Life History

Notes

• Tennessee State Marriages, 1780-2002
  License Number 11063
  W J Chenault
  Spouse: Rebecca J Alexander
  Marriage 28 Nov 1871 Maury County, Tennessee
  
  In this marriage record, note that William's initials are W J (Ancestry transcribes it as W I).  In other sources he is named as William W (usually in the abbreviated form Wm W), William W or just William.  Note in the record of his second marriage his middle initial is M, matching his full name in genealogies, William Magness Chenault.
  
  Tennessee State Marriages, 1780-2002
  W M Chenault
  Spouse: M E Wells
  Marriage 23 Dec 1885 Giles County, Tennessee
  
  Some Chenault genealogies provide information on the three wives of Rev William Chenault.  The following fills out our profile of the first two and reports the year of marriage to Mary (Molly) Simons Stroud).
  
  William Magness Chenault
  Birth 2 July 1850 in Lawrence County, Tennessee
  Death 9 April 1929 in Grady County, Oklahoma
  Marriage 28 Nov 1871 Maury County, Tennessee
  to Rebecca Jane Alexander
  (Birth 6 May 1854 in Alabama, Death 10 August 1881 in Lawrence County, Tennessee)
  Marriage 23 Dec 1885 Giles County, Tennessee
  to Maggie Ellen Wells
  (Birth 19 October 1857 in Tennessee, Death 3 June 1903 in Texas)
  Marriage 1903 to Mollie Respy Simons [in Kaufman County, Texas, ref 1900 census]
  --  Moncrief, http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/18702437/person/2053200034
  
  Note that there is a difference in the year of death recorded on William's gravestone (1851) and the exact date of death in the genealogy above.  The date on the grave is likely the one that is in error.  There are some other details incorrect in William's obituary published in the newspaper, including his step-daughter Mollie's name!  She is named as Mollie Lane.  This is in 1929, and she married Toliver Jorile (Joe T) Green in Marlow before 1920!
  
  In the 1860 census, for some reason William's middle initial is given as an A instead of an M, for his name Magness.
  
  1860 Federal Census, Lawrence County, Tennessee, 21 Aug, Civil District 6, P O Lawrenceburg, p 165, Hse #1342, Fam #1041
  Robert T Chenault 31 M Farmer $100 Real Estate $100 Personal b Tenn [born abt 1829]
  Lucy A Chenault 30 F Tenn Cannot Read or Write [born abt 1830]
  William A Chenault 9 M Tenn [born abt 1851]
  Tennessee Chenault 7 F Tenn [born abt 1853]
  George H Chenault 5 M Tenn [born abt 1855]
  Jephtha C Chenault 3 F Tenn [born abt 1857]
  Robt M Chenault 1 M Tenn [born abt 1859]
  
  The family name is spelled with a German spelling instead of the French spelling.
  
  1870 Federal Census, Maury County, Tennessee, 26 Jul, p 34, PO Mount Pleasant, Hse #218, Fam #232
  Schenault, Lucy A 37 F W  Farmer $230 Personal Estate b Tennessee [born abt 1843]
  Schenault, Wm M 18 M W At Home b Tennessee [b abt 1852]
  Schenault, Tennessee  16 M W At Home b Tennessee [b abt 1854]
  Schenault, Geo H 14 M W b Tennessee [b abt 1856]
  Schenault, J C 13 M W b Tennessee [b abt 1853]
  Schenault, Robt M 11 M W b Tennessee [b abt 1859]
  Schenault, J H 9 M W b Tennessee [b abt 1861]
  Williams, Frank 18 M W Boarder b Tennessee [b abt 1852]
  
  1880 Federal Census, Lawrence County, Tennessee, 17 June, Civil District 12, Enumeration District 112, page 11, Hse/Fam #80
  Chenault, W M  W M 28 Husband Farmer Tenn Tenn Tenn
  Chenault, Rebecca  W F 26 Wife Keeping House AL - -
  Chenault, David T  W M 6 Son TX Tenn AL
  
  Next door is Rebecca's parents.
  
  1880 Federal Census, Lawrence County, Tennessee, 17 June, Civil District 12, Enumeration District 112, page 11, Hse/Fam #81
  Alexander, W M  W M 54 Husband Farmer AL AL AL
  Alexander, Mary A  W F 54 Wife Keeping House England
  Alexander, Rosa F  W F 13 Dau MS AL England
  
  1900 Federal Census, Kaufman County, Texas, 18 June, Justice Precinct 3, District 74, page 14A,  Hse #148, Fam #158
  Chenault, William W  Head W M July 1851  48 Married 15 years TN MS TN Farmer
  Chenault, Maggie Head W F Oct 1857 42 Married 15 years 5 child/3 living TN VA TN
  Chenault, Lillie Alma  Dau W M Oct 1886  13 TN TN TN
  Chenault, John Lomar Son W M Dec 1887  12 TN TN TN
  Chenault, Robert Mac Son W M Jany 1890  10 TN TN TN
  Chenault, Asberry Dau W M Feby 1894  6 TN TN TN
  Wells, Nancy P  Sister-in-Law W M Nov 1854  45 Single TN VA TN
  Cloyd, David C Hired Hand W M [No birth date, age or birth states reported]
  
  The designation for Asberry is confused, stating that Asberry is a Daughter but Male.  In 1910, this child (Asbry) is reported as a Son and Male.  When William's wife Maggie died in 1903, he married a neighbor widow Mary (Mollie) Simons Stroud.
  
