Henry Cheatham and Elizabeth

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Husband Henry Cheatham

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           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: Bef 9 Sep 1790 - Chesterfield Co., Virginia
         Buried: 

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         Father: Francis Cheatham (      -Abt 1788)
         Mother: 

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       Marriage: 

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Wife Elizabeth

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           Born: 
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           Died: 
         Buried: 

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Children

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1 M Henry Cheatham Jr.

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           Born: 3 Sep 1769 - Chesterfield Co., Virginia
     Christened: 
           Died: 1794 - Chesterfield Co., Virginia
         Buried: 

         Spouse: Mary Lockett (      -Bef 1808)
           Marr: 27 Jul 1789 - Chesterfield Co., Virginia 1

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2 F Phebe Cheatham

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           Born: 1775-1780
     Christened: 
           Died: Bef 1850
         Buried: 

         Spouse: Elam Lockett (Abt 1772-      )
           Marr: 11 May 1796 - Chesterfield Co., Virginia 2

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3 F Betsey Cheatham

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           Born: 
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         Buried: 

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4 M Abijah Cheatham

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           Born: 
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           Died: 
         Buried: 

         Spouse: Salley Akin (      -      )
           Marr: 23 Dec 1803 - Cumberland Co., Virginia 1

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5 M Pleasant Cheatham

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           Born: 
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           Died: 
         Buried: 

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6 M Matthew Cheatham

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           Born: 
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           Died: 
         Buried: 

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7 M Daniel Cheatham

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           Born: 
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         Buried: 

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8 M Richard Cheatham

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           Born: 
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           Died: 
         Buried: 

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9 F Anne Cheatham

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           Born: 
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           Died: 
         Buried: 

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10 M Michael Cheatham

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           Born: 
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           Died: 
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11 M Francis Cheatham

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           Born: 
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General Notes: Husband - Henry Cheatham

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In December 1785 Henry Cheatham was named in his father's will as one of the executors. Unlike his siblings he did not receive any specific bequest in the will. In October 1788 he and John Hill were granted letters of administration.

Henry Cheatham died intestate. On September 9, 1790 Elizabeth and Henry Cheatham were granted administration of his estate (Chesterfield Co., Virginia Order Book 8/483). It seems highly probable that Elizabeth is the widow and Henry is a son. The following month on October 14, 1790 Anne Cheatham, Mikey Cheatham, and Francis Cheatham chose Francis Lockett to be their guardian (Order Book 8/493). They are described as "orphans of Henry Cheatham". Strictly speaking they are not orphans if Henry's wife Elizabeth is still alive. Almost 6 years later on March 14, 1796 Francis Cheatham, Anne Cheatham, and Michael Cheatham represented by Francis Lockett, their guardian, are the plaintiffs in a dispute over land which is handled by the chancery court (Order Book 11/355). The defendants are 1) Elizabeth Cheatham and Henry Cheatham, administrators of Henry Cheatham, deceased, 2) Phebe Cheatham, Betsey Cheatham, Abijah Cheatham, Pleasant Cheatham, Matthew Cheatham, Daniel Cheatham, and Richard Cheatham, children and heirs of the said Henry Cheatham, deceased, and 3) William Cheatham Elam, grandson of the said Henry.

It is not certain that Henry Cheatham, the father of the children in the lawsuit, and Henry Cheatham, son of Francis Cheatham, are the same person. It seems, however, likely. Francis Cheatham's will establishes a relationship between him and Francis Lockett. Francis Lockett's guardianship establishes a relationship between him and the Henry Cheatham whose wife was Elizabeth and whose children are involved in the lawsuit. Francis Lockett is a brother-in-law of Francis Cheatham's son Henry and thus an uncle of Henry's children. It is common and natural for an uncle to function as a guardian.

There are lots of Cheathams in Chesterfield Co. In the 1783 census there are 12 Cheatham households. Most of them have lots of children. In the 1791 Personal Property Tax List there are 21 Cheatham entries.

The following entries for Henry Cheatham are in the Chesterfield Co. Personal Property Tax List. It is first available in 1786.

1) white tithables (1786 white males over 21; 1791 & later white males over 16)
2) whites between 16 & 21 (1786 only)
3) black tithables (in 1790 and later blacks over 16)
4) blacks above 12 & under 16
5) total blacks (1786 only)
6) horses (horses, mares, colts, mules; 'horse' often means 'gelding')
7) cattle (1786 only)
8) chair wheels (a chair is a type of horse drawn vehicle)

<pre>
wh wh bl bl bl ho ctl wl

1786 1 1 8 15 11 33 Henry Cheatham
1788 3 9 2 8 Henry Cheatham & Henry & Francis
1790 1 1 1 2 Henry Cheatham
1 7 2 8 Estate of Henry Cheatham
1791 1 1 1 4 Henry Cheatham
1792 1 1 1 3 2 Henry Cheatham
1793 1 3 3 Henry Cheatham
1794 0 2 2 Henry Cheatham Est.
1795 0 2 1 Henry Cheatham Est.
1796 0 2 1 Henry Cheatham Est.
</pre>

My interpretation is as follows. Henry Cheatham in 1786 and in 1788 and the estate of Henry Cheatham in 1790 correspond to the son of Francis Cheatham. Francis is present in 1786 and in 1788, and in 1788 the entries of Francis and Henry are contiguous. All of the other entries for Henry Cheatham in the personal property tax list correspond to Henry's son Henry, who died in 1794. In 1797 Henry is absent and a Mary Cheatham (0 0 0 0) is in the list. In 1798 both are absent. Henry's widow Mary Lockett remarried in 1797.

1 Catherine Lindsay Knorr, "Chesterfield County, Virginia Marriage Bonds and Minister's Returns 1771-1815" (1958), pg 28. Repository: Clayton Genealogical Library, Houston, Texas.

2 Catherine Lindsay Knorr, "Chesterfield County, Virginia Marriage Bonds and Minister's Returns 1771-1815" (1958), pg 78. Repository: Clayton Genealogical Library, Houston, Texas.