PIERRE CHASTAIN NOTES
(1659-1728)
Pierre Chastain Lineage
PIERRE CHASTAIN
NOTES
(1659-1728)
Pierre Chastain Lineage
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Note:
Red highlights added by RDS, red in (parentheses) notes by RDS
Does not include sources from Vol. I of Pierre Chastain and His Descendants FROM "PIERRE CHASTAIN REVISITED", Am. Gen. Vol 64 #3, p. 129-139, Cameron Allen
- a refugee of Issouden (Berry) France
-departed Vevey sometime after Sept 1698
-active in gathering the French speaking group of French
Huguenots refugees in Switzerland, the Netherlands, England and perhaps
Germany and native-born French-speaking Swiss for VA colonization.
-embarked from London on Mary and Ann 19 Apr 1700 with 5 children and
wife; 3 children had died before the voyage. Children on the voyage
were Jean, Mary, Jane and Peter, Jr. and Walter [Povalle?]
FROM EXCERPT FROM "HISTORY OF BENTON COUNTY, MISSOURI, by Miles and
White
-Peter Chastain was a member of the French Protestant Refugees (more
commonly known as Huguenots) who escaped from France during the
religious wars, about 1685, when the wholesale escape of the Huguenots
from France took place with the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes of
that year. He took up residence at Yverdon, Canton Vaud, Switzerland
and was known to be a surgeon, later becoming interested in the new
colonies of America. He moved his young family to London, England in
1698. In April 1700 aboard the ship "Mary Ann" along with 205 other
French Refugees they set sail from Grovesend, England for their new land
and home. After 13 weeks voyage they arrived at Hampton, VA on the
James River 23 Jul 1700. This small group settled and established a
frontier village and community 20 miles west of Richmond above the Falls
of the James River. The village was known as Manakin Town and the
community was known as King William Parish.
FROM VA CHASTAINS, LOWELL B. CHASTAIN, P. 20 (Henrico County, VA
Wills, 1697-1704, p. 362)
-Indicates that Pierre was a coroner - when a death statement of
Benjamin DuJoux was sworn by a Mr. Chastain.
-in other estate settlement of some Huguenots at Manakin Town there
were noted monies owed to Doctor Pierre Chastain
-Land deeds
on 20 Mar 1731, James Robertson deeded land to John Twitty bounded by the land of Doctor Peter Chastain. (Goochland Co. VA
Deeds Book #11, p. 316)
-accounting estate of Antoinne Trabue 9 Dec 1727, the list of
creditors includes Doctor Chastaine, Stephen Chastaine, John Chastain.
(Henry County, VA Deeds and Wills 1725-1737)
FROM "EARLY VA FAMILIES ALONG THE JAMES RIVER, Vol. I, Henrico County
- Goochland County, compiled by Louise Pledge Heath Foley, 1974
(1624-1732 Abstracts of
Land Patents, Patent Book #1, Part I, p 48)
-111 acres (N.L) Henrico County, on South side of James River, adj.
Anthony Moloone, his own land, and the widow Gory's line, 23 Mar 1715,
p. 266. Part of the first 5,000 acres surveyed for the French Refugees.
FROM "TWELVE VA COUNTIES", Gwabhney, Dietz Press, Richmond, 1937, p.
219
-In 1698 Col. William Byrd was largely responsible for a special
invitation for a large number of Huguenots in /England to come to VA.
They settled 20 miles above the Falls of the James River and the heart
of the new colony was Manakin Town on the south side of the
river........first party of Huguenots arrived on 23 Jul 1700.
-Names include: Pierre Chastain who came on the first ship, "The Mary
and Ann". King William Parish was set aside as their parish.
FROM "EARLY VIRGINIA FAMILIES ALONG THE JAMES RIVER", Henrico County-
Goochland County, by Louise Pledge Heath Foley, Vol. I, p. 62
-to Capt. Peter Chastaine,
379 acres, 1R.10P (N.L) Henrico County -
west side of
Jones Creek
on
south side of the James River, beginning at
Peter Ford's corner on Jones and Pleasant line; 9 Jul 1724, p. 1520 shelly and Imp. of 4 persons: Mary Chastain, Jane Chastain, Peter
Chastain, Jr. and Walter Beatle.
