Chenoweth History - Beginnings

The name Chenoweth means "new house". They say it is a Welsh name, but the family lived in Cornwall, Great Britain. The root name was TREVELISEK that dates back to Saxon times prior to the Norman Conquest in 1066. A fiercely independent people, they managed to hold their lands as freedman vassals amid the new Norman conquerors. These families still exist today on some of the same lands. Stated by Harris, "Sometime between 890 and 1020, John Trevelisek, one of the aging family patriarchs, split off portions of his holdings in favor of his sons. One such portion went into the hands of the youngest son, also named John. Soon after, the younger John built a new stone house on his property. In Cornish, the word for 'new house' is Chynoweth, which in the fashion of those times for such a significant event, also became the new name adopted by this branch of the family." This new name in the annals of time took on many forms including Chynowen, Chinoweth, & Chinouth so that there are over 200 different spellings of the name in existence today, though all basically pronounced with in a similar phonetic way.

Descendants of ? Treveliseth revised 06/04/96 with appreciation to Kathie Weigel, California and Peter Chenoweth, Georgia. Kathy Weigel hosts a website on Cornish families if you are interested.

A) TREVELISETH, ? b: in St Erth, Cornwall, Great Britain
.... +TERRELL, Elizabeth
B) TREVELISEK, John
.. C) CHYNOWETH, John b: 800-1100
........ +CARDREW, Joan

==== {unknown generations} =====

..... I) CHENOUTH, Stephen
........... +NANFANT, Elizabeth
....... II) CHENOUTH, Michael
............. +TREWINNARD, Elizabeth
.......... III) CHENOUTH, James b: Abt 1483 d: Aft 1551 in Mudgion, St. Martin in Meneage, Cornwall, Great Britain
................ +BODRIGGY, Agnes b: Abt 1487 m: Abt 1510
............ IV) CHENOUTH, Jane b: Abt 1512
.................. +POLLARD, Alexander
............ IV) CHENOUTH, Ellen W. b: Abt 1515
.................. +COWLIN, William b: in of Tregwainton, England
............ IV) CHENOUTH, Elizabeth W. b: Abt 1518
.................. +ROSUORTHOGA, Thomas
............ IV) CHENOUTH, Thomas b: 1520 in Mudgion, St. Martin in Meneage, Cornwall, Great Britain d: bur. 15 Apr 1586, St. Martins in Meneage
.................. +TREGOSE, Anne d: Bef 1571
.............. V) CHENOUTH, Anthony b: Abt 1545 d: bur. 23 Jan 1609/10, St. Martins in Meneage, Cornwall, Great Britain
.................... +SPOUR, Grace m: Abt 1569
................. VI) CHENOWETH, John b: Abt 1570 d: bur. 23 30 Apr 1572, St. Martins in Meneage, Cornwall, Great Britain
................. VI) CHINOWETH, Edward b: Bef April 17, 1573 in St Martin in Meneage, Cornwall, Great Britain Comment: died young
................. VI) CHENOUTH, Henry b: Bef April 17, 1573 in St Martin in Meneage, Cornwall, Great Britain d: Bef July 21, 1642 buried 21 Jul 1642, St. Martins in Meneage, Cornwall, Great Britain
....................... +KESTELL, Mary d: Bef September 21, 1643 buried 21 Sep 1643, St. Martins in Meneage, Cornwall, Great Britain
................. VI) CHINOWETH, James b: 1574 in St Martin in Meneage, Cornwall, Great Britain d: Bef January 28, 1617/18 buried 28 Jan 1617/18, St. Martins in Meneage, Cornwall, Great Britain Comment: no children
................. VI) CHENOUTH, Temperance b: Bef October 23, 1577 in St Martin in Meneage, Cornwall, Great Britain Comment: had children
....................... +KESSELL, Walter m: September 14, 1610 in Manaccan, England
................. VI) CHINOWETH, John b: Bef March 27, 1579 in St Martin in Meneage, Cornwall, Great Britain d: Aft 1620
....................... +THOMAS, Grace
................... VII) CHENOUTH, Anthony b: Bef January 16, 1615/16 in St Martin in Meneage, Cornwall, Great Britain d: Bef January 02, 1690/91 buried 2 Jan 1690/1, St. Martins in Meneage, Cornwall, Great Britain
......................... +?, Margaret d: Bef March 15, 1686/87 buried 15 Mar 1686/7, St. Martins in Meneage, Cornwall, Great Britain
...................... VIII) CHENOWETH, John b: Abt 1637 d: Aft Apr, 1688 bur. 1688
........................ IX) CHENOWETH, Grace b: Bef May 23, 1657 in Wendron, England
.............................. +DUNSCOMB, Benedict
........................ IX) CHENOWETH, Anthony b: Bef September 01, 1658 d: 1660 buried 15 Aug? 1660, St. Martins in Meneage, Cornwall, Great Britain
........................ IX) CHENOWETH, Martha b: Bef November 07, 1661
.............................. +LUG, Isaac m: September 07, 1683
........................ *2nd Husband of Martha Chenoweth:
.............................. +BANFIELD, Thomas
........................ IX) CHENOWETH, John b: Bef April 02, 1663 d: 1674 buried 23 May 1674, St. Martins in Meneage, Cornwall, Great Britain
........................ IX) CHENOWETH, Anthony b: Bef September 20, 1665 d: 1682 buried 20 Nov 1682, St. Martins in Meneage, Cornwall, Great Britain Comment: no children
........................ IX) CHENOWETH, Mary b: Bef August 24, 1667 d: 1668 buried 26 Jul 1668, St. Martins in Meneage, Cornwall, Great Britain
........................ IX) CHENOWETH, Loveday b: Bef December 28, 1668
........................ IX) CHENOWETH, Thomas b: Bef March 20, 1673/74 d: 1691 buried Nov 1691, St. Martins in Meneage, Cornwall, Great Britain
........................ IX) CHENOWETH, Margaret b: Bef October 15, 1677
.............................. +TRELEVEN, Humphrey
...................... VIII) CHENOWETH, William b: Abt 1640
............................ +?, Ann
........................ IX) CHENOWETH, William b: Bef 1663
................... VII) CHYNOUTH, John d: Bef November 12, 1617 bur. 12 Nov 1617, Cubert, Cornwall, Great Britain
................. VI) CHINOWETH, Mary b: Bef March 06, 1584/85 d: Bef August 02, 1605 buried 2 Aug 1605, St. Martins in Meneage, Cornwall, Great Britain
.............. V) CHENOUTH, Ellenor b: Abt 1548 d: Aft 1605
.................... +ROSKRUKE, John b: 1533 m: Abt 1571 d: 1605
................. VI) ROSKRUKE, Jane
....................... +EDWARDS, Thomas b: in of Lelant

