Children of Richard Chitwood and James Chitwood of Rutherford County, North Carolina

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: Rutherford, North Carolina, United States

Contents 1 Background 2 Children of Richard Chitwood 2.1 Proven Children of Richard Chitwood 2.2 Speculative Children of Richard Chitwood 3 Children of James Chitwood 3.1 Proven Children of James Chitwood 3.2 Speculative Children of James Chitwood 4 Unplaced 5 Sources

Background

In the 1770s, two brothers left Virginia and headed for what would become Rutherford County, North Carolina. Richard Chitwood and James Chitwood were sons of Matthias Chitwood, Sr., and Mary Key. They both died in the 1780s, and neither left informative estate papers establishing the names of their children. The purpose of this page is an attempt to sort out which of the Chitwoods who appeared in Western North Carolina and Upstate South Carolina in the 1780s and 1790s were children of which brother.

Although there is no complete list of the children of either Richard Chitwood or James Chitwood’s, some of them are known with certainty. By examining the lives of their proven children, one can make speculative assertions regarding their otherwise unproven children.

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Children of Richard Chitwood

Proven Children of Richard Chitwood

• James Chitwood- According to his Revolutionary War pension statement, he was born 21 June 1751 in Cumberland County, Virginia.^[1] On 12 October 1773, he and his sisters witnessed a deed in which their parents sold land in Bedford County, Virginia, and the deed was described as having been made “upon the Plantation of the said Richard and in the presence of his son James Cheatwood and his Daughters Mary Ann and Elizabeth Cheatwood.”^[2] On 4 July 1785, he was granted letters of administration on the estate of his father Richard Chitwood in Rutherford County, North Carolina.^[3]
• Elizabeth Chitwood - She was probably born in Cumberland County, Virginia, in the 1740s. On 12 October 1773, she witnessed a deed in which her parents sold land in Bedford County, Virginia, and the deed was described as having been made “upon the Plantation of the said Richard and in the presence of his son James Cheatwood and his Daughters Mary Ann and Elizabeth Cheatwood.”^[4] No latter record of her has been discovered. She is often confused with her cousin of the same name listed below.
• Mary Ann Chitwood - She was probably born in Cumberland County, Virginia, in the 1740s. On 12 October 1773, she witnessed a deed in which her parents sold land in Bedford County, Virginia, and the deed was described as having been made “upon the Plantation of the said Richard and in the presence of his son James Cheatwood and his Daughters Mary Ann and Elizabeth Cheatwood.”^[5] About 1771, she had given birth to a son named William out of wedlock. At the July 1774 term of court, in Tryon County, North Carolina, the court ordered “William Cheatwood an Orphan Child of Mary Ann Cheatwood be brought into next October Court in order to his being bound and that Richard Cheatwood have & keep the said Boy in the mean time.”^[6] At the next term of court, in October 1774, it was ordered that “William Cheatwood a Bastard Child of Mary Cheatwood aged three years be bound unto William McKinney to learn the art, Trade, or Mystery of a House Carpenter and House Joiner to serve him untill he shall arrive to the age of Twenty one years.”^[7] No later record of either her or her son has been discovered.

Speculative Children of Richard Chitwood

• Shadrack Chitwood - He was probably born in the late 1750s in Virginia. He, along with Moses Chitwood, was convicted of treason by the Superior Court of Salisbury in 1779. They were both sentenced to death, but they were recommended for clemency on 18 October 1779.^[8] He was again charged with treason at the January 1783 term of court in Rutherford County, North Carolina.^[9] In 1790, he was enumerated, along with Daniel Chitwood, in neighboring Pendleton County, South Carolina.^[10] In 1795, James Chitwood, proven son of Richard Chitwood mentioned above, sold 100 acres he had been granted in Rutherford County, North Carolina, on 4 January 1792. One of the witnesses was Shadrack Chitwood.^[11] He moved, along with the same James Chitwood, to Pulaski County, Kentucky. He later lived in Illinois.
• Moses Chitwood - He was probably born in the 1750s in Virginia. He, along with Shadrack Chitwood, was convicted of treason by the Superior Court of Salisbury in 1779. They were both sentenced to death, but they were recommended for clemency on 18 October 1779.^[12] No later record of him has been found.
• Daniel Chitwood - He was probably born in the early 1760s in Virginia. In 1782, he served in Capt. Philemon Waters' Light Dragoons along with James Chitwood, proven son of Richard Chitwood.^[13] He was charged with treason at the January 1783 term of court in Rutherford County, North Carolina.^[14] In 1790, he was enumerated, along with Shadrack Chitwood, in neighboring Pendleton County, South Carolina.^[15] He eventually moved to Georgia.
• Pleasant Chitwood - He was probably born in the mid-1760s in Virginia. He moved to Tennessee and died in the 1840s. The primary reason he is included among the speculative children of Richard Chitwood is that the only other early Pleasant Chitwood was a son of James Chitwood, proven son of Richard Chitwood.