-p. 48
111 acres
(N.L) Henrico County, on
south side of James River
adjacent to Anthony Malone, his own line and the widow Gory's line, 23
Mar 1715, p. 266. Part of the first
5,000 acres
surveyed for the French Refugees.
FROM A LETTER FROM B. J. KINCAID TO MRS. LOYCE COOLIDGE, 26 Dec 1967:
-signed his will simply "Chastain"
-will
discloses that Peter Junior was left a certain tract of land,
111 acres
by his father.
-Kincaid feels we have to be satisfied with not knowing the name or
names of the mother, or mothers of the issue of Pater Chastain, Sr. He
m. a widow who already had children and she bore him no more and she left
all of her property to her children by a previous marriage.
FROM THE CHESTNUT TREE, VOL., IX #4, P. 9
-Copies of the manifest of the "Mary and 'Ann" as it arrived in VA in
Jul 1700 (purportedly from the public record office in London) show:
1) "Pierre Chatanier, sa femme et son pere"
2) "Pierre Chastain, sa femmie et cinq enfants"
-Clearly there were on that ship, two men named "Pierre" who also had
similar but different surnames. The spelling of the manifest was poor -
but you can bet there was nothing wrong with their arithmetic. They paid
fares based on head count. Duplication of a passenger's name on the
manifest would have distorted the head count.
-Confirmation is supplied by a list of French Huguenots naturalized
in VA, 1705. Here we see "Peter Chatain" and "Peter Chataigmer"
-there were 3 different spellings: 1)Chastain, Stephen 2)
Chataigmer, Peter 3) Chatain, Peter
-Marvin Chastain feels that Piere Chateigner was not our ancestor.
Undoubtedly the French genealogy was his and not that of Pierre
Chastain.
-this still leaves the mystery of Pierre signing "Chastaing" to his
will. It also leaves a mystery of the source of the legend about 3
Chastain brothers immigrating to South Carolina. He got this story from
his father who got it from his grandfather
who had no contact with other branches of the family after 1863.
However he got the same legend from Chastains he corresponded with all
over the country.
-There were a number of Chastains among the Huguenot refugees in
London in the late 1600s and early 1700s. There was a
Thomas Chastain
listed as a member of the London Huguenot Society in 1983 He wrote the
society, but did not receive an answer.
FROM JASON COWARD CHASTAIN AND HIS FAMILY, p. 14
-Pierre Chastain settled a
few miles up the James River from
Richmond. A number of Huguenots were already living on the site of an
ancient Indian Village. Hence, the name of
Mannichin or Manakin Town
came about for the Huguenot settlement.
-Among all the documents, letter, deeds and wills which may be
searched to validate the Chastain family records, three wills are
presented as examples of piety, frugality, honesty, familial love and as
a testimony that these folk of ours were not ignorant, poverty stricken
refugees. Their Christian stewardship is still a sterling example to
their descendants.
---
FROM VA CHASTAINS, LOWELL B. CHASTAIN -concerning Pierre
Chastain Family Burial Plot at Manakin Town, VA
-When Lowell B. Chastain and his wife Gladys
restored the gravesite of Pierre Chastain in Aug of 1982,
they found 4 other filed stones which were close to Pierre's
gave marker, which also had been overturned since there at
the 1981 visit. It seemed to them that these 4 field
stones, which varied in size, possibly had been taken from
the James River and were intended to mark the graves of
Pierre's 3 wives and small children. However they only have
proof of the location of Dr, Pierre's grave. That proof came
several years ago when they were escorted to the site by
Beasley Hancock, living close by and who was on the Vestry
of the Manakin Episcopal Church. He stated that he once had
the plot of all the burials in this family cemetery which
was used by the Scott family for many years after Pierre
Chastain was buried there. He had turned the drawing over to
the Scott Family several years prior. He stated he was
positive of the location of Dr. Pierre's grave but could not
remember the location of any others. Mr. Hancock related
the story of the nearby farm owner, who d. in 1929 and is
buried at the Manakin Episcopal Church, who tore down the
brick wall surrounding the cemetery and built himself a
beautiful brick house. The brick, a few of them still about
the burial plot were all large homemade brick.
