MARY McCHESNEY
THE STORY AS I KNOW IT
Mary McChesney was born about 1764 in Rockbridge County, Virginia and died April 14, 1814 in Caldwell County, Kentucky and is buried in the Morse Cemetery. She was the daughter of Walter and Isabella McChesney. She was married to William Asherst. All this information can be found in the Princeton Art Guild 1987 Caldwell County, Kentucky yearbook. The Rockbridge County Marriage Book #1 lists Bond set on Sept 4, 1782 and William and MaryAsherst wed on Sept 15, 1782. This was also reported in the Staunton Spectator of Dec.18 1866 listing marriages by the Rev. John Brown, pastor at New Providence, Rockbridge County VA
The New Providence Church was accepted as a house of worship by the court of Augusta in 1748. It moved to the valley of Hays Creek, about a mile into Rockbridge County. John Brown became pastor of New Providence and Timber Ridge churches in 1753 where he continued for 45 years.
Chronicle of Scotch Irish Settlement in Virginia Vol. II by Lyman Chalkley state that William Asher wed Mary McChesney on 9/5/1782. I believe that is September. The Marriages of Some Virginia Residents 1607-1800 by Dorothy Ford Wellfech confirmed and added that it took place in Rockbridge County.
The family moved a number of times. The North
Carolina 1784-89 Census lists William Asher in Surry
County.
1 White male 21-60 (William)
1 White male under 21 or over 60 (Unknown)
2 White females ( Mary
and oldest daughter, name unknown)
The family was in Pendleton County SC for the SC 1800 Census:
William and Mary plus
2 sons under 10 ( Samuel and William) (John may have died very young or not been born when counted)
1 daughter over 10 ( Daughter #1 or 2)The eldest may be married by 1800
3 daughters under 10 (Lois, Nancy, & Jane)We have a note from the Rockbrige County, VA Deed Book D Page 401 that William Asherst and Polly, his wife sold 100 acres to Joseph Patterson for $1. The property was on the waters of Walkins Creek, "being the plantation of Walter McChesney desist joining". Not sure what this means. Mary’s father, Walter is dead and her brother is living in Pendleton South Carolina. We assume that this Polly is Mary McChesney and not William’s 2nd wife.
In 1810, the family is in Caldwell County, Kentucky. Descendants continue there today. The 1810 Census lists:
William and Mary, plus:
1 male 16-26 (Samuel)
1 male 10-16 (William)
2 males under 10 (Walter and Singleton)
2 females 16-26 (daughter #2 and Lois)
1 female 10-16 (Nancy)
1 female under 10 (Jane)
According to the 1810 Caldwell County Census there
were 8 children listed in their household:. The 1987-Year
Book lists the known children of Mary and William: to
be Samuel, William, Walter, Lois, Nancy and Jane.
1. Daughter born 1783 from the
2. Daughter born 1786
3. Samuel M. Asher born March 2, 1788 wed Precious
Morse. He died 1834 and is buried in the Asher
Cemetery in Caldwell County
4.
Lois Asher born 1792 wed Zebulon
Blackburn
5. William R Asher born August 1, 1793 in SC.
Wed Ester Love. The 1850 & 1860 Census
state he was born in South Carolina. He
died in1869 and is buried in Piney Fork Cemetery,
Crittenden County KY.
6. Nancy Asher born 1796 wed Edward Moore
in 1816. An Online undocumented source says she died
in 1830.
7. John Asher born 1799, he must have died before
1810.
8. Jane Asher born 1800 wed 1st George
Wales. He died in 1827. She married 2nd Henry
Harrison Blackburn in 1830 and she is said to die in
1844.
9. Walter W. Asher born May 27, 1801 wed Lydia
Blackburn
10. Singleton Asher born 1803 wed Jane
Davidson. He eventually moved to Missouri and
died there.
Sources for the 1987 yearbook information are
Caldwell county court, Census, Cemetery, Marriage and
Church records.
Mary
McChesney Asher died
in 1814. She was buried in the McChesney Cemetery, now called
Morse Cemetery. Her tombsone is pictured on
Find a Grave.
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Date created: 3/21/2011
Date edited 8/6/2015
Date Edited 8/11/2016