Individual Details
Major William Chenoweth
(10 Jun 1760 - 16 Aug 1828)
The Chenoweth Family Site online has the following narrative on William Chenoweth:
Born in Hampshire Co., Virginia (now WV), William was the fourth and last child of William and Ruth Calvert Chenoweth. Like his two older bothers, John and Jonathan, he would serve in the Revolutionary War. William served from Virginia sometime before 1780. Though no details of this service are known, William did receive a land grant in Kentucky afterwards. Later he saw service in the Kentucky area, primarily against Indian raiders.
In March 1780, at the age of nineteen, he joined a small party of settlers at Fort Pitt planning on going to Kentucky. William's Uncle Richard had gone to Kentucky a couple of years earlier. The group was made up of Col. Isaac Cox, his wife, several other Cox families, and some Negro slaves. They rafted down the Ohio to the falls, where Louisville now stands.
This journey proved harrowing as Indians attacked them and, though William escaped, two of the party were killed. Near the mouth of the Great Kanawha river, hearing what they thought to be wild turkeys on the river bank, William, two of the Cox men and one of the slaves rowed to the bank in a canoe to replenish their food supply. As soon as they touched the shore, they were attacked by Indians who had deceived them by imitating turkey calls. The Negro slave and one of the Cox's were killed. William, unhurt, jumped into the river and swam for his life. The other Cox man escaped in the canoe, picked William up, and they made it safely back to their flatboats in the middle of the river. The bereaved party voyaged on to reach the Falls of the Ohio (now Louisville).
William joined the Militia to protect and fight for the new Kentucky settlements. Records show him on the payroll of Capt Swan's Company of Militia under Col. W. Linn in the command of General George Rodgers Clark on July 18, 1780 and again for 35 days, Oct-Nov 1782 in the Jefferson Militia activated to "repel an invasion of the enemy Indians" under Gen. Clark. On June 28, 1792, he was elected Lieutenant in the 3rd Regiment (Logan and part of Nelson Counties) and on Nov 16, 1797, he is listed as a Captain in the celebrated "Cornstalk Militia".
In the course of this he met his future wife, the widow Mary Henton, daughter of Jacob Van Meter and Letitia Strode. In the fall of 1779, the Van Meter family had begun their migration from Frederick County, Virginia to Kentucky County, Virginia. This group included their daughter Mary, her husband David Henton, and their two young children, Hester and John. During the journey David Henton accidently drowned in the Ohio River. Mary and the children continued on to Kentucky with the rest of the family. On March 1, 1781, in Jefferson Co., (which had been formed from Kentucky County in 1780), William Chenoweth was appointed administrator of the estate of David Henton. Just 7 months later he and the widow Mary married. Three years after their marriage this area became Nelson Co., as it was formed in 1784 from Jefferson. These and the other counties in the area held conventions between 1784 and 1792 to discuss statehood for Kentucky, which was passed with Virginia's blessing on 1 June 1792.
William and Mary's lives centered around his land claim in Nelson Co., near Cox's station and near present day Deatsville. A few years after their marriage in the late 1790s they built a grand stone house on their farm there. This house stood into the 1960s until a fire burned it down. The ruins are still there. The records of Logan Co., Ky indicate that William sold 400 acres of land there on August 3, 1796. They would remain on their farm in Nelson Co. and raise eight children to adulthood.
William died in Nelson County at the age of 68. Mary outlived him by four years, dying at age 76. They are buried in the cemetery of Wilson Creek Baptist Church near Deatsville, on ground that William gave to the church when it organized there in 1801. The graves of William and Mary are well preserved and marked with stones. Their graves are still there, but the church moved and was renamed the New Salem Baptist Church, and is now located on the Deatsville-Lenore road, about midway between the two towns. A plaque above the pulpit in the new church bears the names of William and Mary along with 6 other founders of the original church. In 1982, a new memorial monument located in the cemetery grounds of the new church was dedicated to the memory of William and Mary Chenoweth.
Born in Hampshire Co., Virginia (now WV), William was the fourth and last child of William and Ruth Calvert Chenoweth. Like his two older bothers, John and Jonathan, he would serve in the Revolutionary War. William served from Virginia sometime before 1780. Though no details of this service are known, William did receive a land grant in Kentucky afterwards. Later he saw service in the Kentucky area, primarily against Indian raiders.
In March 1780, at the age of nineteen, he joined a small party of settlers at Fort Pitt planning on going to Kentucky. William's Uncle Richard had gone to Kentucky a couple of years earlier. The group was made up of Col. Isaac Cox, his wife, several other Cox families, and some Negro slaves. They rafted down the Ohio to the falls, where Louisville now stands.
