. He was head of a Wilkes County household of 6 "free colored" in 1820 [NC:519]. In 1829 he sold 85 acres of his land to (his mother-in-law) Mary Mitchell [DB GH:469, 505; M:206]. He had married Lucy Harris, daughter of Molly Mitchell, sometime before he was named in her 20 August 1833 Wilkes County will [WB 4:169]. In the 1850 census for Wilkes County Lucy Shaver was counted as a 55-year-old "Mulatto" with $400 real estate. Jordan's daughter by his first wife was probably Clarissy Chavis who married Jehu Harris, 1 June 1821 Wilkes County bond, John Harris bondsman.
ii. Lewis, born about 1775, married Delila Gowin, 2 October 1816 Wake County bond. Lewis ("Black") and Delila ("Mulatto") were counted in the 1850 census for Wake County.
iii. Robert, born about 1775, married Elizabeth Locklear, 29 September 1813 Wake County bond. Robert and Elizabeth were "Blacks" counted in the 1850 census for the Western District of Wake County with (son?) Doctor Chavis and real estate valued at $200.
39. Isam/ Isham1 Chavis (Joseph1, Bartholomew1), born say 1746, was sued by Abner Nash in Halifax County, North Carolina court in November 1768 [Gammon, Record of Estates II:12]. He was head of a Cumberland County, North Carolina household of 8 "other free" in 1790 [NC:38]. He entered 110 acres bordering his own land and John Walker's in Cumberland County on 16 May 1786 [Pruitt, Land Entries: Cumberland County, 60] and was a carpenter who was granted 200 acres in Cumberland on the south side of Campbell's Creek on 21 December 1787. He and his wife Rachel sold this land on 27 February 1794, and he sold 400 acres in Cumberland on Jones's Creek and Upper Little River on 16 July 1795 [DB 14:168; 16:49]. He died before 14 April 1796 when (his son?) William Chavis was granted administration on his estate on ,100 security [Minutes 1791-97, Thursday, 14 April 1796]. Later that year William sold land which Isham was granted in 1789 [DB 16:372]. The inventory of his 1795 Cumberland County estate was taken by the administrator William Chavis (signing) on 12 July 1796. William and Penny Chavis were buyers at the sale of the estate. He left 770 acres of land [North Carolina Estate Files, 1663-1979, Chavis, Isham (1795) http://familysearch.org/search/catalog/456876]. His children were probably
i. William7, born say 1775, sold 100 acres in Cumberland County on Upper Little River on 8 July 1796 and the next day sold 170 acres in Cumberland County on MacDougald's Branch which was granted to Isham Chavis on 16 March 1789 [DB 16:372; 18:196]. He was head of a Cumberland County household of 4 "other free" in 1810 [NC:584].
ii. Azekiel(?), head of a Cumberland County household of 4 "free colored" in 1820 [NC:191].
40. Isham2 Chavis (Bartholomew2, Bartholomew1), born say 1758, was taxable in Dinwiddie County from 1782 to 1804: called Isham Walding in 1782 and 1784, called Isham Chavis in 1787 and 1788, called Isham Walden from 1789 to 1800 and in 1801 when he was counted as a "free Negro" and called "free" Isham Chavis when he was taxable in 1804 [PPTL, 1782-90 (1782 A, p.18), (1784, p.25), (1787 B, p.2) (1788 B, p.5), (1789 A, p.21); 1791-9, (1791 A, pp. 4, 20), (1795 B, p.21), (1797 B, p.20), (1798 A, p.18), (1799 A, p.19); 1800-9, (1800 B, p.23), (1801 B, p.25), (1804 a, p.4)]. He may have been the member of the Chavis family who married Milly Stewart. Milly, born about 1762, registered in Petersburg on 24 December 1808: Milly Chavis, formerly Stewart, a light brown Mulatto woman, forty six years old, born free & raised in the County of Prince George p. certificate of Registry from Clk. of Dinwiddie County. Reentered 2 March 1820 tho not a light brown ditto [Register of Free Negroes 1794-1819, no. 433]. She was the mother of
i. ?Stephen, born about 1778, registered in Petersburg on 15 August 1799: a dark brown Mulatto man, five feet eight inches high, with short bushy hair, twenty one years old in March last, born free & raised by Wm Scott in the County of Dinwiddie [Register of Free Negroes 1794-1819, no. 149]. He was probably identical to Stephen Walden Chaves, "a free Black man," charged in Petersburg on 23 February 1798 with stealing tobacco out of Blanford Warehouse and was sent for trial at the district court [Hustings Court Minute Book 1797-1800, n.p.]. He was taxable in Petersburg in 1800 [PPTL 1800-33, frame 27].
ii. Ezekiel, born about 1789, registered in Petersburg on 24 December 1808: a light brown Mulatto man, five feet seven inches high, nineteen years old, born free & raised in the Town of Petersburg. Registered by desire of his mother Milly Chavis. Reentered 13 June 1810 by name Ezekiel Stewart (by desire) [Register of Free Negroes 1794-1819, no. 432]. Ezekiel Chaves was taxable on Vinet Claiborne's land in Chesterfield County with his unnamed wife in 1811 [PPTL, 1786-1811, frame 824].
