Last Revised 10 December 2006
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Who was Alexander Chesnutt of Isle of Wight County, Virginia?
History of the Chesnutts of Southeastern North Carolina Genealogy Project
Some Facts About the Early Dispersal of the Chesnutt Family of SE NC
Some of the Many People Who Helped Compile Data for the Book
How Much Does the Book Cost?
Frequently Asked Question: Does a larger discount apply for donations to libraries (Question 2)?
Order Form for the New Book reduced postage and shipping rate for multiple book orders
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IMAGES OF THE BOOK
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..........Front Cover...............Spine

WHO WAS ALEXANDER CHESNUTT OF ISLE OF WIGHT COUNTY, VIRGINIA?

.....Alexander Chesnutt first appears in Isle of Wight County, Virginia land records in 1685 when he purchased 50 acres on Two Run Creek from James Garner. He died, intestate, in 1690 leaving a widow and one son, John. His widow married Mr. John Parnell. Alexander is referenced as a "Planter on the other side of the county" in 1685. The inventory from his estate indicates that he was also a weaver, a profession that some of his descendants also followed.

.....John Chesnutt is the only child that can be attributed to Alexander Chesnutt. He had at least seven sons, Alexander, Joshua, John, Edward, Charles, Jacob, and David, and one daughter, Louisa Maytelda. John Chesnutt resided on property left to him by his father and 100 acres purchased by him in 1730. He died, intestate, in 1750 in Isle of Wight County, Virginia. Shortly after his death, his family dispersed.

.....In the 1750s, five of Alexander's grandsons, Alexander, Joshua, Charles, Jacob and David, and one granddaughter, Louisa Maytelda, moved to present-day Sampson County, North Carolina and settled along the west side of the Six Runs. Alexander, Joshua and Charles left many descendants, some of whom are still living in southeastern North Carolina. Others migrated to South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Texas, Indiana,a nd eventually to the West

SOME FACTS ABOUT THE EARLY DISPERSAL OF THE CHESNUTT FAMILY: 1750s -- mid-1800s

One of the big questions in compiling a family history and genealgoy on a family as large and spread-out as the Chesnutt family is this: "Where did they go?" Our line is documented back to Alexander Chesnutt of Isle of Wight County, Virginia where he is first found purchasing a deed for 50 acres in 1685. Six of his grandchildren migrated to Southeastern North Carolina in the 1750s. Subsequent to their settlement along the Six Runs in present day Duplin County, many Chesnutt men and women migrated into South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma, Montana and Indiania.

In order to better reflect some of this early migration, and by no means all of it, I created a chart that describes this movement of the family. Please click on the following link to see the chart: Chart: The Early Dispersal of the Chesnutt Family From Southeastern North Carolina: Mid-1700s to Mid-1800s

QUICK FACTS ABOUT THE NEW BOOK: THE CHESNUTT FAMILY OF SOUTHEASTERN NORTH CAROLINA

• Timeframe of the book ranges from 1685 to 2003.
• This book is well documented.
• 704 pages, 8.5 x 11-inch page size, archival quality 60# ivory paper.
• Smyth-sewn, head bands and foot bands, hardcover book, green cloth cover, gold color stamping on spine and front cover.
• 49 photographs, most of which are pre-1920.
• 11 maps, including copies of old plats, maps of county formation, Northeastern Isle of Wight County, Virginia, Six Runs area, etc.
• Original artwork
• Appendixes on major allied families: Gavin, Hollingsworth, Parker, Peterson, Boone, Vann, Murphrey, Robinson and Driver.
• Appendixes on Letters of Genealogical Interest, Broken Branches of the family tree, and Chesnutts of Color (includes biographical sketch of writer Charles Waddell Chesnutt).
• More than 20,000 names are referenced in the book.
• Full name index.
• Gazetteer coves sites and geographical features in southeastern North Carolina important to the Chesnutt family.
• More than 150 Chesnutt cousins representing various branches of Alexander Chesnutt family assisted in compiling data for this book.
• Limited printing and availability (I do not anticipate this book being reprinted.)
• The book is available and ready for immediate delivery.
• The book was printed by Quebecor World Book Services, Inc. Quebecor is one of the world's largest book printers providing services for all kinds and types of books.
  
