My head hurts looking for my WILLIAM CHINN.
There are many CHINN surnames in VA and since I don't know the names of his parents/ brothers or sisters, it is hard to trace.

Name: WILIAM CHINN
Possible Birth Date: 1830 - 1840?

Census Checked:

I have checked everything from 1820 - 1910

I do see a WILLIAM CHINN living with his family in Loudoun but I couldn't connect him.
In the 1870 census I see a WILLIAM CHINN living in LA at age 48 as a FARMER from VA.

* The spark for this choice is that there is an ALFRED CLARK from VA also living about three lines up from him. The CHINN/CLARK families lived in Rappahannock, Hampton township. Since this is the 1870 census I can't determine if there was an Alfred Clark in the family that moved to LA.

* In the 1880 Census for West Virginia, I see a WILLIAM CHINN 50,M, Mu, from VA, living with spouse JUDAH 55, F, Mu, 55 and childrenCORNELIA 14 and VIENA F, Mu , 12

Birth Certificate/Death Certificate: I have contacted the Rappahannock Historical Society and they see no record of a WILLIAM CHINN in any of their records.

He was "married" to ELIZABETH CHINN as far as I know.

However,in the 1870 Census, ELIZABETH CHINN is listed as a servant of the Menefee family and her children are listed as Florence, Bell and John.

In the 1880 census, it is listed this way, I have starred the items that could be clues:
ELIZABETH CHINN , Single, F, Mu, Born In VA, Keeping House,VA, VA
BELL I CHINN, S, F, Mu, 14, VA, (father's birthplace* -- *)Mother VA
JOHN R. CHINN S, Male, * BLACK *,12, VA, *VA*, VA
SALLIE B.CHINN S, F,Mu,9 VA (father's birthplace ---) Mother VA
EARNEST CHINN S,M, Mu,5, VA , ( " )Mother VA
HUBARD CHINN S, M, Mu, 2 VA ( " )Mother VA
MARY A. CHINN S, F,Mu, 2 VA ( " ) Mother VA
MINNIE W. CHINN S,F, Mu, 5m, VA( " ) Mother VA

( In 1880, my g grandmother, DELILA CHINN CLARK, born in 1860 was married and out of the home- see reference below.)

**** Joseph GRASON, stepfather, WD. M, B, 65. VA, Laboror, VA, VA
Note: In the 1870 Census he is listed with wife SALLIE GRASON.

**On the marriage certificate(1879) of my g grandmother DELILA CHINN CLARK, William Chinn is listed as the father. However, it says the marriage was held at the home of ELIZABETH CHINN, no mention of father living there.

** I have a faint photo,left my my grandmother, that has on the front " Grandma Chinn." She appears Mulatto.

Question: It would not have been acceptable for a Black Woman to give the name of a White man as the father in 1870 VA ~ right?

Thank you Denise for taking the time to start this thread!

Maybe one day, we wil become such good researchers that only the BRICK WALLS will be left to find.

Then we can have a BRICK WALLS forum!