Robert and Betsy Chumley

ROBERT CHUMLEYwas born in 1786 in Virginia. He died on 18 Jan 1853 in Bolivar, Polk County, Missouri.  He married Elizabeth “Betsy” about 1800 in Virginia. She was born in 1775 in Virginia (Both the 1830 census and 1840 census report list her age range as being born between 1781 and 1790.). She died about 1845 in either Tennessee, Arkansas, or Missouri.  They were married sometime around 1800.

It is believed that Robert and Betsy with children Andrew, Lewis, and John Henry came to Powell Valley, Claiborne County, Tennessee from Giles County, Virginia sometime after 1812. _{[1] The People’s Hist of Claiborne County, Tennessee 1801-1988″ Publ. by Co Hist Soc.}

On 11 April 1826 in Claiborne County, Tennessee; Robert purchased 100 acres of land between Cumberland Mountain, Gap Creek, and Walker’s Line in Claiborne County, Tennessee. Currently the area is known as Tiprell, Tennessee.  Isaac Ely and Andrew Chumley, sworn chainers.  A copy of the deed was found in an old record book about surveys on top of shelves in vault where records of deeds are kept in Claiborne County, Tennessee Court House, Tazewell, Tennessee.  On page 94, entry #357, dated April 11, 1826.

By 1840, Robert, Betsy and their 3 youngest children are living in Claiborne County. _{[2] 1840 Census, Claiborne County, Tennessee}  The census also told us that Robert’s 4 oldest sons Andrew, Lewis, John, and Charles Ballard have homes close by.  There are 2 large plantation owners living close by; Colonial Daniel Huff from Virginia and James M. Patterson.  The Huff Plantation owned 35 slaves and the Patterson Plantation owned 13 slaves. These were working farms with large homes and numerous other buildings, until the Civil War, when the Huff Plantation was totally destroyed, except for his tower, which still stands by the highway on the property of LMU campus in Harrogate, Tennessee.  Robert’s property was located in what is now known at Tiprell, Tennessee, directly behind the LMU Campus in Harrogate, Tennessee. 

Although Robert and Betsy lived in Claiborne County, Tennessee in 1826 _{[3] 1826: Claiborne County, Tennessee, County Court Records (“Road work”)}, we found them listed in the Census of 1830 in Knox County, Tennessee _{[4] 1830 Census Knox County, Tennessee}. Family members listed were Robert and Betsy with children Brittain, John Henry or Charles Ballard, Emily, Malinda, Sarah, and Elizabeth. Other mentioned on this census were John and Elizabeth Chumly, William Chumley, McCampbell, Crawford, and Shipe. This find was significant in our research to find Robert’s parents and siblings.

Through DNA testing, we found a match with our Chumley line and a Chumlea family line. There appears to be an implied relationship with these and the other Chumley families in the 1830 Knox County, Tennessee census. Since both of these ancestors were born in Virginia, just a few years apart, and both came to Tennessee in the same time frame and lived close to one another, and parentage has not been determined for either one, it is suspected that Robert and John are brothers. John Chumlea moved to Veedersburg, Indiana from Knox County, Tennessee, but 2 of his daughters stayed in Knox County, Tennessee.

The following newspaper clipping reports a family reunion in Veedersburg, IN in 1940:
Chumlea Reunion 1940
The 21st annual gathering, in honor of John and Margaret (Shipe) Chumlea, and Larkin Chumley, was held at Turkey Run State Park Sunday, September 15, with Mr. and Mrs. Ora Sample and family as hosts. A bountiful co-operative pitch-in dinner was enjoyed by about 80 descendants, relatives, and friends, after our thanks was ably expressed by Mrs. Artie Helms. In the absence of the president, M.C. Leonard, Ardy Helms had charge of the afternoon’s program, which included sone, “America,” by congregation; Lord’s Prayer in unison, with Charles Isley as leader; welcome address by Mrs. Florence Gookins; reading, “Grandmother’s Garden,” by Mrs. Martha Patton. Talks were given by Charles Isley, Hattie Williams, Geo. W. Chumlea, Alpha Keller, Edna Sample, Walter Brannon, Thomas Chumley, Martha Patton, Florence Gookins, Clarence Isley, William Gokins, Madge Reid, R.C. Chumley, Birdie Davies, Fannie Reath and Hardy Helms.

