Lavina (Chastain) Weeks (1803 - 1846)

Born 31 Aug 1803 in Pendleton, South Carolina, United States

Ancestors

Wife of William Shasteen Sr. — married before 1832 in Franklin County, Tennessee, United States

Wife of Samuel Jeptha Weeks — married 20 Nov 1843 in Franklin, Tennessee, United States

Descendants

Died 1846 at about age 42 in Franklin County, Tennessee, United States

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Biography

Lavinia was the daughter of the elderly Rev. John Chastain, Sr. (a Baptist minister) and his third wife, Mary (Unknown) Robertson. According to the transcribed Bible of Mary Chastain, Lavinia was born on the 31st of August 1803.^[1] Mary was the widow of Henry Robertson who died in 1787 in Pendleton, South Carolina.

The elderly Rev. John Chastain wrote his Last Will and Testament on the 15th day of June 1803 referring to the children born to Mary Robertson as two youngest children Violet William & a third expected.^[2] According to descendants, Lavinia was the "third expected". The will was proven in court on the 31st day of July 1805.

According to her mother's obituary, Mary had five sons by Henry Robertson prior to his death which would have been born between 1777 and 1787.^[3] After the death of her father, Lavinia, her brother, William, and her mother removed to Alabama perhaps with her older Robertson half-siblings. Lavinia married William Bowling before 1824 in Alabama or Franklin County, Tennessee. The 1900 Census for daughter Martha Bowling recorded her parents were born in Alabama. (See Birth below )

A series of court records in Franklin County, Tennessee through 1871 documented William Bowling and Lavinia had two daughters Martha Bowling Horton and Mary Bowling Catchins. According to a Franklin County, Tennessee court case in 1871, Martha Bowling was the daughter of Lavina Weeks, wife of Samuel Weeks who died in 1845, by her first husband, Bowling.^[4]

William Bowling died before 1830. The household of Lydia Bolling [transcribed Basting] was enumerated on the 1830 Census for Madison County, Alabama with two females under age 5 and one female age 20 to 30.^[5] Her brother, William Chastain, was documented in Madison County, Alabama in 1837, and that is where Lavinia's mother died.

After the death of William Bowling, Lavinia married William Shasteen, Sr. before 1832. The court case also documents Lavina was also married to one Chastain [Chasteen] before she married Samuel Weeks.^[6] The 1840 Census for Franklin County, Tennessee enumerated the household of William Shasteen with:

two males under 5, one male 5 to 10, 1 male 15 to 20 [child by Shasteen's former wife], 1 male 50 to 60,

one female 5 to 10, two females 15 to 20 [Mary and Martha Bowling], one female 30 to 40, one female 80 to 90^[7]

The name has been spelled Shasteen and Chasteen, and, unfortunately, some descendants have even changed the name on Census records to Chastain. The Shasteen defendants were James Shasteen, guardian of Raney, Margaret, Zachariah, and Benjamin Shasteen , infant heirs of William and Levina Shasteen. ^[8]

Lavina Chasteen married a third time to an elderly man, Samuel Weeks, on the 20th of Nov 1843 in Franklin County, Tennessee.^[9] Samuel Weeks died by April 1845, and noted in his will one third part to my beloved wife, one third part of my daughter Lucinda & and the remaining third to my daughter Louisa Weeks my tract of land to be divided according to quantity and quality my wife to have that part which may include my buildings at should my two daughters before mentioned arrive at the age of maturity and marry...my wife Lavina take care of and raise my daughter Lucinda Weeks until she arrives at the age of maturity.^[10]

Lavinia died about 1846 before the estate case for Chasteen and Weeks were settled.

Family

Marriage #1

William Bowling

Children

1. Martha J (Bowling) Horton (1826-1903)
2. Mary (Bowling) Catchins Kitchings

Marriage #

William Shasteen, Sr.

Children

1. Raniy Shasteen
2. Zachariah Shasteen
3. Benjamin Shasteen
4. Margaret Shasteen - married George Sisk

Marriage #

Samuel Weeks

20 Nov 1843

Franklin County, Tennessee^[9]

Children

1. Louisa Weeks

Research

Research is on-going to document place and date of marriage.

Sources

1. ↑ George Wilson (son of Lillie May Chastain), Transcriber. Transcript of Mary Robertson [Robinson] Chastain's Bible. Date unknown. Privately held by Polly Brown, Greenwille, Texas (now deceased). 1970's. Includes names, birth and death dates of Robertson, Chastain, Akins family members from 1773(?1778) to 1872.
2. ↑ South Carolina Probate Records Bound Volumes, 1671-1977 Anderson Wills, 1791-1834, Wills 1800-1834, page 62-63, citing John Chistain. Digital images: image 59 of 293. Accessed 5 Dec 2020.
3. ↑ Southern Baptist Historical Library and Archives. Tennessee Baptist. Vol. III. Nashville. May 29, 1847. No. 40., Page 2, column 5, New Market, Ala., May 15, 1847, citing Mrs. Mary Chastain. Accessed 7 Dec 2020.
4. ↑ Franklin County, Tennessee, Loose court records, folders 1870-270 (cont.) to 1870-306 (cont.) (1870-1879), citing Chasteen, R. H. vs W. T. Cathings & 1871 others. Digital images: Farmilysearch.org [database with images] Film 008411302. image 1535 to image 1557 of 3196. Accessed 24 Nov 2020.
5. ↑ "United States Census, 1830," database with images, FamilySearch ( : 14 August 2015), Alabama > Madison > Huntsville > entry 3, citing household of Lydia Bolling [transcribed Lydia Basting image 12 of 17; citing NARA microfilm publication M19, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
6. ↑ Tennessee Probate Court Books, 1795-1927 Franklin Wills, 1808-1876, Page 266-269, Sam'l Weeks. Digital images: Farmilysearch.org [database with images] Film 008411302 image 576. Accessed 28 Nov 2020.
7. ↑ "United States Census, 1840," database with images, FamilySearch (24 August 2015), Tennessee > Franklin > Not Stated > line 17, citing Wm. Shasteen Sen, image 45 of 118; citing NARA microfilm publication M704, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).1840 Census Tennessee
8. ↑ Franklin County, Tennessee, Probate, Administers', Executors, & Guardians' Settlement book May 1844- Apr 1848, page 360-361, citing Chasteen. Digital images: Familysearch.org [database with images] Film 004776200. image 202 of 561. Accessed 5 Dec 2020.
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1} "Tennessee Marriages, 1796-1950", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XDSX-RPR : 16 March 2020), Levina Chasteen in entry for Samuel Weeks, 1843.
10. ↑ Tennessee Probate Court Books, 1795-1927 Franklin Wills, 1808-1876 Page 220, Smuel Weeks. Digital images: Familysearch.org [database with image] image 553 of 869. Accessed 20 Nov 2020.

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