|
P A
G E 5
Outline
of the Cheuvront Family in America
by:
Wesley L. Cheuvront
from
A Brief History of the Cheuvront Family In America
1:
First Generation in America
Record of the
First Family of Joseph Cheuvront
Mary Elizabeth,
8 Dec. 1777
Catherine,
29 Sept. 1779
Aaron, 14
Mar. 1780
Joseph(2)Jr.,
26 Dec. 1783-Aug. 12 1800
Priscilla,
22 Oct. 1785-Dec. 8 1850
Moses, 30
Dec. 1787-1802
Simeon, 10
Mar. 1790-1800
Caleb, 10
Feb. 1792
Amos, 23
Apr. 1794
Gideon, 14
Feb. 1796
James Liteford,
25 Feb. 1798
1:
MARY ELIZABETH Cheuvront married William Runyan [son
of John Runyan b. c1747 NJ, d. 17Dec 7, 1807, Clarksburg, WV, m. 1771 Augusta
co., VA, Susannah Custer/Kuster b. Apr 25, 1748 VA, d. Sept 12, 1823,
Pleasant Township, Clark Co., OH] on Sept. 22, 1801. [From
"Henckle Genealogy, page 238: "Mary Elizabeth Cheuvront born December 8,
1777 in German Valley, Augusta County, Virginia (now Pendleton County,
West Virginia); married March 23, 1801 Harrison County, Virginia (now West
Virginia) to William Runyan by Reverend John Davis. Surety for marriage
bond was Isaac Runyan. They resided at Jane Lew in Lewis County,
now West Virginia. No other data."] They were first
settled near where Jane Lew [unclear] is now located. William Runyan
was a brother of John Runyan, whose daughter was captured by indians and
murdered 10 miles from her home at the mouth of Freemans Creek. [The
World Family Tree #1702, CD 15, says that the girls name was Ruie, and
was a sister to William, not a niece] The Runyans finally
joined the Elsworths in Clark and Campaign counties, Ohio.
One daughter [Mary
Elizabeth's] married a Thornhill, died and is buried in the Cheuvront family
graveyard. The last indian raid, in which Joseph Cheuvront went to
the aid of a neighbor, William Cardner or Carder,occured July 24, 1794.
(see Chronicles
of Border Warfare, by Alexander Scott Withers
(read
about Withers here).)
[The
following in an article from AWHILE AGO TIMES, A Historical Newspaper
of the Upper Monongalhela Valley, Vol. 1, Number 12, Fairmont, West Virginia
- 1972.
"1974(?)
— Rev. Joseph Cheuvront, West Fork Pioneer, Rescues the Carder Family"
In
the Goodspeed Genealogies, page 431, is the following mention of
Joseph Cheuvront and family to the year 1865:
Joseph
Cheuvront (grandson of the preacher): Among the early settlers and properous
men of this community (Clarksburg), the subject of this sketch take a prominent
place. His birth occurred in Fayette County, PA, July 4, 1821, and
he inherits French blood on the parental and German blood on the maternal
side of his house. His paternal grandfather (Rev.) Joseph Cheuvront,
was born in France . . . .He came to Virginia at an early date, became
a local preacher and also was engaged in farming for many years.
He held a number of local position at Clarksburg, and was a man universally
estemmed. His marriages resulted in the birth of nine children.
Aaron, Gideon, Caleb, Priscilla, and Joseph, born to the first union, and
Thomas, Enoch, and Cassandra born to the second. His son Caleb, father
or our subject, married in Uniontown, Pa., Miss Rebecca Covert. Mr.
Cheuvront (Caleb) followed farming and carpentering the remainder
of his days, his death occurring in Harrison County. His six children
were: Morris, Jesse, Benjaman, Elizabeth, Mary, and Joseph (subject).
This Joseph received his primary education in his native country and when
15 years of age moved with his parents to West Virginia, and settled in
Harrison County, near Clarksburg.
Joseph
early became familiar with carpenter tools and worked with his father for
many years. Later he went to Clarksburg and . . . [sentence cut off
when copied] . . .Fork country he had heard his grandfather tell.
