Menu Items

 

487.Thomas Chancellor (Married Katherine Fitzgerald Cooper (#488) (Catherine Cooper) (Catherine Copper) on 3 March 1723/24 by the Rev. Mr. David Stuart, Rector of St. Paul's Parish, Stafford County, Virginia) (Source: The Wroe and Chancellor Families Compiled by William Clarke Wroe, 1992, page 65. )

 

Born: 5 July 1691 in Somerset County, Maryland of John Chancellor (#973) and Margaret ___ (#974).

Died: before 31 March 1761 when his will was proved in Westmoreland, Virginia

 

[His siblings included:

Mary Chancellor: Born: About 1675 of John Chancellor & Abigail Harrington; Died: ? [Note: She was Thomas' half sister].

Elizabeth Jane Chancellor: (Married: Benjamin Wroe) Born: 29 March 1694 in Somerset County, Maryland Died: ?]

 

Miscellaneous:

The marriage of Thomas Chancellor and Katherine Fitzgerald Cooper is recorded on a plaque in St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Stafford Co. VA (south of Washington DC).

"Thomas Chancellor and Katherine Fitzgerald Cooper, according to family oral tradition, are said to have eloped. Nevertheless, Dr. Cooper followed the custom of the times by making a gift to his newly married daughter and son-in-law. On March 6, 1724, he conveyed by deed 100 acres of land in Nominy, Westmoreland County, 'for and in consideration of the paternal love and affection which I have and do bear unto my son-in-law Thomas Chancellor and for the present advancement of my daughter Katherine, his wife, to them and their heirs forever- said 100 acres formerly purchased by me 1 August 1720 of John Shapperd.' Dr. Cooper also gave the young couple 'one Negro slave named Sam,' the latter transaction recorded April 29, 1724." (Source of this quote is The Wroe and Chancellor Families Compiled by William Clarke Wroe, 1992, page 67.) [Note: If Thomas and Katherine eloped, it is unknown why William Clarke Wroe would have a record of Rev. Mr. David Stuart, Rector of St. Paul's Parish conducting the wedding ceremony on 3 March 1723/24 as stated at the top of this page.]

Thomas and Katherine's daughter Grace (#244) married William Wroe (#243) and their daughter Sarah married William's half brother Benjamin. Four Chancellor daughters married four Wroe brothers. John Chancellor, married Jane Monroe in 1747, and they had 7 children, several of whom married Wroes. Jane Monroe was the only paternal aunt of President James Monroe. (The information about John Chancellor and Jane Monroe is from The Wroe and Chancellor Families Compiled by William Clarke Wroe, 1992, pages 87-88.)

"William Cohoren being summoned to give his evidence in a suit between Tho: Chancellor and Charles Ashton and George Weedon Gent.,executors of Wm. Horton Gent., on behalf of the plaintiff and haveing attended four days, it is ordered Thomas Chancellor does pay him 160 pounds of tobacco.".

"Just when he moved to Westmoreland County, Virginia is not known; however, the 1716 records of that county report a court matter in which Thomas Chancellor, who owned some land near the headwaters of Pope's Creek, filed suit against Col. John Washington for trespassing on his property. Judgment was granted to Thomas Chancellor on January 31, 1716 since Col. Washington failed to defend himself against the allegation. Certainly, Thomas had no idea of the part which descendants of Col. Washington would play in the history of his country only a few generations later." (Source is The Wroe and Chancellor Families Compiled by William Clarke Wroe, 1992, page 65.)

________________

The Virginia County Record Publications New Series Volume 1 Westmoreland County, Edited By The Late William Armstrong Crozier, (Editor of the Virginia County Records etc. etc.) and published posthumously by Mrs. Wm. Armstrong Crozier, Published in 1913, page 16 mentions Thomas' name:

"WICKERS, THOMAS, 4 April 1704; 26 July 1704.
Son Benjamin; to George Cross my exors; son in law; to Thomas Chancellor; to Charles Tankersley; Jacob Martyn exor
Inv. of Robert Nobell, 26 July 1704"

_________________

The Virginia County Record Publications New Series Volume 1 Westmoreland County, Edited By The Late William Armstrong Crozier, (Editor of the Virginia County Records etc. etc.) and published posthumously by Mrs. Wm. Armstrong Crozier, Published in 1913, page 33 mentions Thomas' name:

"ROBINSON, JOHN, 8 Nov. 1725; 23 Feb. 1725.
Wife Mary; daus. Anne and Eliz. Robinson; exor. brother Thos. Chancellor."