  Please share copies of this Prepublication flyer and web site URL with your family members and others who you think would be interested in this book.

HISTORY OF THE CHESNUTTS OF SOUTHEASTERN NORTH CAROLINA GENEALOGY PROJECT

.....Eloise F. Potter and A. Ray Griffin, Jr., began separate research on Chesnutts in the 1970s and 1980; respectively. Eloise, a descendant of Alexander Chesnutt via his grandsons Charles Chesnutt and Joshua Chesnutt, began collecting much data on early Chesnutts while compiling data for use in her genealogical compilation, Rackley: A Southern Colonial Family (with Timothy Wiley Rackley, 1984; revised and enlarged, 1996). After she discovered that her great-great grandmother was Wealthy Chesnutt and that Wealthy's husband, Peyton Rackley, was a son of Shadrick Rackley and Sarah Chesnutt, Eloise was compelled to find out how those two women are related. With the help of unpublished genealogical records compiled by Thomas M. Byrd, of Cary, NC, and generously shared with others who are researching Chesnutts, the mystery was solved. By then, Eloise was well on her way to producing a rough draft of a genealogy for the descendants of Alexander Chesnutt of Isle of Wight County, Virginia down to family members listed on the 1850 Census of the United States.

.....One reference Eloise consulted was Voices From the Past: Chesnutt, A Southern Colonial Family, by the late Joseph Henry Chesnutt (privately published, 1987-1988, Wilmington, NC). In the late 1980s, Ray, a descendant of Alexander Chesnutt via his grandson Joshua Chesnutt, agreed to help Joe update his book. He prepared the update for the John Nicholas Chesnutt family (his maternial great-grandfather) section of Joe's book. By the time that work was finished, Ray was hooked on trying to help Joe expand his book. Before he died, Joe gave Ray the rights to the book with the desire that it be updated, corrected, expanded and hopefully answering the question of who the parents of his great-great grandfather, David Chesnutt were. After his death, Joe's widow, Elsie, sent Ray his remaining genealogical files. Ray brought to that project his experience in compiling and publishing Along The Neuse, The Craven Bryan Griffin Family, 1728-1992 (1993) and a 1995 supplement, The Jerome Griffith Family of Northampton County, Virginia, 1644-1727. Early in his work on the Chesnutt revisions, Ray consulted Thomas M. Byrd, an authority on the location of land grants issued in Duplin and Sampson counties. Tom advised Ray to get in touch with Eloise.

.....On 1 January 1996 Ray wrote Eloise a letter that led to their meeting in person. Both immediately realized that together they could compile a Chesnutt genealogy far superior to anything either might produce alone. Their collaboration bought together the genealogical records contributed by more than 150 family members from all parts of the United States. Without such generous cooperation, there would be very little post-1900 data in this book and almost no photographs. Now, after 7 and one-half years of work on the project, Ray and Eloise are read to send the manuscript to the printers.

A PROJECT MADE POSSIBLE BY THE GENEALOGICAL WORK AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF MANY WITHIN THIS LARGE FAMILY

.....No family history or genealogical project can be completed without the dedicated assistance and hard work of many, many people. Over 150 persons dedicated to the concept of providing a comprehensive book on Chesnutts assisted Eloise and Ray in this prodigious project. Fortunatley, people from many states and differing branches of the large Chesnutt Family Tree provided valuable information that helped clarify family lines, correct errors and establish new facts. Some of the Cooperators and Contributors to this project include:

