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We have some similarities in our Montgomery County Al branch. One or two of the brothers of our Wm Reese Chatham migrated to Missisippi in the 1820/30ies.
We have no idea what became of Wm Reese & Francis Wilson Chatham's sons named Joseph and George. Jospeh survived the poisioning on the plantation but never appears with the family once they arrive in Texas in 1869/70. I've suspect, but never could prove, that George was one of the children poisoned by the cook.
Here is part of the information from the Texas Legacy site
http://TexasLegacy.homestead.com/index.html
CHILDREN OF William Reese CHATHAM and Francis WILSON CHATHAM
who appear on census between 1850-1860 but are not listed as members of the household on Coryell County, Texas census are:
Marion CHATHAM, a girl born in Alabama c. 1848. (Listed as age 12 on 1860 Montgomery Co., Alabama Census, p. 264). Marion was 9 or 10 years old when she died.
George CHATHAM, a boy born in Alabama c. 1850 (Listed as age 10 on 1860 Montgomery Co., Alabama Cenus p. 264). George was 16 or 17 in 1867.
Francis CHATHAM, a girl born c. 1860 (Listed as an infant on the 1860 Montgomery Co., Alabama Census). Francis would have been 6 or 7 when she died.
Emma CHATHAM, a girl born in Alabama c. 1854 (Listed as 6 years old in 1860) was about 12 or 13 when she died.
Marium CHATHAM, a girl born in Alabama c. 18
Laura, a girl born in Alabama c. 18
Some Tragedies Occurred at Home
William Reese CHATHAM and Francis WILSON CHATHAM had a large family. They had eleven children. By 1860 they had 4 sons and 5 daughters. Some of their children are in the family photograph of Wm Reese & Martha Ann HAYS CHATHAM above. They made it through the War Years without losing any of their children on the battlefield. However, one day (c. 1867), when William Reese Chatham was away from the plantation on business, he lost his wife and many of his children were murdered. Family history says that he'd taken one (perhaps two) of the older boys with him that day. He returned to discover that Francis and most of their
11 children were dead.
Dorothy CHATHAM LAWRENCE, one of Wm. R. CHATHAM's daughters by Martha Ann HAYSE, said the cook used nightshade to poison the well while her dad was away from home. Dorothy was told that two of the field hands were angry at William Reese, the overseer on the plantation. They jumped him "with a strap in the field, and tried to kill him one day." In defending himself, William Reese killed the two young men, who were the sons of the cook. Their mother poisoned the well with nightshade to avenge her son's death. The only Chatham children who survived who were at home were the youngest children, who were too young to drink the well water.
Nicholas was with his father that day. Thomas may have been with his dad also. Thomas is not listed on the Coryell County census with the other family members. George, Marion. Laura, Emmie, Francis and Marium are the children that are believed to have died in c.1867 when their mother, Francis WILSON CHATHAM was poisoned by the cook. Thomas may have died then too. There was more than one kind of war waged in the South.
Pictured third from the left, Minerva Caroline CHATHAM, b. April 15, 1858 in Montgomery County, Alabama, is one of the few surviving children from William Reese CHATHAM's first marriage (to Francis WILSON). She is the only woman in the 1898 picture not in solid color or mourning clothes. She is standing next to her little brother, James Harvey, (3) (son of Martha Ann HAYSE CHATHAM) and to the left of her father.
The Chatham Children Who Came To Texas with their Father and Step-Mother
Loria was a baby, (b. c. 1865 in Alabama). .about a year-old, when her mother died. She is listed as 5 years old in 1870 in Coryell County.
Joseph CHATHAM, b. in Alabama c. 1864, (Joseph is listed as age 6 on the 1870 Coryell County, Texas Census). He is not in the photograph
Nicholas Merriweather CHATHAM, b. May 15, 1855 in Alabama; d. Feb. 7, 1927, Erath Co. TX,
is not pictured above. Nicholas was listed on the 1854 Montgomery County, Alabama census when he was 6 years old. In 1860 he was a13-year-old in Coryell County, Texas. He was ten when his mother died. He married Ellen Sarah GREGG in Coryell County on July 15, 1884. Nicholas and Ellen are buried in the Bunyan Cemetery in Erath County, about 7 miles NW of Dublin, 1/2 mile W. of FM 219. Ellen S. Chatham was born Oct. 17, 1858 and died Aug. 20, 1918.
Nicholas had a first cousin (son of Uncle James Harvey Chatham 1) named Nicholas Merriwether Chatham who was also born in Alabama and moved to Coryell County, Texas. Nicholas M. Chatham is listed as landowner in Coryell County by 1884. Further study is required to determine which Nick Chatham owned which parchels of land. Altogether, Nicholas M. Chatham is listed on the tax rolls as the owner(s) of 4 parcels of land totalling about 300 acres.
Nicholas Merriwether Chatham, b. July 2, 1852 in Alabama, d. Jan. 17, 1945, son of J.H. Chatham 1, married B. (Bama) WELDON on August 22, 1877 in Coryell County Texas. {Marriage Book D-1 page 257]. Nicholas M. & Alabama (Bama) Weldon Chatham are buried in the Restland Cemetery in Coryell County.
Five Children (Maybe 6) Survived
When their mother died, Clara was 2, Joseph was 3,
Minerva was 9, Loria was 11, Nicholas was 12.
Thomas was 14. There is a mystery about Thomas.
http://texaslegacy.homestead.com/WmReeseChatham.html
Jimmie F. Chatham
chatham@consultant.com
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