When or where John married is not proven, but the name of his wife is given by family tradition as Mary Calvert, whose own origins are equally questioned and argued. That John existed is certain, as his will made on April 11, 1746, shortly before his death, firmly establishes his family and children. He mentioned each of them by name. Though he referred to his wife, he did not give us her name. Recent information developed by Marie Eberle & Margaret Henley, indicates that John Chenoweth first appears in Pennsylvania, then moved to Maryland where his two older children married and sons, Arthur and Richard, would established their families. After 1739, John then moved on to Virginia where he died in 1746. In his will, John describes himself as.... "John Chenoweth, of Frederick County, Virginia". It is almost certain the John, the progenitor, lived and died in Virginia, and was not there on a visit as Cora Hiatt proclaimed. This is clearly evident in the inventory of his assets conducted in Virginia and presented on July 11, 1746. The items describe a "well-supplied farming household complete with livestock" [Elmer Haile]. The disposition of a "fabled Gunpowder Manor" cited by Cora Hiatt is not mentioned in the will, nor for that matter are any lands in Maryland. Also missing are any blacksmithing tools [Elmer Haile], which he must have previously passed down to one of his sons. The other three of five sons John, William and Thomas, relocated to Virginia, and though the order and timing is not known, it is likely they moved there are the same time that John himself did. There are no records in Maryland after 1740 of John or his 3 Virginia sons.

Did John Chenoweth ever own any land? His name has not been found on any official record to date. However his will does indicate that some land was involved when he stated "deeds of gift already made and given to my son Thomas and John Petit, my son-in-law, of my land and other particulars therein stand good and valid..." If land was previously given to Thomas, surely it was in Virginia, as Thomas was in Virginia to witness and administer the will.

