1 (957)

SHACKELFORD CLAN MAGAZINE

Genealogy of Shackelfords and Shacklefords.

Editor: T. K. Jones 2306-8th St. Lubbock, Texas.

$2.00 A Year. Published Monthly. 15c a Copy.

Lubbock, Texas. May 1955. Vol. 11. No. 1

----------------------------------------------

Motto: A people which takes no pride in the noble achievements of remote ancestors, are not likely to achieve anything worthy to be remembered with pride by remote descendants.

----------------------------------------------

RECORDS OF HENRY & PITTSYLVANIA COUNTY, VIRGINIA

In your April issue we closed while discussing John Shackelford, the second man of the name to appear in Pittsylvania County.

And as we stated then, one John Shackelford had, among several others, a son Mordecai. Mordecai was in South Carolina--Abbeville County, when he died. And in his pension petition he stated that he was a soldier of the Revolution, serving as a substitute for his father--John. He also stated that he, after finishing his military service, returned to Pittsylvania County.

And as the John that was in Pittsylvania in 1777 served under Col. Peter Hogg in 1755, would have been born abourt 1735, it is only natural that he would seek a substitute in the war of the Revolution. We know that John, father of Mordecai, died in Shelby County, Ky., as we have a copy of his will. We also have a copy of Mordecai's will, both of which have been publsihed heretofore.

Then there was one Francis Shackelford that had property in Pittsylvania County by or before 1782. In his will, heretofore published, (see your Clan Magazine for April 1950) he stated that he was of Caswell County, N.C. But his heirs disposed of property in Pittsylvania, and some of his children appear to have married there. In his will he named the following heirs: (see next page)

2 (958)

children--John, Rebecca, Armistead, Nancy, Henry, Absalom, Abner and Betty Shackelford. His wife was named as Eunice--also spelled Unice.

We mention the above because of the names of the other Shackelfords which are in certain instances the same, as it will be noted that Francis had a son Absalom, as did William, mentioned in your last issue. Then Francis mentions sons John and Henry, and so did Henry, whom we shall discuss later.

The will of Francis Shackelford was dated February 10, 1782, and probated October Court 1785.

So far as we have documentary proof, we have no further information of the ancestry or descendants of Francis Shackelford. But the children of Francis must have been quite young when he died, as we find his estate still being administered, and his wife still living as late as 1804. See Order Book 10, pages 267/268. Also Order Book 11, page 250.

The first John Shackelford in Pittsylvania seems to have left there by or before 1783. But if so, then another John appears in 1790, when he purchased land from one James Young, October 18, 1790. See Deed Book 11, page 41. But then this may have been John, son of Henry, as we find that Henry purchased land from one David Shelton, January 3, 1791. See Deed book 11, page 56.

But there were two Johns and two Henrys, one of the Johns being shown on the tax list as John (Young) being of course, the John who purchased land from James Young. Then later the two Johns are designated as (Sandy River John) and the other as (Cane Creek John). The tax list for 1802 shows Cane Creek John with two sons over 16 years of age. So he is evidently the John that married Miss Jean Shields, in January of 1785.

The first Henry Shackelford to appear in Puttsylvania was on the personal tax list in 1789 when he had only one tithe and no blacks. So this was evidently Henry, son of Francis, as we shall see later.

But in 1797 we find two Henrys--Henry, Sr. and Henry, Jr. Henry Sr. with four tithes and four blacks, while Henry Jr. had one tithe and no blacks. And as this is Henry, Sr., and Henry, Jr., we can safely assume

3 (959)

that they were father and son. And evidently the other Henry is gone.

So now we would like to discuss this or another Henry for a moment. One Henry Shackelford served in the Revolutionary War, and in his pension petition he states that he was born in King William Co., Va., 1764. He married Nancy Crump, in Knox County, Ky, 1803, to which union were born six children, but only four of them were named. Now was this Henry the son of Francis? He later settled in Harlan County, Ky. But see later remarks about still another Henry, son of Henry.

Since we have already published most of the records of Pittsylvania County that we have, we will not publish more at this time, as our query, we are sure, concerns the Shackelfords that moved over into Henry County. See your Shackelford Clan Magazine for April 1954.

We have already published many of the Henry Co. records also, but wish to call your attention to them again, as we would appreciate additional information, and will add some to those already published.

In your Shackelford Clan Magazine for March 1950 will be found the Will of one Henry Shackelford, of Henry County, Virginia. In this will he mentions seven legatees, we presume seven children. First one he names is Susannah Jacobs--no relationship is shown, so we cannot be absolutely certain if she is a daughter or not. Then he names six sons, one of whom is deceased--Samuel, whose children are to have their father's share. He also had a son Henry, whose children were to have the share of their parent, but the son Henry was still living, according to other statements made in the Will.

