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Hello List Manager
Hello List
As a Childress-Research list member, I am very glad to be on a list where we
have
the freedom to express our views & ideas without repercussions from the list
owner. That is the way its suppose to be. Thank you Bob.
As you all know, Childress research can be very difficult. We are at the
mercy of the clerks who recorded records of our ancestor's. Any of us who
happen to have a signature, Bible record, letters & etc are indeed fortunate.
If you are a Childress descendant, you know the perils of our name. The
various spellings have caused heated debates. We are not so different in our
search for the original spelling. There are hundreds of surnames with
variants or anglicized, this was not uncommon.
Within my research and that of my father and his father. I have seen my name
in original records (recorded by court clerks, ministers and etc) with
various spellings. But the fact remains, they were "Childress" as I am. No
known arrival in America was proven by my father & Grandfather. One uncle
believed the arrival could have been around 1630ca. His reasons were due to
various book records which showed a Thomas living in Colonial Virginia. One
of our list members
posted information from the "Childers-Childress Clearinghouse" reference a
Thomas P. Childris or Childriss. While searching pre-RW records I have often
seen this spelling. I am very curious if this was the actual spelling. How
many of you have seen this spelling in pre-RW records? We also have heard of
the memoirs of John Williams Childress (1960) in which he says the arrival
date was "dim", but he thought 1745 (Joel Childress tombstone). My father
and Grandfather both had copies of these memoirs, copies of Bible records and
etc. Their conclusions, based upon the evidence of Colonial records pre-1745
was that John Williams Childress was in error.
I wish all of you a successful year of research and Happy New Year!!
Ted Childress
I just wanted to wish each of you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
It has been an interesting year, with some new developments in the Childress
research on certain lines.
As always, this listing is an open forum, no censureship, and NEVER
monitored.
I thank all of you for all your encouragement in my wish to give us freedom
to express our views.
Sincerely,
BOB SANDERS
rw1146(a)aol.com
Hello List and Mary Jean,
Thank you for the greeting! I would like to say how much I have enjoyed
the Childress- Research List this past year. Lets hope we all will find the
ancestors we are searching for!
Merry Christmas to everyone!
Ted Childress
Hi List
Hi List Owner
Would like to wish all the Childress-Research-List a safe and very
Merry Christmas - Happy New Year! Hope all of you will enjoy your families
during this time! Looking forward to another year of Childress research!
MaryJean Childress Voegtlin
Childress descendant
Hi Guys,
This fits with the REV War pension application that I have on my John
Childress. He stated that he was born in Cumberland County, VA in 1755 and
that his father died the same year in Braddock's Defeat. He stated that he
and his mother moved to Surry County, NC to be with other family and in that
county is where he enlisted for service.
In 1819 he moved to Rutherford County, TN and that is where he applied for
his pension in 1833.
He married Martha Calhoun in Laurens County, SC and they had John
ChildressJR., 1790.
He married her late in life and I have found Laurens County Court records
that indicate that she was possibly married first to a Parsons. These records
charged both of the them with cohabitation and several warrants where issued
to try a seize the belongings of John Childress.
It is also in Lauren's County where John Childress JR's daughter Nancy
Childress married John Parrish, Jr.
The Parrish family where of Primative Baptist faith as where the Massey
family. John ChildressJR., Sarah Sallie Massey, a daughter to Nathan Massey
and John ParrishJR., a son to Avis Massey, a sister to the above Nathan.
I still do not know how John Childress SR was related to Joel Childress, but
there was a connection as he moved to be near him in old age.
Linda Sue
Hello List
and Mary Jean
Took your advice and spent the morning at the Whitsett-L archives. Quite
interesting. That cleared up some misconceptions I had about the Whitsetts.
I had seen John Whitsitt in records at the archives. Caught site of the
name due to Sarah Polk's brother. Seems the other families you mentioned (in
previous posts) were in North Carolina between 1770c -1790. Have you seen
the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence? I believe you mentioned it once
before. The Polks are also in NC as evidenced by book sources.
By the way, do you have any idea who the Dr. Whitsitt was in the letter?
Also, I agree with your remarks concerning Sarah Polk. If the information
was on Joel Childress's tombstone, why didn't she mention it? Makes no sense
to me, but also tells me that if the tombstone inscription existed, Sarah
would surely have known about it, the man was her father!
Ted Childress
Hi List
FYI
This post follows the previous one which relates the contents of a letter
from Sarah Childress Polk via Mrs. Anson Nelson to Dr. Whitsett dated 1890,
Nashville, TN.
