CHAFFINS-SUTTON: The family of Samuel N. Chaffins and Nancy J. Sutton

Samuel Nelson Chaffins and Nancy Jane Sutton

Samuel Nelson Chaffins (a.k.a "Nelson")
b. 02 Jan 1829 in Kentucky
d. 19 Mar 1914 in Knott County, Kentucky
Nelson was the son of Nicholas Smith and Elizabeth Chaffins (MRIN 106)

Nancy Jane Sutton
b. April 1834 in Kentucky
d. 21 Oct 1914 in Knott County, Kentucky
Nancy Jane was the daughter of John Sutton and Seatta Hays (MRIN 104)

Nancy Jane was counted twice in the 1850 census, once in her mother's household and once in her uncle's household with her new husband.

Nelson and Nancy married about 1849 in Kentucky (most likely in Floyd County). Although I have not been able to locate a marriage record for them, the 1850 census in which Nancy Jane is counted in her mother's household does state that she was married within the year. When they first married, Nelson and Nancy Jane appear to haven take residence with her Uncle John Hays Jr. and his family. This is important to note because records tell us that Nelson had a close relationship with this family, which may have been one of his reasons to join the Confederate Army - the same unit as John's son, Sylvester Hays, and his brother, Capt. Anderson Hays. Also, Nelson's mother, Betty, may have married a Hays, was he closely related to this Hays family? Probably, but I have not been able to figure out who he was. Nelson was captured and held about 18 months in prison camps that neglected, starved and tortured their prisoners. When Nelson was released in a prisoner exchange, he was taken to Maryland where he was released. He and a small group of his neighbors who had also managed to survive the prison camps, had to walk home from Maryland to Kentucky. The next census after the war is the 1870 census in which I cannot locate Nelson or his family. This time, he may have chased the census man off. In later years, Nelson became a deacon at his church. A picture of him and Nancy Jane still hangs in the church today. Nelson lived well into his 80's when he died peacefully in his sleep in his own bed. Nancy Jane died later that same year, though her death certificate has a medical term, I think she died from a broken heart. Nelson and Nancy are buried next to each other in the Chaffins Family Cemetery in Knott County, Kentucky.

The 10 children of Nelson and Nancy were:

William Jefferson "Will" Chaffins
b. 06 Jan 1850 in Floyd County, Kentucky
d. 04 Sep 1946 in Kentucky
Will is buried in the Chaffins Family Cemetery

John Chaffins
b. 13 Mar 1852 in Floyd County, Kentucky
d. 26 Jun 1933 in Knott County, Kentucky
John married Mary Wicker
John is buried in the Chaffins Family Cemetery

Harvey Chaffins
b. about 1856 in Floyd County, Kentucky
d. 23 May 1939 in Kentucky

David Chaffins
b. about 1860 in Floyd County, Kentucky
d. 24 Jun 1947 in Knott County, Kentucky

Jasper "Bird" Chaffins
b. Oct. 1866 in Floyd County, Kentucky
d. 04 Mar 1941 in Knott County, Kentucky
Jasper married and was widowed 3 times
(1.) Judith Hunter married in 1890 (MRIN 33)
(2.) Mary Ellen Tuttle
(3.) Amanda Howard on 14 Jun 1909 in Knott County, Kentucky
Bird and his first 2 wives are buried in the Chaffins Family Cemetery.

Rhoda Chaffins
b. 1871 in Floyd County, Kentucky
d. 1891 in Floyd County, Kentucky
Rhoda has some kind of disability or illness that required her parents to care for her. She died at the age of 20. She never married or had children. She is buried in the Chaffins Family Cemetery.

Rozely Chaffins
b. 1873 in Floyd County, Kentucky
d. 05 Oct 1896 in Kentucky
Rozely married Elias Smith on 16 Sep 1891 in Knott County, Kentucky
Rozely is buried in the Chaffins Family Cemetery

Dulseany Chaffins
b. 1875 in Floyd County, Kentucky
d. 1896 in Kentucky

Marion Chaffins
b. 21 Apr 1877 in Knott County, Kentucky
d. 11 Oct 1964 in Floyd County, Kentucky
Marion is buried in the Chaffins Family Cemetery

Chaffins
b. between 1850-1900
d. between 1850-1900
This child's name and dates of birth and death are unknown. In the 1900 census, Nancy Jane is said to be the mother of 10 children and that only 6 were living at that time. We know that their 3 daughters all died before 1900.

Sources for the above family were found in the following records/locations

Whenever possible, a link to the web page or physical address and/ or phone number for the repository is provided.

Knott County Marriages - Knott County Kentucky Kinfolk Website

Kentucky Death Index 1911-2000 - Rootsweb.com

Death Certificates - KY Historical Society
(watch the KY Vital Records Project for on-line images of vital records - a work in progress)

The Chaffins Family Cemetery - Knott County, Kentucky

1850 U.S. Census, Floyd County, Kentucky Population Schedule

1860 U.S. Census, Floyd County, Kentucky Population Schedule

1880 U.S. Census, Floyd County, Kentucky Population Schedule

1900 U.S. Census, Knott County, Kentucky Population Schedule

1910 U.S. Census, Knott County, Kentucky Population Schedule

1889 Knott County Tax Assessment - rootsweb.com/~kyknott/

Knott County Court Records - rootsweb.com/~kyknott/

Civil War Service Record Ancestry.com

Civil War Pension Applications - my copy came from the book "Descendents of Samuel Nelson Chaffins and Nancy Jane Sutton (his wife)" compiled by Irland Conley

References:
1. Irland Conley, The Descendents of Samuel Nelson Chaffins and Nancy Jane Sutton, 1999
2. Faron Sparkman, A Sifter Full of Bullets - The life of John S. Sparkman, 1997

Contributors to this web page:
Charlotte Holbrook, Beth Birchfield

If you have any information that you would like to add to this family please contact me by clicking on my name below.