Euphemia Alifair CHAMBERS b. 29 Dec 1850 Virginia d. 08 Jan 1923 Tazewell Co. VA: Appalachian Aristocracy

1850 - 1923 (72 years)

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Name	Euphemia Alifair CHAMBERS
Born	29 Dec 1850	Virginia
Gender	Female
_UID	5A26A23830B84E2AA7BB00A63DA39ADB17BB
Died	08 Jan 1923	Tazewell Co. VA
	Virginia, Deaths, 1912-2014. Virginia Department of Health, Richmond, Virginia Name: Allie Fair Christian Gender: Female Race: White Age at Death: 72 Birth Date: 29 Dec 1850 Death Date: 8 Jan 1923 Death Place: Tazewell, Virginia, USA Registration Date: 10 Jan 1923 Father: Chapman Elswick [stepfather] Mother: Emeline Chambers Spouse: Thomas Christian Certificate Number: 1923003056
Notes	Check marriage date. 1910 census indicated they had been married for 40 years, putting their marriage date in 1870. DOM possibly 1867. Alafair (Allie) was a large woman. She had a goiter on her neck. She nursed Oscar Elswick. Her husband, Tom Christian, had a cabinet shop and made caskets of wood. Allie lined the caskets and then attached handmade lace. They lived in Harman, near Bandy, VA. CENSUS RECORDS 1850 United States Federal Census Name: Allefair Chambers Age: 6 months Birth Year: abt 1850 Birthplace: Virginia Home in 1850: District 54, Russell, Virginia Gender: Female [in household of her grandmother, Nancy Chambers with her mother Emeline] Household Members: Nancy Chambers 38 Lydia Chambers 21 Emeline Chambers 19 Joannah Chambers 15 Hugh Chambers 12 John Chambers 10 Sarah Jane Chambers 9 Davis Chambers 8 months [son of Lydia] Allefair Chambers 6 months 1860 United States Federal Census Name: Euphemia Chambers Age in 1860: 11 Birth Year: abt 1849 Birthplace: Virginia Home in 1860: Western District, Tazewell, Virginia Gender: Female Post Office: Cedar Bluff Household Members: Emiline J Chamber 28 Euphemia Chamber 11 Elbert W Chamber 7 James B Chamber 1 Chapman Elsick 23 [he later married Emeline] 1870 United States Federal Census Name: Eufema A Christian Age in 1870: 19 Birth Year: abt 1851 Birthplace: Virginia Home in 1870: Maiden Spring, Tazewell, Virginia Race: White Gender: Female [in household of Thomas C. Christian] Post Office: Knob 1880 United States Federal Census Name: Euphemia Christian Age: 25 Birth Year: abt 1855 Birthplace: Virginia Home in 1880: Maiden Spring, Tazewell, Virginia Race: White Gender: Female Relation to Head of House: Wife Marital Status: Married Spouse's Name: Thomas Christian Father's Birthplace: Virginia Mother's Birthplace: Virginia 1900 United States Federal Census Name: Allie Christian [Euphemia A Christian] Age: 49 Birth Date: Dec 1850 Birthplace: Virginia Home in 1900: Maiden Spring, Tazewell, Virginia Race: White Gender: Female Relation to Head of House: Wife Marital Status: Married Spouse's Name: Thos C Christian Marriage Year: 1869 Years Married: 31 Father's Birthplace: Virginia Mother's Birthplace: Virginia Mother: number of living children: 9 Mother: How many children: 11 1910 United States Federal Census Name: Alafair Christian Age in 1910: 58 Birth Year: 1852 Birthplace: Virginia Home in 1910: Maiden Spring, Tazewell, Virginia Race: White Gender: Female Relation to Head of House: Wife Marital Status: Married Spouse's Name: Thomas C Christian Father's Birthplace: Virginia Mother's Birthplace: Virginia 1920 United States Federal Census Name: Alafair Christian Age: 69 Birth Year: abt 1851 Birthplace: Virginia Home in 1920: Maiden Spring, Tazewell, Virginia Race: White Gender: Female Relation to Head of House: Wife Marital Status: Married Spouse's Name: Thomas C Christian Father's Birthplace: Virginia Mother's Birthplace: Virginia Able to Read: Yes Able to Write: Yes [1]
Person ID	I3781	Master File
Last Modified	30 May 2015