iii. Caty, born about 1798, registered in Petersburg on 7 August 1811: Caty Steward, a brown Mulatto girl, thirteen years old 26 November last, daughter of Milly Chavis [Register of Free Negroes 1794-1819, no. 667].
iv. Polly, born about 1802, registered in Petersburg on 7 August 1811: Polly Steward, a dark brown Mulatto girl, four feet eleven inches high, nine years old 9 April last. born free & raised in the Town of Petersburg, daughter of Milly Chavis [Register of Free Negroes 1794-1819, no. 668].
41. Frances2/ Fanny Chavis (Mary, Amy), born say 1765, was head of a Southampton County household of 5 "other free" in 1810 [VA:71]. She was a "f.n." taxable in Southampton County from 1801 to 1820: taxable on a free male tithable and a horse from 1801 to 1804, taxable on Benjamin Chavis's tithe and a horse in 1805, taxable on a horse in 1806 and 1807, taxable on 2 slaves and a free male tithable from 1809 to 1812, listed with her son Ellick and daughters Polly and Milly in 1813, living on her own land in 1820 [PPTL 1792-1806, frame 512, 549, 802; 1807-21, frames 47, 70, 166, 189, 288, 316, 415, 576, 661, 689, 786]. On 15 October 1808 she purchased 35 acres in Southampton County on Raccoon Swamp from Howell Barham for £42 [DB 11:358-9]. On 17 March 1817 the Southampton County court exempted her from paying taxes on her slave Toney because he was aged and infirm [Minutes 1816-9, unpaged]. She was a 90-year-old "Black" woman counted in the 1850 census for St. Luke's Parish, Southampton County, with 55-year-old "Black" male Alexander Chavers and nine other members of her family. Her real estate was valued at $70. She was the mother of
i. ?Mason, born about 1784, a witness against Sam Rand (Rann), a "Mullatto boy" who was accused in Southampton County court on 20 January 1806 of stealing $5 from a boy slave named Burwell belonging to James Crichlow [Minutes 1799-1803, 85]. Mason registered in Southampton County on 30 August 1811: Mason Shavers, age 27, Blk., 5 feet 4-1/2 inches high, free born [Register of Free Negroes 1794-1832, no. 595].
ii. ?Temperance, born about 1786, registered in Southampton County on 31 July 1810, 20 May 1817 and again on 3 March 1821: age 35, black woman who has daughter named Ann Eliza aged 15 Martha Ann aged 12 years & Frances aged 8 years 5 feet 1/2 inch high, free born [Register of Free Negroes 1794-1832, nos. 792, 1089, 1259].
iii. ?Isaac, born about 1789, ordered bound apprentice in St. Luke's Parish, Southampton County, on 11 December 1795 [Minutes 1793-9, 163], taxable in St. Luke's Parish in 1811 [PPTL 1807-21, frame 189]. He registered in Southampton County 28 January 1811; age 22, Blk., free born, 6 feet high [Register of Free Negroes 1794-1832, no. 585].
iv. Polly, born about 1789, registered in Southampton County on 1 April 1814: age 25, mulatto, 5'5-1/2", free born [Register of Free Negroes 1794-1832, no. 832]. She married Charles Evans, 27 March 1816 Southampton County bond, Benjamin Schavus surety.
v. Alexander, born about 1794, registered in Southampton County on 29 July 1815: age 21, 5'10-3/4", free born, yellow complection [Register of Free Negroes 1794-1832, nos. 970, 1491, 2004].
vi. Milly, born about 1796, registered in Southampton County on 1 April 1814: age 18, Mulatto, 5'5-1/4", free born [Register of Free Negroes 1794-1832, no. 833].
vii. ?James, ordered bound apprentice in St. Luke's Parish, Southampton County, on 11 December 1795 [Minutes 1793-9, 163].
42. John8 Chavis (Jacob2, Frances), born say 1764, was called John Chavis, Junior, in 1786 when he was taxable on a tithe and a horse in Mecklenburg County, Virginia [PPTL 1782-1805, frame 122]. He was a grandson of Thomas Evans who named him in his 22 May 1787 Mecklenburg County, Virginia will [WB 2:250] and was one of the heirs of Jacob Chavis who were named in a Mecklenburg County chancery case in 1819. He attended Washington Academy which later became Washington and Lee University [North Carolina Historical Review, VII:333]. He was introduced to the Presbytery of Lexington, Virginia, at their meeting from 15 to 19 October 1799. According to the minutes of the meeting he was personally known to most of the members. The following year the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of the United States in Philadelphia ruled that
John Chavis, a black man of prudence and piety, who has been educated and licensed to preach by the Presbytery of Lexington in Virginia, be employed as a missionary among people of his own colour
On 9 June 1801 he delivered a discourse to the Lexington Presbytery at Rocky Springs Meetinghouse, and the Presbytery agreed to his request to join the Hanover Presbytery, recommending him as
a man of exemplary piety, & possessed of many qualifications which merit their respectful attention [Acts and Proceedings, 15, by NCHR., VII:331, 333].
