Thomas CHETWOOD (CHITWOOD)

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• FamilySearch ID: GXR9-966
• Name: John Thomas CHITWOOD
• Name: Thomas CHEATWOOD
• Name: Thomas CHITWOOD
• _UID: A1DFD60F3F5B408B92080917C6E1EE304910

Thomas married Elizabeth Ellenor BUSHOP about 1650 in Shropshire County, England. Elizabeth (daughter of Richard BUSHOP and Margaret BURGHILL) was born in 1632 in London, Middlesex, England; died in 1684 in Shropshire County, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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• _UID: 17A27D05957040638CC8282724AC9C4C3E6F

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• FamilySearch ID: GXFR-BQK
• _UID: B2F581434F4F469B8661F93C89608535A994

Family/Spouse: Elizabeth GILES. Elizabeth (daughter of Richard GILES and Margaret ARUNDELL) was born in 1660 in England; died in 1750 in Cumberland, Cumberland, Virginia, British Colonial America. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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• _UID: 3AB3B9452C4C4C7384737C65816E43164223

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• FamilySearch ID: L63G-NPR

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• FamilySearch ID: LX9G-R9H
• Name: Mathew
• Name: Matthias Chetwood
• Name: Matthias CHITWOOD
• _UID: 025AB6D7EBEB414C8D03E24149F7C0E5E414

Notes:

Mathias Chitwood - 1681 England -1754 Cumberland County, VA
Elizabeth Banks brought 9 orphans to Northumberland Co. VA. One of these orphans is Matthias Chitwood the earliest known person in the Chitwood Line. Certificate given George Espridgil and assigned to Elizabeth Banks, who received 50 acres per child that she supervised on the crossing from England. Thus she received 450 acres of land in Northumberland Co. VA. This is in 1681 when we find Matthias Chitwood arriving. The church was required to care for them by the Government. If the church could send some of them to the Colonies (VA) this cut their responsibility and cost. We can't be sure if Matthias was an orphan. We find a Thomas Chitwood in VA along with other children. If not and Matthias is an orphan, we will have little luck in finding him. A book "I O Chitwood" covers lots of Chitwoods from that marriage down. Something interesting is the Chitwood name. In England it is Chetwode, Chetwoode, Etc. In our country we have Chitwood, Chetwood and a brother that became angry changed his name to Cheatwood. If we can connect the two Thomas Chitwoods, it is very possible our ancestors go back to around 1,000 AD. These Chitwoods were rich and merchants and in many other business. Quote - Chetwode, Chetwood, Chitwood family of England is an old Saxon one going back to the time of William the Conqueror, and to one John de Chetwode. One source for information on the early lines of Chitwood family is William and Mary quarterly, Vol. 18-second series, 1938, pp 507-509 by Dr. Blanche M Haines of Three River MI. All of this is from Chitwood Family and related lines by Jean (Cragun) Tombaugh. Printed and published by Wendell C. Tombaugh 913 E. pth(?) St Rochester, IN. Matthias Chitwood was living with a Mrs. Elizabeth Banks, Northumberland Co. VA in 1695, age 14. Thomas Pate transported nine people from Englan, including Mathias. Certificate was given to George Espridge and assigned to Mrs. Banks for 450 acres of land for transporting nine persons from England, including Matthew, or Matthias Chitwood. Matthias was 14 at the time. On 24 April 1722 a Richard Harris of Hanover was given headright for importing Matthew Chettwood. (Cavaliers and Pioneers). Mathias would have been about 41 at the time, perhaps returned from a trip to England to visit relatives and/or to conduct business. On the consolidated Virginia Census for 1740 a Matthew (Matthias?) Chitwood - Henrico Co.; a Thomas Chetwood-Lancaster Co and another Thomas Chitwood - Lancaster Co. were listed. His will was dated 1752 and proved 27 Jan 1775 (Cumberland Co. VA - now Powhatton Co VA). He secured land grant of 400 acres - Goochland Co VA 6 July, 1741. He also went by Cheatwood. Matthias' estate included: one bedstead and bedstead of furniture; one iron pot: one set of wedges, ax and iron: two basins, one dish and some spoons; one saddle bridge and bill; six spoons, one water pail; flock bed and furniture; one gun; give head of hogs; two wheels and spindle; six head of sheep; nine head of cattle. The estate was appraised by Henry Clay, Joseph Baugh, and Abraham Baugh and recorded 25 August, 1755. Virginia Colonial Abstracts, Northumbria Collectanea, 1645 -1720, A to L: " ...CHETWOOD, MATHIAS. Lately app constable for Newman's Neck and having departed out of the country. Sylvester Welsh is app in his place. 17 June, 1714. On 6 July, 1741, Matthias Chitwood had a land patent for 400 acres in Goochland Co. VA. When the counties were divided this land fell in Powhatan Co (earlier Cumberland Co. VA). His Will was dated 1752, proved in Cumberland Co. VA. In it he names his wife, Mary and sons, Richard (who received 200 acres); Matthias (100 acres); William (100 acres); John and James received personal property. His son Richard and his wife Winny sold the 200 acres to William and moved to Buckingham Co, then to Bedford Co and finally Rutherford Co. NC where Richard died. Matthias married May Key about 1711 in Northumberland Co. VA. Mary's brother Philip Key was the Great Grandfather of Francis Scott Keye the author of the Star Spangled Banner. Several people have placed his father as Thomas Chetwood, b. 1630 in England, however no source information has been given. Sherwood Forest: owners: 1667 Grant to William Ball and Thomas Chetwood, 1600 acres. 1667 Thomas and Elizabeth Chetwood convey all their interests to William Ball. Note: during the eighteenth century, Sherwood Forest was one of the largest tracts of land in Stafford County. The house is located on a lovely hill, which overlooks the Rappahannock River. Source: They call Stafford Home by Jerrilynn Ely.