The present owner of Monacan Farm, upon which this
burial plot is located, confirmed the location of Dr.
Pierre's grave. She related that she had the burial plot
which Mr. Hancock spoke of. However, she could not find it
and would have to contact one of the Scott descendants about
it. They cut the weeds, which were higher than their heads
with machettas, leveled the ground, built a 6'x8' form 6"
deep and poured a cement slab. Here they placed a chain
link fence 6'x8'x5' with no gates. The tombstone they
imbedded onto the center of the concrete slab a few inches
so that it could not be removed. The granite marker cut to
show a Huguenot Cross in the edge design.
The Pierre Chastain Family Association started a
Gravesite Restoration fund at the annual reunion in 1978.
Mrs. Rebecca Denny, owner of Monacan Farms felt the
brick wall should be restored around the entire original
burial plot, and with a gate. A cost estimate was $10,000.
Many would lie to see it restored with help from the federal
and state governments. The original wall was 3 1/2 inches
high and 12" thick. Mrs. Denny told LBC about 3 beautiful
white marble tombstones that were found in her barn: Dr. R.
W. Royster, Marta A. Royster, and Ella Scott Royster.
The land on which this cemetery was first owned from
1700-1728 by Pierre Chastain was a part of the original
Huguenot Grant of 10,000 acres. The same land was in the
Scott family for about 200 years.
They placed the four extra field stones in the 6
'x8' area approximately where they were found. The fence
was attached permanently to the concrete slab.
FROM VA CHASTAINS, P. 184 (Henrico County, VA Land
Grants
-to Pierre Chastain - 111 acres (N.L.) Henrico County,
VA; on the south side of the James River, adj. to
Anthony Malloone's, his own land; and the widow
Gory's line, 23 Mar
1715, p. 266. Part of the first 5,000 acres surveyed for
the French Refugees.
-Capt. Peter Chastain, 379 acres, 1R.109 (N.L) Henrico
Co, VA on the west side of Jones's Creek, on the
south side
of the James River, beginning at
Peter Ford's corner; on
Jones and Pleasant's line; 9 Jul 1724, p. 15, for r20
shillings and improvements of 4 persons.
FROM "ENGLISH DUPLICATES OF LOST VIRGINIA RECORDS",
by Louis Des Cagnete, Jr. , 1958, p. 105.
-List of Patents granted for land in VA colony by
the Honorable Alexander Spotswood, His Majesty's Lt. Gov
and Commander in Chief of Virginia Dominion, 1710-1718.
Pierre Chastain, 111 acres of land in Henrico County, VA,
23
Mar 1715.
FROM VA CHASTAINS, p. 228 (letter from William
Ronald Cocke III, 1963 to Kenneth Chastain)
-"Monocan" was an old Chastain estate in Powhatan
Co. VA and is now owned by Collins Denny, a prominent
attorney, son of the Bishop of the same name of the
Methodist Church. Mr. Cocke believes it to be the home of
Pierre Chastain.
-Pierre patented some 500 acres of land between
1714-1730 in
Henrico and
Goochland Counties, VA
FROM VA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY AND BIOGRAPY, Vol. 32,
p. 395, 396
-Pierre Chastain, 1714, 89 tithables living in
King
William Parish
-was a vestryman in 1707
-his will in King William Parish was proved in
Goochland Co. VA Nov 1728.
FROM VA CHASTAINS, p. 177
-Dr. Pierre Chastain was never impowered,
commissioned or authorized to rule and govern the French
Refugees as proposed 24 Oct 1701 or proposed by William Byrd
I. This was due probably because he was too busy with the
large number of refugees who were sick and dying, including
Dr. Pierre's immediate family.
