Champion Family History

GENERATION #1

Jordon Champion, the son of Benjamin and Sarah, was born about 1777 in Halifax County, North Carolina. In about 1806, he married Rachel White also of Halifax County. Rachel was born about 1790.

Around 1807, Jordon, Rachel and their young son Joseph went west to Tennessee. They settled on Crockett's Creek, near the Cumberland River in Stewart County, Tennessee. Here, on April 26, 1808, Jordon and Rachel purchased 110 acres on the south side of the Cumberland River for $200. Jordon lived on his farm at Crockett's Creek for at least 28 years, before his death in 1836. Rachel died between 1840 and 1850.

During their marriage, they had the following children: Joseph 1807-1838, *Orville 1809-1882, Daughter 1810-?, Daughter 1811-?, Benjamin Franklin 1812-1896, Jordan 1813-Before 1852, Nancy 1815-between 1840-1850, and Jarrod 1815-?.

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GENERATION #2

Joseph Champion, son of Jordon and Rachel White, is believed to have been born in North Carolina in about 1807.

In about 1829, he married Penelope Biggs, the daughter of John and Nancy Warren Biggs.

On August 3, 1835, Joseph worked on the Ferry road from Abraham Phillips house on Panther Creek. Joseph died on November 17, 1838 in Dover, Stewart , Tennessee. Court records show that he died intestate and owned 40 acres of land on the Tennessee River at Lick Creek. The cause of Joseph's death is unknown, he was about 31 years of age.

Penelope remarried to James Martin Wilkerson, between 1840 and 1850. Penelope, her children with Joseph and James Wilkerson were living in Calloway County, Kentucky in 1850.

Together, Joseph and Penelope had three children: James 1831-?, Nancy J. 1833-?, and Martha R. 1838-?.

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*Orville Champion, the son of Jordon and Rachel, was born on May 25th, 1809 in Stewart County, Tennessee. In 1833, he married Mary Nelson Herndon. Mary was born on January 15, 1813 in Triggs County, Kentucky. Mary died on October 22, 1860. She is buried in the Champion Family Cemetery in Land Between the Lakes, near Crockett's Creek.

Together they had ten children: William 1835-1861, James S. 1837-?, Sarah 1839-?, Thomas Y. 1841-1863, Martha Jane, 1843-1901, Mary A. 1844-?, Nancy A. 1846-1916, Isabelle 1848-?, Susan 1849-1936, and *Willis O. 1854-1906.

Orville married a second time, to Mary Lenora 'Lenna' Vinson, in 1862. Lenna was born in 1827 and died in 1872. Mary had two sons from her previous marriage to a Mr. Williams. Orville's stepsons were Charles Williams and Samuel Williams.

Orville and Lenna were blessed by the following children, during their marriage: Hattie, Rachel 1863-?, Jordan 1865-1944, Nora 1866-?, and Forrest 1872-1931.

Orville married a third time, after 1872 to another Mary. Orville died on April 12, 1882 in Stewart County. He is buried at the Champion Family Cemetery in Land Between the Lakes.

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Benjamin Franklin Champion, the son of Jordon and Rachel White Champion, was born on January 8, 1812 in Stewart County, Tennessee.

On October 3, 1836 in Stewart County, he married Emily Boswell. Emily was the daughter of Walter and Susannah Boswell.

Ben and Emily were taxed for 100 acres of school land, valued at $100, in 1837 and the tax was $5.

Emily passed away on October 12, 1846 and is buried at the Wallace Cemetery in Land Between the Lakes.

After Emily's death, the following note was written to Emily's brother:

"Mr. John Boswell, see this piece. This will inform you that you will do well to come and pay to me as you can the amount meant due my three first children the amount on second land warrant that you have got for your father's service in the army or ought to have got, as your father's executor and deliver to my daughter Margaret Emily, the side saddle, bed and furniture and some other things that she gave to her in my presence, or I will cause some officer to pay you a visit-this July 21st, 1856.
B. C. Champion"

Emily's passing left three young children with her husband: Margaret Emily 1837-?, Aaron P. 1844-1864, and John Eli 1844-1916. (Aaron and John were twins)

Benjamin then married Martha Calhoun on December 23, 1846 in Trigg County, Kentucky. Martha was the daughter of David Greene and Rebecca Futrell Calhoun. Martha was born on January 29, 1822 in Tennessee.

Ben was an ordained minister at the Pleasant Hill Missionary Baptist Church, as of April 29, 1848. He later became a minister at the Christian Church in Stewart County.

