Key Facts

Snapshot:	slave owner
Parents:	unknown
Born:	1760's unknown
Died:	1 January 1837 probably Wilkinson County, Georgia
Buried:	unknown

366William Chambers was born in the 1760's.1

366William was granted 200 acres along the Ogeechee River on 5 March 1787,2 150 acres in Warren County on 16 May 1797,3 and another 250 acres in Warren County on 23 November 1801.4 These grants suggest that 366William was well-established in Georgia's settled area, so it's somewhat peculiar that a letter dated 11 March 1797 mentions "William Chambers" as a non-native resident of "the Cherokee country." 5

This 1787 record of 366William's 200-acre grant along the Ogeechee River is the earliest record I've found of 366William. Full page.2

On 25 September 1805 366William was granted a lot (Wilkinson County, district 3, lot 253) that he had won in Georgia's 1805 land lottery.6 I've marked the lot's location on the master map.

366William certainly had a wife, and she was probably Martha Robertson, married 19 September 1803 in Warren County, Georgia. I'm not entirely convinced, however. I've discussed the pertinent evidence previously, so I won't repeat it here.

Regardless of whatever prior marital history he may have had, 366William seems to have engaged in a longterm pseudo-marriage with a married woman named Rebecca Stuckey. Their relationship becomes apparent in his will7 and a later court record,8 but their relationship may have begun ~20 years earlier, perhaps around (or even before) 29 September 1818, when Rebecca's husband John published the following newspaper notice:9

1818: John Stuckey, the lawful husband of 366William's future(?) paramour Rebecca Stuckey, absolves himself of her debts.9

The 1820 census shows 366William's family in Wilkinson County, Georgia.10

1820: 366William's family in Wilkinson County, Georgia. Full page.10

By 1830 366William had acquired several slaves. He still lived in Wilkinson County.1

1830: 366William's family still in Wilkinson County. Full page.1

1830: 366William's slaves. Full page.1

366William died 1 January 1837,11 probably in Wilkinson County since he wrote his will there. The will, written 27 October 1836 and proved 6 January 1837, is transcribed below, or see the record copy if you'd like.7 Notice that 366William leaves the bulk of his estate to Rebecca Stuckey, who is conspicuously not described as his wife. Likewise, he leaves items to various children, yet only two are actually called "son," while the others are introduced as "[name] Chambers, alias [name] Stuckey," which suggests bastardy.

State of Georgia, Wilkinson County } I, William Chambers, of the County and the State aforesaid, being of sound mind and memory and knowing all men are born to die, having a wish to dispose of what few goods and chattels, lands and heridments that is has pleased Almighty God to bestow upon me in this world, do make and ordain and establish by these presents this my last will and testament, subject to the control of my Executors hereinafter named.

FIRST. I wish all my just debts be paid.

SECOND. I give and bequeath to Rebecca Stuckey and William Chambers, Alias Stuckey, the lot or tract of land called Van Landingham lot containing 152 1/2 acres in the Third District, part of No. 207 and the tract of land called Ward Lot, containing 202 1/2 acres, in the Third District whereon I now live, which tract of land lies in the County of Wilkinson, in which said lot or tract of land to be equally divided when William arrives at the age of 21.

THIRD. I give and bequeath to Rebecca Stuckey one sorrel horse called Old Ball; two cows and calves, two beds, a bedstead and furniture.

FOURTH. I give unto Rebecca Stuckey, one Negro woman named Nicey until her death or widowhood. After her death I wish the said Negro woman to go to Elizabeth Chambers, alias Elizabeth Stuckey.

FIFTH. I give and bequeath to Rebecca Stuckey one Negro boy named Simon during her lifetime or widowhood. After her death I wish the said Negro boy, Simon, to go to Solomon Chambers, alias Solomon Stuckey.

SIXTH. I give and bequeath to Elizabeth Chambers, alias Elizabeth Stuckey, one Negro named Anne; one bed and one bedstead and furniture and one heifer.

SEVENTH. I give and bequeath to William Chambers, alias Stuckey, one Negro girl named Silva; one Negro named Jack, one bed stead and furniture; one cow and calf, one sorrel horse.

EIGHTH. I give and bequeath to Solomon Chambers, Alias Stuckey, one Negro girl named Elizabeth one bed, bed stead and furniture and one cow and calf.

NINTH. I give and bequeath to Rebecca Stuckey, all the corn, fodder, peas, potatoes, and stock hogs.