From the Whitsett-L archives (Whitsett-Perry Cemetery, March 20, 2000)
whitsett(a)eskimo.com, Subject, Whitsett - Perry Cemetery, Ron Wall,
ronwall@netegra.com....the following:
"From Ed Avery: This Cemetery is located on my property - The Avery Place -
It is 1/2 miles south of Havana, Hale County [AL], on highway 69. It
contains the marked graves of JOHN WHITSITT b 8th October 1743 - died 11 Aug
1819. SARAH WHITSITT b. 15th Jan 1747 and died 31st Jan 1831. Josiah PERRY
died 1831 and Mary PERRY died 1819. There are a number of other graves which
are unmarked except with bricks outlining the graves. I have found the
decendants of Josiah and Mary PERRY. I am interested in learning about the
WHITSITTS. Please reply with information about these WHITSITTS. Thank you"
End - Response also from: MWHITTEN72(a)aol.com as follows:
"The John and Sarah (THOMPSON) Whitsitt buried on your property are the
grandparents of Sarah Childress Polk, wife of President James Knox Polk."
"A prominent Whitsitt researcher wrote to Mrs. Polk in the 1880's [1890]
asking about Mrs. Polk's Whitsitt grandparents. Her secretary replied to
this letter stating that Mrs. Polks's grandparents, John and Sarah Whitsitt,
were taken to Greene Co., AL by her Uncles Lawrence and James Whitsitt, but
she knew little about their lives there. Mary Perry was one of the "missing"
daughters of John and Sarah [Whitsitt]. Mary is mentioned in the estate
settlement of Lawrence Whitsitt in the 1830's. Her son, Josiah Perry, Jr., a
lawyer from Nashville TN represented the Perry's interest in the estate."
"John and Sarah [Whitsitt] came to Sumner Co., TN from Orange Co, NC in about
1789 [John Whitsitt in the 1790 Mecklenburg Co, VA Census]. Their daughter,
Elizabeth married Joel CHILDRESS and their daughter Sarah married James K.
Polk. No one knows for sure when the Whitsitts removed to AL but my guess is
that it was not long before 1819."
"If you would like to know more about this family let me know and I'll put
something together for you. The PERRY cemetery has great historical
significance, in my opinion. As far as I know, no other researcher has known
about the graves of JOHN and SARAH or their dates of births and deaths.
Thank you for this very valuable information...Ron Wall"...end.
Notes: I have added information in brackets within the post. For the web
site of Ron Wall, see the Whitsett-L archives. Ron Wall has pictures of the
cemetery where John and Sarah Thompson Whitsitt are buried. On his web site
you will also find very fine genealogical information about these families.
I also note the Whitsitt spelling. According to the Whitsett-L, the name has
variants., and I have spelt the name of "Whitsitt" as they have spelt it
instead of "Whitsett". You will note in the Childress branch of Sarah
Childress Polk, the name is used as a Christian name and spelled as
"Whitsett".
I also note the date of birth for John Whitsitt [father of Elizabeth Whitsett
Childress] the year is 1743...very close to what John Williams Childress
reported [Joel Childress tombstone] as "dim, but my brother and I decided the
last two digits were 45"... He gave the arrival time of the Childress family
to America [1745] according to his childhood recollection of Joel
Childress'es tombstone. I also note the death date of John Whitsitt of
1819, the exact year that Joel Childress died. The closeness of these dates
in relation to a child's memory seem too hard to separate, could this have
happened to John Williams Childress as he recalled these memories from his
childhood...could he have confused the Whitsitts and the dates of birth and
death with that of his Childress ancestor? John Williams Childress
ancestor's and namesake, the Williams and Philips being of Welsh ancestry.
In fact having come from Wales. The Whitsitts, according to the Whitsett-L
members, having been Irish [some comment ref Scottish]. The name originally
being Whiteside and later changed to Whitsitt and Whitsett. Could these
families and their many connections with each other and similiar birth and
death dates have accounted for the mixing of memories of John Williams
Childress? These are questions we need to have answered. Respect is paid to
John Williams Childress and his memoirs, but until these questions are
answered we will continue to stumble without conclusion of proof into our own
Childress ancestry.
MaryJean Childress Voegtlin
Hi List
FYI
This is a letter which was posted to the Whitsett-L, dated August 7, 1999 by
RWall10261(a)aol.com......"Greene Co., AL, Whitsett Family." -
I recently posted information with reference to Sarah Childress Polk,
daughter of Joel Childress and his wife Elizabeth Whitsett Childress.