On 6 April 1802 he recorded his free papers in Rockbridge County:
Rev. John Chavis, a black man...has been known to the court for several years past...has been a student at Washington Acadmy where they believe he went through a regular course of Academical Studies [Orders 6:10].
He moved to Chatham County where he purchased 100 acres on Weaver's Creek on 9 November 1804 [DB O:70]. His conversation with an educated African American woman in Chatham County was reported in The Association Missionary Magazine of Evangelical Intelligence [vol. I (August, 1805), 49 by JNH, 142-155]. On 15 May 1806 he was residing in Wake County when he purchased 233 acres adjoining Mine Creek and Haw Branch in Wake County for $700 from Joshua Eastland of Chatham County [DB T:268]. (His father?) Jacob Chavis of Mecklenburg County, Virginia, gave him power of attorney to recover a debt from William Stewart of North Carolina on 11 July 1806 [Mecklenburg DB 13:1-2]. He had established a school before 26 August 1808 when he announced in the Raleigh Register that
the present quarter of his school will end the 15th of September, and the next will commence on the 19th. He will, at the same time, open an evening school for the purpose of instructing children of colour, as he intends, for the accommodation of some of his employers, to exclude all children of colour from his day school [NCHR, 339].
He was said to have joined the Orange Presbytery in 1809 and preached in Granville, Orange, and Wake Counties for the next twenty years or so [NCHR, 335]. He purchased another 100 acres on Weaver's Creek in Chatham County on 23 July 1811 and sold this second tract of 100 acres for £100 on the 28 April 1817 and the remaining 100 acres for $650 on 7 March 1818 (signing both deeds) [DB T:237; V:106; X:343]. In the November 1814 session of the Chatham County court, he and Cary Chavis were found guilty of an unnamed offense, but were granted an appeal [Minutes 1811-18, 183]. On 28 June 1815 he was living in Wake County when he purchased 111 acres on the south side of the Neuse River on Laurel Creek [DB 3:336]. He was head of a Chatham County household of 5 "other free" in 1810 (adjacent to Charles Evans and Peter Chavers) [NC:193] and 9 "free colored" in 1820 [NC:211]. Senator Willie P. Magnum and his brother Priestly Magnum, Governor Charles Manly, and Congressman Abraham Rencher were probably his students since he referred to each of them as "my son" in his letters to the senator [NCHR, 326, 341, 345]. On 13 December 1827 he wrote to his friend Senator Mangum about a deed of trust for land adjoining Tignal Jones and Job Rogers in Wake County which was given to him and his wife Frances during their lifetimes. And three days later on 18 December 1827 he wrote to the senator inviting him to attend the next examination at his school in Wake County at Revises Crossroads [State Department of Archives and History, The Mangum Papers, 316-318]. On 22 April 1830 Joseph Gales, editor of the Raleigh Register, reported that he had recently attended an examination "of the free children of color" at the school and "seldom received more gratification from any exhibition of a similar character" [NCHR, 340]. He made a quit claim deed in Granville County on 8 July 1831 relinquishing any right to the estate of his brother Isaac Chavis [DB 7:253]. In a letter to Mangum on 10 March 1832 he wrote, "If I am Black, I am free born American and a revolutionary soldier." However, there is no record that he ever served in the Revolution. Reverend John Chavis died 15 June 1838 [Watchman of the South, Obituary Notice by Virginia Genealogical Society Quarterly 19:123]. He may have been the father of
i. Thomas5, born say 1801, an insolvent taxpayer for the year 1822, reported in the Wednesday, August 1823 session of the Chatham County court and one of the freeholders of Chatham County who were ordered to work on the road from the Randolph County line to the branch below Rebecca Evans in the Monday, November 1827 session of the court.
ii. William, born say 1805, one of the freeholders of Chatham County who were ordered to work on the road from William Ragland's to John Dorsett's by the Monday, February 1836 session of the court.
iii. Lottie, married Littleton Taborn, 14 April 1818 Granville County bond, John Chavis (signing) bondsman.
