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... 2. Robert McChesney. ... M., Jane Hall, before leaving Ireland. ... He bought land and settled about six miles above Middlebrook, in Augusta County, Virginia. His descendants, until recently, owned this old home of their fathers.
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... b. John McChesney. Son of Robert McChesney.
Dr. John McChesney was born at Greenwood, the McChesney homestead, in Augusta County, Virginia, on Sept. 3, 1785. His ancestors were of the vigorous, earnest, truth-loving and God-fearing people, the Scotch- Irish, who came from the North of Ireland, and who formed part of the first settlers of the upper valley of Virginia. Dr. McChesney, after spending a long and useful life, the greater part in the home of his youth, practicing medicine in a large part of three counties, near the juncture of which was his home, fell asleep, May 19, 1877, in the ninety-second year of his age.
His early life antedates railroads, and, largely, stage coaches also, and in his day it was no light matter to go far from home, and to secure an education, such as a profession requires. Fortunately, for him, there was a school of high grade not many miles from his father's home, in Lexington, Virginia, "Washington College," then in its infancy, now "Washington and Lee University." Here he received his classical training. After this, he went to North Carolina, taught school, and began the study of medicine. Returning home, he continued his studies, preparatory for lectures, in the office of Dr. Boise, in Staunton, Virginia; then entered the University of Pennsylvania, at Philadelphia, where he graduated in the spring of 1816. His return home from the University, when so few stage routes were to be had, was full of incident, showing the force of his character. Before locating, he traveled, on horseback, through several of the southern and southwestern States, in search of a proper place, and concluded to locate in North Carolina. Returning home to make his final arrangements, a providential circumstance located him for life in the home of his birth. A certain epidemic was prevailing in the neighborhood of his home at the time ; his medical skill was sought, and he was eminently successful in a number of cases, and in consequence, many of the people and his friends besought him to change his plans and locate in their midst, which he did, and made Greenwood, his father's house, his home.
On March 21, 1815, he married Jane E. T. Steel, of Rockbridge County, whose family was among the prominent citizens of that county. He had a large family of nine children, and became known, far and wide, as a skilful physician and a genial, noble-hearted man. He was not only skilful in his profession, he was charitable in his life, modest and unassuming in his manners, studiedly temperate in his habits, and was in every sense a man of honor and integrity. He was not capable of doing a known wrong or mean act, and would at all times have shrunk from doing anything that would have brought disgrace upon the name of McChesney, which he prized so highly.
Dr. McChesney's parents were members of the Old Providence Church in Rockbridge County, Va. He, in 1833, united with the New Providence Church, of which his wife was a member, and remained a consistent member to the time of his death. Yet he had always a warm side for Old Providence, and expressed it. And there now, in its venerable graveyard, rest his ashes, with those of his beloved wife and some of his children, waiting the resurrection of the last day.
Dr. and Mrs. McChesney had issue :
1. Mary Amanda McChesney. B., Feb 3, 1819. M., 1, James Blair, Jan., 1842. 2, William Dunlap, July 21, 1868.
2. Susan McChesney. B., Apr. 6, 1821, D., Apr. 1, 1847. M., David Hogshead, June 11, 1846.
3. Nancy S. McChesney. B., Jan. 16, 1824. D., Dec. 9, 1890. M., Francis H. Hill, Sept. 21, 1841.
4. James J. McChesney. B., May 1, 1825. D., July 1, 1829.
5. William S. McChesney. B., Sept. 6, 1827. D., Mar. 17, 1884. M., Mary Catherine Baylor, Aug. 24, 1848.
6. Augusta Virginia Lightfoot McChesney. B, Sept. 6, 1829. M., Rev. J. O. Miller, Aug. 31, 1854.
7. Robert Aurelius McChesney. B., May 16, 1834. D., Jan. 15, 1894. M., Amanda Jane Baylor, Nov. 3, 1857.
8. Serena H. McChesney. B., Mar. 26, 1838. M., Meredith W. D. Hogshead, June 5, 1872.
9. Theresa McChesney. B. Jan. 20, 1840. M., John C. Dunlap, Nov. 7, 1866. ...
