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Robert Holmes Chinn was graduated from medical school in Louisiana in 1845. He came to Texas and settled in the eastern part of Matagorda County. In 1856 he married Mrs. Ann Taliferro Thompson, a widow with three daughters. Dr. and Mrs. Chinn had one child of their own, Richard Taliferro Chinn. Richard was born on Caney in 1857 and died in 1929. He never married. The name of Dr. R. H. Chinn appears on the Matagorda County Muster Roll of the Caney Mounted Rifles, a military company organized during the Civil War. The company belonged to the cavalry arm of the service. Dr. Chinn is listed as a private, together with three other doctors—Dr. J. R. Thompson, Dr. H. L. Rugeley and Dr. Thomas Thompson.
Dr. and Mrs. Chinn were both buried in the family cemetery on Old
Caney. Their home has long been gone and there are no markers on the
graves. The medical diploma of Dr. Robert Holmes Chinn is on display
at the Matagorda County Museum. |
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[Originally contributed by Nantie Pier Lee and first printed in the Matagorda County Genealogical Society publication, Oak Leaves, Volume 6, No. 2, February 1987. The article was written by Nantie's mother, Vasser White Pier, before 1933. There was a discrepancy of the handwritten article as to whether Dr. Chinn's sister was "Mrs. McHalton" or "Mrs. McHatton."] Ann Taliferro, daughter of Benjamin W. Taliferro and Martha Watkins was born in Tuscaloosa, Alabama in 1823. She was reared in Demopolis, Alabama and was married there, the first time to Mr. E[lbert] A. Thompson, who was a native of Georgia, and who came to Texas and settled in Matagorda County about 1837 or 1838. He bought a number of acres of land and established a big plantation, and it was to this country home that he brought his bride some years later. They settled down to make a real home and rise their family. Of their three daughters, Mrs. Harris Bowie (1848-1933) is the only one living. One daughter, Martha, died as a young woman and Miss Elberta died a few years ago. Mr. Thompson died about 1852. Mrs. Thompson married Dr. R. H. Chinn on October 15, 1856. To this union one son was born, the late Mr. R. T. Chinn. Mrs. Chinn was a woman of wonderful character and personality. She had a remarkable mind and was well educated in literature and music. Her talent for music was notable and her voice was lovely. She was the center of attraction at all the entertainments she attended. Her home life was truly refined and cultured and of religious environment. The Chinn place as it became known, was the center of hospitality before and during the War and while they suffered many hardships during the War and in Reconstruction Days, there was never a time that this home was not open to the stranger at the gate. Many refugees from Louisiana and other states were taken in and given refuge at this home as well as the neighboring plantations. Mrs. McHalton, who was Dr. Chinn's sister, with her family and retinue of slaves, was among the refugees who were domiciled at the Chinn home. It was truly a wonderful sight to see the immense caravan of covered wagons coming down the turn row to the house. All the household goods of the family and the slaves and their effects in wagons, with the flocks of sheep and herds of goats, horses and cattle being driven behind, were coming to Texas away from the dreadful scourge of the War. Dr. Chinn, on his marriage to Mrs. Thompson, had assumed the cares and management of the plantation and had improved it very much by putting up a sawmill and gin and a brick kiln, so on the arrival of the refugees, he had the servant quarters laid out in a systematic way and built houses for them of lumber and bricks made on the place. The family, at this time, were still living in the log house, the first to be built on the place, with the addition of a brick office which the doctor had built for his own convenience. Here the refugees were housed with the family and all others who came. Mrs. McHalton was a very interesting, educated lady with whom it was a pleasure to be. Many stories are told of her stay in Texas and her life in general. It was while she was here that the Chinns decided to build the new house As all the white carpenters had gone to the War, one of the Negro slaves belonging to the McHaltons was called on to do the work. He was an expert carpenter and built a regular colonial house for them. The two front rooms, upstairs and down, were immense in size and had extremely high ceilings, about 12 feet. The rooms in the rear were big too and one of the early remembrances of my childhood days was the long green stairway which led from the ground over the dining room door up to the second story of the house, where you entered a long French window which was shuttered with green blinds. This window opened into a bedroom which was delightfully cool and pleasant in summer. I know, as I slept there many times. The house was further heightened by a large attic, and it was our great delight to follow Aunt Lou up there to rummage in barrels. Unfortunately the lumber used in the house was too green, and after it a time it was warped and drawn from the sun. The family called in the services of Mr. Dunbar and as he couldn't remedy the situation without tearing down the whole house, he put an immense column in the center of the living room to support the upper story. They afterwards called this the Dunbarrie Column. Major Baylor and Dr. G. F. Manning of