The line we list here is developed from correspondence and research on the Washington, Ball and Chinn lines developed by others.

Rawleigh Chinn seems to have somewhat been a scalawag. He marries to Esther Ball and has five children by her. She is the half sister to Mary Ball, the mother of our most illustrious 1st President of the United States, George Washington. Rumors are abundant that even with such a connection, Rawleigh had an affair while in London. This may have had something to do with the eventually desolution of this marriage. He apparently takes up with Margaret Ball Downman, the 1st cousin to Esther, and has three sons out of wedlock with her in Richmond Co., VA. In the Will of Rawleigh Chinn, which I haven't seen, they are supposedly called "godsons" and "sons" in the will of Margaret (Ball) Downman. A certificate of birth in Richmond County confirms that Rawleigh Chinn was the father. [Dally Duggan Washington records, GenForum 1 Sep 1999]

Many records and original documentation were published in various Virginia genealogical publications.

1716 - Tithables in Lancaster Co., William and Mary College Quarterly Historical Magazine, Vo. 21, No. 2. (Oct., 1912), pp. 106-112.

Page 106

                   TITHABLES IN LANCASTER CO., 1716 

   Att a Court held for Lancaster County, the 14th day of
November Anno Dom: 1716.

                     PRESENT

Capt. Henry ffleett           Mr. Thomas Carter
Mr. John Turberville          Richard Chichester Esqr Justices
Major William Ball,           Capt. George Heale
Mr. Thomas Lee

   The County of Lancaster being indebted the sum of six
thousand pounds of tobaco do order that a levy of five pounds
and three quarters of a pound of tobacco by the poll be collected
by Capt Richard Ball Sheriff of this County off and from every
tithable person in this County and that he pay the same to
the severall Creditors hereafter named, viz

To the Honrble Robert Carter Esq. for keeping the ferry     1400
To Mrs. Barbara Tayloe                                      1000
To Wm Dare Attrny for the King                              1000
To Mrs Martha Howard for water, candles and cleaning
    the Court House                                          800
To the Sheriff for extraordinary service                     500
To Mr John Turberville for Coroners Enquiry                  133

Page 107

To Mr Thomas Lee for one levy last year                       36
To ditto for one in Anno 1714                                 31
To the Sheriff for 3 days attendance in each parish
   200 p day                                                1200
                                                            ____
                                                            6100
                         Pr Contra Cr.
By 1065 Tithables at 5 3/4 p poll is                        6100

               CHRIST CHURCH LIST OF THITHABLES

 Rawl: Chinn  12
(Rawleigh Chinn is one of hundreds in this list with most having only 1 or 2 tithable parts.)

1722- November 12 - Esther Ball Chinn seems to have had enough of Rawleigh's escapades and files for support for their children.

"At a Court held for Lancaster County, Wednesday, the 11th July, 1722; On the prayer of Ester Chinn setting forth that her husband Rawleigh Chinn doth daily abuse her and refuse her any competency whereby she may subsist and that by sd means thereof she hath lately been opliged away from her home to be delivered of a child which she prays may be by her sd husband maintained. It is ordered that the Sheriff of this county acquaint the sd Rawleigh that it is the courts direction that he take care of and maintain the sd child and that he have ten days notice from the time of his being served with this order tp provide for the same, and it is further ordered that in case the sd Rawleigh do not then take care of the sd child as before directed, the sheriff take him into custody till he give security for so doing."
[Lancaster County Court Ordrs Bk. 7, p. 51]

1806 Rawleigh Chinn seems to be suing Henry Peyton and Alexander Gaddis for Tobacco in their possession in Stafford, Virginia.

STYLE : Chinn vs Peyton & Gaddis
PLAINTIFF(s) : Raleigh Chinn
DEFENDANT(s) : Henry Peyton; Alexander Gaddis; Inspectors at Aquia
Warehouse
PLACES MENTIONED : Stafford
REMARK(s) : Tobacco held at Aquia Warehouse
CITATION : Chinn vs Peyton & Gaddis / 1806 / CR-DC-L / 569-105

[ City of Fredericksburg, Virginia Court papers. Court Records Digest created and developed by Barry L. McGhee, bmcghee@interserf.net]