-LBC has seen records in the British Government
files in London, England which show that the medicine kit
was issued to Doctor Physician Pierre Chastain for the trip
of the Mary & Ann to the Colony of Virginia.
-Traditions have been passed down from family to
family concerning Dr. Pierre Chastian. There is one from
Dr. Porcher of the Santee Settlement in Jamestown, SC that
states "Dr. Pierre Chastain of the VA Manakin Town
settlement, and Doctor Lewis de Rochbrune of another
settlement were both students of medicine at the University
of Paris and in the same class. Two of Dr. Rochbrune's
descendants of Queen Anne's County, VA recently verified
that the story is true. Mr. Sam Ervin's article on the
Richbourg Family of SC, verifies that Dr. Porcher was
related to Claude Richbourg who m. Ann Chastain.
FROM THE CHESTNUT TREE, Vol. II, #1, p. 4 and 5
-Will of Pierre Chastain of Goochland Co, VA, Parish
of King William:
to John and heirs one tract of land lying
between John Laviollane and
Jacob Oninies, 90 acres.
to Peter, one tract of land whereon he lived
111 acres and bounded on the lower side by
Glebeland and his
upper side by land of Susanna Keruer and
Glode Gory.
to Rene, one tract of land
379 acres on
Jones's Creek being the land whereon William Bottom lives.
to daughters, tract of land of
574 acres
lying on the lower Manakin Creek to be divided equally.
to Judith to have the lower part it being
where she now lives.
to Susanna to join Judith, Mary to join
Susanna and Magdalen to join Elizabeth
Sons John and Peter to be executors. Dated
3 Oct 1728
FROM VA CHASTAINS,
LOWELL CHASTAIN, P. 33
Pierre - a physician/surgeon and his wife and 3 children were among 207 Huguenot Refugees, who sailed on the Mary Ann from England. Their arrival date at the mouth of the James River, near Jamestown was 23 Jul 1700.
There were directed and escorted in accordance with
instructions from Col. William Byrd the First, to Manakin Town,
which is located about 20 miles
above the present day Richmond, VA. Richmond did not exist at
that time.
-William Byrd I operated a store below what is now Richmond
and he was the most influential man in this area.
-It was mostly through Col. Byrd's influence that the Monacan
Indians fields, at the head of the falls
of the James River were selected for the settlement of
these Huguenots. The Dismal Swamp area of Virginia and present
day NE North Carolina had formerly been selected for this
settlement. The Monacan Indian fields were considered to be the
best land in the country at that time.
-a true copy of the Mary Ann manifest was made at James Town
31 Jul 1700 and the original was signed by Olivier De La Mace,
Ch. Di Sailly, and Geo. Hawes, Captain of the Mary and Ann. The
original at that time being in the custody of Governor Francis
Nicholson. [Ref. p 378 and 379, "The Douglas Register"]
-Chastains listed on the manifest:
Pierre Chastain, sa femme et cinq enfants
Estienne Chastain
Quintin
Chastain
Similar names: Francoise Sassin
Pierre Chatanier, sa
femme et son pere
-Lowell Chastain can not understand how this could be a true
copy, inasmuch as there are double entries for Estiene Chastain,
Adam Vignes, Jean Menager et Jean Lesnard. There is a
possibility that these entries were meant to read
Estienne and his wife, Adam Vigner and wife, etc.
FROM THE CHESTNUT TREE, VOL. VIII, #4, P. 115
-documents preserved in the library of Guildhall, London,
that have been quoted by Lucian Fosdick, in the "French Blood in
America" and by Charles Baird in "History of the Huguenot
Emigration", Vol II.
"In August (1700) the Bishop of London writes to the City
Chamberlain: "Sir: the Bearer Monsiur Castayne, is going out
surgeon to ye French now departing for Virginia. He wants 20
pounds to make up his chest of drugs and instruments......."