This journey proved harrowing as Indians attacked them and, though William escaped, two of the party were killed. Near the mouth of the Great Kanawha river, hearing what they thought to be wild turkeys on the river bank, William, two of the Cox men and one of the slaves rowed to the bank in a canoe to replenish their food supply. As soon as they touched the shore, they were attacked by Indians who had deceived them by imitating turkey calls. The Negro slave and one of the Cox's were killed. William, unhurt, jumped into the river and swam for his life. The other Cox man escaped in the canoe, picked William up, and they made it safely back to their flatboats in the middle of the river. The bereaved party voyaged on to reach the Falls of the Ohio (now Louisville).
William joined the Militia to protect and fight for the new Kentucky settlements. Records show him on the payroll of Capt Swan's Company of Militia under Col. W. Linn in the command of General George Rodgers Clark on July 18, 1780 and again for 35 days, Oct-Nov 1782 in the Jefferson Militia activated to "repel an invasion of the enemy Indians" under Gen. Clark. On June 28, 1792, he was elected Lieutenant in the 3rd Regiment (Logan and part of Nelson Counties) and on Nov 16, 1797, he is listed as a Captain in the celebrated "Cornstalk Militia".
In the course of this he met his future wife, the widow Mary Henton, daughter of Jacob Van Meter and Letitia Strode. In the fall of 1779, the Van Meter family had begun their migration from Frederick County, Virginia to Kentucky County, Virginia. This group included their daughter Mary, her husband David Henton, and their two young children, Hester and John. During the journey David Henton accidently drowned in the Ohio River. Mary and the children continued on to Kentucky with the rest of the family. On March 1, 1781, in Jefferson Co., (which had been formed from Kentucky County in 1780), William Chenoweth was appointed administrator of the estate of David Henton. Just 7 months later he and the widow Mary married. Three years after their marriage this area became Nelson Co., as it was formed in 1784 from Jefferson. These and the other counties in the area held conventions between 1784 and 1792 to discuss statehood for Kentucky, which was passed with Virginia's blessing on 1 June 1792.
William and Mary's lives centered around his land claim in Nelson Co., near Cox's station and near present day Deatsville. A few years after their marriage in the late 1790s they built a grand stone house on their farm there. This house stood into the 1960s until a fire burned it down. The ruins are still there. The records of Logan Co., Ky indicate that William sold 400 acres of land there on August 3, 1796. They would remain on their farm in Nelson Co. and raise eight children to adulthood.
William died in Nelson County at the age of 68. Mary outlived him by four years, dying at age 76. They are buried in the cemetery of Wilson Creek Baptist Church near Deatsville, on ground that William gave to the church when it organized there in 1801. The graves of William and Mary are well preserved and marked with stones. Their graves are still there, but the church moved and was renamed the New Salem Baptist Church, and is now located on the Deatsville-Lenore road, about midway between the two towns. A plaque above the pulpit in the new church bears the names of William and Mary along with 6 other founders of the original church. In 1982, a new memorial monument located in the cemetery grounds of the new church was dedicated to the memory of William and Mary Chenoweth.
Events
| Birth | 10 Jun 1760 | Hampshire, Virginia, United States | |||
| Marriage | 4 Oct 1781 | Jefferson, Virginia, United States - Mary M. "Polly" Van Meter | |||
| Census (family) | 1810 | Nelson, Kentucky, United States - Mary M. "Polly" Van Meter |  |  | |
| Census (family) | 1820 | Bardstown, Nelson, Kentucky, United States - Mary M. "Polly" Van Meter | | | |
| Will | 15 Apr 1828 | Nelson, Kentucky, United States | | | |
| Death | 16 Aug 1828 | Near, Deatsville, Nelson, Kentucky, United States | |||
| Burial | Wilson Creek Baptist Church Cemetery, Deatsville, Nelson, Kentucky, United States |
Families
| Spouse | Mary M. "Polly" Van Meter (1757 - 1832) |
| Child | William Chenoweth Jr. (1782 - 1805) |
| Child | Jacob Van Meter Chenoweth (1784 - 1851) |
| Child | Abraham Chenoweth (1785 - 1861) |
| Child | Isaac Calvert Chenoweth (1788 - 1858) |
| Child | Miles Hart Chenoweth (1791 - 1845) |
| Child | Hardin Thomas Chenoweth (1793 - 1844) |
| Child | Letitia Van Meter "Letty" Chenoweth (1796 - 1875) |
| Child | Ruth C. Chenoweth (1798 - 1868) |
| Child | James Hackley Chenoweth (1801 - 1882) |
| Child | Arthur Chenoweth ( - 1810) |
| Father | William Chenoweth (1731 - 1772) |
| Mother | Ruth Calvert (1730 - 1772) |
| Sibling | John Chenoweth (1755 - 1831) |
| Sibling | Jonathan Chenoweth (1757 - 1822) |
| Sibling | Mary Chenoweth (1759 - 1819) |
Notes
Census (family)
Wm Chenoworth 10301 02201 0 131 boy under 10 (James 9)
3 males 16-26 (Hardin 17, Miles 19, Abraham 25)
1 male 45+ (William 50)
2 females10-16 (Ruth 12, Letitia 14)
2 females 16-26 (? ?)
