Robert "Bob" CHANEY

GEDCOM Note

His middle initial has been recorded as E. and as D. but there is little certainty of what it was;1,2,3 Bob was born in the late 1820's, probably Indiana. Two census records report his place of birth as Indiana and at least one family member thought he was born in Ohio. His father, according to family tradition, was also called "Bob" indicating that he was also named Robert. (Note: recent research, including yDNA testing of a descendant or Robert's brother Hezekiah, helped indicate that the father was Hosea Chaney who lived in Newton County, Missouri, in 1840, and in 1830 in Sullivlan Co., Indiana. Hosea was the youngest son of Hezekiah Chaney who died in Wythe County, Virginia, in 1813.) Bob's grandson, Jesse Gerald Chaney recalled family stories that his great-grandfather, Bob, had a brother named Frank who was a bear hunter although this has not been verified. Bob's mother was apparently named Sarah. (However, research shows that this great grandfather was not named Bob but Hosea and that his mother was Sarah A. Golding or Golden.) Three brothers are known, Hezekiah, Hosea and "Bud" who was named Ninevah. Census records of 1860 report show the brothers living next door to one another with "Nenivah" (evidently known as "Bud") living with Hezekiah. A grandson, Jesse Gerald Chaney, recalled his father saying that the brothers had a sister named Jane. Research has revealed that there was a Jane but she was actually a niece, a daughter of Bob's sister Zuritha Clark.

Bob married Mary Ann Skaggs in the 1840's. She was blonde while Bob was brunette. Bob has not been located in the 1850 census although it is probable that he was in Texas since a daughter born in 1850/52 is sometimes recorded as being born in Texas. His son, Marble, told his children that Bob was in Bell County, Texas, around 1850. (Bell County was formed that year from Milam County.) They lived near Little River where the Comanche Indians were still occasionally raiding the settlers in the area. On bright moonlit nights the settlers would seek refuge in Fort Griffin (not to confused with the famous Fort Griffin in west Texas). Mary was very afraid of the Indians so Bob moved the family back to Arkansas where Lucinda was born in 1852 although some report that she was actually born in Texas. They had several children before Mary died about 1868.

In 1869, Bob married Margaret Lewis. They had one daughter, Arminda D., before Margaret died.

(There is a record of a Robert A. Chaney who served in the Rangers from 1 September 1875 and discharged on 30 November 1875. He was reported to be 6'2" with light hair, blue eyes and fair. His age was given 30 and his place of birth as Haywood Co., Tennessee. Bob was always quite "loose" with his age and this could be him although it would take some "stretching" for a 46-year-old to pass as 30.) There is a family tradition that Bob did serve as a Texas ranger and he was known to be in Texas at the involved time. However, he was working with his "cousin" Francis Stokley Chaney.

In 1877, Bob married a widow, Eliza A. Morrison Sims who lived on her farm about fifteen miles from Bob's place. (In 1875, Bob had purchased forty acres of farmland from the state. The land had been forfeited by the previous owner for payment of unpaid taxes.) Initially, Bob lived with her on her farm while his childrenRule Cemetery, Rule, Carroll Co., Arkansas remained on his farm. Note that his youngest daughter was named Pearl Golden Chaney, seemingly, using his mother's maiden name Golden as her middle name.

He did some moonshining but only for his own use. He kept an open keg of his brew just outside the kitchen door with a tin cup hanging on a string and would take a sip when he passed by. Once when the "revenooers" were after him, he trimmed his long hair and cut off his beard. When he came home, even his own family had trouble recognizing him.

He died in 1891 from a fall from his horse. (The preparer has been told various stories concerning Bob's death. One is that the fall itself did not kill him that he drowned in a water-filled ditch into which he was thrown. Another suggests that his death was not accidental.) He was buried in Rule Cemetery, Rule, Carroll County, Arkansas, where Mary Ann and Margaret had been buried. His brother Ninevah, "Bud," was buried there as well as two children of his brother, Hezekiah. Eliza was to be buried there when she died in 1921.