"Between THADDEUS McCARTY and ANN his Wife; Whereas RAWLEIGH CHINN late of the County of Lancaster, was seized of a tract of land lying in the County of Prince William [now Fauquier and Loudoun Countys], who devised the remainder to his Son, RAWLEIGH CHINN and died after whose death RAWLEIGH CHINN [the Son] entered and was possessed of and dyed intestate leaving issue two Daughters, CATHARINE and the aforesaid ANN "

William and Mary College Quarterly Historical Magazine, Vol. 12, No. 2 (Oct., 1903), pp. 96-103.
Marriage Bonds of Lancaster Co., VA

2 May, 1727, Joseph Chinn & Mrs. Elizabeth Ball. Sec. George Payne.

page 97
11 July, 1719, Richd Chichester, Esq., & Ann Fox, widdow of Wm. Fox, deced. Sec. Jo. Chichester. Witnesses, Raw-
Page 98.
leigh Chinn, Wm. Payne. Fine seal of arms opposite to Richd Chicester's name.

page 98
26 Oct., 1739, Chichr Chinn and Agatha Thornton. Sec. Thos. Thornton.

page 100
12 Nov., 1735, Thomas Chinn & Sarah Mitchell. October 25th, 1739, Rawleigh Chinn's letter, consenting to marriage of his "son Chichester & Mrs. Agatha Thornton." page 102
20 Jan., 1746, George Heale and Miss Sarah Smith. Consent of Jos. Chinn and Priscilla Chinn. Witnesses, Jesse Ball, Richard Selden.
6 July, 1756, Francis Christian & Katherine Chinn. Consent of mother, Ann Chinn.
16 Oct., 1764, Thos Chinn, Jun., & Sarah Brent.

Richmond County, VA - Early Marriages; William and Mary Quarterly Volume 5, No. 1, July 1896
Raleigh Chinn to Fanny Tarpley, 30 January, 1775. Charles McCarty.

1741- Rawleigh Chinn dies. The estate is settled and will recorded in March 12th through July and August 0f 1741-42 in Lancaster Co., VA

Legatees: Sons; Joseph (land in Prince William County)Thomas; Chichester (land in Richmond and King George counties); Rawleigh; daughter Ann Sherman; Gr. son Rawleigh Sherman, (land in Prince William Co.) godson, Charles, son of Margaret Downman; Christopher and Elijah sons of sd Margaret Downman; Celia Nichols, daughter of Elizabeth Nichols; Joseph Durham, Dominick Newgent, Bryan Stott, Easter Chinn, and Wm. Glascock. Extr. Son Rawleigh Chinn. [Lancaster Co., W.B. 13, p. 253]

KING GEORGE COUNTY, VIRGINIA - EARLY MARRIAGES
February 8, 1797, Rawleigh Chinn, widower, and Elizabeth Shearman, spinster

1758 - September 13 - Margaret identifies herself as "I Margaret Downman of Northfarnham Parish in the County of Richmond" makes her will and lists her children as "my son William", "my son Rawleigh", "my Charles", "my son Christopher", "my son Elijah", "my grandson Rawleigh Downman", and "my granddaughter" not identified.
wit: Charles Dodson, Thomas Howard, Thomas dale, D. Newgent.

This will presents a few problems for me. She is not listed with the last name of Chinn. I don't have another later marriage for her but this could explain the difference. Rawleigh is listed as her son instead of the son of Esther as most list create. My understanding is that Margaret Downman never married Rawleigh Chinn. Maintaining her maiden name she gave her name to her illegitimate son, Rawleigh Downman.

Source:

"Ball Family, Culpeper Co., Virginia," Researcher, 1983, July no. 106
Hanning, Pat, records of, Genforum 12 Jul 1998, #659 email gninnah@aol.com
Hill, Margaret Lester "Ball Families of Virginia's Northern Neck An Outline", 1990 , p. 46 and 47
Koister, Phyllis Ross. "Crossroads in Kansas -A Stearns-Ross Genealolgy", CW 1982 , Mennonite Press, Inc., N. Newton, Kansas 67117
Peirce, Elizabeth Combs. "The Unhappy Life of Esther Ball, Half Sister of Mary Ball and Wife of Rawleigh Chinn, Gent.," William & Mary Quarterly, July, 1938, Vol. 18, no. 3.
Washington, Dallyn Duggan. records on GenForum, Sept 1, 1999

Cheryl's Family Index 

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