Saturday, April 14, 2012

Genealogy and Western Migration 1800 - 1850


I have always had an interest in my family tree and genealogy.  In earlier posts, I have written about the Chappelear family that settled in Maryland, St Mary's county in 1700.   I rediscovered the Atlas of American History, Oxford University Press 1964 edited by Edward W Fox that includes maps of the US in historical perspective.   Found it on my shelf and just scanned in these two maps.  In a nutshell, the Chappelears, like their contemporaries in Virginia, the Washington's and Jefferson's had land they raised tobacco and owned slaves.  Elias Arnold Chappelear was born between 1730-1741 in St Mary's Co, Maryland Colony. His father's estate, Isaac Chappelear when settled in 1743 listed him as a minor, and it included two Negro boys in the listing. Elias served as a private in July 1776 with the 6th Battalion of St Marys Co Militia.  In 1774 he was listed as the owner of 292 acres of land called Underwood or Woods Pleasure near the border of St Mary's and Charles Counties, now known as Charlotte Hall.  Elias moved to Culpepper Co VA in the 1880's where the family continued being tobacco farmers, and this area was later part of Rappahannock Co. Elias son, Zachariah b 1772 St Mary's Co MD, and listed on the 1820 Census in Culpepper Co VA moved to Ohio with his son, William Woods, b 1818, Gaines Cross Roads, Rappahancok Co VA.