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SHACKELFORD CLAN MAGAZINE
Genealogy of Shackelfords and Shacklefords
Editor: T. K. Jones 716 Ave. A Lubbock, Texas
$1.00 A Year Published Monthly 10c A Copy
Lubbock, Texas October 1946 Vol. 2. No. 6
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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.
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MATTIE TERRI SHACKELFORD, continued
A scandal had rocked the old County Home in Edgecomb County, North Carolina. A new superintendent had been appointed; and the new superintendent was a woman. She was Mattie Terri Shackelford, a tiny woman, dynamic, nervous, but with a square jaw and bright explosive eyes.
She had come back to Tarboro after having served with the Serbian Relief Commission. Her experience had been trying but had left her grim and keyed to the highest pitch. She had developed a torrent of words to gain what she thought was necessary. The County Home had offered her a chance to continue her work for the needy. But it wasn't much of a home in its present state, not the kind of a Home Miss Mattie wanted for her helpless charges. She did not like the twenty or thirty cottages; and especially not the separate house for the superintendent. She then began her fight for a new home, and a real fight it was too, for against her were many determined fighters, all heatedly speaking for the inevitable tax payers. "The one hundred and fifty thousand dollars could be used for a better purpose" they said. "Our home, present home, is sufficient, we want no white elephant on our hands", they opined. But back came Miss Mattie: "The County Home is filthy, unsanitary and disgraceful. I want our people to live as happily as they can, not to die because we won't take care of them".
The fight became bitter, gravely Miss Mattie worked with The County Commissioners, bringing all of them to her side. Then she went among the
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tax payers, submerging them with words, beating down opposition, bringing closer those who believed in what she was doing.
The County Home was built, and painted white, with green blinds. Asked if the white paint was her answer to her opponents taunt of a "white elephant", she laughed off the suggestion with a "Not at all", "the County Commissioners thought a white building among the trees, bushes and flowers we were planting, would be beautiful, cool and restful for our poor; and it will be, don't you think?" That is the kind of a woman she is, she holds no grudges; gives the County Commissioners credit for the work. And the building is beautiful, a low rambling structure, scientifically planned, with the promise of a show place when her trees grow and her flowers bloom.
With a great deal of pride she will take you through the building. Immaculate rooms with thick blankets on the beds, hospital springs that can be raised or lowered for comfort, tables to be pushed beside the beds with extensions so helpless patients can eat with comfort; spotless bath rooms with large tubs and sanitary conveniences, separate dining halls for whites and Negroes, a wide sun flooded kitchen between. And each day Miss Mattie prepares the menu [for] the three meals. She being a dietitian, of course she says, "I like food my people will enjoy, as well as it will agree with their physical condition; and they don't die", she adds, despite our average of eighty five".
She was asked if the tax payers complained about the cost? "Not as much as you might think, look there," and she waved her hand toward wide fields through a window and several small buildings, "we grow everything we use for food; meets, butter, milk, eggs and chickens- -everything, you can see the chicken house and the stables, the building to the right is for the help".
She has charge of the farm too, which, she added with a simple "of course", being amazed at the question. "You think that is a man's job, don't
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you? Well, it is, but I do it the woman's way and that is better.
But even in the perfectly organized home, Miss Mattie's life is not all glittering gold, far from it. For once one of the inmates went crazy, and on being unable to obtain a police patrol immediately to take him to the hospital, she bundled him into her own car and started alone. When they did arrive the man lay flat on the ground. She insisted that he get up, but instead he drew a knife and cut a small gash in her throat. She sprang toward him and he slashed at her, but when help arrived Miss Mattie had him quieted and was bandaging his wound. "That"? she said, "Oh that was nothing"; just part of the days work for the sort of woman she is.
Miss Mattie was Commander of the Tiney Eason Post, of The American Legion. She was Chairman of The Graves Registeration Committee. She organized the Sons of The American Legion and Young Americans. The list of organizations she is a member of looks like a directory. At her own expense she has built an oratory dedicated to The American Legion - she calls it "Memory Chapel", a light is burning before it constantly.
Miss Mattie lives in a four room apartment on the second floor of the home. Papers, letters and books cover the tables. On her desk is a picture of the Virgin, and one of Cardinal Gibbons, (her religion is Episcopalian). On the walls are images of Washington, Custer, and the flags of the allies in the first world war; as well as a framed copy of The Declaration of Independence.
Working among her graves she stepped into a bed of embers, burning her foot; but coming up the steel stairway were voices of old Negroes singing spirituals to the woman who cares for them. Two old women appear, one of them blind, The other spoke: "We come to tell you sir, dat we loves dis home 'count o' Miss Mattie. She is a star at dis place and a star in heaben. Ef anybody comes to pester her, one of us would say 'Turkey" and de res' would pick him clean". "Amen", the blind
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woman said "We'd show pick him clean".