Father	Thomas GILLESPIE
Mother	Emeline S. CHAMBERS, b. 18 Jan 1830, Russell Co. VA , d. 2 Mar 1898, Tazewell Co. VA (Age 68 years)
Notes	John McClintock, Jr., a descendant of Emeline and Chapman Elswick, told me the family stories were a Thomas Gillespie was the father of Emeline's children. Thomas would travel over the mountain to visit "Red headed Emmie" at Liberty. Until the death certificate of Thomas D. Chambers there was no proof of this. Thomas' death certificate is the only one of his three siblings born out of wedlock that give the name of Thomas Gillespie as the father. Alifair Chambers Christian's death certificate gave Chapman Elswick as her father, Elbert Wade Chambers had no names for his parents. For Alifair's descendants, her real father's name was not known, but evidently for the children of Emmeline and Chapman Elswick, the name was known but not talked about outside the family. When Emeline married Chapman Elswick, she put her marital status as divorced. More than likely, Thomas Gillespie was a married man and was not free to marry Emeline. Which Thomas Gillespie could be the father? One researcher has William Thomas Gillespie who was in his 60's during the time Emeline's children were conceived. I think a younger man is more likely since he was traveling over the mountain to Liberty on horseback. Here are the candidates from the Tazewell 1850 Census for Thomas or Thos: Thomas Harrison Gillespie Nov. 19, 1812-Oct. 14, 1891, husband of Mary Ann Radar. In 1850 Thomas was 38 years old. Thomas Simpson Gillespie 13 Dec 1807-1857,1862 or 1866, husband of Mariah Peery. In 1850 he was 43 years old. Thomas moved to Genry Co. MO in 1854, but later returned and died in Tazewell Co. This Thomas is a possibility based on the ages of Emeline's children. Alifair and Elbert Wade are three years apart, but there is about a 3 year difference between Elbert Wade born in 1853 and Thomas Douglas born about 1856. So it's possible Thomas Douglas was conceived when Thomas Gillespie returned from Missouri. Why did he return to Tazewell leaving his wife and children in Missouri? Until DNA tests are done, this is all speculation as to which Thomas Gillespie is the father of Emeline's first three children.
Family ID	F2758	Group Sheet \| Family Chart

Family Thomas Christian CHRISTIAN, b. 18 Oct 1845, Tazewell Co VA , d. 21 May 1920, Bandy, Tazewell Co. VA (Age 74 years)

Married 20 Mar 1867 Tazewell Co VA

Virginia Marriages, 1785-1940
Groom's Name: Thos C Christian
Groom's Birth Date: 1846
Groom's Birthplace: Tazewell County, Va
Groom's Age: 21
Bride's Name: Euphemie A Chambers
Bride's Birth Date: 1850
Bride's Birthplace: Russell County, Va
Bride's Age: 17
Marriage Date: 20 Mar 1867
Marriage Place: Tazewell, Virginia
Groom's Father's Name: Thos S Christian
Groom's Mother's Name: A
Bride's Mother's Name: Emaline Z Chambers
Groom's Marital Status: Single
Bride's Marital Status: Single
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: M01695-4
System Origin: Virginia-EASy
Source Film Number: 34214
Reference Number: Page 24Line49

Children

	1. Lillie Belle CHRISTIAN, b. 21 Feb 1869, Harman, Tazewell Co, VA , d. 30 Sep 1943, Baptist Valley, Tazewell Co. VA (Age 74 years)
	2. Mary Euphemie CHRISTIAN, b. 13 Mar 1871, Tazewell Co VA , d. 24 Mar 1952, Bandy, Tazewell Co. VA (Age 81 years)
	3. Sarah Emaline CHRISTIAN, b. 09 Nov 1874, Tazewell Co. VA , d. 30 Jan 1915, Tazewell Co. VA (Age 40 years)
+	4. Eva Martilla CHRISTIAN, b. 12 Jun 1877, Tazewell Co VA , d. 22 May 1926, Tazewell Co. VA (Age 48 years)
+	5. George Walter CHRISTIAN, b. 03 Mar 1880, Tazewell Co VA , d. 28 Jan 1943, Tazewell Co. VA (Age 62 years)
	6. Nancy America (Mexie) CHRISTIAN, b. Sep 1882, Tazewell Co VA
	7. Oceana (Osie) CHRISTIAN, b. Sep 1888, Tazewell Co VA , d. Bef 1909 (Age ~ 20 years)
+	8. Oklahoma (Oakley) CHRISTIAN, b. 07 Jun 1891, Tazewell Co VA , d. 16 Apr 1964, Tazewell Co. VA (Age 72 years)
	9. Tillie/Tilla CHRISTIAN
	10. Thomas Delbert CHRISTIAN, b. 11 Sep 1889, Tazewell Co. VA , d. 19 Apr 1960, Washington, DC (Age 70 years)

Last Modified 20 Feb 2014

Family ID F2757 Group Sheet | Family Chart

Sources
[S33] Children of Emeline (Emily) Chambers, , recalled by Tom C. Elswick, undated.