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Children of James Chitwood

Proven Children of James Chitwood

• James Chitwood was probably born in the early 1760s in Virginia. He seems to have been charged with treason at the January term of court in Rutherford County, North Carolina. Among the many charged at the time were both a James Chitwood and a James Chitwood, Jr.^[16] He continued to live in Rutherford County, North Carolina, until the 1820s when he moved to Georgia.
• Richard Chitwood - He was born about 1764 in Virginia. He was mentioned “my brother Richard Chitwood deceased” in the 1850 will of Seth Chitwood.^[17]
• Seth Chitwood - He was born about 1766 in Virginia. He was mentioned as a brother of James Chitwood of Rutherford County, North Carolina, in a letter from 1809.^[18] He seems to have never married. He made his will in 1850 in Ralls County, Missouri, and mentioned his “beloved brother John Chitwood,” his “brother Richard Chitwood deceased,” and his “sister Caty Burts.”^[19]
• John Chitwood - He was born about 1773, probably in Virginia. He was mentioned as a brother of James Chitwood of Rutherford County, North Carolina, in the 1809 letter mentioned above. He seems to have never married. He was mentioned in the 1850 will of Seth Chitwood as his “beloved brother John Chitwood.”^[20] He died in Missouri in the 1860s.
• Catherine "Caty" Chitwood - She was mentioned as “my sister Caty Burts” in the 1850 will of Seth Chitwood.^[21]
• Elizabeth "Betty" Chitwood - She was mentioned as “your sister Betty” in the 1809 letter to James Chitwood of Rutherford County, North Carolina, referred to above.^[22] She married first to a Whiteside. She married twice more. She moved to Missouri in the 1790s.

Speculative Children of James Chitwood

• Joshua Chitwood - He was probably born in the early 1760s in Virginia. He was charged, along with a James Chitwood, with treason in Rutherford County, North Carolina, in January of 1783.^[23] He moved to Botetourt County, Virginia, where he took out a bond to marry Jane Robinson on 27 April 1786. The bondsman was Richard Chitwood, proven son of James Chitwood mentioned above.^[24] He eventually moved to Ohio.
• Amos Chitwood - He was probably born in the late 1760s in Virginia. On 18 September 1786, he served as one of the chain bearers with James Chitwood, Jr., had a land grant surveyed in Rutherford County, North Carolina. The other chain bearer was Seth Chitwood, another proven son of James Chitwood.^[25] He eventually moved to Indiana.

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Unplaced

• Joseph Chitwood - Among those charged with treason in Rutherford County, North Carolina, in January of 1783 was a Joseph Chitwood.^[26] As this is the only surviving record to mention him, it is possible that the record actually refers to Joshua Chitwood. Otherwise, he must have died young as no later record has been found.

