Roberts - Chaffin and Potential Connection to the Hatfield and McCoy Families

Some sources give this Polly as ours, but other sources give information that suggests that she may not have been married. The dearth of verifiable information often makes it very difficult to track these families. However, whether this is our Mary or some other Mary, this might prove to be useful information for those looking to track members of the Chaffin, Roberts, and other families. You can find information linking our Polly with the wife of Christopher Chaffin from a variety of courses, including http://www.appalachianaristocracy.com/getperson.php?personID=I13776&tree=01. There's a lot of confusion amongst the records available online, suggesting that the information of more than one Christopher Chaffin/Chafin has been confused/combined over time, further making it difficult to track this individual. Note that, although you will find information suggesting this family link in a variety of sources, this connection is almost certainly not valid. This is very likely another Polly Roberts entirely. Anyway...Enjoy!

key: b. (born), d. (died), (m.) (married), bef. (before), abt. (about), ca (circa)

Note: The direct line to Christopher Chaffin, h/o Mary Roberts, will be in bold. All other family (i.e. siblings) will not be in bold.

1. John Chaffin b. 1670 in Bruton, Somerset, Eng. and d. 1745 in Southern Parish, Cumberland District, VA.

(m.) Mary Hodge b. 1700, poss. in Virginia, and d. 1740 in Virginia.

** If all dates are correct, Mary Hodge could not be the mother of Christopher Chaffin, b. 1690

2. Children of John Chaffin:

a. Christopher Chaffin b. 1690 in Christ Church Parish in Middlesex, VA.,

and d. 23 July 1769 in Southern Parish, Cumberland District, VA.

2. Christopher Chaffin b. 1690 and d. 1769 (m.) Sarah "Unknown" b. ca 1715. in Middlesex Co. VA. Sarah was born ca 1690.

3. Children of Christopher Chaffin and Sarah "Unknown":

i. Christopher Chaffin b. 11 Nov 1718 in Christ Church Parish, Middlesex, VA. and

d. 22 Aug 1727.

ii. Mary Chaffin b. 2 Sept 1721 in Christ Church Parish, Middlesex Co., VA. and d.

1722 in Christ Church Parish, Middlesex Co. VA.

iii. William Chaffin b. 20 Dec. 1724 in Christ Church Parish, Middlesex Co., VA. and

d. 3 Jan 1725 in Christ Church Parish, Middlesex Co., VA.

iv. John Chaffin b. 1 Apr 1716 in Middlesex Co., VA. and baptised/chr.

29 Apr. 1716. D. Jan. 1773 in Cumberland Co., VA.

3. John Chaffin b. 1716 and d. 1773 (m.) Mary Canutt/Canute b. 1721 in Middlesex Co., VA. and d. 1757.

** Parents of Mary Canutt/Canute were Earl Canute b. 12 May 1696 in Southhampton, Hampshire, Eng. and d. 1781 in Grayson Co., VA and Ann "Unknown" b. 1697 in Southhampton, Hampshire, Eng. and d. 1767 in Henrico Co., VA.

4. Children of John Chaffin and Mary Canutt/Canute:

i. Christopher S. Chaffin b. ca 1757 in Cumberland Co., VA. and d. 10

Oct. 1836 in Tazewell Co., VA.

4. Christopher S. Chaffin b. ca 1757 and d. 10 Oct. 1836 (m.) Mary Ann Vawter b. Aug. 1761 in Essex Co., VA and d. 4 June 1841 in Clermont Co., Ohio. (m.) 22 Aug. 1778 in Powhatan Co., VA.

**Parents of Mary Ann Vawter were Richard Beverly Vawter b. ca 1725 in Essex Co., VA. and d. 23 Mar. 1803 in Culpepper Co, VA. and Frances Towles b. 8 May 1730 in Essex Co. VA. and d. 11 Nov. 1811 in Madison Co., VA. (m.) 17 Aug. 1758 in Middlesex Co., VA.

Notes on Christopher S. Chaffins military service in the Revolutionary War, taken from http://www.appalachianaristocracy.com/getperson.php?personID=I13828&tree=01.

Feb. 1776 at age 18, he traveled to Prince Edward County and enlisted as a private in the Continental Army, 4th Va. Regulars.(Capt. John Morton's company, under Col. Robert Lawson). His unit marched to Norfolk and fought Dunmore and stayed until late 1776. Then to Trenton, New Jersey at Christmas and fought the Hessians. The unit then marched to Princeton and fought the British. Christopher was sent to Philadelphia to guard prisoners. Next to Albemarle, Virginia and then to Valley Forge, Pennsylvania and discharged at age 20 in February 1778. Christopher's revolutionary war claimed is Virginia 26433. Pension established at $80/year (application in Tazewell Co., VA, age 76.