43. Jacob3 Chavis, born say 1772, was over 16 years of age in 1788 when he was counted in the Mecklenburg County, Virginia property tax list tax of his father Jacob Chavous [PPTL 1782-1805, frame 211]. He married Phoebe Scott, daughter of Betsey Scott, 24 December 1800 Charlotte County bond and 8 December 1800 Mecklenburg County bond, Thomas A. Jones & James Wilson security, with a note from James Wayne. He was called a wheelwright when the Mecklenburg County court bound Willie and Archibald Nash to him on 12 October 1807 and 12 September 1808 [Orders 1807-9, 239, 467]. He was a "free negroe" taxable in Charlotte County from 1795 to 1813: taxable on a slave in 1796; taxable on 2 free males in 1801; listed as a "free negroe" wheelwright with his wife Pheby and son Martin in 1802; taxable on 2 free males, 3 slaves, 2 horses, and 2 cart wheels in 1806; taxable on 2 free males and 2 slaves in 1807; taxable on 3 free males and a slave in 1810; and a "fn" wheelwright listed with 5 males (2 of whom were tithable) and 3 females in the list of free Negroes and Mulattoes in 1813 [PPTL 1782-1813, frames 314, 367, 433, 502, 542, 707, 751, 814, 886]. (His brother-in-law and sister) Arvy and Martha Scott released their right to land which was due to her from the estate of her father Jacob Chavis, Sr., to Jacob by deed proved in Mecklenburg County on 10 July 1809 [DB 14:107, 308]. He was a "Free Negro" head of a Charlotte County household of 10 "other free" in 1810 [VA:45] and 12 "free colored" in 1820. On 6 September 1810 he purchased 1001/2 acres in Charlotte County for ,150 and mortgaged the land 6 days later on 12 September for a debt of ,100 he owed William Wellason of Mecklenburg County. On 3 October 1821 he purchased 100 acres on one of the forks of Horsepen Creek for $250, mortgaged the land to Thomas Gregory for $300 in October 1826 and purchased 1021/2 acres on Horsepen Creek from Thomas Gregory for $700 on 10 October 1826 [DB 12:23, 27; 16:101, 304, 17:42]. Jacob's widow Phoebe was one of the buyers at the sale of his 15 December 1842 Charlotte County estate [WB 10:23-4]. She registered in Charlotte County on 21 October 1848: daughter of Betsey Scott, Mulatto, age 64 years, born free [Register of Free Negroes, 1794-1865, no. 618]. Jacob and Phebe were the parents of
i. Abraham Martin, born 1 October 1802, registered in Charlotte County on 7 May 1827: born free in the County of Charlotte 1 October 1801 the son of Jacob Chavous and Phoebe his wife free people of colour about five feet seven inches high of yellow or bright complexion [Register of Free Negroes, 1794-1865, no. 54].
ii. Mack, born about 1803, registered in Charlotte County on 4 April 1831: a man of bright complexion aged about twenty eight years the son of Jacob and Phoebe Chavous free persons of this County...five feet eight inches high [Register of Free Negroes, 1794-1865, no. 79].
iii. Betsey Jackson, born about 1804, registered in Charlotte County on 11 October 1847: a brown Mulatto, the wife of Preston Jackson and a daughter of Phoebe Chavous, a free woman, was born free in this County, is five feet two inches high, is forty three years old [Register of Free Negroes, 1794-1865, no. 604].
iv. William, born 5 September 1806, registered in Charlotte County on 1 October 1827: (the son of Jacob Chavous and Phoebe his wife free people of colour) who was born free in the County of Charlotte the 5th September 1806, five feet ten and a half inches high of bright or yellow complexion [Register of Free Negroes, 1794-1865, no. 55].
v. Mary, born about 1809, registered in Charlotte County on 3 October 1836: No. 164, a free woman of Colour. She is of dark brown complexion was born free in this county is the daughter of Jacob Chavous & Phoebe his wife is twenty seven years of age and is five feet one inch high [Register of Free Negroes, 1794-1865, no. 164].
vi. Susan Carter, born 29 March 1812, registered in Charlotte County on 11 November 1843: the wife of William Carter is of bright Mulatto complexion, she is the daughter of Jacob Chavous, was born free in this County the 29 March 1812, 5 feet 3-1/8 inches high [Register of Free Negroes, 1794-1865, no. 200].
vii. Margaret Proctor, born about 1814, registered in Charlotte County on 7 April 1840: a free woman of Brown Complexion was this day registered. She was born free in this County, is the daughter of Jacob Chavous and Pheobe his wife & is about 26 years of age, & is five feet 2 inches high in shoes [Register of Free Negroes, 1794-1865, no. 183].
viii. Jacob, born about 1816, registered in Charlotte County on 4 December 1837: a free man of Colour, a dark mulatto, the son of Jacob Chavous and Phoebe his wife free persons, he was born free in this County is about twenty one years of age, five feet 3 inches high (in shoes) [Register of Free Negroes, 1794-1865, no. 169].
ix. Virginia Caroline Jackson, born about 1819, registered in Charlotte County on 5 May 1847: formerly Virginia Caroline Chavous, a free woman, of bright Mahogany Colour, five feet and half inch high. She was born free in this County, the daughter of Jacob Chavous and Phoebe his wife, both free, is now 28 [Register of Free Negroes, 1794-1865, no. 601].
x. Hillery, born about 1824, registered in Charlotte County on 6 May 1844: born free in this County, is the son of Jacob Chavous and Phoebe his wife, free persons, is of bright Complexion, 5 feet 7-1/2 inches high about twenty years of age [Register of Free Negroes, 1794-1865, no. 202].
