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SHACKELFORD CLAN MAGAZINE

Genealogy of Shackelfords and Shacklefords

Editor: T. K. Jones 701 Ave B., Lubbock, Texas

$1.00 A Year. Published Monthly .10c A Copy

Lubbock, Texas July 1951 Vol. 7. No. 3

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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WILL OF JOB SNORGRASS

I, Job Snorgrass, of the County of Moniteau, in the State of Missouri, being of sound mind and age of sixty nine years, do make and publish this my last Will and Testament.

First: I give and bequeath unto my eldest son--Isham M. Snorgrass, the sum of five dollars.

Second: I give and bequeath unto my daughter--Martha F. Fisher, (nee Snorgrass) the sum of five dollars.

Third: I give and bequeath unto my son--Jefferson I. Snorgrass, the sum of five dollars.

Fourth: I give and bequeath unto my son--John T. Snorgrass, the sum of five dollars.

Fifth: I give and bequeath unto my daughter--Elizabeth H. Porter, (nee Snorgrass) the sum of five dollars.

Sixth: I give and bequeath unto my daughter--Jane O. Girkin, (nee Snorgrass) five dollars.

Seventh: I give and bequeath unto my son--Benjamin F. Snorgrass, the sum of five dollars.

Eighth: I give and bequeath unto my daughter--Sarah D. Scheerer, (nee Snorgrass) five dollars.

Ninth: I give and bequeath unto my son--John Finis Snorgrass, the sum of five dollars.

Tenth: I give and bequeath unto my daughter-- Artetia A. Atkinson, (nee Snorgrass) five dollars.

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Which legacies or sums of money I will and order to be paid in six months after my decease.

It is my further will that my executor hereinafter named, shall have for both myself and my beloved wife--Sarah, a good metallic casket for each of our burials.

Lastly: I give, bequeath and devise to my beloved wife-Sarah A. Snorgrass, all the rest, residue and remainder of my estate both personal and real, of all and every kind, after payment of my just debts, to her own use and benefit during her life time. And at her death all of the said property then remaining to be divided equally between my children-Isham M. Snorgrass, Martha F. Fisher, Jefferson I. Snorgrass, John T. Snorgrass, Elizabeth H. Porter, Jane O. Girkin, Benjamin F. Snorgrass, Job Finis Snorgrass, Sarah D. Scheerer, and Artetia A. Atkinson, share and share alike.

I hereby appoint and elect Dr. C. C. Ely, sole executor of this my last Will and Testament, and direct that he is not to give any bond in any sum as such executor.

I revoke any and all former wills by me made.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this the fourteenth day of February, A.D. 1896. (February 14, 1896)

his

Signed--Job X Snorgrass

mark

Signed and declared by the above named Job Snorgrass, to be his last Will and Testament in the presence of us, who at his request and in his presence, have subscribed our names thereto.

A. W. Clark, Benjamin Baxter and W. F. Quigley.

A copy of the above will of Job Snorgrass was copied for us by the Probate Judge of Moniteau Co., Mo., and again he failed to show date of probation of the will, or the book and/or page number.

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This is the third issue of the Magazine in which we have given you records of the Sweeney family, as Job Snorgrass was a son of Robert A. Snorgrass

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and Jane (Jincy) Sweeney. So this will be the last issue in which we will include Sweeney data until after our return from our forthcoming tour, at which time we hope to have additional information of the Sweeneys, as well as many many others.

Of the children of Job and Sarah A. Snorgrass, find some of their marriage records, as follows:

Benjamin Snorgrass married Sarah Barker. Feburary 22nd, 1880.

Job Finis Snorgrass married Annie U. Sherrer, February 15, 1888.

Sarah Dicy Snorgrass married George Jacon (sic) Scheerer, December 31st, 1890.

Artetia A. Snorgrass married Oliver L. Atkinson, November 24th, 1891.

Above marriages in Moniteau County, Missouri.

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ONE HUNDRED AND TEN YEARS AGO

Jefferson Sweeney, youngest son and youngest child of Charles and Frances Shackelford-Sweeney, was born in Casey County, Ky., July 20, 1808. He removed to Missouri about the year 1840, still enjoying the solitude of single blessedness. But soon after arriving in Missouri he met the lovely Miss America Houx, and appears to have fallen in love with her at once. And followng is a copy of the letter that he wrote his prospective father-in-law asking for the hand of his daughter in marriage. Quote:

"Near Clinton, Henry County, August 18th, 1841.

