Richard Booker Chaffin, son of John Booker Chaffin and Susan
Adeline Willson, was born November 29, 1844 in Amelia
County, Virginia.
Richard was a student at Virginia Military Institute, Class
of 1866.
He joined the Confederate Army in December 1863, and was
wounded the same month. (See VMI Archives Manuscripts
online)
Richard then lived in Richmond, Virginia where he was a real
estate broker.
Chaffin, Staples and Company was one of his firms.
R.B. Chaffin and Company was another, and was located at No.
1 10th Street in Richmond.
The companies auctioned real estate, farm implements, stock,
crops, etc. They also sold and rented land and buildings,
constructed dwellings and other buildings in Chesterfield,
Goochland, Fluvanna, Hanover, Henrico, King William and
Powhatan counties and in the city of Richmond.
Richard had a plantation in Henrico County, Virginia named
Chatsworth Farm. Cattle was bred there. They also owned a
thoroughbred stallion named Dalgetty.
Richard died in 1902.
Richard's wife, Sarah Heron Harvie Chaffin, whom he married
November 6, 1866 in Amelia County, was presented with the
Southern Cross of Honor. The United Daughters of the
Confederacy awarded the Southern Cross of Honor medal to
ex-confederate soldiers (or their widows) who were members
of the United Confederate Veterans, in recognition of their
devotion to the southern cause.
Sarah left a will, dated December 12, 1902, in which she
stated that she had five children. She named two unmarried
daughters, Martha H. Chaffin and Adeline Willson Chaffin,
making sure they were provided for after her death. The
remainder of the estate was to be divided among the 5
children.
Mary Blair Chaffin, daughter, Taylor Vinson, son of Captain
Samuel S. Vinson, on January 18, 1901. They had two
children: Taylor, born Feb 1, 1904, and Blair, born July 3,
1907.
Son Taylor Vinson, who lived in West Virginia, was the heir
of his Uncle, James Lewis Chaffin, who was a brother of Mary
and son of Richard and Sarah.
(See Virginia Historical Society online)
I also have listed sons John Harvie Chaffin, and Richard
Booker Chaffin, Jr. That makes 6 children, so one of these
is incorrect. Do you know which one?
Beverly