WILLIAM L. M'CHESNEY
Was born in Washington county, Virginia, near the Tennessee line, June
15, 1843. He is now a farmer of this county, living near the place of
his birth. He enlisted before his nineteenth birthday, in the spring of
1862, Company A, 63d Virginia regiment, and was commissioned second
lieutenant. He received a slight shell wound in arm, and was captured
in battle of Missionary Ridge, November, 1863. Sent as prisoner of
war to Johnsons Island, in Lake Erie, he was held there until after close
of war, till June, 1865. He had one brother in service, in the 1st Virginia
Cavalry, who was badly wounded in left hand near Warrenton,
Virginia, and who also came near being hung as a spy, after entering
the Yankee lines with a flag of truce, by proper authority.
The father of Mr. McChesney was Hugh A. McChesney of Washington
county, whose father was Hugh M. McChesney who came to the county
from Ireland with his little family about the year 1800. Mr. McChesney's
mother was Julia A., daughter of Thomas McChesney, who was
born in this county, and was sheriff of Washington county in early
times. His wife, whom he married in Washington county, December 12,
1873, was born in this county, May 1, 1856, Fannie J., daughter of
Joseph W. Rhea, a son of William Rhea, whose father came to Washington
county from Ireland when a boy. The mother of Mrs. McChesney
is Elizabeth P. C., daughter of Dr. F. W. Ivry, who came from Eastern
Virginia to Washington county, and married a Miss Preston. Mr. and
Mrs. McChesney have three children. Samuel Rhea, Joseph Hugh,
Mary Julia.