.....Vienna Moore Balkcum, Nell Peterson Barkley, Ruby Lee Blanton, Debbie Chestnut Bohon, Charles E. Boswell, Elizabeth R. Boney, Malloy W. Brandt, Thomas M. Byrd, Deborah Griffin Campbell, Donald F. Carter, Nancy G. Chesnut, Betty Ellen Chesnutt, Douglas Arthur Chesnutt, Edwin Lee Chesnutt, Lawrence James Cooke, Jr., Gail Borden Chesnutt, Eva Ellen Chesnutt, Jack M. Chesnutt William Kenneth Chesnutt, Sarah Hines Chesnutt, Harold C. Cook, Bettye Myrick Dupree, Judy Chesnut Eggert, Nancy F. Ewing, Helen Pate Firth, Frederick M. Hintze, Jr., Robeania Hobbs, Ann Brooks Kendall, Roland E. Matthis, Arnold F. McRae, Sr., Eleanor Chesnutt Miller, Jennie Ellis Mintz, Kay Mix, Claude H. Moore, Jr., Catherine Chestnut Perdue, Martha Pedigo, Billy Ray Peterson, Charles David Peterson, M. R. Peterson, Jr., Annie Chesnutt (Quinn) Presley, Dixie B. Soo, Sarah K. Southerland, Stephanie H. Toney, Millie Gregory Wolf, Patricia W. Wayne, Jackie H. Womack, Myrtle Gould (Mickey) Wright, and many, many more!

HOW MUCH DOES THE BOOK COST?

CHRISTMAS SALE: TAKE 25% OFF THE PRICE OF EACH BOOK ORDERED. offer good until 10 January 2007

$60.00 Price per book (e-mail for discount information on orders of 3 or more books)
$ ..8.00 Packaging, shipping and handling ($12 or 2 books, $16 for 3 books, $20 for 4 books, etc. postal ..................insurance included on book orders of 2 or more sent to the same address.)
$68.00 Total cost
ADD: 9.5% sales tax for Tennessee residents
ADD: $2.20 if you want postal insurance for single book orders.

Please go here to print an order form: ORDER FORM

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

1. Can I Send in Updated Information Now? A Supplement to the Book "in the Works." (updated 30 Aug 03

Since the news of the book's release, I have received numerous inquiries about submitting updated and new information. Unfortunately, we cannot incorporate such material at this time for two reasons. The first reason is that the book has been set at 704 pages and has been paigenated and indexed. The second reason is that the camera ready copy, being finalized by the end of the first week of September, must be submitted to the printer by the end of the second week of September if we are to hope to have the book mailed out before the Christmas holiday.

I have developed a work-around that I hope will be satisfactory. I welcome updated and/or new material for the Chesnutt book. I will take such information and create a Supplement to the book based on the new and expanded materials submitted by those that purchase the book. The data will be developed in a MS Word document and sent in digital format (via email), free of charge, to those buying the book.

At this hour in this project, now many years in the making, this is the best way of incorporating such new information. Please send hard copy or email information to me. My address is at the bottom of this page

2. Is a discount available if I want to donate a book in honor of a family member? (updated 15 Nov 03)

Yes. A 33% discount ($20) will be extended to any book donated to a public library or other non-profit group. On your order form, please indicate the name and address of the library where the book is going to be shipped and the name of the person to whom the book should be dedicated. I will prepare an appropriate cover letter transmitting the book (cc to you).

BOOK ORDER FORM
Click Here For Printer Friendly Version of Order Form:

Please Print the form and submit your order along with a personal check or money order (do not send cash) to:

Mr. A. Ray Griffin, Jr.
P. O. Box 2292
Staunton, VA 24402
Cell: 540-280-7001
Email: griffin0909@mindspring.com
Web Site: http://griffin0909.home.mindspring.com/chesnutt.html

Thank You For Your Order!

If you have questions about this book, please feel free to contact me at the following:

A. Ray Griffin, Jr.
P. O. Box 2292
Staunton, VA 24402
Cell: 540-280-7001
Email: griffin0909@mindspring.com