Elizabeth's ancestry can be seen on the Whitsett-L archives. Previously
posted ("Benjamin Childress & wife Susan, Wm & Mary Quarterly) to the list
will help explain the contents of a letter written between Mrs. Anson Nelson
and First Lady, Sarah Childress Polk. This letter confirms that Sarah's
father (Joel) had a mother named "Susan". The 1789 Surry County, NC Orphans
Court records (See: Childress-L archives, Lee Rau) confirm that Joel
Childress b1777 VA was the son of Benjamin Childress.
John Williams Childress, descendant of Joel and Elizabeth Whitsett Childress
had written his memoirs in 1960. These memoirs are referred to with
regularity by the Childress-L owner (Gary/Mark Childress) and used as the
basis for the Childress family who they believe came to America in 1745.
Gary/Mark Childress use the tombstone of Joel Childress, as seen in the
memoirs of John Williams Childress as proof of arrival and for the father of
Joel Childress whom they state was JOHN Childress. The 1789 Orphan Court
records clarify the fact that Joel Childress, aged 12 in 1789 was not the son
of John, but of Benjamin Childress who was deceased by 1789.
John William Childress in his 1960 Memoirs states that the mother of
Elizabeth Whitsett Childress was Polly Sevier. This statement is in error.
With this letter (Whitsett-L archives) you will see that Sarah shares the
name of her grandmother. I will also add notes which will help you, the
researcher, to further your quest for your Childress ancestors. Knowing
something about this family helps to explain the ancestry of this branch of
Childress. I am also at an advantage in that I descend from families who
connect to these branches of Thompson, Philips, Williams and
others....including the Thompsons of early VA, NC, AL and TN.
"Descendants of John Whitsett:
1JOHN WHITSETT was born Oct 8, 1743 - died August 11, 1819 Green Co, AL - He
married SARAH THOMPSON born Jan 15, 1747 - died Jan 31, 1831 Green Co, AL.
Sarah was the daughter of Laurence Thompson and Sarah Finney. John and Sarah
had among other children, Elizabeth Whitsett who m. Joel Childress."
"William Heth Whitsett, ANNALS of A SCOTCH - IRISH FAMILY, pg 240-241, Letter
from Mrs. Anson Nelson of Nashville TN to Dr. Whitsett, September 16, 1890,
(Mrs Nelson was a mutual friend of Sarah Childress Polk and Dr Whitsett who
sent Mrs. Nelson a list of questions concerning Mrs. Polk's family)."
"Nashville, 146 North Summer Street,
September 16, 1890"
"Mrs Polk listened with lively interest to your letter, and took evident
pleasure in talking fo the family, seeming pleased to answer your inquiries.
In those early times concerning which you are asking there was not so much
appreciation of the relation of current events to history as there is now,
and it was seldom that note was made of those events. This country was then
a comparative wilderness, with little opportunity for recording occurrences
or for keeping such records. Mrs. Polk does not know of any register of her
ancestry, unless there may be a few names and dates in an old family Bible
which was left to another branch of her mother's family and which she
supposes is lost. She knows nothing of her ancestors in Scotland or Ireland
or of any relatives living in those countries at the present time. The
interesting items of tradition about the Whitsitt family in the seventeenth
century, given in your letter, were entirely new to her. Mrs. Polk thinks
that Mr. Jenkins, the historian, probably had access to sources of
information unknown to her and that his statement is correct that her parents
were married in Campbell County, VA. She has no record of the date of their
marriage."
"The name of Elizabeth Whitsitt's father was "John"; her mother's name was
"Sarah". The family name is not remembered by Mrs. Polk. It was for her
that the future Mrs. Polk was named "Sarah". Mrs. Polk's only sister was
named for her father's mother, SUSAN Childress. John and Sarah Whitsitt
lived in Sumner County, Tennnessee., and were plain country people, but were
independent - owned their home, had slaves, and enjoyed the comforts of life.
While Mrs. Polk was a child, they were carried to Alabama by their son,
Lawrence Whitsitt, where they died at an advanced age. They had a son named
James Whitsett."
