Virgil C. Chew

I was contacted a while back concerning an error in my Rootsweb database concerning the marriage of Esther V. ABEL and Virgil C. CHEW.  The young couple was married September 2, 1905 in Jay County, Indiana, where many of my CHEW family resided.  I had inadvertently attached this marriage record to the wrong Virgil Chew in my database.

Indiana Marriage Collection, 1800-1941 about Virgil C Chew

Name: Virgil C Chew Spouse Name: Esther V Abel Marriage Date: 2 Sep 1905 Marriage County: Jay Source Title 1: Jay County, Indiana Source Title 2: Index to Marriage Records 1850 - 1920 Inclusive Vo Source Title 3: W. P. A Original Record Located County Clerk's Off Book: C-J OS Page: 209

Source Citation: Title: Jay County, Indiana, Index to Marriage Records 1850 - 1920 Inclusive Vo, W. P. A Original Record Located County Clerk's Off; Book: C-J;Page: 209.  Source Information: Ancestry.com. Indiana Marriage Collection, 1800-1941 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005.


This particular Virgil Cooper CHEW was born May 5, 1885 in Jay County, Indiana.  The mother of Virgil Cooper CHEW was Mabel L. FRAZIER [sic].  The mystery currently is who his father was.  His mother was unmarried at the time.  Ancestry.com has him indexed as Virgil E. Chew:

Indiana Births, 1880-1920 about Virgil E Chew

Name: Virgil E Chew Mother: Mabel L Frazier County: Jay Gender: Male Birth Date: 5 May 1885 Reference: Jay County, Indiana Index to Birth Records 1882 - 1920 Inclusive Volume I Letters A - Z Inclusive Book: H-1 Page: 128

Source: Ancestry.com. Indiana Births, 1880-1920 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2000. Original data: Works Progress Administration. Index to Birth Records. Indiana: Indiana Works Progress Administration, 1938-1940.

According to the researcher, Virgil's grandmother is Mary C. BUTCHER, the second wife of William H. FRASER.  They were married March 21, 1861 in Jay County, Indiana and had 4 children: Lincoln, Maybell, Ettie and Ella.  Maybell/Mabel gave birth to Virgil on May 5, 1885 and was unmarried.   Mabel died May 19, 1885 (aged 18) and is buried at Salamonia, Jay County, Indiana.


Virgil is enumerated in the 1900 census of Salamonia, Madison Township, Jay County, Indiana, living with his grandmother in household 43, family 44.


Frasher, Mary C., head, white, female, born June 1838, age 61, widow, 6 children, 4 living, born Ohio, father born Ohio, mother born Virginia, no occupation
Chew, Virgil C., grandson, white, male, born May 1884, age 16, single, born Indiana, father born Indiana, mother born Indiana, farm laborer.


How did Virgil get his last name?  If his father was a member of the CHEW family, which one?  My ancestor, Dr. Ezekiel Cooper CHEW, was a Salamonia physician around this time frame - his son William later served in the same capacity.  Perhaps there is a court record in Jay County that will shed some light.


The researcher was going to continue to search local records for an obituary for Virgil to see if it would shed some clues.


Virgil married secondly to Jessie Louise TERRELL on December 24, 1921 in Marion County, Indiana.

Indiana Marriage Collection, 1800-1941 about Virgil Cooper Chew

Name: Virgil Cooper Chew Spouse Name: Jessie Louise Terrell Marriage Date: 24 Dec 1921 Marriage County: Marion Source Title 1: Marion County, Indiana Source Title 2: Index to Marriage Record 1920 - 1925 Inclusive Vol Source Title 3: Original Record Located: County Clerk's Office Ind Book: 118 OS Page: 391

Source Citation: Title: Marion County, Indiana, Index to Marriage Record 1920 - 1925 Inclusive Vol, Original Record Located: County Clerk's Office Ind; Book: 118;Page: 391.


Virgil's World War II draft registration card was filled out in Marion County, Indiana.  It reports his birth as May 5, 1885 in Salamonia, Indiana.

Source: Ancestry.com. U.S. World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942[database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010