This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list.
Surnames: CHAFFIN CHAFIN
Classification: Query
Message Board URL:
http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/an/4NI.2ACEB/381
Message Board Post:
Here’s one for you REAL genealogy hounds: Was Joshua Chaffin, Sr. of Charlotte Co., VA
(d.c. 1805, married to “Esther/Easter”) the father of Joshua Chaffin, Jr. of Wilkes/Jasper
Co., GA (married to “Hannah”)?
Several postings in other forums have taken the position, categorically, that Joshua Jr.
was NOT a son of Joshua Sr. I disagree. I have been so intrigued by this question that
(having spent WAY too much time on it!) I have written a paper (OK, “brief”) which sets
forth in detail why I hold to my opinion. I will be pleased to send a copy of this paper
as an email attachment to anyone who wants it. It’s a Word document in Bookman Old Style
font. It’s 29 pages, double-spaced, with 58 footnotes, single-spaced – about 76.0 Kb.
All of the veteran researchers of the Chaffin/Chafin lines from Georgia whom I’m aware of
agree with me. But NO ONE should accept that as proof. I encourage anyone interested in
this question to consider ALL of the evidence and decide for yourself. And please, while
I’m happy to share this research, I’m hardly an expert on other Chaffin/Chafin lines. I’m
especially ignorant of the “mountain lines” of southwestern Virginia, West Virginia, and
Kentucky.
NOT ONE of the reasons I give in my paper establishes, BY ITSELF, that Joshua Jr. was a
son of Joshua Sr. But the mere absence of Joshua Jr.’s name from Joshua Sr.’s will is not
proof that he was NOT a son. We cannot reach any kind of conclusion from that single,
negative fact. We MUST look to ALL the other evidence. Even circumstantial evidence is
accorded weight in a court of law, and when there’s enough of it, it can carry the day.
In this case, there is ample circumstantial evidence to show both that Joshua Sr. had a
reason for NOT naming Joshua Jr. in the will, AND to show that it’s likely Joshua Jr. WAS
the son of Joshua Sr. If you’re a descendant of either Joshua (or even if you’re not and
just like a good argument), study the evidence and decide for yourself. Happy hunting,
all!
Scott Chafin