He then named four other sons--John, James, William and Daniel. Six sons, and we presume one daughter, were children of Henry. His wife was Mary, some times called "Polly".

We shall now discuss his children in the order he names them, the first one being Susannah Jacobs.

And the only Jacobs family that we could find was one Henry Jacobs in Pittsylvania, who died and his

4 (960)

estate was appraised and administered in 1800. We are not certain if this was the husband of Susanna. But Henry Shackelford was in Pittsylvania before he was in Henry County.

A recapitulation of the origin of this family may be worthwhile at this point. And from his son William we can very well do that. His son William was known as "Buck" Shackelford, and was a soldier of the Revolution. And in his pension petition he says that he was born in King William County in 1759, that he later went to Caroline County, then from Caroline to Powhatan County, then to Montgomery Co., and from Montgomery County to Henry County.

So we go back to King William County, and among the tax lists we find for the year 1782, the first tax list available, Henry Shackelford with one tithe and five blacks. Also one J. L. Shackelford, one tithe and one black. Then in 1783 Henry has three tithes and seven blacks. In 1792 we find Henry with four tithes and four blacks, Samuel with two tithes and one black. Neither Henry or Samuel appears on the King WIlliam tax list in 1796 or thereafter.

But in 1790 we find James and Henry Shackelford both in Caroline County. James with 1 tithe and Henry has none. Evidently these two men are sons of the elder Henry. Then in 1794 James is gone, but we find Samuel there with 3 tithes and 2 blacks. Henry is still there. William does not appear on the Caroline tax list, but he was there, as we have one record showing where he gave a man power of attorney to sell property of his, in Caroline. He was in Powhatan County as early as 1791, and still in Powhatan as late as 1799. He appears in Henry County in 1803.

There was one Henry in Pittsylvania as early as 1789, but for the years 1794 through 1796 there was no Henry in Pittsylvania. So this must have been the son of Francis, and he left the County.

In 1797 both Henry, Sr. and Henry, Jr. appear in Pittslvania County; but just for one year, and in 1798 both of them are in Henry County. Henry, Sr., with six tithes and five blacks, while Henry, Jr. has one tithe and no blacks. Samuel is here too,

5 (961)

with one tithe and no blacks. Henry, Sr. has two males over sixteen years of age.

In 1799 Henry, Sr. has seven tithes and six blacks, while Henry, Jr. still has one tithe and no blacks. And now we find Daniel with one tithe and no blacks. The same holds for the year 1800, but Henry, Jr. appears to have left the County by 1801. And it will be noted that Samuel does not appear on the tax list after the year 1798, so evidently that was the year he died.

We have no information showing the name of the wife of Samuel Shackelford, or the names of his children, but from the Will of Henry, father of Samuel, we know that he did have children. And the only clue as to their names probably can be found in the following instrument: The County Court of Henry County appointed James Shackelford guardian for Nancy, Sally and Milly Shackelford, January 26, 1807. Order Book 8, page 118.

Since no other Shackelford is shown to have died in Henry County since the death of Henry in 1806, and as we know that Samuel was deceased, and that Henry had a son James, we feel that we can safely say that Nancy, Sally, and Milly were the children of the deceased Samuel, son of Henry.

But Henry, Sr. in his Will, mentions his son Henry first. And the son Henry had evidently displeased his father, for a full share of the property was to be given to the children of Henry, Jr., while Henry Jr., himself, was to have but five shillings; and if he was to get possession of the children's money he had to give ample security for it.

But Henry, Jr. appears to have left Henry County by before 1801. So again we wonder if he is the man that went to Knox County, Ky., where one Henry Shackelford married Nancy Crump in 1803?

The Henry, of Knox County, Ky., was a soldier of the Revolution, and in his pension petition he says that he was born in King William County in 1764. And since he was born 1764, and married in 1803, he was thirty nine years of age at the time, so could have married several years prior to that date. And from his age and from the place of his birth we are

6 (962)

of the opinion that this is the Henry Shackelford that married Nancy Crump in Knox County, Ky., and later settled in Harlan County, Ky.

The second son mentioned by Henry, Sr. in his Will was John. And this brings us right back into the same state of confusion. Both Henry, Sr. and Francis had sons named John, and both Johns were in Pittsylvania, one of them being known as (Cane Creek John) the other as (Sandy River John). John, son of Henry, does not appear to have lived in Henry County, although he was named as the executor of his father's Will.

At the same time that James Shackelford was appointed guardian of Nancy, Sally and Milly Shackelford, there was a law suit filed in connection with their share of the estate, wherein John Shackelford was the plantiff, and William, James and Daniel Shackelford, also Nancy, Sally and Milly, with their guardian, as defendants. See Order Book 8, page 118, January 26, 1807.

