Randolph Cheek of
Giles County, TN

Randolph Cheek, possibly a son of John Cheek, Sr., of Anson & Montgomery Co., NC, was probably born around 1740 in North Carolina, and died 1815 in Giles Co., TN. He is said to have married Margaret VAN HOOSE, although a 1772 deed indicates his wife's name was Nancy.

Children of Randolph Cheek & Margaret Van Hoose:

1. Valentine "Felty" Cheek, b. May 1, 1787, Montgomery Co., NC; d. 1866, Titus Co., TX; bur. Maple Springs (Bogata) Cemetery, Red River Co., TX; m. (1) Elizabeth MCGILL, 1811 in Giles Co., TN; (2) Mrs. Cynthia A. WILLIAMS, bef. 1860. Living in Fayette Co., AL, in 1840; Red River Co., TX, in 1850. Children: Sarah McGill Cheek (1812, m. Zachariah BROOKS), Nancy Cheek (1814 m. Robert DAVIS), Ann Cheek (1816, m. Thomas DAVIS), Margaret Cheek (1818, m. William DAVIS), Mary Matilda Cheek (1820, m. Richard COOPER), Jesse Van Hoose Cheek (1822), Thomas McGill Cheek (1824, m. Mary MCGILL). Note: a Cheek family Bible lists the following names: Valentine Cheek, Elizabeth Cheek (his wife), Sary Mc. Cheek, Nancy C. Cheek, Ann Cheek, Margaret Cheek, Mary M. Cheek, Jesse V. Cheek, and Thomas Mc. Cheek. (Thanks to Bobby Wadsworth for this info!) Valentine is also believed to be the uncle or cousin of Washington Randolph Cheek (b. abt. 1817 in TN) who lived near him in Red River Co., TX.
2. Randall Cheek, born c.1780's, m. Sally KNOWLEN in 1807 in Mecklenburg Co., NC, with Felty CHEEK as bondsman. Appears on the 1812 militia list for Mecklenburg Co., NC; then no further records that I know of, except family lore which states he never returned from a trip to California in 1849. Could he possibly be Randolph Cheek (c.1780-1874) of Cape Girardeau Co., MO?

Notes

andolph Cheek's connection to the Van Hoose (Huss, Hooser) family leads many to conclude that his father, John Cheek, came to North Carolina from Pennsylvania with the Van Hooses. There is an intriguing reference to a marriage of John Van HUSS and Hannah CHEECK dated Feb. 16, 1747, in Heidelberg, Lancaster (now Berks) Co., PA. However, other evidence suggests that John Cheek, father of Randolph Cheek, was actually the son of Richard Cheek of Beaufort County, NC. For more discussion of this topic, see notes under John "of Anson" CHEEK.

Based on the 1790 census, Randolph CHEEK had at 3 sons and 1 daughter born between 1774 and 1790. However, only two sons have been identified, Valentine and Randall. According to information originally compiled by Mattie Davis Lucas, the two oldest sons are said to have died in the War of 1812 at the Battle of Cane Breaks, and one son, Randall, went to California in 1849 and was never heard from again.

There is also a Washington Randolph CHEEK born abt. 1817 in Tennesse, who died 1866 in Red River Co., TX. He married Nancy Eveline KEY and is listed in the 1850 census of Red River Co., TX, on the same page as Valentine CHEEK, but Bible records reportedly rule him out as Valentine's son. Therefore, he may have been Valentine's cousin or possibly a nephew.

Records

Nov. 21, 1763. Anson Co., NC. William IRBY of Anson to Randolph CHEEK of same, 180 acres on south side of Pee Dee & Brown Creek. Wits: David DUMAS, Benjamin SMITH, Macagah (Micajah) PICKETT. (Anson Deed Books)

Jan. 24, 1765. Anson Co., NC. Randolph CHEEK purchased 10 sows from William IRBY. Wits: James HUTCHINS, Gabrial DAVIS. (Anson DB 3, p.183.)

Apr. 27, 1767. Anson Co., NC. Randolph CHEEK received two land grants in Anson County. The first was on the southwest side of the Pee Dee a little above Brown Creek [no acreage given]. (NC Archives Land Office Warrants & Plats, Folder No. 12.14.27.3113, Grant No. 568, Book 23, p.62.) The 2nd was for 200 acres on Brown Creek. (Folder No. 12.14.27.3114, Grant No. 569, Book 23, p.62.)

Aug. 7, 1772. Anson Co., NC. Randolph CHEEK & wife Nancy to Hannah FANNING, 200 acres on Brown Creek below Benjamin SMITH's spring, granted Apr. 27, 1767 to Randolph CHEEK. Signed: Randolph CHEEK, Nancy CHEEK. Wits: Jas HOGON, Jr., Nathaniel LILLY, Wm. COLSON. Proved Apr. 1774 by J. HOGON Jr. (Anson DB K, p.56.)

Nov. 16, 1769. Anson Co., NC. Randolph CHEEK of Rowan Co., NC, executed two deeds to Joel MCLENDON. First deed, 76.5 acres on SW of Pee Dee River a little above Brown Creek adj. Thomas UNDERWOOD and Thomas GEORGE, for £60; granted Spr. 27, 1767 to Randolph CHEEK. Signed Randolph (X) CHEEK. Wits: John COLLSON, Wm COLLSON, Jesse MCLENDON. Ack'd Jan. 1770. (Anson DB 7, p.278.)  2nd deed, 180 acres on south side of Pee Dee River and above mouth of Brown Creek, for £100 lbs, granted Apr. 23, 1750 to Thomas GEORGE who sold it to Pester PRESTOR who sold it to Ann SMITH who sold it to William IRBY who sold it Nov. 3, 1763, to Randolph CHEEK. (Anson DB 7, p.279.)