1 female 45+ (Mary 53)
13 slaves
(Jacob and Isaac where married by 1810. William Jr was dead. The only thing that doesn't fit are the 2 females 16-26, who are they?)
Census (family)
William Chenoweth 0 0 0 1 0 1 / 1 0 1 01 male 16-26 (James H. 19)
1 male over 45 (William 60)
1 female under 10
1 female 26-45 (Mary 63)
further down page:
John DeWitt
Nancy Dewitt
John Dragoo
Will
In the name of God AmenI, William Chinowith, of the county of Nelson and the state of Kentucky considering the uncertainty of this mortal life and the certainty of Death, I being of sound mind and perfect mind and memory, thanks be to the Almighty God for the same, do make, publish and declare this to be my last will and testament in manner and form following, Viz:
First of all I want my all just debts to be speedily paid, after which I give and bequeath to my beloved wife Mary Chinowith the one third part of my home plantation including the dwelling house and as much of the household furniture as she may choose to keep, also negro Bets and give her choice of all my horses also her choice of two milch cows, during her natural life and at her death, the above mentioned property to be sold and the proceeds thereof equally divided amongst my children in manner and from herein after mentioned.
Item, I give & bequeath to my youngest son, James H. Chinowith (as I expect he will live with his mother until her death, maintain and take care of her) one negro boy named Jack and his choice of two of my horses, one waggon and four pairs of waggon gears, two plows and two axes, two hoes and all the coopers tools and my crop, cut saw and it is my express will that he shall receive three hundred dollars mentioned in a note accompanying this will as a compensation for his three last past years services, and work which he did for me, also my noted silver watch, in token of my love, which he is to have over and above his equal portion and it is my desire for him to keep it during his life, after it is my will and desire the above mentioned articles (the watch and the note above mentioned excepted, at their mention, as, a part of what he is entitled to as one of my heirs, and as I keep a book of charges and accounts and receipts against him and all my other children so that each may have an equal share of my estate, it is my wish that what now stands on the book against him or the rest of my children, or what receipts or book accounts I may hereafter have against any of them. It is my express will and desire that may be estimated and accounted as so much of their part of what they may be entitled to as my heirs and deducted from their part accordingly. The amount of what I now have against my son Hardin Chinowith, is at this time, is as the part which I wish to be deducted out of his part of the proceeds of my estate is one thousand five hundred ninety seven dollars and forty cents. To my daughter Letitia Hawkins and her children lawfully begotten of her body, I give the plantation which she at present resides in Hardin County and State of Kentucky, said to contain one hundred seventy one and a half acres which is to be considered & valued as five hundred dollars of the part to which she be entittles to as one of my lawful heirs. After deducting what each of my heirs may have received as above, I wish my children to receive and equal portion of my whole estate. Beginning at my son Jacob Chinowith, Abraham Chinowith, Isaac Chinowith, Miles Chinowith, Hardin Chinowith, Letitia Hawkins, Ruth Foreman and James H. Chinowith. It is also my will and desire that my negro man Wat shall be manumated and set free upon his paying to my heirs above named or to my executors for their use, the sum of five hundred dollars. Last of all I do ordain and appoint my son James H. Chinowith and William Forman my whole and sole executors of this last will and testament revoking all other wills and confirming this to be my last will and testament. In testimony where of I hereunto set my hand and affix my seal this fifteenth day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand and eight hundred and twenty eight.
William Chenoweth (seal)
Signed sealed and acknowledged to be his last will and testament in the presence of:
John R. McAtee
Jeremiah Barger
John Burdine
At a County Court held for nelson County on Monday the 12th day of May 1828 this last will and testament of William Chinowith deceased was proved by the oaths of John R. McAtee and Jeremiah Barger subscribing witnesses thereto and ordered to be recorded. And on motion of James H. Chinowith and William Foreman the executors therein named, they having given bond with John Samuels, of six thousand dollars conditioned as prescribed by law and having taken the oath the law in such case directs, it is ordered that a certificate of probate of said will be granted them
Teste: Tho. T. Grayson, C.C.
Endnotes
1. U.S. Census images. Heritage Quest Online. Subscription database through the Sonoma County Public Library. (ProQuest LLC, 2009.), 1810 > VIRGINIA > BERKELEY > NO TWP LISTED Series: M252 Roll: 66 Page: 541.
2. U.S. Census images. Heritage Quest Online. Subscription database through the Sonoma County Public Library. (ProQuest LLC, 2009.), 1820 > KENTUCKY > NELSON > BARDSTOWN Series: M33 Roll: 19 Page: 168.
3. Chenoweth Family Site from Colonial times to present day, Descendants of John Chenoweth & Mary Calvert, Jon D. Egge online [http://chenowethsite.com/], accessed 9/2006.