I strongly believe that Matthias' ancestors are: John Chitwood and Ellenor Bushop married in Shropshire, England in 1679. Matthias and Mary Key's first child was named Elinor (born 1712) and they also named a son John. Their son Richard was named after Mary's father and her mother's name was Margaret, so Elinor was not named after her mother. It seems possible or even likely that Matthias' and Mary's first child was named after Matthias' mother. There is no William or James (the names of their other sons) in the right time period to be Matthias' father.

Matthias married Mary KEY in 1711 in Northumberland, Virginia, British Colonial America. Mary (daughter of Richard KEY, Sr. and Mary CARTWRIGHT) was born on 12 May 1695 in St Stephen's Parish, Northumberland, Virginia, British Colonial America; was christened on 12 Jan 1695 in Goochland, Virginia, British Colonial America; died on 27 Jan 1755 in Powhatan, Richmond, Virginia, British Colonial America; was buried in 1755 in Virginia, British Colonial America. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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• FamilySearch ID: 9HV7-RXY

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• FamilySearch ID: 94KL-H45

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• FamilySearch ID: LVJT-5JR
• _UID: B2D42962B61B48EEB1F2AD894348CFE833EE

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• FamilySearch ID: KPQ1-MZF
• _UID: 852982646A3F45D790A098AA6A4D6C170515

Family/Spouse: Mary FORE. Mary and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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• FamilySearch ID: L6J5-Q94
• _UID: F764865604A54D398DED1E81B64FC5E12A94

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• FamilySearch ID: LVNV-RKF
• _UID: 90835CCE8D1743B98EB70AA4426A49E6AB82

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• Alt. Spelling of Last Name: ; Cheatwood
• FamilySearch ID: LZ46-6BZ
• MilitaryService: ; Officer In British Army
• MilitaryService: North Carolina; Tory in Revolutionary War
• Title: ; Captain
• _UID: E3DF951880BC41BFAD88901F3AE6F77F2516

Notes:

Capt. James Chitwood, son of Matthias and Mary (Key) Chitwood and brother to Richard Chitwood, was a Tory during the Revolutionary War and was captured and hung after the battle of King's Mountain NC. "The names of the condemned Tories were --- Colonel Ambrose Mills, Capt. James Chitwood, Capt. Wilson, Capt. Walter Gilkey, Capt. Grimes, Lieutenant Lafferty, John McFall, John Bibby, and Augustine Hobbs.