Charles C Chaney - 9 Aug 2014

GEDCOM Note

Robert Chaney of Carroll County, AR, is reputed to been a “moonshiner” and a heavy drinker. He apparently fathered 10 children by three (3) wives. It is said that his son C.C., many times (as a young man) had to bring his drunken father home from town. There was probably some form of friction between Bob and CC because when CC left Arkansas and moved his family to Texas, he was probably 30+ years old and he never returned to Arkansas, not even for his father’s funeral some 20 years later. I never heard of Bob visiting in Texas either. — Notes on Chaney Family History by BJ Chaney

His (Robert Chaney’s) middle initial has been recorded as E. and as D. but there is little certainty of what it was;1,2,3 Bob was born in the late 1820's, probably Indiana. Two census records report his place of birth as Indiana and at least one family member thought he was born in Ohio. His father, according to family tradition, was also called "Bob" indicating that he was also named Robert. (Note: recent research, including yDNA testing of a descendant or Robert's brother Hezekiah, helped indicate that the father was Hosea Chaney who lived in Newton County, Missouri, in 1840, and in 1830 in Sullivlan Co., Indiana. Hosea was the youngest son of Hezekiah Chaney who died in Wythe County, Virginia, in 1813.) Bob's grandson, Jesse Gerald Chaney recalled family stories that his great-grandfather, Bob, had a brother named Frank who was a bear hunter although this has not been verified. Bob's mother was apparently named Sarah. (However, research shows that this great grandfather was not named Bob but Hosea and that his mother was Sarah A. Golding or Golden.) Three brothers are known, Hezekiah, Hosea and "Bud" who was named Ninevah. Census records of 1860 report show the brothers living next door to one another with "Nenivah" (evidently known as "Bud") living with Hezekiah. A grandson, Jesse Gerald Chaney, recalled his father saying that the brothers had a sister named Jane. Research has revealed that there was a Jane but she was actually a niece, a daughter of Bob's sister Zuritha Clark.

Bob married Mary Ann Skaggs in the 1840's. She was blonde while Bob was brunette. Bob has not been located in the 1850 census although it is probable that he was in Texas since a daughter born in 1850/52 is sometimes recorded as being born in Texas. His son, Marble, told his children that Bob was in Bell County, Texas, around 1850. (Bell County was formed that year from Milam County.) They lived near Little River where the Comanche Indians were still occasionally raiding the settlers in the area. On bright moonlit nights the settlers would seek refuge in Fort Griffin (not to confused with the famous Fort Griffin in west Texas). Mary was very afraid of the Indians so Bob moved the family back to Arkansas where Lucinda was born in 1852 although some report that she was actually born in Texas. They had several children before Mary died about 1868.

In 1869, Bob married Margaret Lewis. They had one daughter, Arminda D., before Margaret died.

(There is a record of a Robert A. Chaney who served in the Rangers from 1 September 1875 and discharged on 30 November 1875. He was reported to be 6'2" with light hair, blue eyes and fair. His age was given 30 and his place of birth as Haywood Co., Tennessee. Bob was always quite "loose" with his age and this could be him although it would take some "stretching" for a 46-year-old to pass as 30.) There is a family tradition that Bob did serve as a Texas ranger and he was known to be in Texas at the involved time. However, he was working with his "cousin" Francis Stokley Chaney.

In 1877, Bob married a widow, Eliza A. Morrison Sims who lived on her farm about fifteen miles from Bob's place. (In 1875, Bob had purchased forty acres of farmland from the state. The land had been forfeited by the previous owner for payment of unpaid taxes.) Initially, Bob lived with her on her farm while his childrenRule Cemetery, Rule, Carroll Co., Arkansas remained on his farm. Note that his youngest daughter was named Pearl Golden Chaney, seemingly, using his mother's maiden name Golden as her middle name.

He did some moonshining but only for his own use. He kept an open keg of his brew just outside the kitchen door with a tin cup hanging on a string and would take a sip when he passed by. Once when the "revenooers" were after him, he trimmed his long hair and cut off his beard. When he came home, even his own family had trouble recognizing him.