"It would appear that Chastain, the Doctor, was on the 4th
ship that left around August, and not on the first ship, The
Mary and Ann. The request for 20 lbs. was carried from the
Bishop to the Chamberlain in Aug 1700 some 4 months after the
first ship with our Pierre, and the aforementioned Stephen
left. Four months is not long enough time for Pierre to have
returned from a voyage that took 13 weeks and presumably another
13 weeks to return.
-"Could the records from the Guildhall have been miscopied,
and this request for 20 lbs. have been made in Apr of 1700 or
Aug of 1699?
FROM THE CHESTNUT TREE, VOL I #1, P. 4
FROM CAMERON ALLEN IN HIS SERIES "The Chastain Families of
Mankin Town in Virginia", AM. GEN. Jul 1963
-Pierre Chastain came over on "The Mary and Ann", the first
of 4 ships which brought most of the French Huguenots to Manakin
Town in Virginia in 1700.
-one probably called "Chalanier" on Miller's list of Feb
1700/01, and "Chalagenie" on William Byrd's list of Nov 1701
(Ibid. 5:46)
-It appears he did not remain in Manikin Town very long, that
he possibly migrated to the Trent River settlement of the
Huguenots in Craven Precinct, North Carolina and died without
leaving any male issue.
FROM AMERICAN GENEALOGIST, VOL. 40, P. 4 AND 5 "The Chastain
Families of Manakin Town in Virginia", by Cameron Allen
-Tithe lists of King William Parish in 1730: a negro slave
belonging to Pierre's eldest son, Jean Chastain bearing name "Charo".
-Chastain's named his slave after his beloved home town in
France. Charost in the former Province of Berri, now in the
Department du Cher, very nearly at the center of France.
-Conclusion is that Pierre Chastain came from Charost in
Berri differs from account of the family by Rev. James Garvin
Chastain's remarkable "A Brief History of the Huguenots and
Three Family Trees: Chastain-Lockridge-Stockton. 1933, p.
258-308. leaps the centuries giving wrong parentage.
FROM AYRES, KIN TO KIN TO KIN, by Nellie Ayres, p. 81
-Pierre Chastain patented land 9 Jul 1724, 379 acres in
Henrico County, VA using headrights Mary, Jane, Jane (again)
Peter Chastain and Walter Boelhe, the land adjoining Peter
Faure.
FROM CHASTAIN KITH AND KIN, Salser, p. 18, 19
-Pierre Chastain was elected to serve on the first vestry of
the newly created Parish of King William, about 1701, again in
1718 he was elected both to the vestry and office of Church
Warden, taking the oaths of both offices. He was replaced in
1720, but in 1726 he was again serving as Church Warden. He
remained on the vestry until his death.
-Pierre's second wife was Anne Soblet, daughter of fellow
refugee immigrants, Abraham and Susanne (Briant) Soblet.
Following the death of his second wife, Anne, Pierre married
third, Mrs. Magdlaine (Flournoy/Fleurnois) Trabue, a native of
Geneva, daughter of Jacob Flournoy and widow of Antoine Trabue.
-Pierre Chastain d. in the Parish of King William, then in
Goochland County, VA between 3 Oct and 20 Nov 172, the dates of
the making of his will and its being probated. The will names
his wife "Magdalin" who does not receive any of the
1,154 acres of land left to his
three sons and 5 daughters. This would seem to indicate that
she had land of her own from her husband, Antoine Trabue.
Pierre names his 3 sons (John, Peter
and Rene) and his 5 daughters (Judith,
Susanna, Mary, Elizabeth and Magdalin. John received the
90 acres on which he lived; Peter
received the 111 acres that was
Pierre's original land grant; Rene got 379
acres, the largest portion of any child, and
574 acres to be divided equally
between his 5 daughters. Peter's portion is described as
bounded by" ye glebeland". The glebeland was that area assigned
in the distribution to the immigrants for the support of the
ministers of the church. Pierre signed his will simply "Chastaing".
SOURCE: BL
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| GPS gravesite ? | 37.343822 -77.42882 - http://www.chastaincentral.com/content/pierre.html does not appear accurate, sw of Richmond, not W |
| 37.34637 - 77.42147 | |
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