STEPHEN B. CHENAULT,MY 2ND GREAT GRAND FATHER, WAS BORN IN AMHERST CO., VA. HE IS THE S/O CALEB CHENAULT AND RACHEL BONDS. HE MARRIED LUCY T. JOHNSON JANUARY 14, 1837 IN AMHERST CO.. Virginia. THREE DAUGHTERS WERE BORN TO THIS MARRIAGE. THE FIRST WAS CAROLINE CHENAULT IN 1834 IN AMHERST CO., Virginia. THE 2ND WAS MARY ELIZABETH CHENAULT ON AUGUST 15, 1835 IN AMHERST CO., Virginia. THE 3RD AND LAST CHILD IS MY GREAT GRAND MOTHER, MARTHA LOUELLEN CHENAULT BORN ON MAY 7, 1843 IN THE RICH HOLLOW COMMUNITY OF GREENBRIER CO., Virginia(NOW West Virginia). IT IS APPARENT THAT STEPHEN AND HIS FAMILY HAD LEFT AMHERST CO. AND MOVED TO GREENBRIER CO. BETWEEN 1835 AND 1843. AT THE TIME OF MARTHA'S BIRTH MEDICAL PROBLEMS AROSE FOR LUCY AND SHE DIED IN MAY, 1843 .LIKELY AT MARTHA'S BIRTH. THE NEXT MAJOR EVENT IN STEPHEN'S LIFE IS HIS MARRIAGE TO ESTHER HEDRICK ON NOVEMBER 9, 1843 IN GREENBRIER CO., Virginia. AT THE TIME OF MARRIAGE ESTHER WAS 40 YEARS OLD. THERE ARE NO CHILDREN RECORDED FOR STEPHEN AND ESTHER. HOWEVER, ESTHER DID A WONDERFUL JOB AS MOTHER OF TWO YOUNG CHILDREN AND AN INFANT. WHEN MARTHA DIED IN TEXAS IN 1912, HER DAUGHTER RECORDED ON HER DEATH CERTIFICATE THAT ESTHER WAS THE MOTHER.
IN 1853 STEPHEN AND FAMILY LEFT THE RICH HOLLOW COMMUNITY AND PURCHASED A FARM AND LOG HOME CLOSE TO RONCEVERTE, GREENBRIER CO., VA. THE DEED IS DATED SEPT . 12, 1853 DEEDING THE HOME AND 127 ACRES OF LAND. THE ORIGINAL LOG HOME IS STILL IN USE IN 2009. IT WAS BUILT BY JACOB SYDENSTEICKER IN 1837. THE ORIGINAL HOUSE HAD 3 ROOMS. TWO DOWNSTAIRS AND ONE UPSTAIRS. THE HOMESTEAD IS LOCATED ABOUT 2 AND 1/2 MILES WEST OF RONCEVERTE ON ROUTE 63(ROUTE TO ALDERSON. THE 1850 CENSUS SHOWS THE FAMILY AT THIS HOME WITH THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:

Stephen B. Shinall 43 M Farmer VA
Esther 45 F VA
Mary 14 F VA
Caroline 11 F VA
Martha 7 F VA

FROM THE CENSUS WE FIND 2ND GREAT GREAT GRAND FATHER STEPHEN WAS A FARMER.

NOTE THE SPELLING OF STEPHEN'S SURNAME ON THE CENSUS. MORE ABOUT THIS LATER. UPON STEPHEN'S DEATH IN 1858, MARTHA CAME INTO POSSESSION OF THE HOME. MARTHA HAD MARRIED MATHEW J. HUMPHREYS IN 1862 AND THEY MOVED INTO THE HOME.
AN INVANTORY WAS MADE OF STEPHEN'S WORLDLY GOODS IN ORDER TO PAY DEBTS. THAT INVANTORY LIST IS BELOW:
An inventory of the appraised personal property of Stephen B. Chenault, decd. 1858.