One of these tales, sometimes referred to as the ‘The Preacher And The
Bear Story', is told in part by A. S. Withers in his very valuable book,
‘Chronicles of Border Warfar.', page 419.
Here
we publish the same story, first as told by Withers, second as told by
Joseph Cheuvront, the carpenter, the way he heard it as a boy from Joseph,
the wilderness preacher, his grandfather.
The
Preacher and the Bear,
Or
The Preacher Saves William Carder and Family from the Indians
‘On
the 24th of July, 1794, six Indians visited the West Fork River, and at
the mouth of Freeman's Creek, met and made prisoner, a daughter of John
Runyan. She was taken off by two of the party of savages, but did
not go more than ten or twelve miles, before she was put to death.
The
four Indians who remained, proceded down the river and on the next day
came to the house of William Carder, near below the mouth of Hacker's Creek.
Mr. Carder discovered them approaching in time to fasten his door; but
in the confusion of the minute, shut out two of his children., who however
ran off unperceived by the savages and arrived safely at the house of a
neighbor.
He
(Carder) then commenced firing and hallooing, so as to alarm those who
were near and intimidate the Indians. Both objects were accomplished.
The Indians contented themselves with shooting at the cattle, and then
retreated; and Mr. Cheuvront, who lived hardby, hearing the report of the
guns and the loud cries of Carder, sent his own family to a place of safety,
and with nobleness of purpose, ran to the relief of his neighbor.
He
enabled Carder to remove his family to a place of greater security, although
the enemy were yet near, and engaged in skinning one of the cattle that
they might take with them a supply of meat.
On
the next day a company of men assembled, and went in pursuit; but they
could not trail the savages far, because of the great caution with which
they had retreated, and returned without accomplishing anything.'
(The
Grandson's Story As Told To Levi C. Shinn)
When
grandfather (Rev. Cheuvront) lived on Hacker's Creek, his nearest neighbor
was William Carder, wife, and several children, most of them small.
In July 1794, ten Indians sneaked into the neighborhood, stole several
horses, and murdered a daughter of John . . .[sentence cut off when copied]
. . .through the woods to aid the Carders.
Arriving
at near the Carder cabin, but still in the woods, grandfather found the
Indians busily occupied. They had shot several of Carder's cattle,
and two of them were behind the stable, butchering a large steer.
The other two were squatting behind a stump, firing their rifles into Carder's
house. Carder was still firing his gun and yelling, and his family
were yelling, and several dogs, inside the house, were barking. Grandfather
said the noise coming from the cabin was more frightening than sight of
the Indians. He said, at first, he supposed all the Carders had lost
their minds.
There
was a gully running from the woods in back of the cabin to the creek.
It was deep enough, and brushy enough, to conceal grandfather from the
eyes of the savages, and into it grandfather went running, and firing one
of his pistols, and running on, and firing the other pistol, and running
on, in back of the cabin, and firing his musket, and, running on, and coming
out below the cabin toward the creek, falling on his knees and firing the
rifle at — four swiftly retreating Indians, who supposedly, believed they
were being attacked from the gully by an overwhelming number of whites.
In
this manner grandfather relieved the Carders without having to kill any
of the savages, which pleased him very much, for, though he often went
out on Indian chases, he did not believe in killing human beings if such
could possibly be avoided.
When
the Indians were out of sight, grandfather, yelling to the Carders to keep
still and stop shooting, started up out of the gully toward the cabin,
and there in a thick patch of brambles was met by a hugh and very angry
bear. One look into the bear's eyes and grandfather knew it was time
for him to retreat, and retreat he did with the bear growling at his heels.
The
place of safety chose by him was the roof of the cabin, and there he sat
when the Carders, finally realizing they were no longer in danger, came
from the cabin, and were chased inside it again the the bear.
