We now know DNA studies match kin who lived in Northern England who went by the name Chomley, Cholmley, or Chamley. Our kin might have lived in Ireland or Scotland before England but no DNA matches in those areas yet. Whatever the cultural or historical issues of the day, our ancestors definitely wanted to leave the British Isles and go to America.
Given a timeline of records PERHAPS our ancestors left because of cultural events leading up to the Battle of Culloden. The first verified record is in Bertie County is 1744, then 1757 on a tax list. First of the DNA 1st cousins or brothers was Isaac Chamblee, Hertford Co NC on a tax list in 1779, obviously of legal age. The oral history that 6 came from Ireland or Scotland (or England) would then fit the years surrounding the Battle of Culloden. One can wonder.
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Scottish Immigration to America increased as Scots gained access to America as Indentured Servants Scottish Immigration to America in the 1700's was undertaken by angry Scots following defeat at the hands of the English at the 1746 Battle of Culloden... In 1745 Bonnie Prince Charlie, the the Stuart heir, attempted to claim the British throne but was defeated in 1746 at the Battle of Culloden. The defeat at the Battle of Culloden prompted large scale emigration from Scotland to America and the history of Scottish Immigration to America began in earnest, although Scots had first emigrated during the Colonial era of American history. More on this at Scottish Immigration to America.
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Boat and immigration lists and other early American records including indentured servants have not yielded results. We have have done a surname survey of these immigration records, but there is no pattern or conclusion. We looked at the Chambliss, Chumbly, etc. lines for a few years but after DNA studies we now rule that out. No paper trail from Chambless/Chambliss/Cumbly substantiates anything in our ancestry anyway.
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Where did we first find them on record in America? Bertie County, North Carolina--which was later split into Hertford County in December 1759. We think some of the early records ended up in Hertford County, which unfortunately suffered two fires and most early holdings were lost.
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What is more important is where our ancestors migrated in America. Our ancestors needed and desired many acres of land to support their families. As land was advertised or given as military warrants, our ancestors began to migrate.
We now know DNA studies match kin who lived in Northern England who went by the name Chomley, Cholmley, or Chamley. Our kin might have lived in Ireland or Scotland before England but no DNA matches in those areas yet. Whatever the cultural or historical issues of the day, our ancestors definitely wanted to leave the British Isles and go to America.
Given a timeline of records PERHAPS our ancestors left because of cultural events leading up to the Battle of Culloden. The first verified record is in Bertie County is 1744, then 1757 on a tax list. First of the DNA 1st cousins or brothers was Isaac Chamblee, Hertford Co NC on a tax list in 1779, obviously of legal age. The oral history that 6 came from Ireland or Scotland (or England) would then fit the years surrounding the Battle of Culloden. One can wonder.
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Scottish Immigration to America increased as Scots gained access to America as Indentured Servants Scottish Immigration to America in the 1700's was undertaken by angry Scots following defeat at the hands of the English at the 1746 Battle of Culloden... In 1745 Bonnie Prince Charlie, the the Stuart heir, attempted to claim the British throne but was defeated in 1746 at the Battle of Culloden. The defeat at the Battle of Culloden prompted large scale emigration from Scotland to America and the history of Scottish Immigration to America began in earnest, although Scots had first emigrated during the Colonial era of American history. More on this at Scottish Immigration to America.
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Boat and immigration lists and other early American records including indentured servants have not yielded results. We have have done a surname survey of these immigration records, but there is no pattern or conclusion. We looked at the Chambliss, Chumbly, etc. lines for a few years but after DNA studies we now rule that out. No paper trail from Chambless/Chambliss/Cumbly substantiates anything in our ancestry anyway.
​
Where did we first find them on record in America? Bertie County, North Carolina--which was later split into Hertford County in December 1759. We think some of the early records ended up in Hertford County, which unfortunately suffered two fires and most early holdings were lost.
​
What is more important is where our ancestors migrated in America. Our ancestors needed and desired many acres of land to support their families. As land was advertised or given as military warrants, our ancestors began to migrate.
CHAMBLEE COVE CEMETERY, BLOUNT COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA
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In the 1980's Jack Chamblee and Allen Lambert, 4th cousins who worked together on family history and collecting photographs, were told there was a cemetery in a cow pasture just down the road from Isham Chamblee’s cabin in Blount Co, AL. The cabin at that time was still on Isham Chamblee's land but has since been moved 12 miles southeast to Blountsville Historical Park.