Cora Hiatt has placed John in the ancient Chenoweth line as either the grandson of William (XI in the Chenoweth ancestor Chart) or John (XI in the Chenoweth ancestor Chart) from Anthony Chenouth (X in the Chenoweth ancestor Chart). He is certainly not from John and there is no proof of William. Kathie Weigel, from a line from Elinor, the sister of Anthony Chenouth states: "It was VERY common in the "old days" for people to hook their immigrant ancestor onto an old world family of gentry, usually because they wanted the coat of arms. I can tell from the data that Ms Hiatt had seen both the St. Martins P.R. and Vivian's 1620 Visitation (That is where the "Trevelisek to Chynoweth information came from); therefore she had to have been aware that the Chenoweth name did not continue in St. Martins. Chenoweth is a very common name in Cornwall; there are a number of places called Chenoweth, so unrelated families can have arisen simultaneously with the same surname." Despite all the early references to Wales, it is unlikely that any one with the name Chenoweth came from any place other than Cornwall. Given the problems with the origins of John Chenoweth, Richard Harris choose not to touch any of these claims with a proverbial ten foot pole and concentrate his book with the American family of John and Mary.

IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN the twentie nine day of December in the yere of our Lord God one Thousand Six Hundred and Seven, I Anthony Chinoweth of Mudgion within the pish of St. Martin in meneag in the countie of Cornwall gentelman Being of good and p'fect memory Laud and praise be unto Almightie God revocking Anihillating and frustrating all former Wills Testaments and deeds of gifte whatsoever doe make and ordeyne my Testament construing here in my Laste will & Testament in maner and forme folowing Ffirst I bequeath my soule unto Almightie god my maker and redemer And my Bodie unto Christian Buriall It. I give and bequeath towards the repayration of the pish Church of St. Martin vi s viij d It. I give towards the releefe of the poore of the said pish vi s viij d It. I give and bequeath unto Henry Chinoweth my eldest sonne one cow It. I give unto James Chinoweth my sonn one cow It. I give unto John Chinoweth one cow It. I will that the said Legasies be paid my sonnes presently after my decease It. I give and bequeath unto Temparance Chinoweth my daughter one Hundred Pounds and the same to be paid to my foresaid daughter at her Marriag day or presently after Soe as she doth marrie to the liking of my executor But if my said daughter doe marrie contrarie to the liking of my executor as aforesaid that then I will that her legasie before bequeathed shall be void And I will that my executor shall give unto her for offending but ffourtie pounds which shall be the whole of her legasie and my bequeath unto her And if it hapen my executor doe denie to paye the foresaid goods and some of monies when it is dew and demaunded that the It shal be lawfull for my forenamed sonns and daughter or any one of them unto whom payment of the foresaid goods or some of monies is denied to distreyne in the Manner of Muggian and Tregeare or in any parte therof And the distres thersoe found to take, leade, drive, carrie awaie and keepe until the foresaid goods or some of monies be fullie satisfied and paid Item all the rest of my goods Chattells and Cattell not given and bequeathed I give and bequeath unto Grace Chinoweth my wife and doe make and ordeyne her my whole executor to see my legasies paid And my funerale to be decently according to my place p'formed And also I do make Thomas Edwards my overseer to this my Laste will and Testament to see the same to be well and truely p'formed And I give him for his painestaking ffour shillings In wittnes this to be my Laste Will and True Testament I have hereunto sett my hand and seale the day and yere first above written in presence of the under(signed)

( ) kenath the sine of Antho: X Chinowethe
( ) Penberthy

[Proved 18 April 1610]

INVENTORY OF ANTHONY CHENOWETH

IMPRIMIS in the HALE

• 2 ffolding Tables 4
• ffurmes 2 carpets one square Tabell and carpet----------01--17--04
• One cubbord and cubbord cloth---------------------------00--10--00
• One cheste 4 chaires 12 cosshiuns-----------------------01--19--00
• Three Muskets ffurnished--------------------------------02--00--00
• Three caliners and one B____inet Peece------------------01--00--00
• ffive payre of Coslets ffurnished-----------------------03--00--00
• One jantling 1 walish hooke 3 Browne Bills--------------00--03--00
• One case of Pistols without Snaphaunets-----------------00--06--08