__________________

The Virginia County Record Publications New Series Volume 1 Westmoreland County, Edited By The Late William Armstrong Crozier, (Editor of the Virginia County Records etc. etc.) and published posthumously by Mrs. Wm. Armstrong Crozier, Published in 1913, page 41 mentions Thomas' name as it appears in his father-in-law's will:

"COOPER, JOHN, 12 Oct. 1734; 25 Mch. 1735.
Wife Hannah; dau. Katherine Chancellor; grandson John Chancellor; son in law Thomas Chancellor"

___________________

 

"Thomas and his wife Katherine had six children: (1) John, (2) Katherine, (3) Grace (#244), (4) Rebecca, (5) Thomas, and (6) Sarah." (Source is The Wroe and Chancellor Families Compiled by William Clarke Wroe, 1992, page 67.)

"Thomas Chancellor wrote his will on November 19, 1760 and died before March 31, 1761, when the will was proved. It is puzzling that his will made no mention of his daughter, Rebecca, since she was living at the time; in fact, outlived her father by 35 years. Katherine Fitzgerald (Cooper) Chancellor died about 1767." (Source is The Wroe and Chancellor Families Compiled by William Clarke Wroe, 1992, page 67.) [Susan Snyder notes that although Rebecca's name is missing from the copy of the will below, her name is listed in The Virginia County Record Publications about wills below. Grace's name is not listed on the Virginia County Record, but is listed in the will.]

The Virginia County Record Publications New Series Volume 1 Westmoreland County, Edited By The Late William Armstrong Crozier, (Editor of the Virginia County Records etc. etc.) and published posthumously by Mrs. Wm. Armstrong Crozier, Published in 1913, page 61 lists information from Thomas' will:

"CHANCELLOR, THOMAS. 19 Nov. 1760; 31 Mch. 1761.
Children John, Catherine, Rebecca, Thomas and Sarah; wife Katherine."

The will below is quoted from Appendix #22, page 503 of Wroe and Chancellor Families Compiled by William Clarke Wroe, 1992.

"Will of Thomas Chancellor
Written, November 19, 1760 - Proved, March 31, 1761

In the name of God, Amen. I, Thomas Chancellor, of the county of Westmoreland being very sick and weak but of sound and perfect memory thanks be to Almighty God for it. I do constitute and make and appoint this to be my last will and Testament revoking all other will or wills by me made and this one to be taken for my last will in manner and form following:
First: I bequeath my soul to Almighty God that gave it, and my body to the earth to be buried in a Christian like manner according to the discretion of my executors herein named.
I give and bequeath unto my wife Katherine the place whereon I now live during her life or as my widow, and a negro Will Little and Ned. I give and bequeath unto my son John all my land after my wife decease and a negro Moses. I give and bequeath unto my daughter Katherine a negro boy named Ben. I give and bequeath unto my daughter Grace a negro boy named Frank and feather bed and furniture. I give and bequeath unto my son Thomas a negro boy named James and a horse and colt that he now lays claim to and a feather bed and furniture. I give and bequeath to my daughter Sarah a negro girl named Nancy and a feather bed and furniture. The remaining part of my estate that is not already given to be equally divided after my wife’s decease. I do appoint my loving wife Katherine and my son John Chancellor to be my executors to this my last will and Testament. In Witness thereof have hereunto set my hand and fixed my seal this nineteenth day of November 1760

*****
Thomas Chancellor *SEAL*
******

Witnesses:
John Omohundro Jr.
William Wroe
John Weedon

PROBATE OF THE WILL OF THOMAS CHANCELLOR
Westmoreland sct: At a Court held for said County the 31st Day of March 1761

This Last will of Thomas Chancellor dec’d was Presented into Court and sworn to by John Chancellor one of the Exors. therein Named the same being also Proved by oath of all the Witnesses thereto is admitted to Record. And on motion of the said Exor. and his performing what the Law in such Cases require Certificate is granted him for obtaining a Probate thereof in due form.

Teste:
George Lee C’C."

(Quoted from Wroe and Chancellor Families Compiled by William Clarke Wroe, 1992, Appendix 22, page 503 : "NOTE: Witness, William Wroe was the son-in-law of Thomas Chancellor; husband of Thomas’s daughter, Katherine. Witness, John Weedon was the grandfather of Augustine Weedon who married Jane Wroe, daughter of Richard Wroe and Rebecca (Chancellor) Wroe). [Note by Susan Snyder (webmaster of this page): It is correct that William Wroe (#243) was the son-in-law of Thomas Chancellor; but he was the husband of Thomas’ daughter, Grace (#244), not Katherine. It was Thomas' daughter Katherine who was married to Thomas Wroe.]

 

Contact person for this website is Susan Snyder: susanleachsnyder@gmail.com