44. Peter2 Chavis (Jacob2, Frances), born about 1775, was a 16-year-old taxable in his father Jacob Chavis's Mecklenburg County household in 1791 [PPTL 1782-1805, frame 369]. He purchased 100 acres in Granville County on Island Creek for £30 on 1 February 1798 and was living in Wake County when he sold this land on 2 August 1813 [DB Q:230; W:119]. He married Rachel Locklear, 29 April 1807 Wake County bond, Irby Philips bondsman. He was taxable on 27 acres in Houses Creek District of Wake County from 1809 to 1813 and sold 27 acres in Wake County on Mine Creek to Curtis Snelling on 11 July 1814. This was probably the 25 acres which (his brother?) John Chavis purchased from Jordan Chavis on 25 July 1805 [DB T:268; Y:94]. He died in 1819 when his widow Rachel petitioned the Wake County court to assign her his perishable estate. John Mangum was administrator of the estate [N.C. Archives CR 099.508.66]. Rachel Chavis was an 85-year-old "Black" woman counted in the 1850 census for the Western Division of Wake County with Piety (age 70), Peggy (65) and James Chavis (40). Her real estate was valued at $45. On 28 August 1850 she made a deed of gift to her niece Fanny Chavers for the land whereon she then lived, adjoining Sylvanus Snelling, deceased, as well as her cattle, hogs and household goods [DB 19:177]. Peter was probably the father of
i. James, born about 1810, counted in the 1850 census in the household of Rachel Chavis.
ii. William, born about 1820, married Fanny Locklear, 24 November 1842 Wake County bond, and was a "Black" man counted in the 1850 census for the Western District of Wake County with wife Fanny and 60-year-old "Black" woman Leathy Locklier.
45. Susannah3 Chavis, born 21 June 1767, was the daughter of Sucky Chavis, "a free mulatto" of Bruton Parish (York and James City counties) [Bruton Parish Register, 31]. She registered in Petersburg on 30 December 1808: Sucky Chavis, a yellowish brown free negro woman, five feet seven and a half inches high, forty [overwritten] years old, born free & raised in Wmsburg [Register of Free Negroes 1794-1819, no. 441]. She was the mother of
i. ?Edward3, born about 1783, registered in York County on 15 August 1808: a slim blk fellow, 25 yrs of age, 5 feet 10-1/2 inches high with fine short curly hair...born of free parents in Bruton Parish, York County [Free Negro Register 1798-1831, no. 34]. He registered in Petersburg on 28 December 1808: a dark brown, near black man, five feet ten and a half inches high, straight & spare made, twenty five years old, born free & raised in York County [Register of Free Negroes 1794-1819, no. 436].
ii. John14, born about 1789, registered in Petersburg on 30 December 1808: a dark brown free Negro man, five feet eight and a half inches high, nineteen years old, son of Sucky Chavis a free woman [Register of Free Negroes 1794-1819, no. 440].
iii. William, born say 1792, "bastard of Susannah Chavous," bound by the Overseers of the Poor of Mecklenburg County to Samuel Holmes, Jr., on 18 January 1800 [Orders 1798-1801, 289].
iv. ?Jeronias(?), born say 1794, bound by the Overseers of the Poor of Mecklenburg County to William Puryear on 14 June 1802 (no parent named) [Orders 1801-3, 251].
v. ?Sarah, born say 1796, bound by the Overseers of the Poor of Mecklenburg County to William Puryear on 14 June 1802 (no parent named) [Orders 1801-3, 251].