Honored Mr. and Mrs. Houx:

Excuse the liberty when I say I have something of an important nature to communicate. The many amiable qualities of your daughter-America, has stolen upon me, and I have made a declaration of my sentiments to her, and by her permission to write these lines asking your consent to a marriage contract that exists between her and myself.

I to you am unknown and have no acquaintance in your County to whom I can recommend you except your two children who were here some time since; therefore it is my wish if you are not prepared to determine, you would visit me shortly, at which time I

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shall be parepared to place in your power the means to become acquainted with my circunstances, character, disposition and family. Your daughter I freely acknowledge, is adorned with many virtues which ought to entitle her to the best of husbands; but if I should be favored with her it shall be my constant study to promote her happiness.

Honored Sir, I shall wait impatiently for the reply and consumation of that happiness which your favourable reply will afford.

I am honoured Sir:

Yours with the greatest respect,

Jefferson Sweeney.

That was one hundred and ten years ago. We wonder how many dashing young swains would go to so much trouble today?

The reply to the above letter must have been favorable, for Jefferson Sweeney and America Houx were married October 12, 1841. But tragedy seemed to stalk them on every hand. To them were born six children, three sons and three daughters, ie:

William------(born Nov. 12, 1842, died April 22, 1925)

Ann Eliza----(born 1844, and died February 4, 1859)

Laura------- (born 1846, and died October 1859)

Charles------(born 1848, and died August 1859)

Frank--------(born 1850, and died Feb. 17, 1859)

Missouri----- (born 1852, and died June 1859)

Then Jefferson Sweeney himself, while still a comparatively young man, died March 9, 1854, still well on the sunny side of fifty.

Thus it will be seen that America Houx-Sweeney, was left a widow with six small children, the eldest being only twelve years of age. And then just five years later, by reason of an epidemic of some disease prevalent in that country at that time, she lost five of her six children in one year (1859), two of them in one month, and only five years after losing her husband.

Her eldest son William Sweeney, as will be seen, lived to a ripe old age, and we hope to give you a story of his life some time soon, which we know you will enjoy reading.

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"Happiness, like the sunshine, is always sweeter after the storm".

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This month has been another banner month in the way of subscription renewals, which makes us very happy, but there are still those who seem to be allowing theirs to lapse, which we hope you will not do. We wish to welcome the following subscriptions from new subscribers: Miss Mary Caroline Rogers, of Bennettsville, S.C.; and Dr. Charles T. Sweeney, of Carmel, Calif. and Medford Oregon. And renewals from the following persons: Mr. Joseph G. Nooner, of Enola, Ark.; Mrs. Ada C. Hinton, of Milton, N.C.; Mrs. W. W. Shackelford of Odessa, Mo.; Miss Dorothy E. Albertson, of Tyler, Texas; Miss Emma Coons, of Lexington, Ky.; Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Shackleford, of Pine Bluff, Ark.; (3 years) Mr. B. L. Shackleford, of Waynesboro, Va.: Mrs. R. L. Thacker, of Franklin, W.Va.; Mrs. H. H. Shackelford, of Baton Rouge, La; and our good friend--Mr. Irvin Miller Shackelford, Sr, of Eden, Miss, who sent along enought money to extend his own subscription and those of his brother, his daughter and his niece, for two and one half years. He now has three subscriptions paid up until some time in 1956.

We thank each of you from the bottom of our heart, we are grateful indeed, and shall do everything in our power to merit such splendid co-operation.

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We are happy to report the arrival of six brand new members of the Clan this time, but evidently the bird with the long legs and neck was playing tricks on us, for he not only completely ignored the masculine sex, but in one place he delivered lovely twins. And as a result, some six dashing young swains should be very happy about twenty years hence. Two of them were belated reports, bur we are giving them to you at this time.

What was almost a Christmas present was the birth of lively little Frances Wilson to Mr. and Mrs. Louis Craig and Frances Wilson Devany-Shackelford, whom we belive, lives at Jones, La., December 13, 1950.

Paternal grandparents are Mr. and Mrs. James B.

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Shackelford, of Jones, La.

Then to begin the New Year the Stork paid a visit to the home of Mr. and Mrs. Hope H. and Florence Daniel Lutz-Gibson, of La Feria, Texas, and when he was gone they were the proud parents of Pameala (sic) Norine and Patricia Blanche, charming little twin daughters. This was January 8th, 1951. They are named for their two charming grandmothers, and already known as "Pam and Pat".