Benjamin appears to have been a very colorful character. Church minutes at the Pleasant Hill Missionary Baptist Church in October 1848, document that Ben said the following:

"if all the Cohoon's and Futrell's were on a truck wagon and in forty yards of hell, he would push them in." He was excluded from the Church on this, but was reinstated two years later and given a letter of dismissal. Considering the Cohoon's (Calhoun's) and Futrell's were his in-laws, this statement did not set well.

Benjamin's two sons from his first marriage, Aaron and John were in the Union Army, during the Civil War. Benjamin barely escaped with his life one night during the war, when his home was raided by a guerilla. Ben was seen as a Union sympathizer. Family legend states that Ben moved to Iowa and lived with family until the war was over.

Benjamin Franklin and Martha Calhoun Champion were married just 5 days short of 50 years, when Ben died on December 23, 1896 in Stewart County. Martha passed away on September 15, 1899, in Stewart County. Both are buried at Wallace Cemetery in Stewart County, Land Between the Lakes.

Ben and Martha were blessed with the following children: Eliza 'Liza' J. 1865-1846, Mattie 'Matt', Jim, Rebecca 1847-?, Dr. Wilson 'Wils' B. 1849-1914, Benjamin Franklin 'Frank' 1854-1933, Susan Caroline 'Callie' 1857-1941, Julie 1859-?, David Jordan 1859-1941, Celia 1862-?, Ida St. Clair 1867-1958.

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Jordan Champion, son of Jordon and Rachel White Champion was born in about 1823. On March 17, 1843 he married Mary Ann Bucy. Mary Ann was the daughter of William and Martha Halloway/Holloway Bucy.

Jordan died before 1852. His body was moved from it's final resting place to a Catholic Cemetery, by the TVA.

Mary Ann remarried twice after Jordan's death. Her second husband was Thomas Lewis Jones and the third husband was Thomas Reader/Reeder.

Jordan and Mary Ann had one daughter: Martha Ann 1844-?.

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Nancy Champion, daughter of Jordon and Rachel White Champion, was born in about 1815 in Stewart County, Tennessee. On October 9, 1844, in Stewart County, she married Martin Bucy. Martin was born on June 30, 1821 to William and Martha Halloway/Holloway Bucy.

Nancy died prior to 1850. Her passing left Martin with two small children: Martha A. 1847-? and James F. 1849-?.

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Jarrod Champion, son of Jordon and Rachel White Champion, was born in about 1828 in Stewart County, Tennessee.

The only additional information known about Jarrod at this time, is that in 1837 he paid Stewart County $25 in taxes on 110 acres of land, that was valued at $500.

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GENERATION #3

*Willis O. Champion, the son of Orville and Mary, was born in Stewart County, Tennessee on August 8, 1854. In 1879, he married Elazane Moela 'Lainie' Vinson, the daughter of Riley and Anna S. Herndon Vinson. Lainie was born on May 17, 1859.

On May 17, 1906, Willis took his own life. There is speculation about the reason why, as in any suicide. Some say it was due to having Tickdelaroo, a facial tic, which grated on his nerves. Willis had underwent brain surgery, shortly before his death. Others say that the crops were bad that year. They felt that if it had rained that day, he would not have taken his life. His headstone in the Champion Family Cemetery reads, "Best father rest in quiet sleep, while wife and children around thee weep". That says it all.

Lainie died on November 27, 1915 of Typhoid Fever. She suffered only a short while from this, before her death. The onset of the illness was November 9, 1915. Lainie is buried in the Champion Family Cemetery, next to Willis.

During their years together, they had ten children: K.B. 1879-1897, *Chester Dare 1881-1965, Alex Dermont 1883-1957, Willie Pearl 1885-1908, Hollie S. 1889-1965, Augusta Pearl 1891-1984, Riley Orval 1893-1928, Flossie E. 1895-1969, Herman B. 1898-1912, and Joe Bale 'Bailey' 1900-1916.

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GENERATION #4

*Chester Dare Champion, was born on August 22, 1881 in Stewart County, Tennessee. On February 9, 1913, he married Harriet Ruth Outland. Harriet was born in Stewart County on May 14, 1891 to William Elbert and Frances Josephine Futrell Outland.

Chester was a farmer. He had alot of heartache in his life. He was the one that found his father on the backporch, when he had shot himself. Chester was also with his brother Bailey, when he was killed cutting down trees. He lost his sister Willie Pearl, who died at the young age of 22. Chester lost his beloved wife Harriet on October 14, 1960. They had been married 47 years. Chester went home to be with her on September 25, 1965. They are both buried in the Outland Family Cemetery in Land Between the Lakes.

Chester and Harriet Champion, had one son and four daughters.