Business session was as follows: Reading of minutes of 1939 meeting, reading family history and communications from Mr. and Mrs. M.C. Leonard of Fairbury, IL and Mr. and Mrs. Frank Chumbley of Rantoul, IL. An offering of $2.47 for expenses. Two deaths were reported, that of Adella (Isley) Fowler, of Chicago, and Luther Mullen, Veedersburg; also one birth, Leonard Eldon Lightle, Veedersburg.

Election of officers were President, Hardy Helms; vice president, Mrs. Madge Reid, and Mrs. Ida Brannon was retained as secretary-treasurer for 1941. Motion was carried to hold the next reunion at the same place on the third Sunday in September. A standing vote of thanks was given the host and hostess for hospitality.

Those present were: Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Chumley and daughter, Miss Hazel Chumley; Mr. and Mrs. Willand Beechler and Robert C. Chumley of Indianapolis; Mr. and Mrs. L.N. Hall and daughter, Miss Mary Hall, of Champaign, IL; Mr. and Mrs. Deil Miller of Muncie; Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Isley; Mr. and Mrs. John Smith of Danville, IL route; Mrs. Onda Isley, daughters June and Jean, and Miss Mary McPherson of Danville, IL; Mr. and Mrs. Carl Davis and son Bobby of Attica; Mr. and Mrs. Leslie Keller and daughters Virginia, Louise, and Myeerah of Crawfordsville route; Mr. and Mrs. Lee Wimmer and family of Rockville; Mr. and Mrs. Roy Vaughn and daughter Anna Mae, George W. Chumlea, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Keller of Williamsport; Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Davies, Mrs. Frank Williams, Mr. and Mrs. Owen Norman, son Jackie and daughter Musetta of Bloomingdale;p Mrs. Fannie Reath of Wallace; Mr. and Mrs. Charles Isley, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Phipps, Mr. and Mrs. Harry Thomas and daughter Miss Lois, and Mrs. Sarah Sample of _; Mrs. Mary Bonebrake, Miss Mary Jane Hoagland and sister, Miss stuart of Veedersburg; Miss Helen, Mr. and Mrs. Mort Pattno, Mr. and Mrs.Walter Greenley, Mr. and Mrs. Hardy Helms, son Walter and daughter Mary, and Mr. and Mrs. Walter Brannon of Veedersburg route; and the Sample family.

Robert C. Chumley was the oldest member present, being 88 years of age, and Jean Isley the youngest present at the age of six years. _{[4] Article shared by Mary Ann Chumlea Ward, member of the Chumley/Chumbley Research Group and direct descendant of John Chumlea}

Sometime after Betsy died, Robert moved to Polk County, Missouri with his daughter’s Melinda and Eliza. Elizabeth Chumbley Lyngar, her sister Malinda Chumbley Slatten and their father Robert probably all came to Greene County, Missouri at the same time. They are all buried in the King family cemetery in Polk County, Missouri about 1 1/2 miles from the Lyngar farm. _{[5] Cyndi Galati as listed on Chumley website: http://www.hebroots.com/chumney.html#OriginSurname} Robert died on 18 Jan 1853 in Bolivar, Polk County, Missouri, and he was buried at King Cemetery in Polk County, Missouri.

On May 6, 1861, Robert’s land was sold again – Lazrous Dodson formerly of Claiborne County, Tennessee but now of Pulasky County, Kentucky, to David C. Cotterell for $100 “to me the said Lazarous Dodson paid in the year 1833 having then sold to David Cotterell a tract of land on Gap Creek known as the Robert Chumbley land who had entered said land and sold and assigned said entry over to me and when the grant issued it came out in said Chumley’s name and afterwards was assigned by my request to said Cotterell”…beginning at a white oak two poles below Walker’s line, crossing Gap Creek, etc…his mark Lazarus Dodson. Witness Lewis Chumbley, Andrew Chumbley. _{[6] Ack May 6, 1861 by Lazarus Dodson by appearance before James Allcorn, Clerk of Court in Pulaksi County, Kentucky Registered Oct. 13, 1870 Claiborne County}

[to be continued]