46. Benjamin Chavers, born say 1769, was the son of Elizabeth Chavis who was living in Cumberland Parish, Lunenburg County, on 11 May 1769 when the court ordered the churchwardens to bind him to French Haggard, the man her mother was bound to [Orders 1769-77, 112]. On 24 May 1773 the Cumberland County court ordered the churchwardens of Littleton Parish to bind out her "mulattoe" son Ben Chavers to Pleasant Meredith [Orders 1772-4, 216]. He sued William Walker in the Prince Edward County District Court for trespass, assault and battery, but the case was discharged by consent of the parties on 11 April 1794. He was a Mulatto" charged in Cumberland County on 17 July 1797 with burning down the jail, and sent to the district court in Prince Edward County for trial where he was found not guilty on 1 September that year (called Benjamin Chavers of Littleton Parish) [District Court Order Book 2:121, 374]. A suit against him by William Maxey was dismissed by the Cumberland County court on 28 November 1797 [Orders 1792-7, 657; 1797-101, 29]. He married Anna Beverly, 24 August 1801 Franklin County, Virginia bond, Silvester Beverly surety, and was taxable in Franklin County from 1805 to 1820: charged $20 for a 2-wheel riding chair in 1814 [PPTL 1797-1812, frames 566, 592, 707], listed with his unnamed wife, "free negroes," in Pittsylvania County in 1813 [PPTL 1813-23, frame 7]. On 6 January 1807 the Franklin County court ordered that John and Isham Shavers be bound to him (as apprentices). He sued Hawson Gossnell in Franklin County court for assault, but the jury found for the defendant on 4 August 1808. Benjamin registered in Franklin County on 1 May 1809: a Black man about Thirty three Years, about five feet seven Inches high, short coarse hair, born free and served his time with William Meredith of the County of Cumberland, and registered in Pitttsylvania County on 20 February 1826. His wife was probably the Ana Chavis who registered in Pittsylvania County in 1839: a free born woman of Colour, rather light complexion five feet three & a half inches high in shoes, about fifty four years of age [Minutes 1806-11, 93, 219, 273; Griffith, Pittsylvania County Register of Free Negroes, 18, 117]. On 11 March 1811 he purchased 100 acres in Franklin County for £45 and another 62 acres adjoining this land on Chestnut Creek for $100 on 6 September 1812 [DB 6:205, 302]. He was head of a Franklin County household of 3 "free colored" in 1820 and 3 in Pittsylvania County in 1830. Benjamin and Anna may have been the parents of
47. Elizabeth8 Chavis (Anthony, George1), born say 1789, "a woman of Colour," was ordered brought before the Monday, February 1821 session of the Chatham County court so that her children could be bound out as apprentices [Minutes 1816-22]. She may have been the daughter of Anthony Chavis who was living in Mecklenburg County about 1858 when she and other descendants of Thomas Stewart filed a chancery suit [LVA Chancery file 1872-008]. She was a 60-year-old "Mulatto" woman counted in the 1850 census for Chatham County in John Dorsett's household. Her children were
i. Nancy, "a Girl of Colour," born 25 December 1807, bound apprentice to Brooks Brantly by the Monday, May 1821 session of the Chatham County court and bound instead to Hezekiah Dorsett in the Wednesday session.
ii. Polly, born about 1811, "a Girl of Colour" bound apprentice to George Rogers to read, write, and cypher by the Monday, May 1821 session of the Chatham County court.
iii. William, born 10 December 1814, bound to John Dorsett as an apprentice farmer and to be taught to read and write by the Monday May 1821 session of the court.
iv. ?Caty, born about 1819, bound apprentice to David Justice by the Tuesday, May 1826 session of the court, no parent named [Minutes 1822-27].
v. ?Elizabeth10, born about 1819, a nine-year-old "Coloured Girl" bound apprentice to Hezekiah Dorsett by the Tuesday, May 1828 session of the court, no parent named [Minutes 1828-33].
vi. ?Clary, born about 1825, an eleven-year-old "Coloured girl" bound apprentice to Daniel Marsh by the Monday, 8 February 1836 session of the court, no parent named.
48. Ishmael Chavis (Philip1, William1, Bartholomew1), born say 1747, was taxable in Bladen County with his unnamed wife ("Mulatoes") from 1768 to 1774 [Byrd, Bladen County Tax Lists, I:5, 14, 44, 60, 82, 95, 124, 134]. He patented 100 acres in Bladen County on the lower side of Long Swamp, northeast of Drowning Creek, on 14 May 1772 [Hoffman, Land Patents, II:265]. He and his wife Reigel sold this land on 20 December 1774 [DB 23:501]. He was paid for service in the Wilmington District Militia during the Revolution [DAR, Roster of Soldiers from North Carolina in the American Revolution, 325]. He was taxable in Bladen County on 100 acres and 1 poll in Captain Cade's District in 1784. He sold another 100 acres on the south side of Long Swamp on 22 January 1788 in what was then Robeson County and sold 100 acres on the west side of Drowning Creek on 26 December 1795. He bought 100 acres on the north side of Back Swamp in 1796 and sold it eight years later to Thomas Lowry on 17 May 1804 [DB A:189; E:402; F:93; O:163]. He was head of a Robeson County household of 10 "other free" in 1790 [NC:48], and 8 in 1800 [NC:371]. Perhaps his children were
i. John9, born say 1774, head of a Robeson County household of 6 "other free" and a white woman in 1800 [NC:370] and 5 "other free" in 1810 [NC:222].
ii. Albert, head of a Robeson County household of 5 "other free" in 1800 [NC:370].
iii. Joseph3, born say 1785, head of a Robeson County household of 4 "other free" in 1810 [NC:218].
49. Erasmus Chavis (Philip1, William1, Bartholomew1), born say 1768, was head of a Bladen County household of 3 "other free" in 1790 [NC:188], 9 in 1800, 14 in 1810 (called Erasmus Shavers) [NC:195], and 12 "free colored" in 1820 [NC:136]. He was the father of
i. Rachel Carter, who on 25 May 1839 appointed (her brother?) Eliah Chavis of Robeson County her attorney to sell her share of her father's land [DB X:224].
ii. Eliah.