the Confederate Forces were other visitors of note during these times. Mrs. Chinn's great ambition was to see that her children were educated in a literary way as well as culture and home making. Her two daughters were sent to Mrs. Wright's Seminary in Matagorda and to the little log schoolhouse on the Bowie place where the notable Mr. Gracie taught. Later in life they had a governess, Miss Ellen Rice, and still later a finely educated English teacher, Captain Flack. The slaves were taught as well as the children; all kinds of useful things, to make their cloth and sew it into clothes. Some were taught the art of cooking, others as housemaids and some as hairdressers. The men were taught the different trades on the farm. The slaves all loved Mrs. Chinn, who was strict with them as well as solicitous of their welfare. Many refused to leave her when given their freedom and many of their descendants are now living in Matagorda County. Mrs. Lynton, a musician of note, was another refugee from New Orleans who had built an opera house in New Orleans to produce an opera of her own composition. She with her party was domiciled at the Hodges Hotel in Matagorda. As she was a close friend of Mrs. McHalton, Mrs. Chinn was naturally thrown with them. She often spoke of the beauty of Mrs. Lynton's voice and told of the poem "Rock Me To Sleep" having been recently published as a song and that a copy had been sent to a Matagorda lady, who guarded it very closely, and no one but Mrs. Lynton was permitted to sing it. With Mrs. Chinn's musical talent, it was not long before she could play and sing it as well as Mrs. Lynton. Mrs. Chinn had troubles galore all through her married life - first with law suits about lands which had been given her brother, Benjamin Taliferro by the government. He was killed in Fannin's massacre, and since Mrs. Chinn was the only member of the family in Texas, the brunt of the trouble fell on her shoulders, and she was constantly being called on to settle things with the other side. Dr. Chinn died after a short illness in 1858, and Mrs. Chinn was again left to battle for herself and three children as one of her daughters, Martha, had died the year previous.
The Thompson-Chinn family and Bowie family had
been very close friends through the years since 1850, when the
Bowies came to Texas, and as they lived only across the creek from
each other they became very intimate. This intimacy was made closer
in later years when Mr. Harris Bowie claimed Louisiana Thompson as
his bride. For a few years they lived at the Bowie place then moved
to the Chinn place where Mr. Bowie assumed the cares of the
plantation. Mrs. Chinn died in 1892, surrounded by her children and
dear friends. So ended the life of this dear woman who so bravely
faced the battle of life. |
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Know all men by these presents that I, Robert H. Chinn of the County of Matagorda, State of Texas being of sound mind and disposing memory but aware of the uncertainty of human life do make this my last will and testament hereby revoking all former wills by me at any time heretofore made. And first I desire my executrix who is hereinafter named to pay all my just debts as soon after my decrease as she can without sacrifice to my property. Second. I will and bequeath all my stock of cattle now under the care of William Rowe to my wife Ann Talliferro Chinn and it is my desire that she shall invest the proceeds of the sale of the beef cattle in female cattle so long as she thinks it will be profitable and where she thinks it will no longer be profitable, she may then keep the said cattle together or dispose of them as she may think best and use the proceeds of said sale as she may please. Third. If at the time of the death of my said wife my Estate shall exceed in value the sum of twenty eight thousand dollars then I will and bequeath to each of my wife’s daughters, viz Louisiana Mary Thompson, Martha Talliferro Thompson and Elberta Asa Thompson the sum of one thousand dollars. Fourth. I will and bequeath to my said wife Ann T. Chinn during her natural life all of my property of every kind and description, whether real or personal or mixed, to be held and managed by her during natural life and the proceeds and profits of the same to be applied for her support and the support of my child or of any children I may hereafter have, and at her death I will and bequeath all of my property except the legacies herein before mentioned to my son Richard T. Chinn, or if I should have more than one child at my death, I wish them, at the death of my wife, to inherit my estate jointly, and equally. Fifth. Reposing special confidence and trust in my said Ann T. Chinn, I hereby appoint her the sole executrix of this my last Will and testament and the Guardian of my said child R. T. Chinn and of such other children as we may have and I desire that no bond shall be required of her in the management of my estate, and that no further action be had in the Probate Court in regard to my Estate further than the probate and registration of this my will and a return of an Inventory of my Estate. In witness whereof I hereto sign my name this the ___ Day of ____ A. D. 1861. R. H. Chinn
Signed & delivered in the presence of us who
signed the same as witnesses at the request of the testator and in
his presence and in presence of each other. [There was no date on the original will except the year.]
Proof of the Last Will of Dr. R. H. Chinn Decd.
27th day of April A. D. 1868 |