"Mrs. Polk says there was no Episcopal Church in the place where her
grandparents lived, and she thinks that they must have been Presbyterians,
from the fact that her mother, Elizabeth Whitsitt Childress, was a devoted
Presbyterian. She brought up her children strictly in the principles of that
faith, although while living in the country in Rutherford County she could
not be identified with the church." end
Note: If you read what Sarah Childress Polk had to say, she did not mention
any family traditions, did not know of Scot-Irish ancestors alive or
otherwise. According to the 1960 memoirs of John Williams Childress
(Childress-L archives) he states that the tombstone of Joel Childress who
died 1819 had genealogical information engraved upon it, which said "Joel
Childress, son of John, son of Joel, came on his own ship with cargo, from
Wales in 1745"....It would seem to me that if Sarah Childress Polk had been
asked about her family, she would have referred them to this gravesite and to
the informative tombstone. John Williams Childress said that when he went
back to the homeplace and the gravesite in 1923, half the tombstone was not
there. Sarah Childress Polk lived until 1891, one year after the 1890
letter. Thirty three years before Mr. Childress said that the gravestone was
not there, the grave and tombstone was suppose to be on the grave of Joel
Childress. Why did Sarah Childress Polk NOT refer the writer of the letter
to the famous gravesite of her father? Did she not know of this informative
tombstone? Why had this tombstone not been mentioned in the letter from Mrs.
Anson Nelson or from anyone else for that matter? Could it be that there was
no such tombstone on the grave of Joel Childress who died 1819? Joel had
been long deceased by the writing of the letter in 1890. If there was such a
tombstone, why was it not mentioned by Sarah Childress Polk?
The Whitsett family before they settled in TN (about the same time as the
Polks) were living in NC. According to "The Colonial Records of NC",
Secretary of State, Col Wm L. Saunders, John Whitsitt of Rowen and
Mecklenburg Co's NC was Treasurer of Rowan Co, NC. He also was in charge of
"laying out the land", involved with the building of the courthouse and other
duties (1753). A John Whitsett is seen in the 1790 Mecklenburg Co (Salisburg
District) NC census, in a fairly large household. John Whitsitt of 1753,
Treasurer of Rowan Co, NC was probably the father of John Whitsett/sitt,
father of Elizabeth who married Joel Childress. The Whitsetts were
associated with the political movers and shakers of NC. Many of the families
who are seen in the Colonial records of NC are connected to this branch of
Childress and other branches of Childress. I will post these families and
their connections at a later date.
Also I will post further information on the Whitsitt/sett - Childress -
Thompson families of VA - NC - TN and AL, including the cemetery information
for the family of Thompson and Whitsett in Green County, AL.
MaryJean Childress Voegtlin
Hi List
FYI
Dennis Yancey, owner of Yancey-L sent this address (its quite long)
Address:
http://www.history1700s.about.com/homework/history1700s/library/mresource...
xts/jefferson/vol14/bitjusa1339.htm
Know its long, but worth it! Dennis (Yancey) refers to a letter from Thomas
Jefferson to Col Charles Yancey of Albemarle Co, VA....If you look at the top
of the site, you will see a place to TYPE in the name you are looking for. I
found many references to CHILDRESS. The site also had other interesting
area's to research. If you have any problems with the address, just let me
know.
MaryJean Childress Voegtlin
Hello Mary Jean and List,
Thanks for posting this information. I have a list of Benjamin's in my files
who just might be the Benjamin Childress who married the Susan. I would also
say, that the age of the Benjamin who left the 1779 Inventory would certainly
be a factor. The mere fact that he left a Inventory and not a Will might
indicate that he was a young man instead of older. However , I have no
proof. If I find anything of importance, I will post it.
Ted Childress
Hi List
FYI
This information was previously posted by Kay, but I felt it important to
post this information again...as it might have been forgotten. The
information takes on new meaning because of the NC Orphan Court Records
(1789) which were located by Lee Rau. (See Childress-L archives). Joel
Childress b1777 - d1819 (whose daughter was Sarah Childress Polk, wife of
President James K. Polk) was by tradition the son of a John Childress. This
information was in the memoirs of John Williams Childress, a descendant of
Joel Childress. However, this was not the case as proved by the NC Orphans
Court records of 1789. Sarah Childress Polk in a letter dated 1890 to Dr.
Whitsett, said that her father's mother was "Susan". I plan to post this
letter to the list.
The following is the information provided by list member Kay:
"Charlotte Co, VA...William and Mary College Quarterly Historical Magazine,
2nd Ser., Vol 2, No 2 (April 1922), Pages 85-88, "Charlotte Co, VA",
contributed by W.S. Morton, 1778 Revolutionary Soldiers, (order Book No 4) A
list of soldiers whose families were furnished with supplies while they were
in active service:
Benjamine CHILDRESS, (wife SUSAN) - Continental Service."