Finally
the bear, which no one wanted to kill because of the season and the weather
being very hot and dry, finally ambled away, and grandfather, and the Carders,
started out for the Indian House, which in a couple of hours they all reached
in safety."
|
| 2: CATHERINE
Cheuvront married Thomas Stanley on Mar. 29, 1801. [He
was from Stanley's Run, now in Lewis Co. (as of 1950). Fredericksburg,
(Rockbridge Co.) Virginia, d. Ritchie Co., VA, son of William Stanley and
Ann-- b. May 20, 1788 d. 1841], married, Mar. 29, 1801,
[Harrison Co., VA] They finally settled in Ritchie Co. where
there are still many of her descendants. A daughter of a Mr. Stanley
married a Mr. Washburn and they lived in Harrisville (see Lowther's "History
of Richie County").
[From
"Henckle Genealogy, page 238: "Catherine Cheuvront born September 29, 1779
in Fredericksburg, Virginia; married May 29, 1800 Harrison County, Virginia
(now West Virginia) to Thomas Standley. Bond dated May 28, 1800.
Surety Aaron Cheuvront. Marriage by Reverend Joseph Cheuvront, Sr.
Family removed to Ritchie County now in West Virginia. No other data."
Children
of Catherine Cheuvront and Thomas Stanley:
Adam
Stanley b. ?, d. Murphytown, married 1838, Elizabeth Farson, b. Wood Co.,
WV, d.? Children: Joseph M., m. Elizabeth E. Grant; Mary Ann
m. Marcus Montgomery; Henry F.; Jane m. Robert Elliott; Matilda m. John
Stoneking; John C.; William C.
Bridget
Stanley married Joseph Parks; Margret Stanley married ______ Taylor; Mary
Stanley married Eli Watkins; Thomas Stanley Jr., married Mary Grady
John
Stanley b. 1803, m. Feb 27, 1827, Eleanor Ayres b. 1805. Children:
Theodore b. 1827; Sarah A., b. 1830; Mary, b. 1836, m. ____ Jenkins; Eli,
b. 1838; Barcus, b. 1842; Andrew, b. 1846; Thomas, b. c1850; Virginia,
b. 1828; Elizabeth, b. 1834; Daniel, b. 1840; Amanda b. 1844; Phebe m.
___ Lewis.
James
Stanley, b. 1805, married Sarah _____. Children: William H., b. 1839;
James, b. 1849.
William
Stanley, b. 1814, d. 1863, married 1831, Margret Harris, b. 1814.
Children: Martin Van Buren 1840-1913, m. Hannah Shrader; Robert C., d.
1930; Emeretta R. d. 1933, m. ____ Bolinger; James, d. 1828; Theodore,
b. 1850; Nancy A. d. 1928; Thomas, b. 1833.]
|
| 3:
AARON [Charles] Cheuvront [b.
May 14, 1782, Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania Co., VA, d. Feb. 9, 1863, near
Lockhart, Jackson Co., VA.--see Further Notes below. He married
first Matilda Grant, b. Jun 2, 1793, WVA, d. Mar.
6, 1889, Jackson Co., WVA. Married second Sarah Rose Richards b. Oct. 11,
1781, Harrison Co., VA, d. Jan. 10, 1841, Lockhart, Jackson Co., VA].
See notes on children below.
[Further
notes: Birth information taken from Joseph Cheuvront's
Family Bible
by
Rev. Wesley L. Cheuvront and given to Therman Lockhart on Oct. 3, 1938
indicate that Aaron CHEUVRONT was born on in Fredericksburg, Rockbridge
Co., VA. He was the first Blacksmith of Lockhart, Jackson Co. (W)VA.
He died on 9 Feb 1863 in near Lockhart, Jackson Co. (W)VA. and was buried
in Maddox Cem., near Lockhart in Jackson Co., WV.*notes
of C.V. Cheuvront, via Betty Dotson Renick]
Aaron was given the
land where Midway (near Good Hope) is now located, upon which he built
a large two-story log house, weatherboarded and ceiled with the finest
yellow poplar. He later sold the house and surrounding land in 1836
to a James Burnside, an Irishman who had been married on his way to America,
by ship's captain, to a Miss Law.