Now then one John Shackelford, the one we believe to be this John, married Jean Shields, in Pittsylvania County, January 28, 1785. (Jean is often called Jane, or Jenny or Janey).

And what appears to cause the most confusion in this case, is the fact that John Shackelford was also deceased by or before November 9, 1812, and his wife Jane was the administrator. He left no Will. And since he was the executor of his father's Will, the children of Henry, Jr. are mentioned as his heirs.

What appears to have been the children of John are mention when one Jonathan Stone was apointed guardian of Mildred, Jenny (Jane), John, Henry, James and Martha Shackelford, January 8, 1815. See Order Book 10, page 255, also page 115, same book.

Later Jane Shackelford, widow of John, married James Woodall, and James Woodall appears to have then been appointed guardian of John's children, but there is no documentary proof for that. Also Robert Goodloe became the guardian of the children of Samuel Shackelford, deceased, and evidently

7 (963)

left the County, as Jonathan Stone and Henry Clark were agents for Goodloe in connection with his Shackelford wards.

Now for John Shackelford the following heirs are named:

Isabell Shackelford--------------(married James Powell)

Nancy Shackelford--------------(married Benjamin Dent)

Jane Shackelford----------------(married John Taylor)

Lucy Shackelford----------------(married John Wilson)

Rebecca Shackelford------------(married John Creasy)

John Shackelford----------------(married, see later)

Milly Shackelford----------------(married Mumford Taylor)

Sidney Shackelford---------------(married ??

Jane Shackelford-----------------(married ??

Patsy Shackelford----------------(married ??

Henry Shackelford----------------(married ??

Sindy (Lucinda) Shackelford------(married Daniel Taylor)

In the above list we believe we have the childrn of Samuel, Henry and John, all three, as we see by an earlier notation, James Shackelford was appointed guardian for Nancy, Sally and Milly, whom we feel certain were the children of Samuel. But in the above list we find no Sally, so she had evidently died.

Then we find that Jonathan Stone was appointed guardian of Mildred (Milly), Jenny (Jane), John, Henry, James and Martha.

But in the above list of heirs we find no James, so he evidently had died. And it will be noted that there are two Janes, so one of the Janes had to be the daughter of Henry and the other of John.

Now here is where our query comes in, and it is from Miss Henrietta Shackelford, of Hardin, Mo., who is a grand daughter of John Shackelford, whose wife was Malinda Hughes Witcher, whose marriage record we shall give you on this or the following page.

Miss Shackelford says that her grandfather had a brother Henry that died in Virginia, single. That he had three sisters and all three of them married men by the name of Taylor, in Virginia.

So then we will have to check our list of heirs again, and the marriage records, as well as estate records, and then we get a better picture.

8 (964)

As before stated, Jonathan Stone was first appointed guardian for the children that we feel certain were the children of John. Later Jane, widow of John, married James Woodall, and he became the guardian. That was in Henry County, although John evidently lived in Pittsylvania County. And we fine the following marriages in Pittsylvania County:

John Shackelford and Malinda H. Witcher, marriage bond dated December 12, 1820.

John Taylor and Jane Shackelford, marriage bond dated February 17, 1819. Jonathan Stone Guardian, J. Woodall bondsman.

Daniel Taylor and Lucinda Shackelford, marriage bond dated December 4, 1822. J. Woodall, bondsman.

Daniel Taylor and his wife Lucinda, of Ray County, Mo. nominated Mumford Taylor, of Pittsylvania Co., Va., their attorney to manage their affiars in Virginia. Also John Taylor, of Ray Co., Mo. nominated Mumford Taylor, of Pittsylvania County, Va. attorney for them and in their names to transact all affairs relative to their interest in the estate of Henry Shackelford, deceased. Deed Book 35, page 349, Pittsylvania County, Va. Dated November 8, 1833, and September 25, 1835.

The above would indicate that the wives of Daniel and John Taylor were daughters of Henry Shackelford, but they were not, as it is specifically stated in these instruments that they were the heirs of John. So in this instrument the Henry mentioned was their grandfather Henry, for whom their father John had been executor. And the date was probably when their grandmother Mary Shackelford, wife of the elder Henry, died.

Genealogy of this family to be continued in the next issue.

Please send along your subscription renewals and as many new ones as possible. And don't forget to pass along all birth, marriage and death announcements. We appreciate any and every item.

Until next month, Adios--The Editor

Transcribed by Alex Early June 1998


BACK TO THE CLAN INDEX

© -Copyright Notice

UpdatedThursday, 01-May-2008 16:48:59 EDT