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Sources

1. ↑ “Southern Campaigns American Revolution Pension Statements & Rosters, Transcription of the Pension Application of James Chitwood, Campbell County, Tennessee, 11 December 1832, (accessed 21 February 2022); citing Pension Application of James Chitwood S1751.
2. ↑ “Bedford County, Virginia, Deed Books, 1754-1901,” images, FamilySearch, Richard and Winny Cheatwood to Alexander Speirs & Co., 12 October 1773, (accessed 21 February 2022); citing Bedford County, Virginia, Deed Book 5, page 233. 12 October 1773, Richard Cheatwood and Winny his wife of Bedford County, Virginia, to Alexander Speirs & Co., merchants of Glasgow, £26.13.0, 298 acres adjoining Christopher Johnson, Isham Blankenship, and Byron Ballard where he now lives. Witnessed by James Cheatwood, Elizabeth Cheatwood, Mary Ann Cheatwood, Robert Brooks, David Irvine, James Cheatwood, Chesly Woodward, and Robert Cowen. Signed Richard (R) Cheatwood and Winney (+) Cheatwood. “upon the Plantation of the said Richard and in the presence of his son James Cheatwood and his Daughters Mary Ann and Elizabeth Cheatwood.”
3. ↑ “Rutherford County, North Carolina, Minutes, Pleas, and Quarter Session, 1779-1868,” images, FamilySearch, Minutes, 4 July 1785, (accessed 11 March 2022); citing Minutes, 1779-1798. “Ordered that letters of Administration issue to James Chitwood on the goods & Chattels, Rights & Credits of Richard Chitwood Deceased, the said Administrator gives bond with William Twitty & John Miller in the sum of Two hundred pounds Security.”
4. ↑ “Bedford County, Virginia, Deed Books, 1754-1901,” images, FamilySearch, Richard and Winny Cheatwood to Alexander Speirs & Co., 12 October 1773, (accessed 21 February 2022); citing Bedford County, Virginia, Deed Book 5, page 233. 12 October 1773, Richard Cheatwood and Winny his wife of Bedford County, Virginia, to Alexander Speirs & Co., merchants of Glasgow, £26.13.0, 298 acres adjoining Christopher Johnson, Isham Blankenship, and Byron Ballard where he now lives. Witnessed by James Cheatwood, Elizabeth Cheatwood, Mary Ann Cheatwood, Robert Brooks, David Irvine, James Cheatwood, Chesly Woodward, and Robert Cowen. Signed Richard (R) Cheatwood and Winney (+) Cheatwood. “upon the Plantation of the said Richard and in the presence of his son James Cheatwood and his Daughters Mary Ann and Elizabeth Cheatwood.”
5. ↑ “Bedford County, Virginia, Deed Books, 1754-1901,” images, FamilySearch, Richard and Winny Cheatwood to Alexander Speirs & Co., 12 October 1773, (accessed 21 February 2022); citing Bedford County, Virginia, Deed Book 5, page 233. 12 October 1773, Richard Cheatwood and Winny his wife of Bedford County, Virginia, to Alexander Speirs & Co., merchants of Glasgow, £26.13.0, 298 acres adjoining Christopher Johnson, Isham Blankenship, and Byron Ballard where he now lives. Witnessed by James Cheatwood, Elizabeth Cheatwood, Mary Ann Cheatwood, Robert Brooks, David Irvine, James Cheatwood, Chesly Woodward, and Robert Cowen. Signed Richard (R) Cheatwood and Winney (+) Cheatwood. “upon the Plantation of the said Richard and in the presence of his son James Cheatwood and his Daughters Mary Ann and Elizabeth Cheatwood.”
6. ↑ “Court Minutes of Tryon and Lincoln Counties, North Carolina, 1769-1782,” images, FamilySearch, Minutes of July 1774, (accessed 11 March 2022); citing Minutes, 1774-1782.
7. ↑ “Court Minutes of Tryon and Lincoln Counties, North Carolina, 1769-1782,” images, FamilySearch, Minutes of October 1774, (accessed 11 March 2022); citing Minutes, 1774-1782.
8. ↑ Walter Clark, The State Records of North Carolina, Vol. XXII, (Goldsboro, NC: Nash Brothers, 1907), page 959. Accessed 14 March 2022.
9. ↑ “Rutherford County, North Carolina, Minutes, Pleas, and Quarter Session, 1779-1868,” images, FamilySearch, Minutes of January 1783, (accessed 11 March 2022); citing Minutes, 1779-1798. David Miller v. James McDaniel & Others, for treason.
10. ↑ "United States Census, 1790," database with images, FamilySearch, Shadrack Chitwood, Pendleton District, South Carolina, (accessed 14 March 2022); citing NARA microfilm publication M637, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
