ANCESTORS & DESCENDANT'S OF THOMAS CHEATHAM
OF CHESTERFIELD CO. VA.

John, I haven't heard from you in a couple of years, but I wanted to make you aware that myself and another researcher (Joe Cheatham of Indianapolis In.) have changed our thinking on your Cheatham lineage. I had previously identified John Archer's parents as most likely Thomas Cheatham & Elizabeth Bruce. However, it now appears that his parents probably were Thomas Cheatham & Sally Ellis of Chesterfield Co. Va. Following is what I have on that Thomas Cheatham's lineage:

THOMAS CHEATHAM, b. c.1644/5 England, d. 1726 Henrico Co. Va., m. 1st. Margaret ??? , b. ??? , d. 6 Apr. 1670 Charles Parish, York Co. Va. Thomas probably m. 2nd. Oct. 1681 Henrico Co. Va., ??? . Thomas originally settled in York Co., but by 1679 he resided in Henrico Co. Va. In 1690 Martin Elam received 900 acres of land in Varina Parish, Henrico Co. Va. on the southside of the James River and on Proctor's Branch, his right for importing 18 persons, among them Thomas Cheatham. In 1691, for 2000 pounds of tobacco, he sold 300 acres of this land to Thomas Cheatham.

THOMAS CHEATHAM (JR.), son of Thomas Cheatham & ??? , b. c.1682 Henrico Co. Va., d. c.1761/2 Dale Parish, Chesterfield Co. Va., m. 2 Feb. 1707/8 Henrico Co. Va., Mrs. Tabitha Osborn Branch, dau. of Edward Osborn & Tabitha Platt (she m. 1st. Benjamin Branch & had Benjamin Branch).

THOMAS CHEATHAM (III), son of Thomas Cheatham (Jr.) & Tabitha Osborn, b. c.1711, d. c.1770/1 Dale Parish, Chesterfield Co. Va., m. c.1732, Anne Pride, dau. of Halcott Pride & Martha ??? , b. ??? , d. before 1770.

LEONARD CHEATHAM, son of Thomas Cheatham (III) & Anne Pride, b. ??? , d. c.1800 Chesterfield Co. Va., probably m. Martha Walthall, dau. of Henry Walthall & Frances Baugh. Children (as named in his will):

i Ann Cheatham, m. Robert Goode.
ii Leonard Cheatham, m. Mary Walthall.
iii Josiah Cheatham, m. Ann Walthall.
iv ARCHER Cheatham, b. c.1772, m. Margaret Rudd.
v Martha Walthall Cheatham, b. c.1777, m. John Goode.
vi Thomas Cheatham, b. ??? , m. Sally Ellis.

THOMAS CHEATHAM, son of Leonard Cheatham & Martha Walthall, b. ??? Va., m. 18 Oct. 1804 (bond) Chesterfield Co. Va., Sally Ellis, possible dau. of William Ellis & ??? . Probable children:

i Eggleston Cheatham, b. c.1800-10, d. 1848 Yazoo Co. Ms., listed 1840 Yazoo Co. census & 1843 Yazoo Co. tax list. He named brother William E. Cheatham in his will, which was witnessed by Tarpley Fulks.
ii Rebecca Cheatham, b. c.1810-20, m. Tapley Foulkes.
iii Elizabeth Cheatham, b. ??? , identified as dau. in 1824 Chesterfield Co. deed.
iv John ARCHER Cheatham, b. 17 Jan. 1815 Va., m. Martha H. Wilburn.
v William E.(Ellis?) Cheatham, b. c.1817-20 Va., m. Amelia ??? .
vi Madison P. Cheatham, b. c.1819 Va., m. Mary A.D. Perkins.

My change in thinking comes about because of new order book & deed records found in Chesterfield Co. Va. From "Chesterfield Co. Order Book 1830-33" is the following notation: Pg. 595 - "8 Oct. 1832 - The last will & testament of Tabitha Foulkes deceased was proven by oath of SALLY CHEATHAM & William Ellis. On the motion of TAPLEY FOULKES, who entered into bond and security...a certificate is granted for obtaining... Ordered Thomas B. Lavarth?, Simas? Bass, William Ellis & Edward Bass or any three of them to appraise estate." This is significant because we know that TARPLEY FULKS witnessed the will of Eggleston Cheatham in Yazoo Co. in 1848 (that will mentioning Eggleston's brother William E. Cheatham) and that Tapley was residing there in 1850. We also know that Tapley Foulkes married 10 Nov. 1828 Chesterfield Co. Va., Rebecca Cheatham. So these two wills appear to establish a relationship between Tapley Foulkes' wife Rebecca Cheatham & Sally Cheatham who witnessed the will of Tabitha Foulkes. In our previous discussions, I think we had pretty well established that Rebecca, Eggleston, William E., John Archer & Madison P. Cheatham were all siblings, so it seems logical that they all have a connection to Sally Cheatham.

We also found the following in Chesterfield Co. Deed Book 25 (1823-1824) - Pgs. 411 & 412 - "9 Feb. 1824 - Thomas Cheatham bears to REBECKY CHEATHAM & Elizabeth Cheatham, my two daughters, and for their support and education as well as for the further consideration of one dollar to me in ... paid ... the receipt which is fully acknowledged .. as granted to the said Elizabeth & Rebecky my two daughters 3 feather beds, all the furniture & utensils belonging to the same, 1 bay mare, half the kitchen furniture, 15 barrels of corn, half the hogs, & which property to be put in the hands of my wife for their support & ... & held by her for them for end during her life which property I am to have nothing to do with. Witnesses - Josiah Condrey, Edward Bass, Wm. Goode." There are other deeds around the same time which clearly indicate that this Thomas Cheatham was the one who married Sally Ellis, whose father or brother was William Ellis. So there appears to be a clear connection between Thomas & Sally (Ellis) Cheatham and Rebecca Cheatham (& her siblings in Yazoo Co. Ms.)

In reviewing family names, there also appear to be similarities between the Cheathams in Yazoo Co. and the family of Thomas Cheatham (m. Sally Ellis). Thomas' brother was ARCHER Cheatham, hence the reason he might have named a son John ARCHER Cheatham. John Archer's brother was William E. Cheatham, which may have been William Ellis Cheatham, William Ellis being associated with Sally Ellis.

We also found other order book information concerning Thomas Cheatham (who married Elizabeth Bruce) in which only his children William I./J., John, Delia A., Matthew, Elizabeth, Mary Susan & Thomas J. are mentioned. There's no mention of Rebecca or Eggleston. Even though the names William, John & Matthew (Madison?) match up with your family in Ms., some of the middle initials are different. Also, there's evidence that most of Thomas' children stayed in Chesterfield Co. Both John F. & Thomas Cheatham are residing with their remarried mother Elizabeth Winfree in the 1850 Chesterfield Co. census.

I'm sorry to have previously misled you regarding John Archer Cheatham's lineage, but I thought at the time we had pretty good information supporting it. I feel more confident that Thomas Cheatham & Sally Ellis were John Archer's parents, however we still need to do more research in Chesterfield Co., particularly on the Ellis family. I'd especially like to know why Thomas & Sally would have named a son Eggleston. Perhaps this name comes from the Ellis side. More research also needs to be done on the Foulks family, which seems to have been closely connected to Thomas Cheatham & Sally Ellis.

If you have any questions on the above information just let me know. Best regards,

Bill Cheatham