List:
Two things:
I've always felt there is a connection between the Isle of Wight Channells and the
Randolph County/Ohio Channells, (although not the connection one would assume) and
I've been skeptical of the Thomas Channell and Elizabeth Montgomery as parents of the
boys theory. So, this is from the "Your Mileage May Vary" side:
"Channell, Thomas and Elizabeth Montgomerry. 1763. O. B. 1759-63, page 431."
The author of the book this is taken from notes:
"The majority of these marriages can be verified from the references given; those
which cannot may be assumed to derive from inference and deduction."
This record appears to have come from the Isle of Wight Order Books for the years stated,
and the marriage took place in the year 1763. While it should in no way be taken as
conclusive, there are no parents listed for either Thomas or Elizabeth, this is suggestive
of a second marriage for at least Elizabeth and probably for Thomas as well. I am in the
process of getting the original record now to verify the source.
One thing that stands out is if 1763 is indeed correct for the marriage, then almost
certainly Elizabeth is not the mother of at least one of the boys, that being John. If we
hold to the 1767 year of birth for John, then we have a four year period in the marriage
where no children are recorded as being born -- giving us some wiggle room for some
theories that I have seen that suggest there were other as yet unknown Channell children.
Could this be where Aaron fits in? If this is indeed a second marriage, then a check of
the probate records needs to be made to see if anything exists from a first marriage of
Thomas -- there would be at least two small children that needed proper care for by
Thomas.
This is just my opinion, but for those that accept the common views that Thomas and
Elizabeth were the parents of the boys and that the boys came to Virginia from South
Carolina after the death of the parents, then just the presence of this record weakens
that position. Certainly, nothing precludes Thomas and a first wife and two of the boys
coming to Virginia from South Carolina prior to 1763 -- just as nothing precludes Thomas
and Elizabeth dying after their 1763 marriage and the boys wandering over to Hardy County,
west of Isle of Wight and Southampton counties. Virginia was gobbling up terrorist
westerly at this time and encouraging folks to expand west with her border.
Bear in mind that there is usually a bit of truth in our family legends. Having said
that, let us keep in mind that there is a family legend out there that says Three Brothers
Channell did indeed come to Virginia, but from England; two of whom stayed put in
Virginia with one going South -- but South where? I have some ideas on that, as well as
some documentary items that I will post at a later date.
Regards,
M. Mathews
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"Quid me nutrit me destruit" --
I can't help it, I am skeptical of this connectiion. Thomas does not
seem to be a family name. There is a tradition that the John Channell,
one of the supposed brothers, was raised by the indians and that was why
he was such a great hunter. Where does that fit in? If Aaron did exist
why did not one of them name a child after this person? For sure, we
have Jeremiah, John, and Joseph in Hardy Co in the late 1700s. They then
moved to Randolph WV before 1800. According to the land records John and
Jeremiah were near present day Huttonsville, and Joseph near present day
Elkins. Then before 1810 Joseph and John sold out and went to Licking
Co. Ohio.
My cousin, before he died, was working in Penna with Channells and he
was finding the same names. It certainly is confusing, but fun to hunt.
I will agree that in traditions there is usually a grain of truth, but
teaseing it out can be very difficult. And the story of 3 brothers is so
common for the immigrants that I usually ignore it anymore.
Jean