Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/6543368/christopher-david-chenault : accessed 19 February 2022), memorial page for Christopher David Chenault (22 May 1846–24 Apr 1925), Find a Grave Memorial ID 6543368, citing The Lexington Cemetery, Lexington, Fayette County, Kentucky, USA ; Maintained by Jeffrey James (contributor 47902931) .
Note
Note: The biography of Christopher David Chenault from History of Kentucky,
Vol. III, (S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1928) follows: Lexington is a
monument to the combined efforts of many men of determination,
enterprise and ability and in this classification belonged Christopher
David Chenault, who was long numbered among the city's leading
financiers. He was a railroad builder as well, and a recognized leader
in political circles of Kentucky. He was a man of resourceful nature,
varied talents and pronounced public spirit, and his was a successful
career in the highest sense of the term.
Mr. Chenault was born May 22, 1846, in Madison county, Kentucky, and
was a member of one of the oldest families of the south. He was a
descendant of Stephen Chenault, who was a follower of John Calvin and
owing to religious persecution left his home in southern France about
1700 in company with his wife. He was the founder of the family in
America and was one of the colony of two hundred Huguenots who
received from the colonial government of Virginia a grant of land in
Monikin Town, then in Powhattan county, but now included within the
boundaries of Goochland county. From that original seat they and
others of the same extraction have spread to all parts of the country,
winning respect and honor wherever they have gone. Among the children
of Stephen Chenault was Hugo, whose son, Hugo, Jr., married a Miss
Dabney or D'Aubigne. They were the parents of William Chenault, who
chose Elizabeth Mullins as his wife, and their son, William, Jr.,
married Susanna Phelps. They became the parents of Waller Chenault,
who was joined in wedlock to Talitha Harris, and to their union was
born a son, Christopher David Chenault. Talitha Harris was a daughter
of Overton and Nancy Harris. When Henry Clay made his famous speech on
home industries while a member of the United States senate he wore a
suit of jeans, fashioned for him by Nancy Harris. They were composed
of wool sheared from sheep presented to her by Senator Clay, and she
spun the wool, wove the cloth and made the suit.
When but five years old Mr. Chenault received instruction from
Governor McCullough, and his studies were continued under John L.
Waller at Green Hill Academy, a school located on the home farm and
built especially by his father, General C. M. Clay, Samuel Bennett and
Joseph Chenault for the education of their children. He was next
taught by William and Jason W. Chenault and completed his education at
Harrodsburg, Kentucky, at the age of fifteen. The Civil war was then
in progress and the battle of Richmond had been won by Kirby Smith.
Having resolved to enter the Confederate army as a member of
Chenault's Brigade, he went as far as Richmond at the time of the
retreat from Kentucky, but was persuaded by his brother, Captain Joe
Chenault, to return home and care for his mother and the fanlily of
six younger children. After the southern army retreated the federal
authorities ordered his arrest and, acting on information given him by
his cousin, John Bennett, Mr. Chenault left immediately for Ohio. He
completed a course in bookkeeping and banking at the Bartlett
Commercial College in Cincinnati and as soon as it was safe returned
home. He took charge of the books of Burton & Holloway, owners of a
large dry goods establishment in Richmond, but the work proved
uncongenial and he returned to the farm. He abandoned agricultural
pursuits in 1870 and entered the Madison National Bank at Richmond in
the capacity of bookkeeper. His worth was soon recognized and at the
end of two years he was promoted to the responsible position of
cashier, which he filled for about thirty years. In 1902 he brought
his family to Lexington and soon afterward became cashier of the
National Exchange Bank, which was subsequently merged with the Central
Bank. The new organization started with a capital of six hundred
thousand dollars and adopted the name of the Lexington Bank & Trust
Company, of which Mr. Chenault was chosen cashier. He gave to the
corporation the services of an expert and his connection with the
institution brought to it additional prestige. Subsequently the
business was consolidated with that of the Phoenix National Bank under
the style of the Phoenix Third National Bank, which is now one of the
largest and strongest financial institutions in the state.
On August 1, 1872, Mr. Chenault married Miss Florence Dillingham, who
died in February, 1890, leaving a family of four children: Margaret,
Joe, Florrie and Kittie. On March 30, 1892, Mr. Chenault was united in
marriage to Miss Sallie Gibson Humphreys, who is a member of one of
the first families of Woodford county, and resides in their attractive
home at 461 North Limestone street, Lexington.
Like most of his family, Mr. Chenault was a strong adherent of the
Baptist faith and for a number of years was superintendent of the
Sunday school of his church at Richmond, also acting as moderator of
the Tates Creek Association at the old Gilberts Creek church. In
politics he was a stalwart democrat and never wavered in his
allegiance to the party. He was chairman of the Madison county
democratic committee and during the entire term of Congressman James
B. McCreary was chairman of the eighth congressional district. He was
made financial commissioner of Madison county and was largely
instrumental in building the railroad from Paris to Livingston, also
the line from Versailles to Beattyville, becoming its president. He
was an executive of more than average capacity and about twenty years
of his life were devoted to the development of railroad facilities
that transformed Estill and Lee counties into two of the most
prosperous in the state. He gave his best efforts to every task that
he undertook and the spirit of progress actuated him at all points in
his career. He had the welfare of his community deeply at heart and
was ever ready to further plans for its improvement. He possessed that
high sense of honor which constitutes the vital essence of the
gentleman, and his death on April 23, 1925, deprived Lexington of one
Publication: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com. Original data: Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members.
Note: This information comes from 1 or more individual Ancestry Family Tree files. This source citation points you to a current version of those files. Note: The owners of these tree files may have removed or changed information since this source citation was created.
Publication: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2007.Original data - Kentucky. Kentucky Birth, Marriage and Death Records Microfilm (1852-1910). Microfilm rolls #994027-994058. Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives, Frankfort,
Publication: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2000.Original data - Commonwealth of Kentucky, Health Data Branch, Divisision of Epidemiology and Health Planning. Kentucky Death Index, 1911-present. Frankfort, KY, USA: Kentucky Department
Publication: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2010. Images reproduced by FamilySearch.Original data - Fourteenth Census of the United States, 1920. (NARA microfilm publication T625, 2076 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Reco
Publication: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. Images reproduced by FamilySearch.Original data - 1860 U.S. census, population schedule. NARA microfilm publication M653, 1,438 rolls. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records
Publication: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006.Original data - Thirteenth Census of the United States, 1910 (NARA microfilm publication T624, 1,178 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Was
Publication: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.Original data - United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Twelfth Census of the United States, 1900. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1900. T623, 18
Note:
APID: 1,7602::0
Is Christopher your ancestor? Please don't go away! Login to collaborate or comment, or contact
the profile manager, or ask our community of genealogists a question.
Sponsored Search by Ancestry.com
DNA Connections
It may be possible to confirm family relationships with Christopher by comparing test results with other carriers of his Y-chromosome or his mother's mitochondrial DNA.
However, there are no known yDNA or mtDNA test-takers in his direct paternal or maternal line.
It is likely that these autosomal DNA test-takers will share some percentage of DNA with Christopher: