Summary
Andrew Chew left behind very few documentary records of his existence. Many family researchers, including myself, list basic facts about his life, including his birth between 1770 and 1773 in Spotsylvania County, Virginia; and his death in 1827, 1825 or 1830 in Ohio.
With the exception of his 26 Apr 1797 marriage bond for a marriage with Anna Mariah Barthist, however, these basic genealogical facts are neither supported nor contradicted by primary source evidence.
The names of the men and women commonly listed as Andrew and Anna Mariah Chew’s children are a different story. I will document what evidence I have discovered that support the assertion that Andrew and Anna Chew are the parents of the seven children commonly associated with them in other family trees.
The following two children can be conclusively tied to Andrew and Anna Chew via primary source evidence:
- Mary Moon (1807-1859), based on a document where Andrew Chew granted permission for her to marry.
- Nancy Bishop (1812-1892) based on an affidavit from her son James, and supported by an 1850 US census record.
I believe two additional children can be tied to Andrew and Anna Chew by combining circumstantial primary source evidence with an indirect proof.
- Joseph (1798-1845), based on an 1860 US census record combined with an indirect proof.
- Thomas (1801-1879), as Joseph names him “brother” in his will.
I can find no primary source evidence supporting the assertion that the following three children are descendants of Andrew and Anna Chew.
- Sarah Bailey (1810-1877)
- Elizabeth Beals (1802-1881)
- James (1805-1840)