CHAMBER OVER the Entery

• One Bedsteed and Truckellbed ffurnished-----------------02--13--04
• One cheste of Lynning-----------------------------------18--13--00
• One other ould cheste-----------------------------------00--03--04

PORCHE CHAMBER

• One Bedsteed ffurnished---------------------------------01--06--08
• One crossebowe------------------------------------------00--03--04

BROADE CHAMBER

• One Bedsteed and truckelbed ffurnished------------------04--00--00
• One folding Tabell and 2 chests-------------------------01--09--04
• Three Ares coverlets------------------------------------03--00--00

NEW CHAMBER

• One Bedsteede and truckelbed ffurnished-----------------05--00--00
• One litell cubbord and cubbordcloth---------------------00--03--04

CHAMBER over the Milkhouse

• One Bedsteed and Truckelbed one litell Tabell Borde-----00--13--04

THE SPINNING HOUSE

• Three Bedes ffurnished----------------------------------03--00--00
• 2 wolen Turnes 3 Linning Turnes-------------------------00--05--00
• 1 fflex combe 2 Hempe combes----------------------------00--04--00
• 4 paire of Woling cardes 4 Litell stooles---------------00--03--00

THE MENS CHAMBER

• Two Bedds ffurnished------------------------------------01--06--08

BUTTERY

• One Tabelbord 2 furmes 2 jonitestooles------------------00--13--04
• Seven dosens of Trenchers-------------------------------00--01--04
• cuppes and Glasses--------------------------------------00--04--00
• Pewter Platters and other pewter------------------------02--17--00
• Brasen candelstickes and one chafing dish---------------00--11--00
• Drinke Vessels------------------------------------------01--00--00
• Three ould chests---------------------------------------00--03--04

KITCHIN

• Two dressers--------------------------------------------00--02--00
• Crockes Posens and Panns--------------------------------11--04--00
• Spitte Andirons driping panes and Gridirons-------------01--06--03
• One ffrying panne Brandirons----------------------------00--04--00
• Two Ladels 3 dosen of dishes 1 flesh peecke-------------00--03--08
• One measing keeve and 1 working keeve-------------------00--13--04
• One Shriding knife 1 choping knife----------------------00--01--06

BAKEHOUSE

• 5 dowe Tubbs 2 ould casks 1 dresser---------------------00--07--00

FISHEHOUSE

• Eight ould casks----------------------------------------00--04--00

MILKEHOUSE

• Three Brasen Panns--------------------------------------00--07--06
• One Brandiron 7 Cheesepates-----------------------------00--03--00
• One Butter Bolt 2 Buckets-------------------------------00--02--04
• One ould rounde Tubes-----------------------------------00--01--00

DRAFTHOUSE

• 2 draftkeeves 2 Panns-----------------------------------00--10--00

CORNECHAMBER

• Nine drie casks One Pecke-------------------------------00--09--06
• 5 Winding sheets 12 Sackes------------------------------00--11--00
• One clensing mill 4 Stanes------------------------------00--04--04

TOOLEHOUSE

• All the working Tooles----------------------------------01--05--04
• 12 payre of keaves--------------------------------------00--08--00

CARTEHOUSE

• Two payre of Wheeles and Butts--------------------------04--04--00
• Plowes and Plowshufe------------------------------------01--00--00
• Harowes Whipes and Treases------------------------------01--00--00
• 3 Packsadell Trees 3 payre of Paniers-------------------00--05--00
• 4 Ladders-----------------------------------------------00--04--00

MOWHAY

• The whole Corne-----------------------------------------33--00-00

CATTELL AND HORSES

• Eight Oxen 8 younge Bullockes---------------------------31--00--00
• Eleven kine 1 Bull 6 yearlings--------------------------26--00--00
• The horses----------------------------------------------16--00--00
• Pigges--------------------------------------------------02--06--08
• Sheepe--------------------------------------------------13--12--00
• Poltery-------------------------------------------------00--06--00
• One Oulde Barge-----------------------------------------00--00--00
• Silver Plate--------------------------------------------20--00--00