Mar. 11, 1775. Anson Co., NC. Randale or Randle CHEEK granted 150 acres on Jacobs Creek on the southwest side of the Pee Dee River. Entered May 24, 1773. (NC Archives Land Office Warrants & Plats, Folder No. 12.14.27.3399 and 12.14.27.3935, Entry No. 513, Grant No. 1082, Book 25, p.271; also Book 27, p.178.)

Note: Montgomery County was formed from the northern part of Anson County in 1779.

1779. Randolph CHEEK, then a resident of Anson Co., NC, signed a petition to create Montgomery County. (Journal of N.C. Genealogy, 10:1244.)

Sept. 3, 1779. Anson Co., NC. Randolph CHEEK granted 100 acres on southwest side of the Pee Dee River on both sides of Jacobs Creek. Entered Sept. 15, 1778. (NC Archives Land Office Warrants & Plats, Folder No. 12.14.27.4023, Entry No. 272, Grant No. 66, Book 30, p.229.)

Oct. 24, 1782. Anson Co., NC. Randolph CHEEK granted 80 acres on southwest side of Pee Dee River. Entered Oct. 30, 1778. (NC Archives Land Office Warrants & Plats, Folder No. 12.14.27.4278, Entry No. 564, Grant No. 443, Book 49, p.243.)

Oct. 24, 1782. Anson Co., NC. Randolph CHEEK granted 150 acres on southwest side of Pee Dee River. Entered Nov. 3, 1778. (NC Archives Land Office Warrants & Plats, Folder No. 12.14.27.4279, Entry No. 605, Grant No. 444, Book 49, p.243.)

1782 Tax List, Montgomery Co., NC: Ranall or Randl CHEEK, invalid, 300 acres of land. (NCGSJ 9:110, May 1983.)

Oct. 14, 1783. Anson Co., NC. Randolph CHEEK granted 100 acres on west side of Pee Dee on the waters of Jacobs Creek. Entered May 1779. (NC Archives Land Office Warrants & Plats, Folder No. 12.14.27.4333, Entry No. 272, Grant No. 498, Book 52, p.13.)

Oct. 14, 1783. Anson Co., NC. Randolph CHEEK granted 50 acres on southwest side of Pee Dee on both sides of Jacobs Creek. Entered Nov. 22, 1778. (NC Archives Land Office Warrants & Plats, Folder No. 12.14.27.4338, Entry No. 894, Grant No. 503, Book 52, p.15.)

July 3, 1787. Montgomery Co., NC. Randal CHEEK is on a militia list in James BUTLER's Company.

1787 State Census, Montgomery Co., NC, Dist. 4: RANDLE CHEEK

1 w/m 21-60

4 w/m under 21 or over 60

2 w/f

no black persons

1790 Census, Montgomery Co., NC, p.165: RANDLE CHEEK

1 w/m over 16

3 w/m under 16

2 white females

July 15, 1795. Montgomery Co., NC. Randle CHEEK granted 60 acres in Montgomery on the northeast side of the Pee Dee River. Entered Sept. 1, 1790. (NC Archives Land Office Warrants & Plats, Folder No. 12.14.89.815, Entry No. 629, Grant No. 802, Book 87, p.297.)

1800 Census, Lancaster Dist., SC, p.7b/p.12: RANDLE CHEEK

1 w/m under 10	1 w/f over 45
2 w/m 10-15
1 w/m 16-25
1 w/m over 45

June 1801, Randolph CHEEK entered a 99-year lease for 160 acres of land on the Catawba Indian Reservation adjoining Cilas (Silas) CHEEK, Sugar Creek and the Hurricane Branch. The lease was signed by General NEWRIVER, Col. John EARS, Peter GEORGE, & Maj. George CANTEY of the Catawba Tribe. Witnesses to the lease were Charles MILLER, Richard ROSS, and John TOMLINSON.

Note: The Catawba Indian Reservation was located on the NC-SC state line between Mecklenburg Co., NC, York Dist., SC, and Lancaster Dist., SC.

Sept. 4, 1815. Giles Co., TN. Letters for the administration of the estate of Randall CHEEK were issued to Valentine CHEEK in Giles Co., TN. (Giles Court Mintues, pp.488-489.) This record indicates Randolph and his family probably moved to Tennessee sometime in the early 1800's.

Additional source of information on this family (thanks to Bobby Wadsworth!): Martha Ora "Mattie" Davis Lucas & Nina Lucas Cole, Van Hoose - Cheek - McGill - Knox Families [unpublished]. This information was compiled by Mattie Davis Lucas (1869-1936) after years of interviews and correspondence with older members of the family. The notes list the following specific sources: Davis-Cheek family Bibles, apparently then in the possession of Cora Cheek of Fort Worth, TX; Mary Cheek Cooper, daughter of Valentine Cheek, interview at Pilot Point, TX, 1887; and Mrs. G.H. Jones of Fitzpatrick, AL, 1926.