Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

Collection open for research .

Use Restrictions

No physical characteristics affect use of this material.

Preferred Citation

Jane Chinn Sween Research Collection, 1850-1939 (SC 0089), Thomas Balch Library, Leesburg, VA.

Acquisition Information

Jane Chinn Sween, Bethesda, MD

Alternative Form Available

None

Accruals

2010.0213

Processing Information

Charlotte Blacklock, 29 July 2011

Biographical Information

The Chinn family's origins are unclear. Rawleigh Chinn (1684-1741), the earliest traced ancestor of the Chinn family, lived in Virginia by early 1700s, and he may have emigrated from England. Rawleigh Chinn owned a 3300-acre tract of land in northern Virginia which was later sold to Leven Powell (1737-1810), the founder of Middleburg, Virginia. Rawleigh's wife, Esther Ball (1685-1751), is purported to be the sister of Mary Ball (1708-1789), the mother of George Washington (1732-1799). The Chinns lived in the northern Virginia area for centuries, although various members of the family left Virginia to seek their fortunes out West. In 1850, the Chinn and Noland families were joined when Lucy Tarpley Chinn (ca. 1828-1911) married William Noland (n.d.).

The Noland family's origins appear to be Irish, and the original spelling of the name was Nowland. It is unclear when the spelling changed. Pierce Nowland (1650-1712) emigrated from Ireland to Maryland in 1686, and later moved to Virginia. The Nolands married into prominent families in the area, such as the Powell and the Aubrey families. The Nolands distinguished themselves in military service during the Revolutionary War and in the Confederate Army during the Civil War. Major William Noland (1775-1855) also reportedly saved the life of President John Tyler (1790-1862), helped to found the town of Aldie, built the first bridge across the Potomac River, and helped to build one of the first canals in the state.

Scope and Content

This collection consists of documents pertaining to the Chinn/Noland family, including copies and transcriptions of correspondence by Jacob Edwin Chinn (1825-n.d.) and Samuel Walter Chinn (1835-n.d.) from 1850-1860 and membership applications to National Society Daughters of the American Revolution and United Daughters of the Confederacy. There are also postcards addressed to Rawleigh Chinn (1894-n.d.) dating from 1908-1917. Articles from the Middleburg Chronicle and Washington, D.C. Sunday Star discuss the influence of the Chinn family in Middleburg and the Middleburg origin of Benjamin Thompson (1826-n.d.), first mayor of Denver, Colorado. Additional documents describing individual family members include those for Francis Aubrey (1690-1741), William Berkeley Noland (1827-1901), Colonel Robert Callender (1726-1776), William Henry Noland (1808-n.d.), Charles Fenton Mercer Noland (1810-n.d.), Callender St. George Noland (1816-n.d.), Frances Callender Noland (1797-1855), Thomas Johnson Noland (1799-1857), Lloyd Noland (1790-1871), Samuel Noland (n.d.), Dade Noland (ca. 1780-1838), Major William Noland (1775-1855), Thomas Noland (1748-1811), and Philip Noland (1718-1794).

Arrangement

Folder

Related Material

Ball Family Genealogical Chart, 1650-1932 (OM 005)

Graham-Powell Land Indentures, 1772 (OM 0010)

Adjunct Descriptive Data

Bibliography

Other Finding Aid

None

Technical Requirements

None