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Jack Chamblee standing in front of the fireplace in the addition to his ancestor's house before the cabin was moved to the historic park. Photo taken by Allen Lambert.
They located the rustic pastoral cemetery with tombstones sticking up a few inches above the ground. As Jack reports, "The stones were erect, just covered up to almost the top of the head of the stones from the daily accumulation of wind blown soil over the site. Cows hanging around feeding on the site. We dug around the face of the stones to record the names we found plus many of the stones that have no names."
They measured the head stone placements within this area and Jack drew a site plan. Jack being an architect knew this was important. "The whole cemetery needs to be excavated down to the original soil depth at the time of 1817. No telling what stones had been knocked over and buried, probably Isham’s among others. There is no fencing to protect the stones, so we re-buried the stones to protect them from the cows."
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The survey and investigation of the graves found they all faced east to west, a common Christian tradition, except one grave aligned north to south. According to the 1850 mortality schedule of Blount Co AL, Robert Chamblee committed suicide July 1849. Could Isham Chambee, brother and an executor of Robert Chamblee's estate, had his brother buried on his property? Some websites state north to south only means they ran out of room. This cow pasture has lots of room. We may never know about this lone grave.
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An article in Bringing History to Life: "A plaque on the cabin’s porch now proclaims the Isham Chamblee Cabin was donated by Mrs. Ed Hart with Mrs. Eddie Doty, a descendent of Isham Chamblee "instrumental in getting the cabin moved to the historical park." Photo of move, More details.
HOW CHAMBLEE, GEORGIA GOT IT'S NAME
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When Chamblee, Georgia wanted to write it's history they contacted
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The City of Chamblee was incorporated by the Georgia legislature on August 17, 1908. It is one of eight cities located within DeKalb County.
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(From Chamblee, Georgia history):
There is great discussion about the origination of the City's name. One story has the name coming from the 1885 petition for the U.S. Postal Service to establish a post office in what was then known as Roswell Junction. The U.S. Postal Service was concerned that the proposed name of Roswell Junction was too close to the nearby city of Roswell. The Postal Service then randomly selected the name "Chamblee" from the list of petitioners for the new post office name. The Chamblee selected was an African-American railroad worker.
Another story has the Chamlee family beginning the town and then later altering their name to fit the current spelling.
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Ransom Chamblee 1838-1924 worked for the railroad and the 1870 Robert's District, Hall County, Georgia, census enumeration reflects this. Oral history is that this man signed the petition as mentioned in the article.
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The Ransom Chamblee family is an amazing family and descendants have been teachers businessmen, doctors, musicians, etc. and the list goes on.
Via DNA we surprisingly are not related to this branch, although we still consider them "cousins."
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THE GREAT SOUTHERN CAVE or CHAMBLE PARK & CAVE or BANGOR CAVE & PARK or BANGOR CAVE
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James H. Chamblee 1822-1895, son of Robert Chamblee (who migrated from NC to AL) and Mary/Polly Warren apparently owned a cave. It has quite a history. Bangor Cave photos and history on Facebook
The Moulton Advertiser (Moulton, Alabama), 02 Jun 1876, Fri
J. V. Musgrove, proprietor of the Great Southern Cave located at Bangor four miles north of Blount Springs extends an invitation to the above excursionists to visit this grand and beautiful cave. (from Bangor Broad Axe)
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The Montgomery Advertiser, 6 June 1879: "An enterprising firm has leased the Great Southern Cave...and are placing it in proper condition..." (mentioned it would be as famous as Mammouth Cave in KY).
The Blount County News-Dispatch (Blountsville), 18 Sept 1884:
"Mr. Jas. H Chamblee and family are preparing to move from Gum Spring neighborhood to Copperas Gap. He intends to improve and make attractive the Great Southern Cave near Bangor."
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Huntsville Independent, AL, 23 April 1885: "The Blountsville news says Mr. James Chamblee is fitting up the Great Southern Cave near Bangor. The cave is to be handsomely lighted..."
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Blount Co News-Disdpatch, 10 Sept 1885: "Visitors came daily to see the wonders of the Great Southern Cave. Mr. James Chamblee the proprietor is attending the U.S. Court in Birmingham."