TENTH. I give and bequeath unto my son Joel Chamber's heirs $10 to be paid by my Executor.

ELEVENTH. Omitted.

TWELFTH. I give and bequeath to my son Henry Chambers one Negro woman named Mollie.

THIRTEENTH. I give and bequeath to William Chambers, alias William Stuckey, and unto Elizabeth Chambers, alias Stuckey, and to Sabrina Chambers, alias Sabrina Stuckey, two Negro men by the names Elijah and Moses, which said Negroes to be hired for every year until William, Elizabeth and Sabrina becomes of age, then for the children to take them into hand and divide them in profits (equally) arriving from the hire of the two said Negroes.

I appoint to this my last will and testament, Samuel Beall, Jethro Dean and Jesse Peacock, Executors to the same. This is done with my own arms and sealed with my own hands, this the 27th day of October 1836 (signed William Chambers)

[probated 6 January 1837]

Somewhat predictably, Henry (one of the legitimate sons named in the will) challenged the will in court, arguing that 366William was not of sound mind when he wrote it due to his age and disease in addition to deliberate fraud/manipulation by illegitimate, aspiring heirs.8

366William's (legitimate) son Henry alleges that 366William was mentally incompetent when he wrote the will. Full page.8 Transcription.

There are several returns pertaining to 366William's estate in Wilkinson County's probate court minutes book A. See an index of those entries and/or a brief description of some of those entries.

Sources Cited:

1: 1830 U.S. Federal Census. Wilkinson County, Georgia. Page 349, Wm. Chambers household. NARA microfilm publication M19, roll 21. FamilySearch, <#1830url1> and <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9YY1-6YQ?i=38&cc=1803958>, accessed 8 August 2023.

2: Richmond County, Georgia. Superior Court. Land court minutes book for the years 1784-1787, page 135. The court date (5 March 1787) is on page 131. FamilySearch (film 847829 item 3, image numbers 322 [page 131] and 324 [page 135] of 350), <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS4Y-LQCK-7?i=321&cat=285510> (image 322) and <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS4Y-LQZ9-8?i=323&cat=285510> (image 324). FamilySearch restricts access to these images, so see copies here: 322, 324.

3: Georgia register of grants book ZZZZ, page 541. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSJ6-7SFD-R?i=568&cat=46190>. See also: Georgia headright and bounty documents, microfilm for Thomas Castellew through Vincent Chance, a court record pertaining to William Chambers dated 5 May 1794; FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GTRZ-V97?i=410&wc=M617-RZ3%3A200593601&cc=1914217>.

4: Georgia register of grants book DDDDD, page 466. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSKV-V924-7?i=240&cat=46190>. See also: Georgia headright and bounty documents, microfilm for Thomas Castellew through Vincent Chance, a court record pertaining to William Chambers dated 6 October 1800; FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9TRZ-2HL?i=408&wc=M617-RZ3%3A200593601&cc=1914217>.

5: Tennessee Archives collection GP 2, reel 3, 432-37, a letter from Silas Dinsmore to Governor John Sevier, dated 11 March 1797 at Knoxville concerning non-native residents of the Cherokee country. I have not seen the original record and instead used a transcription.

6: Paul K. Graham, 1805 Georgia Land Lottery Fortunate Drawers and Grantees (The Genealogy Company, Decatur, Georgia, 2010), page 193, entry #253 for William Chambers of Warren County. You can see the plat map here.

7: Wilkinson County, Georgia. Probate records 3 (1827-1838), pages 341-342. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9QM-2DSL?i=619&cat=576587>, accessed 18 April 2023.

8: Wilkinson County, Georgia. Probate court minutes book A, page 48. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS73-99QN-C?i=50&cat=576620>.

9: The Reflector (Milledgeville, Georgia), 29 September 1818, page 3, column 3, about ⅓ down the page.

10: 1820 U.S. Federal Census (Population Schedule). Wilkinson County, Georgia. Page 213, William Chambours household. NARA microfilm publication M33, roll 9. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9YYY-RNX?i=11&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AXHLX-1XF>.

11: A Chambers family Bible, said to be owned by Geneva Chambers Cauley of Clewiston, Florida, and said to be "handed down from William Chambers Jr and wife Isabell Jane Garrett Chambers." Photocopy uploaded to FamilySearch.org on 26 July 2014 by user Earl Scott Chambers, <https://www.familysearch.org/tree/sources/viewedit/MSMN-B7K?context>. If the file is removed from FamilySearch, you can see a copy here.