  1900 Federal Census, Kaufman County, Texas, 18 June, Justice Precinct 3, District 74, page 14A,  Hse #157, Fam #161
  Stroud, Martha R Head W F Jany 1850 50 Widow 7 child/6 living Farmer AL NC NC
  Stroud, J Henry Son W M Mar 1880  20 TX AL AL Farm Laborer
  -- Fam #162 --
  Williams, Stroud, Mollie  Dau W M July 1870  28 Widow AL AL AL
  Williams, Stephen GSon W M June 1890  9 TX TX AL
  Williams, Robert Lee GSon W M Feby 1892  8 TX TX AL
  Williams, Wiley GSon W M Dec 1897  2 TX TX AL
  
  1910 Federal Census, Stephens County, Oklahoma, 21 April, Richland Township, District 243, page 4B, No Hse/Fam Numbers
  Chenault, William M  Head M W  59  Married 7 yrs TX MS TX Farmer Rents
  Chenault, Mollie Wife  F W  59  Married 7 yrs 7 children/6 living AL AL AL
  Chenault, Robert M Son  M W 20 Single TX TN AL Farm Labor
  Chenault, Asbry Son  M W 15 Single TX TN AL Farm Labor
  Stroud, Jay H Labor [sic] M W 28 Single TX TN AL Farm Labor
  
  The enumerator has spelled the initials J H as the name Jay H, for John Henry Stroud.  This is Mollie Stroud's son, so it is interesting he was listed simply as a Laborer, rather than a stepson of William.  Notice that John (Jay) is reported as being born in Tennessee, as the Chenault sons, although John was born in Texas.
  
  Next door to William and Mollie is another of Mollie's sons, James M.  I see that James' wife Laura is reported as having borne 3 children but only one is living, yet two children are reported as his daughters.  And the last one, Lela (name is hard to read) is 10 years old, while James and Laura have been married only 7 years.  Also the older child is listed after the younger daughter, usually a sign of different parentage.  So James was previously married.
  
  1910 Federal Census, Stephens County, Oklahoma, 21 April, Richland Township, District 243, page 4B, No Hse/Fam Numbers
  Stroud, James M  Head M W  32  Married 7 yrs TX AL AL Farmer Rents
  Stroud, Laura Wife  F W  24  Married 7 yrs 2 children/1 living TX TX TX
  Stroud, Bertha Dau  F W 6 Single TX TX TX
  Stroud, Lela (?) Dau  F W 10 Single TX TX TX
  
  1920 Federal Census, Grady County, Oklahoma, [no date], Starr Township, District 189, page 3B, Hse/Fam #46
  Chenault, Wm Head Owns M W  67 TN MS TN Farmer
  Chenault, Mollie Wife  F W  67 AL AL AL
  Chenault, Jesse Son M W  11 Single TX TX AL Farm Laborer
  
  Marlow (Oklahoma) Cemetery List
  "Chenault  Rev Wm M 1851-1929  Mollie Simons 1850-1933"
  --  http://www.rootsweb.com/~okstephe/MarlowCem2.txt

Sources

• 1. Marlow Cemetery List, Marlow, Stephens, Oklahoma
  • Location: http://stephenscogen.org/~okstephe/MarlowCem2.txt;
• 2. 1860 Federal Census, Lawrence County, Tennessee
  • 21 Aug, Civil District 6, P O Lawrenceburg, p 165, Hse #1342, Fam #1041
• 3. 1900 Federal Census, Kaufman County, Texas
  • 18 June, Justice Precinct 3, District 74, page 14A,  Hse #148, Fam #158
• 4. 1910 Federal Census, Stephens County, Oklahoma
  • 21 April, Richland Township, District 243, page 4B, No Hse/Fam Numbers
• 5. 1870 Federal Census, Maury County, Tennessee
  • 26 Jul, p 34, PO Mount Pleasant, Hse #218, Fam #232
• 6. Ancestry Trees
  • Moncrief, http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/18702437/person/2053200034
• 7. 1880 Federal Census, Lawrence County, Tennessee
  • 17 June, Civil District 12, Enumeration District 112, page 11, Hse/Fam #80
• 8. 1920 Federal Census, Grady County, Oklahoma
  • [no date], Starr Township, District 189, page 3B, Hse/Fam #46
• 9. Tennessee State Marriages, 1780-2002
• 10. Find a Grave Memorial Registry
• 11. Social Security Death Index
• 12. 1920 Federal Census, Grady County, Oklahoma
  • [no date], Starr Township, District 189, page 3B, Hse #49, Fam #50