He died in 1891 from a fall from his horse. (The preparer has been told various stories concerning Bob's death. One is that the fall itself did not kill him that he drowned in a water-filled ditch into which he was thrown. Another suggests that his death was not accidental.) He was buried in Rule Cemetery, Rule, Carroll County, Arkansas, where Mary Ann and Margaret had been buried. His brother Ninevah, "Bud," was buried there as well as two children of his brother, Hezekiah. Eliza was to be buried there when she died in 1921.

Birth: cir __ ___ 1825 Indiana (probably Sullivan County)..4 Census: __ ___ 1860 AR Carroll Co. 1860 CENSUS. Osage Township, Carroll Co., Arkansas.4 Marriage 1: circa 1847 Mary Ann Skaggs Marriage 2: 27 Nov 1869 Margaret A. LEWIS (1835- ). Harrison, Boone Co., Arkansas.5 Census: 09 Aug 1870 AR Carroll Co. 1870 CENSUS. Liberty Township, P. O. Berryville, Carroll Co., Arkansas.6 Marriage 3: 23 Sep 1877 Eliza A. MORRISON (1838-1921). Carroll Co., Arkansas7 Census: 08 Jun 1880 AR Carroll Co. 1880 CENSUS. Carrollton Township, Carroll Co., Arkansas.8 Death: 26 Mar 1891 Carroll Co., Arkansas.2,1 Burial: __ Mar 1891 Rule Cemetery, Rule, Carroll Co., Arkansas.9,1 Probate: 19 Apr 1893 Carroll Co., Arkansas.10 Father: Hosea CHANEY ( -1842) Mother: Sarah A. Golden (1795-1870) [http://www.ccchaney.com/Genealogy/paternal/Chaney/ChaneyRobert/Robe...] - Charles C. Chaney

Name-Nick: Bob. He has been recorded with a middle initial "D." and also "E." Birth: circa 1825 Indiana (His place of birth has also been recorded to be Kentucky).26 Marriage 1: circa 1847 Mary Ann SKAGGS (b. circa 1827, d. after 20 Aug 1868)27, 28 Dau: circa 1848 Sarah Jane CHANEY. Arkansas.28, 26 Dau: 17 May 1852 Lucinda Jane CHANEY. Texas.24, 28 Son: 1 Jul 1853 Christopher Columbus CHANEY. Green Forest, Carroll County, Arkansas.29, 28 Son: 1 Jan 1860 William Wesley CHANEY. Batesville, Independence County, Arkansas.28 Dau: __ Apr 1865 Florenz Catherine CHANEY. Carroll County, Arkansas.28 Son: 20 Aug 1868 Marvel Stone CHANEY. Carroll County, Arkansas.28, 12, 30 Marriage 2: 27 Nov 1869 Margaret A. LEWIS (b. circa 1835, d. ___). Harrison, Boone County, Arkansas.31 Dau: 29 Dec 1870 Arminda D. CHANEY. Carroll County, Arkansas (1900 census records birth as October 1871).32, 28 Marriage 3: 23 Sep 1877 Eliza A. MORRISON (b. 9 Jan 1838, d. 21 Aug 1920). Carroll County, Arkansas.33 Dau: 19 Jun 1879 Mary Ann CHANEY. Carroll County, Arkansas.28 Son: 31 Jan 1881 Archie Crill CHANEY. Green Forest, Carroll County, Arkansas.28 Dau: 11 Feb 1883 Pearl Golden CHANEY. Rule, Carroll County, Arkansas.28 Death: 26 Mar 1891 Carroll County, Arkansas.34, 28 Burial: after 26 Mar 1891 Rule Cemetery, Rule, Carroll County, Arkansas.28, 34 Probate: 19 Apr 1893 Carroll County, Arkansas.35 [http://www.ccchaney.com/Genealogy/paternal/Chaney/ChaneyHoseaVA/Hos...] - Charles C. Chaney