A hard life? yes, and it shows in deep lines about her face, her hurried nervous manner, with her service stripes from her battles for the poor, the lonely and the helpless.
Miss Mattie is indeed the first lady of Edgecomb County. She has been a fighter all her life, fighting for sanitation, for bread for the starving children, fighting to land a "haymaker" on ignorance and superstition.
She will not tell her age or where she was born but says simply "I am an American, which is better than being born in a State, and what does age mean? Only that one cannot work any more, and I am far from that", she avers. The Social Register of Virginia, however, shows that she was born on a farm in Matthews County (Matthews County, Va., that is). But no farm could hold a girl with an urge like hers for social work.
Her motto is "What I had, I lost; what I saved, I spent; but what I gave, I have".
What a wonderful world this would be if we had more people with a like motto.
The Shackelford Clan can and should be proud of such a grand lady among their number.
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This month we wish to apologize for the tardiness of the October issue of the magazine. But we feel certain that you will forgive us, since it is caused by our little vacation back to the land of our nativity. We left here September 23, and arrived back home October 8th. We had a wonderful time, and incidentally, we did a little genealogical research on the side.
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Mr. George Edson of 811 East Park, St. Olathe, Kansas; Editor of The Stewart Clan Magazine, made a tour of research recently, covering Alabama, Georgia, and other places. In the October issue of The Stewart Clan Magazine he has the following to say: "Gentle Reader, don't go to Washington Co., Ga., expecting to find records. Washington County was established in 1784, and was the parent of Greene,
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Hancock and other Counties. I was happy when I arrived at Sandersville one evening and was lucky enough to get a room and something to eat at a hotel. I was waiting at the door the next morning when the Judge arrived- -late I may observe, for all Georgia was struggling with the question of whether or not a Negro was a democrat and could vote in a primary, party primary- -but my whiskers turned pink when he told me that his books began with the year 1865. "Sherman's dashing Yankee boys" he told me, had come along and made a bonfire of the courthouse and all its contents in 1865. Then I remembered. I went back to the hotel and got my luggage; and as I passed a mirror I said to myself "And you're a Yankee".
Mr. Edson you have my profound sympathy, for I have had the same experience many times. (The Editor.)
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When we returned from our vacation we found a number of subscriptions, some new and some were renewals, all of which we acknowledge here. New subscribers are as follows: Mrs. Charles A. Shackelford, of Cascilla, Miss.; Mr. J. R. (Bobby) Buchannan of Greenwood, Miss.; Mrs. Lena Bell Shackelford, of Autaugaville, Alabama; and Emeline Fairbanks Memorial Library, of Terre Haute, Ind; and the following renewals: Mrs. Bessie Brown-Randall, of Atlanta, Ga.; Mrs. Eula Moore-Richardson, of Bentonia, Miss.; Mr. George T. Shackelford, of Nocona, Texas; Mrs. Lucy R. Brown, of Blacksburg, Va.; Mr. Junius M. Shackelford, of New York City; Mrs. Lillie Donahew, of Hodgenville, Ky.; who also included one for her daughter- -Mrs. James G. Perry, of Owingsville, Ky.; and Mrs. James B. Shackelford, of Jones, La., who also included one for each of the following: Mr. David S. Shackelford, of Yazoo City, Miss.; Miss May Shackelford, of Bentonia, Miss.; Mrs. C. C. Crim, of Jackson, Miss.; and Mrs G. C. Walker, of Lancaster, Ky. And to all we say again- -Thanks a million. We shall continue to strive to help you, and to ask for your support, and for your suggestions as to how to do better.
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This month we are indebted to the following for additional data sent in: Mr. C. A. Shackelford of Garden Grove, Calif.; Mrs. A. C. Ellis of Los Gatos, Calif.; Mrs. Hazel Lloyd, of Oklahoma City, Okla., Mrs. Margaret Gray Blanton, of New York City; Mrs. George Fisher, of Lexington, Tenn.; Mrs. W. A. Porter, of Richmond, Va.; Mrs. Laura H. Shackelford, Beverlyville, Va.; Mrs. Lucy Webb, Belton, Mo.; Mrs. Walter Scott Welch, Laurel, Miss.; Mrs. John W. Bybee, Joliet, Ill.; Mrs. J. B. Shackelford, of Jones, La.; and again orchids to Mrs. Mary Harris-Armor, of College Park, Ga. To all of whom we owe a debt of gratitude and thanks.