5. Children of Christopher S. Chaffin and Mary Ann Vawter:

i. Tabitha Chaffin b. 22 Nov. 1780 in Goochland Co., VA. and d. 1852 in Ohio

ii. Edwin Chaffin b. 1781 in Goochland Co., VA.

iii. Stanley Chaffin b. 1783 in Cumberland Co., VA. and d. 1808 in Wayne Co., VA/WV

iv. Omega Chaffin b. 12 Mar 1784 in Charlotte Co., VA. and d. 9 May 1865 in Salem,

Forsyth Co., NC.

v. Thomas Chaffin b. 1786 in Charlotte Co., VA

vi. Martha Chaffin b. 1789 in Charlotte Co., VA

vii. Ruth Chaffin b. 1790 in Charlotte Co., VA

viii. Margaret Chaffin b. 1791 in Charlotte Co., VA

ix. Elizabeth Chaffin b. May 1794 in Tazewell Co., VA and d. 2 Aug 1857 in Tazewell

x. Christopher Chaffin b. 22 Aug 1779, poss. in Goochland Co. VA. and d.

ca 1833.

Note concerning Christopher Chaffin: Chaffin is believed to have mysteriously disappeared in 1833. The following information retrieved from http://www.appalachianaristocracy.com/getperson.php?personID=I13775&tree=01:

Christopher Chafin who came from Montgomery County, Va., settled near the mouth of the Elk Fork of Pigeon. He married a Miss Roberts and first settled near Burlington, Lawrence County, Ohio, where several of his children were born. He then moved to the Elk Fork of Pigeon, where he lived for many years and then mysteriously disappeared. His sons were Stanley, who died unmarried; William, who married Sarah Deskins; Joshua who married Sarah Collins; Nathan, who married Matilda Varney; Pleasant, who married Nancy White, and Thomas, who married Jennie Horn. His daughters were Bettie, who married Harrison Blair; Alafair, who married ____ Nelson, and Margaret, who married James Copley. John Chafin, who was for a long time clerk of the circuit and county courts of this county, and Francis M. Chafin, who was sheriff of the county, were sons of William Chafin, and John B. Wilkinson, the present prosecuting attorney of the counties of Logan and Mingo, is his grandson.

5. Christopher Chaffin b. 1779 and disappeared ca 1833 (m.) Mary "Polly" Roberts b. 1780 - 1785 in NC and d. Dec. 1854 in Cannada Creek, Wayne Co., KY.

6. Children of Christopher Chaffin and Mary "Polly" Roberts:

i. Alafair Chaffin b. ca 1806. Some sources show Alafair as a middle name and given

name as Rodah Alafair Roberts.

ii. Mary Ann Chaffin b. 1810 in Floyd Co., KY.

iii. Pleasant Chaffin b. 1815 in Virginia and d. 19 Dec 1880 in Logan Co., WV.

(M.) Polly Chapman b. 1816 in Virginia, in 1833.

iv. William Chaffin b. 1818 in Kentucky

v. Nathaniel (Nathan) Chaffin b. 1820 in Pike Co., KY and d. aft. 1880

vi. Margaret Chaffin b. Dec. 1824 in KY

vii. Elizabeth (Betsy) Chaffin b. 1828

6. Nathaniel (Nathan) Chaffin b. 1820 and d. aft. 1880 (m.) 19 Oct 1837 Matilda Varney b. 1820 in Logan Co., VA/WV and divorced bef 1879 in WV and (m.) Elizabeth New b. 1839 in Russell Co., VA and (m.) 22 Dec 1879 in Logan Co., WV.

**Parents of Matilda Varney are Andrew Varney b. 19 June 1800 in Bedford Co., VA d. 2 Dec 1878 in Mingo Co., WV. and Sarah "Sally" Stafford b. 7 June 1805 in Tazewell Co., VA and d. Jan 1879 in Tazewell Co., VA.

7. Children of Nathaniel Chaffin and Matilda Varney:

i. Sarah "Sallie" Chaffin b. 5 Aug 1838 in Logan VA/WV and d. 2 Aug 1871 in

Randolph Co., WV. (M.) 22 Sept 1854 William Johnson McCoy b. Mar 1838 and d.

in Logan Co., WV. 15 Jun 1901

ii. Andrew Jackson Chaffin b. 5 Jan 1841 in Logan Co., VA/WV and d. 11 Jan 1923 in

Mingo Co., WV. (M.) Rebecca Ferrell b. 1841 in Virginia d. 7 Sept. 1875 in Logan Co.