With his brothers
Amos and James Liteford Aaron jointly purchased 1,000
acres in Jackson Co. 1836 [and then sold their Harrison
County property to move to Jackson County in 1838. WL Cheuvront notes
that "they moved by flat bottom boat down the
West
Fork, Monongahela and Ohio Rivers to Ravenswood and thence over land.
Some
Younger members of the family hacked out a road across the county and
brought
some livestock through." They purchased approximately 2000 acres
in the vicinity of Nesselroad Fork of Sand Creek. Land Grant: 1836, purchased
1000 acres in Jackson County w\his brothers James Liteford and Amos.]
There are many of Aaron's descendants
in Wirt, Roane, and Wood counties. [Aaron and Matilda
Grant's son was Isaac (more about Isaac here),
and Aaron and Sarah's children were: Lemuel, Joseph,
Amos(2), and Elizabeth(2), who married a William O. Maddox.
see
a list of Aaron and Sarah Cheuvront's descendants here, and
more about Lemuel
here.]
{NOTE: WL Cheuvront's text wrongly omitted
Aaron's first wife Matilda Grant, and lists Isaac as Sarah's son.
Information made available by Betty Dotson Renick has allowed me to correct
our data.}
see
headstones of Aaron Charles Cheuvront, Sarah Rose Richards, and Matilda
Grant Cheuvront here
Census:
1850 Jackson County Census 224-228
Aaron
Cheuvront age 68 famer b Harrison Co. VA
Matilda
age 40 b VA
Aaron's
1st marriage was to Matilda Grant, b. Jun 2, 1793, WVA, and our records
list her death as Mar. 6, 1889, Jackson Co., WVA. WL Cheuvront incorrectly
noted Aaron's wife as "Sarah Grant, a relation of President Grant", probably
just a combination of the two women's names, and in addition it's been
pointed out to us that Matilda's death date has Aaron as a bigamist,
so evidently there is some question about the order of the wives!
AARON
CHEUVRONT and MATILDA GRANT's son was
ISAAC[4]
CHEUVRONT, b. August 24, 1802, Harrison Co, WV; d. March 22,
1896,
Roane Co, WV Fairview So Methodist Church near Reedy.]
[From
Henckle Genealogy, page 238: "Aaron Cheuvront born May 14,
1782 Virginia; married (1st) marriage bond July 11, 1803, Harrison County,
Virginia (now West Virginia) to Sarah Richards. Surety for bond Joe
Stout. Married (2nd) Amanda Grant and removed to Jackson County now
in West Virginia. No known issue. He was included in the will of
his father as the oldest son and was to receive 95 acres of Jesse's Run,
Lewis County, Virginia (now West Virginia) provided he pay wife Sarah $25.00
in trade."]
There is much
confusion concerning Aaron and his marriages. Michelle Johns, Shelsteree@aol.com
, wrote recently about him. Aaron's son Isaac's birth year is recorded
as 1802, one year before Sarah and Aaron's marriage in 1803.
Leaving out the possibilities of an illigetimate child, and family error
on the headstone, Sarah was probably not Isaac's mother.
Michell's
records have Aaron appearing in the 1850 Jackson Co., Census with wife
Matilda, age 40. Daughter Elizabeth at the time was 45.
The
names in Michell's records were Matilda Grant, Sarah Richards &
Matilda Bolin\Bolen for the wives of Aaron. Considering that
are Joseph's second wife, Sarah, was a Bollen, and Aaron's half brother
Thomas married a Belinda Grant, Michelle's theory is that all the Bolin's,
Grants, Sarah's, Matilda's , Belinda's etc. have gotten merged together.
What
Michelle, and another distant cousin have concluded is that Aaron was probably
married three times:
1)
Matilda Grant
2)
Sarah Rose Richards
3)
Matilda Bolin\Bolen
*according
to her headstone Sarah's birth date is October 12, 1781 (aged 59y 2M 28D
at death on 1/10/1841)
*Matilda Bolen's
birth was April 02, 1812 (aged 76Y 9M 4D at death Mar 6, 1889)
** Dorothy
Cheuvront Sipe's records indicated that Matilda Grant was born June 2,
1793, which would make her 10yrs old when Isaac was born in 1803.
