Husband: Charles KITCHENS
Birthdate: c. 1775
Birthplace: Camden Dist.-Chester SC?
Death date: January 13, 1864
Place of death: Jasper Co., Georgia
Father: ZACHARIAH KITCHENS?
Mother: unknown-see Summary

Marriage date: c. 1814
Marriage place: unknown

Wife: Elizabeth unknown
Birthdate: c. 1794
Birthplace: Virginia
Death date: May, 1879?
Place of death: Newton Co., Georgia?
Father: unknown-see Summary
Mother: unknown

CHILDREN

Child No. 1: SARAH KITCHENS
Sex: F
Birthdate: c. 1815
Birthplace: unknown
Death date: after 1860
Place of death: unknown
Marriage date: 1833
Marriage place: Newton Co., GA

Child No. 2: JOEL KITCHENS
Sex: M
Birthdate: c. 1818
Birthplace: Jasper Co., Georgia?
Death date: May, 1897?
Place of death: Newton Co., Georgia?
Marriage date: 1844
Marriage place: Jasper Co., Georgia
Spouse's name: SARAH PARKER

Child No. 3: BETHINA KITCHENS
Sex: F
Birthdate: December 25, 1821
Birthplace: Jasper Co., Georgia
Death date: June 6, 1901
Place of death: Butts Co., Georgia?
Marriage date: 1856
Marriage place: Newton Co., Georgia
Spouse's name: WILLIAM WILSON

Child No. 4: HENRY KITCHENS
Sex: M
Birthdate: c. 1823
Birthplace: Jasper Co., Georgia
Death date: after 1880
Place of death: Chambers Co., Alabama?
Marriage date: 1841
Marriage place: Butts Co., Georgia
Spouse's name: MARY PRINCE

Child No. 5: WILLIAM BIRDSONG KITCHENS
Sex:
Birthdate: c. 1825
Birthplace: Jasper Co., Georgia
Death date: after 1870
Place of death: Chambers Co., Alabama?
Marriage date: 1848
Marriage place: Chambers Co., Alabama
Spouse's name: CLELIA C. HOOD(1)

Child No. 6: MATILDA KITCHENS
Sex: F
Birthdate: March 2, 1826
Birthplace: Jasper Co., Georgia
Death date: October 30, 1869
Place of death: Butts Co., Georgia
Marriage date: 1843
Marriage place: Jasper Co., Georgia
Spouse's name: THOMAS J. DEARING

Child No. 7: NELSON KITCHENS
Sex: M
Birthdate: c. 1827
Birthplace: Jasper Co., Georgia
Death date: c. 1858
Place of death: Butts Co., Georgia?
Marriage date: 1847
Marriage place: Butts Co., Georgia
Spouse's name: FRANCES MARTIN

Child No. 8: MOSES P. KITCHENS
Sex: M
Birthdate: May 20, 1829
Birthplace: Jasper Co., Georgia
Death date: April 14, 1897
Place of death: Chambers Co., Alabama
Marriage date: c. 1855
Marriage place: Newton Co., Georgia
Spouse's name: PERMELIA POPE
 
 
Documentation:
* U.S. census: Chambers Co. AL; Butts, Jasper & Newton Co. GA.
* Jasper County Probate and Superior Court records.
* Newton & Jasper County deeds.
* Georgia Supreme Court Reports-N.J. Hammond, Vol. 39, pp. 168-174.
* Supreme Court file, Georgia State Archives.

Summary:
* On February 28, 1822, Charles Kitchens bought #92/9th District of Jasper Co. (deed filed in Newton Co.). Though now in Newton, this lot along the Yellow River, in its fork with South River, was part of original Henry County. Here, Charles built a one room house for his growing family. In October 1843, three sons, Joel, Henry, & Nelson, were convicted, and fined $25 each for beating "Greene", a slave of Edmond S. Mann. When Charles died, January 13, 1864, he had one slave - "Bob", and an additional 202 & 1/2 acres. Robert Ivey made his coffin for $12! The estate was initially processed "intestate"; an administrator, Jessie M. Owens, was appointed, an inventory taken - and on March 9, 1864, an estate sale brought in $5882.30. Generally, a third was set aside for the widow, but distributions were quickly made to the remaining heirs. Sometime thereafter, Elizabeth produced a will, which apparently left everything to her. It was presented in Jasper Superior Court in September 1865, but was not finally proven until - October Term, 1867. Joel Kitchens, "et al", appealed the case to the Georgia Supreme Court, where the lower court ruling was upheld - June Term, 1867. Due to depleted resources, and Civil War attrition, the estate was then valued at little more than $500! The legal "fight", basically pitted Elizabeth, and daughter Bethina, against the other children. Though there are some Jasper County records, a file of "loose papers" from the Supreme Court trial (at the State Archives) is a genealogical "goldmine". There are depositions from several children, numerous grandchildren, and third parties; an altogether intriguing family "tale", involving multiple wills, Masonic journals, stolen wooden chests, and "playing ghost".

Notes on children (by number):
(1) Two of Sarah's children, Joel and Sarah, born in Mississippi, were listed with her parents in Jasper County in 1860.
(2) In return for "sustanance", in October 1874, Joel Kitchens was deeded the "homeplace" by his mother.
(3) Before her marriage to William Wilson, Bethina had at least four children from a previous union - perhaps, a Kitchens?
(4) Henry Kitchens moved to Chambers Count AL mid-1840s.
(5) "Bird" Kitchens married there in 1848, but was back in Georgia for the 1850 census! He later returned to Chambers Co.
(6) Matilda, daughters Arra (1)& Sarah (2) - wives of John L. Fincher, are buried in Butts Co. Thomas J. Dearing died in the Civil War-1864
(7) Nelson and Frances Kitchens had at least three children before his death. Frances later married Jessie T. Gunn in Butts Co.
(8) Moses P. Kitchens moved to Chambers Co. AL before 1880, perhaps after his mother's death.

Parentage Notes:
* Charles Kitchens: Father, perhaps Zachariah Kitchens-born Dec 23 1754, Camden Dist. SC. Died after 1833 in Henry Co. GA. In SC until c. 1804; long time tavern owner in Camden District. 1st m.-perhaps, Native American-Catawba? Moved to Buncombe NC 1 yr.-then to Greenville SC 4-5 yrs. To Dekalb Co. 4-5 yrs. To Jasper Co. GA-13 yrs.-m. Drucilla Akins there JulY 21 1829.
* Elizabeth Kitchens: (parents unknown) Elizabeth supposedly brought some wealth into her marriage with Charles Kitchens. She might be found in estate records of an unknown father(?)in areas where they lived. Charles perhaps had several children from a previous marriage; names and location unknown. (A Ransome Kitchens noted as witness on two of Charles' early deeds).