50. Henry5 Chavers, born say 1832, emigrated to Liberia on 3 July 1857 [American Colonization Society Papers, microfilm, reel 314, by Bell I. Wiley]. He dictated a letter from Liberia to Dr. Ellis Malone of Louisburg in Franklin County, North Carolina, on 2 August 1857 describing his great pleasure in being in the: Land of Freedom...a nation of free and happy Children of a hitherto downcast and oppresed Race...Tell them I now begin to enjoy life as a man should do...did my Coloured Friends only know or could they have seen what I already have seen they would not hesitate a moment to come to this Glorious Country. He asked Dr. Malone to give his respects to All my relations at Dunsans up Tar River (and to) tell Hilray Dunsans to come and bring all his tools [Wiley, Slaves No More, 272-3].
Other members of the Chavis family were
i. William, died while serving from North Carolina in the Revolutionary War. His unnamed heirs received a warrant for 640 acres which they assigned to William Phillips before 6 December 1797 [North Carolina and Tennessee, Revolutionary War Land Warrants, 1783-1843, Survey Orders (Nos. 1-3992), no. 5058. (http://ancestry.com)].
ii. James, died before 8 November 1790 when the Louisa County, Virginia court granted Duncan Holmes administration on his estate [Orders 1790-3, 180].
iii. Shadrack, born about 1761, enlisted in the Revolution on 1 August 1778 for 3 years and was listed in the roll of Captain William Taylor's Company of the 2nd Virginia Regiment commanded by Christian Febiger, Esquire, for July 1778 to August 1779: sick at Valley Forge in July 1778 [NARA, M246, roll 96, frames 136, 176, 180, 182 of 736 also http://fold3.com/image/10069450, 10079300]. He was called Shadrach Shavers when he appeared in Stafford County court on 14 December 1818 and 12 February 1821 at the age of 60 to apply for a pension for his service in the Revolution. He stated that he enlisted for 3 years in the spring of 1778 at Valley Forge in the 2nd Virginia Regiment commanded by Colonel Febicker and injured one of his ankles which rendered him incapable of service, so he came to Virginia with Captain Cunningham. Captain George Burroughs deposed that he knew Shadrack in the service and that he was acting as bowman to Captain John P. Harrison of the 2nd Virginia Regiment. At the time of his application Shadrack was living with his wife, aged about 55, and a 3 year old granddaughter [NARA, S.38,368, M804, roll 2159, frame 1393 of 1408 also http://fold3.com/image/16443948]. Shadrack Shavers was a "B.M." taxable in Stafford County from 1810 to 1813 [PPTL, 1782-1813, frames 737, 800, 858] and head of a Stafford County household of 3 "free colored" in 1820.
iv. Allen, listed in the payroll and muster of Captain James Lucas in the 4th Virginia Regiment commanded by Colonel Thomas Elliot from 1 April 1777 to 1 June 1777, listed as dead or deserted in July 1777 [NARA, M246, roll 99, frame 619, 653, 656 of 760].
v. Jeremiah, listed in the militia infantry commanded by Lieutenant John Middleton in the 3rd Company of the 1st Battalion of the 1st Regiment of Wilkes County, Georgia, from 16 June 1793 to 26 August 1794 [NARA, M905, http://fold3.com/image/ 287082964].
vi. Jordan1, "Mulatoe" head of a Cheraw District, South Carolina household of an "other free" male over the age of 16 and 4 "other free" females in 1790 [SC:358].
vii. Molly Chevice, head of a Gloucester County, Virginia household of a white woman and 10 "other free" persons.
viii. Elizabeth7, head of a Richland District, South Carolina household of 3 "other free" in 1810 [SC:177a].
ix. Zedekiah Chavers, born about 1775 in South Carolina, a "free colored" man living alone in Barnwell District, South Carolina in 1830 [SC:190], a 75-year-old "Black" man living alone in Washington Parish, Louisiana, in 1850 [LA:456].
x. Jonathan, a "poor free fellow" who apprenticed himself to John Brown during the life of Brown to be taught farming in Marion County, South Carolina, on 2 February 1801 [DB A:145].
xi. John13, born say 1788, head of a Richland District, South Carolina household of 3 "other free" in 1810 [SC:175a].
xii. John12 Chavers, born say 1785, head of a St. Landry Parish, Louisiana household of 6 "free colored" in 1820 [LA:108] and 10 "free colored" in 1840, probably the ancestor of John Chavis, constable for St. Landry's Parish on 27 July 1868 [Bonds Book 4:164].
xiii. Joseph2 Chavers, born about 1784, head of a Washington Parish, Louisiana household of a "free colored" man and 3 white females in 1830 [LA:20], listed as a white man born in South Carolina in the household of a white woman named Mary Hoffman in Washington Parish, Louisiana, in 1850 [LA:456].
xiv. Aaron, born about 1786, (a farmer) and John Chavers (age 35, a sailor) emigrated to Liberia aboard the Vine in 1826 [http://fold3.com/image/46670238].
xv. William, a constable in Alabama who tried to arrest a white man named Heath. In June 1859 Heath convinced the court that William Chavis could not be a witness against him by showing that "the great grandfather and great grandmother of .. Chavis were .. each .. the progeny of a full-blooded negro and a white person." Some of the witnesses testified that his great grandparents "claimed to be of Indian, and not of negro blood," but the court ruled in Heath's favor [Catterall, Judicial Cases Concerning American Slavery, III:232].