NOTE: There is Inventory for a Benjamin CHILDRESS (Childrefs) in Charlotte
Co, VA dated 1779. Is it possible that this Benjamin CHILDRESS is the one in
the ARW records reported in the Wm & Mary Quarterly? Strong evidence says
so. Is this Benjamin CHILDRESS the brother of Jeremiah CHILDRESS who lived
in Charlotte Co, VA until his 1790-1 Will was probated. A Jeremiah CHILDRESS
appears on the Will of his father, Thomas CHILDRESS written 1756, probated
1758 Henrico Co, VA. as does his brother named Benjamin CHILDRESS.
Sarah Childress Polk also noted in the 1890 letter to Dr. Whitsett confirms,
her only sister had been named "Susan" for her father's (Joel) mother. Any
comments welcomed.
MaryJean Childress Voegtlin
Hi List
FYI
I came across this site with reference to the mention of the CHILDRESS family
and those connected. From Dennis Yancey, Yancey-L as follows:
Address: http://mountainpress.com/
MaryJean Childress Voegtlin
Hi List
Hi Jim,
Thank you for your post and your insight on all the veterans who gave their
lives for this great country of ours. I for one have many veterans in my
family including my husband. Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us and
for remembering them.
MaryJean Childress Voegtlin
Pearl Harbor seems to have faded away like an old soldier. The words of
our respected president and leader F.D.R. still ring thru my head as I
heard him announce the attack of Pearl while at dinner at grandmother.
All my uncles went in Monday and Joined various branches of the Armed
forces. They are part of all our genealogy and some fell to the ground,
never to be recovered. All my uncles were able to return to add to their
trees while others did not. They are all why we can live in this great
country today.
God Bless us All
Grandpano(a)juno.com
Jim Childress
Hi List:
The Dec 2, 2000 post where I referred to the Amelia Co VA Tithe list for 1736
should have read: Amelia County, VA Tithe list for 1743 which included Jary
and John CHILDRESS. See the same post of Dec 2, 2000 reference 1736 Amelia
Tithes...these two were shown as "CHILDRESS" with no given names and have
site address included.
The tithes for Amelia Co Virginia, 1743 and 1736 show two men by the name of
CHILDRESS.
Thanks!
MaryJean Childress Voegtlin
Hi List
FYI
The address: http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/va/amelia.htm
"A list of the Titheables Below Deep Creek in 1736"
Transcribed by Steve Light (piercem6(a)pilot.msu.edu) as follows:
"The list was taken by Abraham Green. Amelia microfilm reel #55, Library of
VA, 1736-1771. This is roughly the southern 2/3 of Amelia County. Prior to
about 1735, this area was part of Prince George County (VA). In other words,
these indiciduals were residents of Prince George County the year before
Amelia was carved out of Prince George."
NOTE: Go to this site to see the list transcribed by Steve Light. Some of
those names associated with Childress, I will list, but you may find more
names when you visit this site. My ancestor, Jeremiah Childress was shown to
have been on the tithe list for Amelia County VA 1736. Along with Jeremiah
was a John CHILDRESS. This information can be seen in a prior post to this
list. The two CHILDRESS's on this list must have had a unreadable given
name, however, the "VA Magazine of Genealogy" gave these names for 1736 as:
Jary and John CHILDRESS.
CHILDRESS, ?
CHILDRESS, ?
Anderson, Thomas
Batte, William
Bolling, Colonel
Bolling, widow
Cock, Abraham
Coleman, Henery, Joseph (2), Robert, William Sr & Jr.
Davis, Robt
Evans, John, Robert
Green, Abraham
Jones, Abraham
Powell, John
Tucker, George, Francis, John, Robt Sr, Jr. William
NOTE: Not to be copied by any commercial organization or used for any
commercial purposes.
MaryJean Childress Voegtlin
Hi List
FYI
This site is free. Address:
http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~ysbinns/vataxlists/
Some of the names found in these (original) records are:
1Richard CHILDRES
2John CHILDRES
3Philip CHILDRES
4Ann CHILDRES
5Thomas Childrefs
6John Childrefs
7Jacob Childrefs
8Milner Childrefs
9Abraham Childrefs
10Zachariah Childrefs
11Alexander Childrefs
12Frederick Childrefs
13John Childrefs Sr
14Ann Childrefs
15John Childrefs
16Ann Childrefs widow of Elijah Childrefs
17Jos(Joseph) Childrefs
18Saml (Samuel) Childrefs
19John W. Childrefs
20Meredith Childreth
21Thomas Childrey
22William Childrey (Childrefs?)
23Ann Childrey (Childrefs?)
24Nathaniel Childrefs
25Alexander Childrefs
There are other branches as well...plus some of the counties have a index.
This is a wonderful free site. It has much information! If you should have
a problem with the above address, please let me know.
MaryJean Childress Voegtlin