1cupboard 7.00 11.5 bushels of oats at 4.60
1 churn .355 40 cents per bushel
2 smoothing irons .75 1 lot of flax seed .50
6 dishes,12 plates,6 knives 6.00 15.5 bushels of corn at 11.82
and forks 1 coffee mill, 75 cents per bushel
10 cups and saucers, 6 1 barrel of salt 8.00
tablespoons,6 teaspoons 2 jars .50
1 sugar bowl,1 pitcher and 2 churns .50
pepper box 82 pounds of bacon at 8.20
1 lot of dishes,knives and 4.50 10 cents per pound
forks and glass 1 pair of stirrups 1.25
tumblers 1 old axe and skillet .50
1 cooking stove and 9.00 1 cast kettle and pot 2.00
furniture 1 wash tub and cast kettle .75
1 tea kettle and 2 coffee 1.00 1 lot of old irons and box .25
pots
8 pans and lids 2 skillets 3.50 1 pair of pallet scales .25
and baker and 2 blowing horns
1 frying pan .375 1 stove jug .37
1 lot of anirons, shovel 1.75 1 shoemaker bench and tools .37
and tongs 1 lot of crimping boards 1.25
4 buckets wooden, 2 tin 1.75 and sissors
buckets 5 tin pans 10 chairs 3.00
2 jars, 1 crook,candle mold .50 1 shot gun 4.00
1 tea board and jug .25 1 pair of saddle bags 3.00
1 pair candle molds 2butcher .75 1 small table .50
knives 1 clock 3.00
1 table 2.00 1 brass candle stick .50
1chest and box .50 1 large chest 2.00
1tray and kitchen table .50 1 bureau 5.00
1 chest and box .50 1 lot of books 2.00
1 lot of home gear ? 3.00 1 small looking glass .05
1 lot of britch sands ? 2.00 1 chest with drawers .75
5 sheepskins .50 1 trunk .75
2 spinning wheels 1.50 1 flour barrel .50
1 large spinning wheel 2.00 1 bedstead and bedding 20.00
1 check reel ? .75 1 lot of bedclothes 4.00
1 basket box old scraps of 1.00 1 lot of coverlids and 8.00
leather straps blankets
1 band saw .25 1 bolt of domestic cotton 1.60
2 axes .50 2 bureau covers 1.25
2 vices .25 1 bedstead and bedding 22.00
1 shovel and matlock 1.00 1 " " " 15.00
1 pair double trees and clevis 1.00 8 umbrellas .75
1 Brisco scythe .25 2 crocks .30
6 bags 3.00 1 wash pan .18
1 lot of halters . 50 2 hogs first choice at 7.00
1 scythe and cradle 1.25 3.50 each
1 woman saddle 8.00 4 hogs at 3.00 each 12.00
2 bridles 1.00 2 hogs at 1.50 each 1.50
1 side saddle 1.50 1 red cow with white 20.00
2 man saddles 3.00 face and calf
1steel trap, 1 cutting knife 2.00 1 pale red cow and calf 15.00
1sickle, 1 prunning hook 2 year old red cow and 15.00
1 log chain 1.25 calf
1 shovel plough and slsetcher?1.25 1 cow 18.00
1 iron wedge .25 22 head of sheep at 19.80
1 peck of Timothy seed .50 at 90 cents each
1 grindstone and sled .25 1 grey mare 40.00
2 pairs stretchers 2.00 1 bay mare and colt 100.00
1 McCormick plough 2.00 28 pounds of wheat at 5.60
1 harrow 2.00 at 20 cents per pound
1 cast plough 5.00 3 tons of hay more or less 15.00
1 cutting box 2.00 1 lot of flax .25
3 Bakers and 1 fork .50 1 lot of old hay 4.00
1 windmill 2.00 1 lot of straw 1.00
6 old barrels .50 8 stacks of rye 2.00
2 boxes .75 3 pairs of casts at .90
30 cents per pair


next column

77.75 bushels of wheat at 1.00 per bushel 77.75
33 doz. oats at 20 cents per doz. 10.60
111 " " at 25 cents per doz. 27.75
1 lot of straw chaff 2.00
1 cash in the hands of John Hedrick 40.00
80 shocks of corn at 33 cents per shock 26.40
7 shocks of corn at 10 cents per shock .70
1 Pastor stove and pipe 8.00

