Walter Chiles accumulated more than 2,000 acres in colonial Virginia, some of it along the Appomattox River in Charles City County (now Prince George Co.). At different times, he represented Charles City and James City in the House of Burgesses. His descendants are eligible for membership in the prestigious Jamestowne Society .
Online Sources for Chiles Family Genealogy
Chiles family researchers should check out a wide range of online sites with Chiles genealogical data. As is often the case with colonial immigrants, there are differing stories about their origin. Example: Some sources say Lt. Col. Walter Chiles, born in Middlesex Co., England, arrived on his own ship. Others say he was assistant to the purser of a ship. Some say he was both, becoming a ship owner much later. Here are some online resources:
- “Chiles Family Homepage,” a rootsweb page put up by Janice Smith, who offers help to Chiles family genealogists. (This has detailed information on the first three generations of the family in Virginia and cites numerous records.)
- “Chiles Family” page posted by Deborah Shelton Wood; gives her line of descent from Paul-5 Chiles by way of his daughter Elizabeth, who wed John Ingram.
- “Descendants of Henry & Sarah (Ballinger) Chiles” gives a link for joining the Chiles Family Association and builds on the Chiles information accumulated by Chiles family researcher Joanna (Chiles) Eakin, author of Walter Chiles of Jamestown.
- “The Chiles Family,” hosted by Jaime Adams, gives a good documented history of the earliest Chiles ancestor in a line that descends from Manoah-4 Chiles via his daughter, Agnes , who married Peter Hubbard in 1744 at a Quaker ceremony in Caroline Co., VA. The line continues with the Hubbard line of Cheraw District, SC.
- “The Generations of the Chiles Family” follows a direct line from Walter, the immigrant, through 10 generations, ending with the 1944 marriage of Margaret Mooring Chiles and Jake Avis Jr. The page was put up by their son, Charles (Chiles) Avis.
The above sites can be located by punching these three words--Walter Chiles Virginia--into an internet browser (google works best). To network with other Chiles family genealogists, check in with the Chiles Family Genealogy Forum at Genealogy.com.
Chiles Family Research Notes
Chiles family researchers should consider several things. First, in 16th century England the Chiles surname may appear as “Giles”. Second: There seems to be no documentation for the military rank of colonel ascribed to this Walter Chiles. Third: When it comes to dates for the immigrant, Walter Chiles, some accounts make him the son of an earlier Walter Chiles and others blend what appears to be two men into one. As a result, Walter Chiles the immigrant is in some accounts said to have wed Elizabeth Maury and in others to have wed Elizabeth Sanders. It is possible that the earlier Walter Chiles in England married Elizabeth Maury and his son Walter married Elizabeth Sanders. The best presentation of this possibility is on Charles R. Perrin’s website. Fourth: Another disconnect is that one researcher has listed the parents of Walter, the immigrant, as John Childe/Chile (b.1555) and Alice Wellstedd.
Chiles Family Records
The life of Walter Chiles, the immigrant, is well-documented after his arrival in Jamestown. His name is mentioned numerous times in records of the period he lived in. He seems to have accumulated much wealth as a merchant trader. In 1649, Chiles owned the "Kemp House" in Jamestown, reputedly the first brick house in America. He had purchased it from Governor Berkeley in exchange for 26,000 pounds of tobacco.
See related article on a Chiles family line of descent.
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