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Blount Co News-Dispatch, 15 Sept 1887: (below) James H Chamblee's son Tillman F. Chamblee gave the tour to the reporter. James H. Chamblee had kept it boarded and locked for years. He had owned the property for 30 years (since 1857). By the 1830 census Robert Chamblee, the father of James was in Alabama and James H married first to Hannah L. Muphree in 1844.
Blount Co News-Dispatch, June 6, 1892 : "...Bangor's great attractions for the young people. This wonderful acquisition is the Bangor cave and park. Uncle Jim Chamblee [James Pickney Chamblee probably b. 1860-d. 1925 in OK son of James H.], is sparing no means nor labor to make it the grandest of the kind in the country..."
The Musgrove descendants claimed they were the owners of the cave. James H. Chamblee had a daughter Rhoda b. in 1848 who married William Henry Musgrove, relatives to P. V. Musgrove mentioned above.
"James H. Chamblee died on 17 Jan 1895 and by then the park and cave were operated by ex-Confederate Dilmus L. Duncan; [Duncan married James H Chamblee's daughter Phoebe in 1871] it was managed by Joseph V. Musgrove in 1900. For several years Bangor Cave continued to be a major attraction, but when Blount Springs burned in 1915, attendance dropped off sharply and not nearly as many people visited the once popular attraction. The stock market crash of 1929 and the subsequent Great Depression only made attendance worse." (Tales of Old Blount County, Alabama, by Robin Sterling, p. 225).
WOODSON CHAMBLEE, WHAT BECAME OF HIM?
Caveat: We don't judge our ancestors
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Woodson Chamblee, son of John Chamblee & Olive Richardson was born about 1815 in Wake Co NC. A marriage bond is recorded for his marriage to Roena Bunn [often Burne in records].
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Everything was fine until 1841 when Woodson was indicted for murder (1842, Superior Court State Docket, Wake Co NC 099.321.2.1.)
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The Biblical Recorder dated 20 Nov 1841
MURDER WILL OUT [??]
Woodson Chamble and Calvin Griffin were committed to the Jail of this City, on Monday last, charged with the murder of Littleberry Bunn, a Constable of Franklin County, under circumstances of the most deliberate and atrocious cruelty. The deceased was found some seven or eight days after he was supposed to have been shot, buried in a mudhole like a dog, without covering of any kind! The singular manner in which his body was discovered, as detailed before the examining Court, proves that detection, sooner or later, will overtake the guilty.
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Spring term 1842, Wake Co NC, Woodson Chamblee guilty and Calvin Griffin not guilty and is permitted to take insolvent oath and is discharged.
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The North-Carolina Star (Raleigh, North Carolina) 13 April 1842 Page 3
Chamlee and Griffin were tried for the murder of Littlebury Burn. The former was convicted and the latter acquitted. On Saturday Griffin was discharged and Chamlee moved for and obtained a new trial; which will occur at the next term. For the State, Attorney General McQueen for we understand (for we were not present at the trail), managed the prosecurtion with great skill and abililty--for the prisoners, Judge Saunders.
The Rasp (Raleigh, North Carolina) 16 April 1842 Page 3
SUPERIOR COURT OF WAKE
Chamlee and Griffin...Late Friday evening the Jury retired and after having been gone for two hours returned with a verdict finding Chamlee guilty and acquitting Griffin. Saturday morning when the prisoner was brought to the bar to receive his sentence, his counsel made a motion for a new trial, accompanied with the reasons for doing so which appeared satisfactory to the Judge and the motion was granted.
Interesting description since there are not photographs:
Woodson Chamblee, stout, broad large face, swarthy complexion.
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NOV 1843, Wake Co"Pay witness tickets in capitol felony case against Woodson Chamblee"(Wake Co Minutes, County Court of Pleas and Quarter sessions 1837-1846, 2 vols. Raleigh Film number C.099.30007)
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He was never heard of again. Probably changed his name as he left North Carolina. Wood Chamblee killed his wife's uncle, Henry Littleberry Bunn. In the Bunn estate sale the entire neighborhood seemed to show up to help defray expenses by purchasing except any by the surname Chamblee.
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Henry Littleberry Bunn 1805-1841, son of Benjamin Bunn & Katherine Massey.