11. ↑ “Rutherford County, North Carolina, Deed Records, 1779-1962,” images, FamilySearch, James Chitwood to David Moffet, 1795, (accessed 14 March 2022); citing Rutherford County, North Carolina, Deed Book M-Q, page 317. For £100, 100 acres on both sides of Little Broad River adjoining Henry Runnalds granted to James Chitwood on 4 January 1792. Witnessed by Isaac White and Shaderick (X) Chitwood. Signed James Chitwood.
12. ↑ Walter Clark, The State Records of North Carolina, Vol. XXII, (Goldsboro, NC: Nash Brothers, 1907), page 959. Accessed 14 March 2022.
13. ↑ “Southern Campaigns American Revolution Pension Statements & Rosters, Transcription of Documents Related to Daniel Chitwood, 1782-1783, (accessed 21 February 2022).
14. ↑ “Rutherford County, North Carolina, Minutes, Pleas, and Quarter Session, 1779-1868,” images, FamilySearch, Minutes of January 1783, (accessed 11 March 2022); citing Minutes, 1779-1798. David Miller v. James McDaniel & Others, for treason.
15. ↑ "United States Census, 1790," database with images, FamilySearch, Daniel Chitwood, Pendleton District, South Carolina, (accessed 14 March 2022); citing NARA microfilm publication M637, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
16. ↑ “Rutherford County, North Carolina, Minutes, Pleas, and Quarter Session, 1779-1868,” images, FamilySearch, Minutes of January 1783, (accessed 11 March 2022); citing Minutes, 1779-1798. David Miller v. James McDaniel & Others, for treason.
17. ↑ “Ralls County, Missouri, Wills,” images, FamilySearch, Will of Seth Chitwood, Sr., 23 February 1850, Ralls County, Missouri, (accessed 26 February 2022); citing Ralls County, Missouri, Will Book B, page 109.
18. ↑ St. Louis Genealogical Society Quarterly, Vol. 12, No. 2, Summer 1979, p. 102. Thomas Thomson to James Chitwood, 26 May 1809, “Richard Chitwoods family and your sister Betty's family is in good health. Your brothers Seth and John Chitwood is well.”
19. ↑ “Ralls County, Missouri, Wills,” images, FamilySearch, Will of Seth Chitwood, Sr., 23 February 1850, Ralls County, Missouri, (accessed 26 February 2022); citing Ralls County, Missouri, Will Book B, page 109.
20. ↑ “Ralls County, Missouri, Wills,” images, FamilySearch, Will of Seth Chitwood, Sr., 23 February 1850, Ralls County, Missouri, (accessed 26 February 2022); citing Ralls County, Missouri, Will Book B, page 109.
21. ↑ “Ralls County, Missouri, Wills,” images, FamilySearch, Will of Seth Chitwood, Sr., 23 February 1850, Ralls County, Missouri, (accessed 26 February 2022); citing Ralls County, Missouri, Will Book B, page 109.
22. ↑ St. Louis Genealogical Society Quarterly, Vol. 12, No. 2, Summer 1979, p. 102. “Richard Chitwoods family and your sister Betty's family is in good health. Your brothers Seth and John Chitwood is well.”
23. ↑ “Rutherford County, North Carolina, Minutes, Pleas, and Quarter Session, 1779-1868,” images, FamilySearch, Minutes of January 1783, (accessed 11 March 2022); citing Minutes, 1779-1798. William Gilbert v. James Chitwood, Joshua Chitwood, and others, for treason.
24. ↑ “Botetourt County, Virginia, Marriage Bonds, 1770-1850,” images, FamilySearch, Marriage Bond of Joshua Chitwood and Jane Robinson, 27 April 1786, Botetourt County, Virginia, (accessed 24 February 2022); citing Botetourt County, Virginia, Marriage Bonds, 1770-1815.
25. ↑ “North Carolina, U.S., Land Grant Files, 1693-1960,” database with images, Ancestry, Land Grant to James Chitwood, issued 9 August 1787, Rutherford County, North Carolina, (accessed 14 March 2022); citing North Carolina Land Grants, North Carolina State Archives, Raleigh, North Carolina. Grant of 300 acres on the head of Brushy Creek near the Flint Hill Road including a new cabin, entered 6 May 1786, surveyed 18 September 1786, Chain bearers: Amos Chitwood and Seth Chitwood.
26. ↑ “Rutherford County, North Carolina, Minutes, Pleas, and Quarter Session, 1779-1868,” images, FamilySearch, Minutes of January 1783, (accessed 11 March 2022); citing Minutes, 1779-1798. David Miller v. James McDaniel & Others, for treason.