Served during the American Revolution with the rank of Colonel.
His portrait, along with that of his wife, were painted by Gilbert Stuart and are currently owned by David Rogerson Williams III.
"Bloomsbury", the house which James Chesnut III had built for his daughter, Sally, was his last residence. The family moved there from "Mulberry" at the beginning of the Civil War.
James was born at
Camden, Kershaw Co., South Carolina, on 19 February 1773. He was the son of
John Chesnut and
Sarah Cantey. He married
Mary Bowes Cox at
Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., Pennsylvania, on 20 September 1796. James and Mary met while James was a student at Princeton.
On their bridal journey from Philadelphia to Camden they drove a cream colored coach with four horses and out riders.. James died on 17 February 1866 at
Bloomsbury, Camden, Kershaw Co., South Carolina, at age 92. His body was interred in February 1866 at
Camden, Kershaw Co., South Carolina, at Knight's Hill Cemetery.