Endnotes:
1. Bartholomew Chavis's grantee deeds:
1 Mar 1719 300 acres north of Roanoke (Cheves, Bartholomew) [Patent Book 3:104].
9 Sep 1722 540 acres north of Roanoke (Chevin, Bartholomew) [Patent Book 8:197].
1 Sep 1721 north of Roanoke [Chowan DB C-1:154].
30 Jul 1726 630 acres south of Roanoke [mentioned in Bertie DB B:289].
Grantor Deeds:
4 Nov 1726 430 acres south of Roanoke [Bertie DB B:312].
30 Mar 1722 100 acres north of Roanoke [Chowan DB C-1:272].
10 May 1728 100 acres north of Roanoke [Bertie DB B:423].
1 Nov 1730 200 acres north of Roanoke [Bertie DB C:289].
2. Mecklenburg was formed from Lunenburg County in 1765.
3. William Chavis's grantee deeds:
Aug 1727 200 acres South of Roanoke [Bertie DB B:289]
8 Mar 1743 400 acres Nutbush Creek [Hoffman, Land Patents, I:233]
15 Aug 1748 300 acres North of Tar River [Granville DB A:82]
14 May 1751 640 acres Sides of Tabbs Cr. [Granville DB B:409]
9 Nov 1751 335 acres West of Tabbs Cr. [Granville DB B:408]
4 Feb 1755 320 acres South of Flat R. [Orange DB 1:40]
9 May 1755 449 acres South Tabbs Creek [Granville]
24 Oct 1761 270 acres Sides of Collins Cr. [Granville DB E:396]
12 Nov 1761 276 acres North of Tar River [Granville DB E:329]
12 May 1762 647 acres Sides of Buffalo Cr [Granville DB E:323]
12 Aug 1762 700 acres South of Tar River [Granville DB E:401]
7 Nov 1762 170 acres North of Tar River [Granville DB F:507]
grantor deeds:
8 Feb 1745 400 acres Nutbush Creek [Edgecombe 5:452]
29 Nov 1748 200 acres North of Tabbs Cr [Granville DB A:66]
4 Mar 1752 300 acres North of Tar River [Granville DB B:47]
6 Sep 1756 340 acres North of Tabbs Cr. [Granville DB C:73]
20 Feb 1760 449 acres South of Tabbs Cr. [Granville DB D:25,26]
13 May 1762 237 acres North of Tar River [Granville DB E:322]
27 Aug 1768 320 acres South of Flat R. [Orange DB 2:549]
25 Oct 1770 300 acres east side of Buffulo Cr. [Warren DB 3:203]
30 Mar 1774 347 acres Sides of Buffalo Cr. [Warren DB 5:183]
4. Bute County was formed from Granville County in 1764.
5. The marriage of Asa Tyner and Keziah Chavis was further confirmed by a 3 September 1767 letter from Anthony Armistead of Northampton County to Col. Samuel Benton, clerk of Granville County. Armistead wrote, "Mathew Ran...is got with old William Chavers, or one Asa Tiner that Married his daughter... Whether old Chavers Lives in Granville or Bute County, I can't tell... [CR 44.928.8 by NCGSJ XI:35].
6. John Smith was probably identical to the John Smith who was found guilty of having a bastard child by Rachel Chavis in Edgecombe County in August 1756 [Haun, Edgecombe County Court Minutes, I:131-2].
7. Thomas Wilson was head of a Granville County household of 2 "other free" in 1810 [NC:861].
8. The marriage date of James M. Chavis and his wife Nancy Stewart (daughter of Archer and Jane Stewart), stated in his biography (15 December 1835), was the same as the date recorded in the Mecklenburg County marriage bonds.
9. Philip Chavis's 15 June 1772 Northampton County deed was signed "John Chavis" without a dower release.
10. Darling Bass named Rhody Anderson's son by Jesse Chavis in his 10 November 1839 Granville County will [WB 16:334].
11. According to the editor of The Princeton Alumni Weekly of 29 March 1935, "it is almost certain" that John Chavis attended Princeton University under Dr. Witherspoon. He further reported that the Princeton trustees' minutes for 26 September 1792 state: Mr. John Todd Henry of Virginia and John Chavis a free Black Man of that State was recommended by the Revd. John B. Smith to be received into this fund (the Leslie Fund for the education of poor and pious youths with a view to the ministry of the Gospel in the Presbyterian Church.)
12. See further the Dunstan history. The Ellis Malone Papers are at the William R. Perkins Library at Duke University [NUCMC, 21-H].