THE WHOLE SOMME-------------------------------221--16--02

p me Anthonie Roskruge Tho: Edwardes

John /|\ Treviesa

In the name of God Amen I James Chinoweth of St. Martin being of whole mind and in good and p'fect remembrance laude and praise be to Allmightie god Doe make and ordaine this my last Will and Testament in maner and forme folowing that is to saye first I comend my Soule unto Almightie god my maker and redemer and my Bodie to the Christian buriall It I doe give and bequeath to the pooremens Box of St. Martins x Ls It I doe give and bequeath unto the maintaynance of the Church of St. Martins x Ls It I doe give and bequeath unto Henrie Chinoweth my Brother xx s It I give unto my Brother John Chinoweth all my lands in Chinoweth and Trithall being in the severall pishes of Golvall and St. Earth And to ----- Temperance my Sister xx s All the rest of my goodes and Chattells moveabell and unmoveabell not given nor bequeathed I doe give and bequeath to Margery Bosorow and to Barbara her daughter whom I doe make and ordayne my whole and joint Executors In wittness hereof I have hereunto sett my hand and seale ___ the fourth day of June in the yere of our Lord god 1613

James Chenoweth

Bur: Williams

Sandry John

(Proved 4 February 1617)

INVENTORY OF JAMES CHENOWETH

Imprimis:

• The monies upon specialties oathe shalbe due 166-- 1-- 0
• It: wearing clothes woolen and lynnen------------------- 6-- 0-- 0
• It: 2 Cheests------------------------------------------- 0-- 5-- 4
• It: 4 horses-------------------------------------------- 6-- 0-- 0
• It: wheat in the ground--------------------------------- 7-- 0-- 0
• It: 10 cattle younge and old---------------------------- 15--13-- 4
• It: A Table board a forme and one old cheest------------ 0-- 3-- 6
• It: a dewest beed with furniture------------------------ 0--13-- 0
• It: 6 sackes and a rowle of matte----------------------- 0-- 3-- 3
• It: 5 litle boards-------------------------------------- 0-- 3-- 4
• It: 2 featherbeeds one peare of sheets one blanckett one coverlett on
• boulster & a trucklebeed------------------- 3-- 2-- 0
• It: A square Table and a forme-------------------------- 0-- 2-- 0
• It: 6 cusions one pilliow and cloth--------------------- 0--16-- 0
• It: one saddle, bridell and gesses---------------------- 0-- 4-- 0
• It: 3 candelstickes------------------------------------- 0-- 3-- 0
• It: the Pewter------------------------------------------ 0--12-- 0
• It: woole and one old cheest---------------------------- 0-- 6-- 0
• It: 2 old brasen crocks a skillett---------------------- 1-- 4-- 0
• It: 2 old pans a caldron and 2 litle skilletts---------- 0--16-- 0
• It: Ladle, dishes, frying pan and gridell--------------- 0-- 2-- 4
• It: 2 pitts one peare of andires------------------------ 0--10-- 0
• It: 2 peare of sheets a boordcloth 8 napkings one pelatine
• and 2 towels-------------------------------------------- 0--18-- 0
• It: on brandis a packsaddle and a peare of paniers------ 0-- 3-- 0
• It: A grable-------------------------------------------- 0-- 5-- 0
• It: one barrell and 2 Tobbs----------------------------- 0-- 5-- 0
• It: one cocke, 2 hens a gander and a gouse-------------- 0-- 2--10
• It: one Sowe 4 litle peaggs----------------------------- 0-- 8-- 0
• It: 2 peare of truse ropps------------------------------ 0-- 0-- 8
• It: on old sean bote and ores--------------------------- 2-- 0-- 0
• It: on tune of casks and 2 mands------------------------ 0-- 5-- 6
• It: 2 dell baords 8 pipestanes & a pece of pich--------- 0-- 6-- 8
• It: a pece of an old seannett and roops----------------- 1--15-- 0
• It: certaine poles and Bocklers for fumados------------- 0-- 5-- 0
• It: hogseds 3 Tobbs 5 mands----------------------------- 0-- 8-- 0
• It: certaine blads for a howse on harrow & some hogsedstanes- 5-- 2
• It: 2 washing trusses on shovell on fursthocke on eibell
• on bowe of iron and certaine dell boords---------------- 0--13--11
• It: 7 silver pannes on silver salt---------------------- 2-- 7-- 6
• It: 8 sheepe-------------------------------------------- 1-- 6-- 4

The totall summe 218 L 15 s 8 d

P me Johonem Chinoweth

The signe of John \|/ Trevesa