It is very
possible that there were only two wives,and that Isaac's headstone was
incorrect and Sarah was his natural mother. So far, no one seems to have
anything in the way of recorded documents, other than Aaron's marriage
to Sarah. If anyone knows the answer to this mystery, please drop
Michelle (Shelsteree@aol.com)
a line or write to Dot (dotsipe@aol.com)
or Lyne (Lyneraff@aol.com) .
4: JOSEPH(2)JR.
Cheuvront
died with typhoid fever on Aug. 12, 1800, just six days before his mother
died of the same malady. He was the first one buried in the Cheuvront
Family graveyard that is now in an open pasture on the hill behind the
present [1950 or 1972, unclear] residence of Ray VanScoy. Ray VanScoy
is twice a great-grandson of Joseph Cheuvront Sr. and the only member of
the family [as of 1950] who has any of the
land Joseph originally owned.
(son of Joseph Cheuvront
and Elizabeth Elsworth), was born Dec. 26, 1783, at Fredericksborg, Virginia.
He died August 12, 1800 of typhoid fever, just 6 days before his mother
died with the same malady. He was the first one buried in the Cheuvront
Family grave yard that is now in the open pasture field on the hill back
of the present residence of Ray VanScoy who is twice a great-grandson of
Joseph Cheuvront and the only member of the family that has any of the
land originally owned by Joseph Cheuvront.
From
"Henckle Genealogy, page 238: "Joseph Cheuvront, Jr., born
December 26, 1783 Fredericksburg, Virginia; died August 12, 1800 Good Hope,
Harrison County, Virginia (now West Virginia); buried in the Good Hope
Cemetery."
[see
headstone photos]
5: PRISCILLA
Cheuvront, d/o Joseph Cheruvront and Elizabeth Elsworth, born Oct.22, 1785
prob. Fredericksburg, VA. Married John Powers(2)
on May 29, 1806, [Bridgeport, Marion Co. VA]
and they settled on John's father's property. John's father was William
Powers, a Revolutionary soldier who was given a grant of 400 acres for
his service in the Revolution. A
daughter of Priscilla's died of hydrophobia [rabies] at age 7 or 8 and
is buried in the Cheuvront Family graveyard, and Priscilla, who died Dec.
8, 1850, is buried in Jackson Co. children:
[Sarah A.B. Powers, (Child of Priscilla Cheuvront
and John Powers) b. 1819 Harrison Co. , married Nov. 17, 1851, Sandy,
Jackson Co., WVA, Joseph Chapman (Chap) Cheuvront, (s/o of James Liteford
Cheuvront and Eliza England), b. Sept 1830, Lewis Co., WVA, d. Aug. 18,
1866, Jackson Co., WVA. Children: Viola C.Cheuvront, b. 1852, m.
James H. Plummer Sr.; Levi Cheuvront, b. 1853.
Viola C. Cheuvront (d/o Joseph Chapman Cheuvront and Sarah A.B. Powers),
b. June 15, 1852, m. James H. Plummer, Sr. Children: Effie Plummer;
Frank Plummer; James H. Plummer Jr.; John Plummer; Virgie Plummer; Benjamin
Sanders Plummer, b. Aug. 8, 1887, Carter Caves, KE, d. Dec. 28 1963, South
Shore, KE, m. Betsey Howard.
Levi Cheuvront (s/o Joseph Chapman Cheuvront and Sarah A.B. Powers), b.
Jan 15, 1853, Jackson Co., WVA.
Nancy Powers (Child of Priscilla Cheuvront and John Powers), b. 1824, d.
1831
From
Henckle Genealogy, page 238: "Priscilla Cheuvront born October
22, 1785, Fredericksburg, Virginia; died December 8, 1850; married September
23, 1806 to John Powers of Simpson's Creek."]
William Powers' land
adjoined that of his own father, John 1,at Bridgeport, WV. [John
Powers(1)
was from Frederick Co., Va., settling on Simpson Creek in 1722]
Priscilla and John
later sold their holdings at Bridgeport and joined Priscilla's brothers
in Jackson Co., where they have descendants.
