Mary (Robinson) Chastain (1758 - 1847)

Born 29 Dec 1758 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Wife of Henry Robertson — married 1776 in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina

Wife of John Chastain — married 1796 in Pendleton, South Carolina, United States

Descendants

Died 24 Mar 1847 at age 88 in Madison County, Alabama, United States

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Biography

Mary (Robinson) Chastain was a North Carolina colonist.

Mary [unknown birth surname] was born on the 29th of December 1758 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania according to her obituary.^[1] Descendants have used her married name Robertson as her birth surname. Her real birth surname is still being researched.

Her family moved to Mecklenburg County, North Carolina when she was very young where she was raised and educated in the Presbyterian faith.^[1] The family was perhaps one of the Scotch-Ulster Presbyterian families that migrated from Pennsylvania to Mecklenburg County, North Carolina in the mid eighteenth century.

At the age of 18 [1776] she married Henry Robertson, by whom she had five sons.^[1] Mary and Henry Robertson were documented in South Carolina by 1786. Her obituary recorded that she was indoctrinated into the Baptist faith, and In the spring of 1786 she professed faith in Christ under the ministrations of Elder, John Chastain.^[1] Henry died in Ninety Six District in 1787. On the 29th of January 1787, Mary Robertson and John Thomas were granted administration of the Estate of Henry Robertson, deceased. John Ross and Nathaniel Robertson were sureties on the bond.^[2] The order for the inventory of the estate shows Ninety-Six District. In 1789 Pendleton was added to the Ninety-Six District. One of the purchasers recorded on the sale of the estate was John Chastain. Having been married in 1776, her eldest son, James Robertson, was about age nine in 1787 at the time of Henry's death.

The 1790 Census for Pendleton County, South Carolina enumerated the household of Mary Robertson with:

no males over 16, four free white males under 16, three free white females.^[3]

In 1796, the widow Mary Robertson married the elderly Rev. John Chastain, Sr.^[1] The 1800 Census for Pendleton District, South Carolina enumerated the household of John "Shatteen" with:

one male age 16 to 25, one male over age 45,

one female under 10, one female age 10 to 15, one female age 16 to 25, one female over age 45^[4]

The Rev. John Chastain, Sr. 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.^[5] According to descendants, Lavinia was the "third expected." The will was proven in court on the 31st day of July 1805.

After the death of John Chastain, Mary, her son, William Chastain, and her daughter were documented in Tennessee by 1827 and Alabama by 1837. Her older sons by Henry Robertson perhaps migrated with them, or the Chastain's migrated with the Robertson's.

Mrs. Mary Chastain died at the residence of her son, (Elder Wm. Chastain's,) in Madison county, Alabama on the 24th of March, 1847, at the age of 88 years, 2 months and 25 days.^[1][6]

Children

According to the transcribed Bible of Mary Robertson [Robinson] Chastain, the children of Henry Robertson born to Mary [unknown birth surname] were:

• James Robertson, born Oct. 20, 1773 [could be 1778]^[6]
• John Robertson, born Nov. 16, 1779^[6]
• Henry Robertson, born Feb. 27, 1782^[6]
• Richard Robertson, born July 31, 1785^[6]
• Peter Robertson, born June 1, 1787^[6]

The children of Rev. John Chastain, Sr. born to the widow, Mary Robertson

• Violet Chastain (born 17 Dec 1798 - died 17 Dec 1870)^[6]
• William Chastain (born 7 Aug 1801)^[6]
• Lavinia Chastain (born 31 Aug 1803- died 1846)^[6]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5} 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.
2. ↑ South Carolina Probate Records Loose Papers, 1732-1964 Abbeville Probate Court, Probate records 1782-1958 Box 081, Packages 1977-2007, citing Package 1997, Estate of Henry Robertson. Digital images: Familysearch.org [database with images] image 154 - image 157-159 of 232, citing Mary Robertson, John Ross, Nathaniel Robertson.
3. ↑ "United States Census, 1790," database with images, FamilySearch ( : 21 May 2015), South Carolina > Pendleton > Not Stated > column 3, line 35, citing household of Mary Robertson, image 13 of 18; citing NARA microfilm publication M637, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
4. ↑ "United States Census, 1800," database with images, FamilySearch (10 June 2015), South Carolina > Pendleton District > Not Stated > Page 109, household 340, John Shatteen. image 15 of 129; citing NARA microfilm publication M32, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
5. ↑ 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.
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7 6.8} 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.

Acknowledgements

• Profile adopted by Brenda Breland Shaffer 16 September 2021.
• Profile merged with Unknown-588061 managed by Frena Hokans on the 18th January 2022