1 frying pan .375 1 stone 1 lot of horse gear t of birth bands 1 check rue sket for1 hÿÿ 2 hoesouble trees and clevis 1.00 3s2 mens 1 share plough and strecher lough 2.00 28 pounds of wool1/2 bussel and
1 brass kettle & pail .751 ParlorJoel M


Pursueant to an order of court we Jacob Sydenstricker, Jesse J. Levisay and Andrew Sydenstricker appraisers of the personal property of Stephen B. Chenault, decd., do certify that the foregoing is a correct inventory of the personal property of Stephen B. Chenault decd., that was shown to us to appraise.

Given unto our hands this 16th day of October 1858

Greenbrier County court June term 1859
The appraisement Bill of the estate of Stephen B. Chenault deceased was returned to court and ordered to be recorded
Testor
Joel M ??? clk.
ONE OF THE DIFFICULT GENEALOGICAL PROBLEMS OF CENSUS SEARCHES IS VARIANT SURNAMES. STEPHEN AND HIS RELATIONS ARE A CASE IN POINT. CONSIDER NEXT:

VARIANT SPELLINGS OF FAMILY NAME

Variant surname spellings were provided by "Cousin" Lewis R. Breckenridge in 1996 and updated by "Cousin" Christopher Shinall in 1998. Others have been added since that time and will continue to be added as they are identified.
Cheanault Chenalt Chenau Chenault Chenaur Chenaut
Chenautt Chenaux Chenea Cheneau Chenhall Chenhalls
Chennalt Chennault Chennaux Chennhall Chennhalls Chinal
Chinat Chinauet Chinaul Chinaull Chinaulle Chinault
Chinautt Chinot Schannault Scheinau Schinault Schinott
Shenar Shenard Shenault Shenaur Shenaurlt Shenaut
Shinal Shinall Shinalt Shinaul Shinauld Shinault
Shino Shinoe Shinoff Shinol Shinolt Shinot

THE CHENAULT INGORMATION ABOVE IS TAKEN FROM THE WEB SITE OF THE CHENAULT FAMILY ASSOC.
http://www.chenault.org/

IN THE 1840 CENSUS STEPHEN'S SURNAME WAS SPELLED CHINETH WHEREAS IN THE 1850 CENSUS IT IS SHINALL.

THE CHENAULT HOME IS ABOUT 10 MILES FROM THE RICH HOLLOW COMMUNITY. WHY WOULD STEPHEN BE BURIED IN THE TUCKWILLER CEM.? SOME DISTANCE AWAY? PERHAPS THE FOLLOWING MIGHT EXPLAIN. THE MOTHER AND FATHER(FREDRICK AND HANNAH HEDRICK) OF STEPHEN'S 2ND WIFE, ESTHER ARE BOTH BURIED IN THE TUCKWILLER CEM.

GENERAL DIRECTIONS TO TUCKWILLER CEM. FROM LEWISBURG HEAD WEST UNTIL INTERSECT OLD COUNTY ROAD 15. TURN ONTO 15 AND DRIVE ABOUT 1 MILE TO RICH HOLLOW RD. GO TO END OF ROAD WHERE A FARM HOUSE IS LOCATED. STOP AND TALK TO PERSONS AT HOME FOR FURTHER DIRECTIONS INTO THEIR PASTURE WHERE THE CEMETERY IS LOCATED. NOTE THE SPELLING OF THE CEMETERY IS TUCKWILLER. THE NAME HAS BEEN CHANGED FROM TUKWILLER BY FIND-A-GRAVE AS OF 2014.