They were swung off the Gallows Oak, three at a time, and left suspended at the place of execution. According to Lieutenant Allaire's acocunt, they died like soldiers --- like martyrs, in their own and friends' estimation. "These brave but unfortunate Loyalists', says Allaire, 'with their latest breath expressed their unutterable detestation of the Rebels, and of their base and infamous proceedings; and, as they were being turned off, extolled thier King and the British Government, Mills, Wilson, and Chitwood died like Romans.....The poor Loyalist leaders had been left swinging from the sturdy oak upon which they had been executed. No sooner had the Whigs moved off, than Mrs. Martha Bickerstaff, the wife of Capt. Aaron Bickerstaff who had served under Ferguson, and been mortally wounded at King's Mountain, with the assistance of an old man who worked on the farm, cut down the nine dead bodies. Eight of them were buried in a shallow trench, some two feet deep; while the remains of Capt. Chitwood were conveyed by some of his friends, on a plank, half a mile away to Benjamin Bickerstaff's, where they were interred on a hill still used as a grave-yard." Taken from the book "Kings Mountain and it's Heroes", by Lyman C. Draper
As depicted in the book Descendants of Matthias Chitwood compiled by I.O. Chitwood;

James Chitwood is the son of Matthias Chitwood and Mary Key.

James married Alice and they had 7 sons all born in VA;
1) James born 1752 who married Elizabeth Whiteside died in GA
2) Moses born 1754 and died in AL
3) Shadrack born 1756 who married Margaret and died in AL
4) Joshua born 1758 who married Jane Robinson in VA 1786
5) Joseph born in 1760
6) Pleasant born in 1765 and married Barbara Barnes in NC 1792 and died 1848 in TN
7) Amos born 1768 married Prudence Lattimore 1793 and died in 1843 in IN

James Chitwood was a Loyalist and Officer (Captain) during the Revolutionary War living in South Carolina.

As depicted in the book King's Mountain and its Heroes by Lyman C Draper;

The Battle of Kings Mountain (SC) was a decisive battle and turning point in the Southern Campaign of the American Revolution. British Officer Colonel Ferguson had taken up position on the top of the mountain with Loyalist militia from South Carolina but were overwhelmed in the battle on October 7, 1780 by Patriot militia "Over Mountain Men". Over 400 Loyalist were killed or wounded in the surprise attack by the Patriots. Ferguson was the only British soldier and he died in the battle that lasted about an hour. Over 600 were captured including 9 officers. One of those officers was Captain James Chitwood.

The Patriots retreated quickly with the prisoners north into NC. The set up camp and tried and sentenced 39 men to be executed in an infamous proceeding. Three at a time they were hung from a large oak tree known after as the Gallows Oak. Captain James Chitwood was in the first group of three to be hung. With nine hanging from the tree, and three more ready to go a disturbance occurred that caused the hanging to be discontinued and the remaining to be pardoned.

The men had been left swinging from the sturdy oak but as soon as the Patriot force moved off, the wife of Captain Biggerstaff (or Bickerstaff) who served under Ferguson and been mortality wounded at the battle, cut them down with the help of a farm hand. Eight were buried in a shallow trench and the remains of Captain Chitwood were taken to the Biggerstaff farm and interred on a hill there.

Find a Grave
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/183144161

James married Alice ZIMMERMAN, Carpenter about 1748 in Rutherford, North Carolina. Alice (daughter of Hans Christian ZIMMERMAN, Translate Carpenter and Salome "Sarah" RUFFNER) was born on 30 Apr 1724 in Cumberland, Virginia; died in 1780 in Rutherford, North Carolina. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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• FamilySearch ID: L6J1-55N
• Name: went by name Cheatwood after 1776

Notes:

Richard Chitwood went by the name Cheatwood after the Revolutionary War.
Sold 200 acres on Nobb creek that he inherited from his father to his brother William. He moved the family to Buckinham co, then to Bedford co, finally to Rutherford co NC.

Children: Isabella Elizabeth Chitwood b: 1747 in Cumberland Co. VA Daniel Chitwood , Sr b: 1760 in Cumberland Co. TN-VA Catherine Chitwood b: 1758 in Cumberland Co. VA Mary Ann Chitwood b: 1749 in Cumberland CO. VA James Chitwood b: 21 JUN 1751 in Cumberland Co. VA Richard Chitwood , Jr b: 1764 in VA Seth Chitwood b: 1766 in Cumberland Co., VA John Chitwood b: 1774 in Cumberland Co. VA Hiram Chitwood b: BET. 1787 - 1811 Shedrick (Shad) Chitwood

Richard married Winiford RANDOLPH in 1746 in Powhatan Co, Virginia. Winiford (daughter of Unk RANDOLPH) was born on 1 Jul 1724 in Rutherford, Fairfax, Virginia, British Colonial America; died in 1780 in Rutherford, Tennessee. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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• FamilySearch ID: LZM9-3D6