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We are also indebted to Mr. Harry Willard Mills of Arlington, Va., for the following story that he gave us in his last issue of "The Lettergram", and we quote- -"Mrs. Elizabeth Martin started early in life to feather her nest well, and has always had her eye on the main chance. She began life as Elizabeth Bird, of Harrison Co. near Paris, Ky. Her first venture outside the home nest was when she married Bud Martin. Then when Mr. Martin died she married Edward Crowe, a farmer. When the time came to exchange nests she allied herself with William Robbin, and lived happily until the matrimonial season rolled around for Mrs. Robbin. Then David Buzzard, a widower, more attractive personally, and socially, than his name would indicate, appeared and Mrs. Robbin became Mrs. Buzzard. And into the Buzzard Roost Mrs. Buzzard carried one little Martin, two little Crowes, and one little Robbin. One little Buzzard was already there to welcome the others birds"- -end quote. She remained a Bird.
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The Editor of the Clan wished to thank each of you who extended an invitation to attend the Shackelford Reunion held at Quannah Parker Camp, in The Wichita Mountains Wild Life Refuge, near Lawton, Oklahoma, for three days beginning August 31st; and regret that we were unable to attend.
For the benefit of the Clan readers we wish to say that the above mentioned reunion is held at
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this same place on the approximate date each year.
This year they had 100 present from six states. They descend from Zachariah and Dolly Shackelford of Orange Co., Va., and Lincoln Co., Ky. through the son Richard, who married Tabitha Baldock. So to you folks we say congratulations for a successful reunion, and may you have many more of them.
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This month we have the names of two new members of the Clan. Cecile Jo Watson arrived on this orb August 2, 1946, and will henceforth make her home with the proud parents- -Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Edward and Alma Marie Shackelford-Watson, of Santa Barbara, California.
Patsy Gail Sego, another charming little lady arrived on this planet September 16, 1946, and will take up her abode with Mr. and Mrs. William Richard and Allie Frances-Sego-Scott, of Lexington, Tenn. All doing fine, therefore congratulations to all of you are in order.
This month we have only one wedding to announce. Miss Margaret Spencer, the lovely daughter of Dr. and Mrs. John Armstrong Shackelford, of Martinsville, Va., became the bride of Mr. Bates Carpenter Toms, Jr., son of Bates Carpenter Toms, Sr. of Salisbury, N. C., the first week in September, exact date not given, nor details. Congratulations and the best of wishes for a long and happy life together.
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This month we have a belated report of the death of William McKoy Bellamy, of Wilmington, N.C. He was born August, 22, 1882, and passed to his eternal reward about a year ago, exact date not given. He was the husband of Ann Thornton Spence, who was a granddaughter of William T. Thornton and Nancy Jane Shackelford. Perhaps more details later. So to Mrs. Bellamy goes our deepest and most profound sympathy.
No one has sent in a question this month, so we will have to submit one of our own.
The official records of Orange Co., Va., show that one John Shackelford was there as early as 1748.
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The same records show that between 1750 and 1790, there were other men in Orange Co., as follows: Zachariah, John Jr., George, James, Thomas, Samuel, William, Henry and Edmund Shackelford. One document shows that John, probably John, Sr. was the father of Edmund. If there are those who can help to determine the ancestry of the above men, or their relationship to each other, we will be very grateful indeed, for the information or the help.
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Edmund Shackelford, according to vital records of Orange Co, Va., was the son of John and Ann Shackelford. He was a Captain in the army during the Revolutionary war. He married Judith, daughter of Phillip and Elizabeth Eastin, and they had the following children:
Phillip--------------(married ?, had a son Edmund)
Edmund, Jr.--------(married Easter ??
John---------------(married Martha ?)
Reuben------------(married ?? )
Elizabeth-----------(married ?? )
Judith M.-----------(married ?? )
Thomas Jefferson---(married ?? )
Winnie-------------(married Garland Jones )
Sarah H. (Sally)----(married William Thomas Fortson)
Lloyd--------------(married Catherine ?)
Nancy Jane--------(married ?)
Mary (married Rev. John Harris)
The above named Edmund Shackelford and his wife Judith moved to Elbert Co., Ga. where they died. His Will is recorded there, and was probated in 1821.
Also in Elbert Co., Ga., was one Dr. Stephen Shackelford, who is said to have died near Crawfordsville. His Will was dated May 1, 1821, and probated January 8, 1822.
Wanted: Ancestry of John Shackelford, father of Edmund, and ancestry of Dr. Stephen, and information of their descendants.
It is said that there is an old Bible among descendants of these men containing many old records. And if so, will some one try to secure copies of them? It would be a great contribution to our collection.
Until next month, Adios- -The Editor.
Transcribed by Sally Livermore July 1998
UpdatedThursday, 01-May-2008 16:49:17 EDT