WV., (M.) Levicy Mounts b. 3 July 1851 in Logan Co., WV and d. 30 Jan 1934 in

Mingo Co., WV. (M.) Sarah "Unknown" d. 1897 in Logan Co., WV.

iii. Levisa "Levicy" Chaffin b. 20 Dec 1842 in Logan Co., VA/WV and d. 15

Mar. 1929

(M.) 18 Apr 1861 William Anderson "Devil Anse" Hatfield of the

Hatfield and McCoy Fued b. 9 Sep 1839 in Mingo Co., WV and d. 6 Jan 1921

in Logan Co. WV.

iv. Moses "Morris" Chaffin b. Feb 1845 in Logan Co., VA/WV and d. 11 Jan. 1923 in

Mingo Co., WV. (M.) Rebecca Mary Ferrell b. 1843 in Virginia and d. 7 Sep 1875 in

Logan Co., WV. (M.) Harriet Josephine McCoy b. 8 Apr 1855 in Logan Co. VA/WV

and d. 1879 in Logan Co., WV. (M.) Mary "Polly" "Shawnee" McCoy b. Nov 1853 in

Pike Co., KY and d. 3 Jan 1923 in Mingo Co., WV.

Note: No clear indication of whether Moses wives were family of the McCoys involved in the Hatfield and McCoy dispute.

v. Mary Chaffin b. 22 Feb. 1847 in Logan Co., VA/WV and d. 4 July 1924 in Mingo

Co. (M.) John Wallace Webb b. 16 Feb. 1844 in Logan Co. and d. 21 June 1897 in

Mingo Co.

vi. Nancy Chaffin b. 1849 in Logan Co. and d 1895 in Mingo Co.

vii. Elizabeth "Betty" Chaffin b. 21 May 1851 in Logan Co. and d. 1 Feb. 1941 in Mingo

Co. (M.) Elias Prater "Good 'Lias" Hatfield b. Aug. 1846 and d. 21 Oct. 1908.

** Parents of Elias Prater Hatfield were Ephriam "Big Eph" Hatfield and Nancy Vance. Ephriam was also the father of Devil Anse Hatfield and the Vance family is the family referred to in stories regarding the family.

viii. Eliza Jane Chaffin b. 8 May 1858 in Logan Co., WV. and d. 13 Jan 1926 in Pike

Co. KY. Buried in Blue Springs Cemetery in Pikeville, KY. (M.) Elias "Bad 'Lias"

Hatfield b. 6 July 1863 and d. 10 Jan 1926 in Pikeville, KY.

**Parents of Elias "Bad 'Lias" Hatfield were James Hatfield and Polly Ferrell.

Note: Eliza Jane Chaffin was using the name Janie Chaffin or Janie Hatfield. Children were Floyd, Daniel Boone, Walter, Kentucky, Kenner, Virginia (Jennie), James, and Lydia Hatfield.

Note: Information concerning "Bad 'Lias" Hatfield taken from: http://www.appalachianaristocracy.com/getperson.php?personID=I13816&tree=01

Elias "Bad 'Lias" is mentioned once in the book The Hatfields & the McCoys by Otis K. Rice. He is mentioned in relation to the events surrounding the election of 1882 on Blackberry Creek, Pike Co., KY as follows: "When the polls opened at the Blackberry Creek precinct on Monday, August 7, 1882, at the home of Jerry Hatfield, the West Virginia Hatfields appeared, as was their custom. Among them were Elias and Ellison, brothers of Devil Anse. Also present was another Elias, "Bad 'Lias," the brother of Deacon Anderson Hatfield. "Bad Lias," a hard drinker and a contentious man, lived about two miles up Blackberry Creek. Early in the day, after the whiskey had begun to flow, Tolbert McCoy, the son of Randolph, accused "Bad Lias" of owing a small sum of money, about $1.75, for a fiddle, but Hatfield angrily protested that he had paid Tolbert about three years previously. "With a fight in the making, Tolbert's younger brothers, nineteen-year-old Pharmer and fifteen-year-old Randolph, Jr., backed up his accusation. Deacon Anse, however, broke up the argument. As the day wore on, trouble flared anew, but the constable, Matthew Hatfield, was able to reduce the weapons from guns to fists..." Later in the day hostilities continued resulting in the fight that mortally wounded Ellison Hatfield, a brother of Devil Anse. After Ellison died from his wounds a few days later, the three McCoy brothers were then killed by the Hatfield's escalating the feud between the two families.