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Exploring the lineage of Roy Chance
07.10 Echoes
Eight generations, from top row, left to right, are: Guilford Peevy, b. 1797, d. 1892; his son, William Marion Peav,y b. 1844, d. 1932; his son-in-law, John Wilson, b. 1871, d. 1925 and his son-in-law Henry Chance b. 1898, d. 1976. Bottom row, second from left is Henry’s son Roy Chance, b. 1930; his son, Robert L. Chance, b. 1953; his son, Christopher Chance, b. 1976, and his son Dacoda, b. 2005. The left corner of the photo shows Roy Chance’s daughter Brenda (Chance) Arnold and her three sons: Scott Arnold (to the left of Brenda), next row: Daniel Arnold and Shawn Arnold. The bottom two photos are of R. L. Chance’s daughter Kim Chance Scott and son Lee Chance. - photo by Photo provided

Roy Chance dropped by the museum to show off a framed collage of photographs showing eight generations in his family. Roy and his wife Helen moved to Effingham County in 1959 and have lived here ever since.  

The family roots begin with Guilford Peevy, son of Joseph and Nancy Mizell Peavey. Joseph was a justice of the peace in early Screven County.

Guilford, one of three sons, inherited some land from the Mizell family in Screven County. Guilford was listed as born in 1802, according to records in the Civil War. He married Dicy Moore in 1829 and had eight children.  

Guilford, so it goes in the family stories, wanted to go to war, actually being born in 1797.He stated his birth year as 1802 so that he would not be too old to go. Sixty was the age limit.

He entered the army of the Confederate States of America on March 14, 1862 at Camp Davis in Effingham County. He served as a private with Company 1, 47th Georgia Infantry and was discharged on June 24, 1863, in Montgomery, Ala. His discharge was for old age and general disability. It is also told that four of his sons served in the Confederate Army.

James Pevy, son of Guilford, was born in 1832. He married Frances Hinely, daughter of Solomon Hinely Sr. and Hannah Elizabeth Arnsdorff in April 1854. They had four children. James served in the Confederate Army. On Dec. 12, 1863, he died in a hospital in Griffin that was formerly a female academy that had been converted to a CSA hospital.  He is buried in Stonewall Jackson Confederate Cemetery in Griffin. His widow Frances later married J. O. Abbott and is buried in Antioch Cemetery, adjacent to the home of L. A. Rahn on Little McCall Road near Guyton.  
William Marion Peavy was born 1844 and died in 1932.  He had a daughter named Pearl Peavy.

Pearl Pevey married John Wilson, born 1871 and died in 1925. They had a daughter, Rhee Wilson, who married Henry Chance, born in 1898 and died in 1976.

Henry and Rhee’s son Roy Chance was born in 1930. He was one of their 12 children.  

Roy Chance married Helen Christie and they had a son and daughter. Their son, Robert L. “R. L.” Chance, was born in 1953. He is the father of three children: Christopher, Lee and Kim Chance (Scott). Christopher, who was born in 1976, has a son Dacoda, born in 2005, who is the eighth generation in the family. Roy and Helen’s daughter Brenda Chance married Donnie Arnold and they have three sons: Scott, Daniel and Shawn.

These folks share many cousins in the area. Through the years the spelling of Pevey went through many changes as did many other surnames in our area. It is wonderful to see someone so proud of their lineage.  

Historic Effingham Society has a genealogy library where people can do research to find their own family tree. This is available during office hours Monday through Friday from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. and Sundays from 2-5 p.m.

This article was written by Susan Exley of Historic Effingham Society. If you have comments, photos or information to share contact her at 754-6681 or e-mail: susanexley@historiceffinghamsociety.org.