6: MOSES
Cheuvront (son of Joseph Cheuvront and Elizabeth
Elsworth) [was born Dec. 30, 1787, at Coburns
Creek, Harrison County, Virginia] died in 1802 at age 11 or 12,
probably of Typhoid fever. He is buried in the Cheuvront Family graveyard.
From
Henckle Genealogy, page 238: Moses Cheuvront born December
30, 1787 on Coburn's Creek near Good Hope, Harrison County, Virginia (now
West Virginia); died 1802; buried family cemetery near Good Hope, Harrison
County, Virginia (now West Virginia)."
7: SIMEON
Cheuvront died in 1800 at age 10, from an infected cut on his knee.
He is buried in the Cheuvront Family graveyard.
8: CALEB
Cheuvront (Wesley L. Cheuvront's grandfather) was born Feb 10, 1792, and
died May 15, 1865. [WL Cheuvront notes here that his grandfather's headstone
erroneously lists his birth year as 1791.] He died with ulcerated
stomach, then known as "inflammation of the stomach".
[see
Caleb and Rebecca's headstones here]
About 1799 Joseph
Cheuvront built the first frame house in the Upper Monongahela Valley,
of hand-sawn lumber. One room was set apart for itinerant ministers,
and was fitted with fireplace, a bed and bookcase, and was known as "the
preacher's room" as long as the house stood.
At the Baltimore
Conference of 1817 a young preacher named Morris Covert was assigned,
along with two others, to Marrison Circuit, and Morris stayed in the preacher
room in Joseph's house. By Christmas of that year Morris invited
Caleb to accompany him to his home near Uniontown, Pa., where he met Morris'
sister Rebecca Covert. They were married the following July,,
1818.
Rebecca and her brother
Morris were the children of Morris Covert Sr., who owned 300 acres
of land on the Brownsville road 3 to 5 miles from Unionstown, Pa.
Caleb and Rebecca
Cheuvront were married in July, 1818, and went to housekeeping in the
McCune cabin over in the bottom of the old Cheuvront farm. This was
on a part of the land Joseph Cheuvront purchased from Michael and Ann Rohr
of Franklyn Co. Ohio in 1816, for which he paid $800 for the 264 acres
that adjoined land he already owned. It was known as the McCune tract
and Caleb and Rebecca lived there until after the birth of their first
son Morris [named for both grandfather and uncle, Morris Covert] in Sept
1819. In 1819 or 1820 they moved in with Rebecca's parents, Morris and
Mary Mann Covert, in the stone house near Uniontown, Pa.
[W.L. Cheuvront
notes there was an apple tree at one corner of the McCune cabin
that bore apples when Caleb's son Morris was born, and when W.L. visited
the site in 1910 it was "again full of nice apples so it must have borne
apples for 100 years".] [see
list of children of Caleb and Rebecca Covert Cheuvront]
After his father
Joseph[1]'s death, Caleb inheirited 100 acres on the lower end of
the Cheuvront property, which Caleb doubled by purchasing 100 acres from
his half-brother Enoch. This 200 acres comprised the bulk of the
Old Cheuvront Farm that was in the family for 123 years. Caleb moved
into the McCune cabin while he built a large two-story house of hand-dressed
lumber. The shavings from construction were placed [as insulation]
between the weatherboarding and the ceiling, and when the house caught
fire in 1842 nothing could be done to save it. Caleb rebuilt immediately
on the same foundation, finishing a house much like the first one.
It too burned on Dec. 8, 1878, as did a four-room cottage his son Jeremiah
later built on that site.
Rebecca's sister
Catherine Covert married Samuel Doney. Their son was Abram Covert
Doney, and their grandson was Dr. Carl Gregg Doney, president of West Va
Wesleyan College and of Williamette University at Salem, Oregon.
|
-from A Brief History of the Cheuvront Family in
America, J. Howard Cheuvront, 1972
N
E X T |
MY