On his next stop he delivered a choice bit of femininity at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Donald Walter and Alice Helen Henning-Shackelford, of Bates City, Mo., February 24th, 1951. She will be known as Victoria Jean. Paternal grandparents are Mr. and Mrs. W. W. Shackelford, of Odessa, Mo.

His next stop was away out west, when on March 4, he delivered another cherub of the feminine variety at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Omer Kenneth and Lela H. Pierson-Tingle, of Inglewood, California.

He wasted little time in rushing back to Dixie to brighten the home of Mr. and Mrs. Oakley P. and Kate Agnew-Shackelford, of Columbis, Miss., by presenting them with a lovely little daughter-who will be known as Martha Phillip, March 17, 1951.

And on behalf of the entire Clan we extend sincere congratulations and best wishes to both the happy parents and lucky babies.

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And while the stork has been right busy, Dan Cupid has either been loafing on the job, or else some of you are not making the reports. We have only one wedding to report this time.

Mr. and Mrs. Clifford Olla Skinner, of Berkeley, California, announce the marriage of their lovely daughter--Evelyn Lorraine, to Mr. Irvin Miller Shackelford, III, son of Mr. and Mrs. Irvin Miller and Pearl Phillips-Shackelford, Jr., of Eden, Miss., and a grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Irvin Miller Shackelford, Sr., also of Eden, Miss., April 15, 1951, at the Northbrae Community Church, in Berkeley.

And we might add that young Mr. Shackelford is now seving his country in The United States Navy, and was promoted to Machine Accountant Third Class

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April 15th, the very next day after his marriage.

We have never met Miss Skinner, nor have we met young Mr. Shackelford since he grew to manhood, but we do know his parents and grandparents, and feel that if he is of the same quality, and we are sure that he is, he is entitled to the very best. We, on behalf of the entire Clan, extent our most sincere congratulations and best wishes for a long, happy and prosperous life together.

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"Men were born with two eyes and two ears, but only one tongue. The intent is obvious--we should hear and see twice as much as we say"--Rumanian Proverb

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We are particularly desirous of learning the ancestry of the Shackelfords of Johnson County, Mo. And this month we are going to give you something of them, and ask for any additional information any of you might be able to add. The first man of the name that came into Johnson County appears to have been John. And from census and probate records we learn that he was born 1784, in Virginia. He died about 1865, in Johnson County. His wife was Nancy, and she was born in North Carolina 1794. They seemed to have made a second trip into Missouri before finally deciding to remain. The census records reveal that one of their sons was born in Missouri in 1827, then their next child was born in 1829, in Kentucky. But they wwere back in Missouri as early as 1832, for in that year another son was born, and in Missouri.

They were in Lafayette County, in 1837, but had moved over into Johnson County by or before 1845. Census and probate records show they had the following children:

Sarah A.----------(born in Ky., 1815 m. Issac Whitesett)

Deborah----------(born in Ky, 1820 m. George Redford)

John R.------------(born in Ky, 1821 m Sarah Barton)

James M.----------(born in Tenn, m. Margaret C. Egan, and Ellen R. Markham)

Benjamin F.--------(born in Mo., 1827 m Mary Mulinax)

William S.----------(born in Ky, 1829 m ?? )

Elizabeth F.--------born in Ky, 1831 m C. C. Markham)

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Andrew J.---------(born in Mo., 1832 (no further record)

Mary A.-----------(born in Mo., 1836 (no further record)

Isaac E. Whitesett, date and place of birth not known, but he died in Johnson County, Mo., 1848. He married Sarah Ann Shackelford, daughter of John and Nancy Shackelford, in Lafayette County, Mo., March 5th, 1837. They had the following children:

Lucy M.------------(born 1838. married ??

John Hilton----------(born 1839. married ??

William Simpson----(born 1841. married ??

James Artimas-------(born 1842. married ??

Nancy Elizabeth-----(born 1844. married ??

Isaac T.-------------(born 1846. married ??

No record of descendants of Issac T. Whitesett, but he married three times. Marriage records later.

George W. Redford, Sr., born 1815, in Virginia, and died January 5th, 1904, in Johnson County, Mo. He married Deborah Shackelford, daughter of John and Nancy Shackelford, of Johnson Co., Mo., June 30, 1847. And they had the following children:

John H.--------------(born 1848, married Mary A. Cleveland)

William W.-----------(born 1850, married Mary L.McEllain)

George W., Jr.-------(born 1851, married ??

Martha A.------------(born 1852, married F. Eugene Meigs)

F. Ellis----------------(born ??--, married ??

Jane-------------------(born ??--, married ??

Nancy Ellen------------(born 1855, married S. W. Jurden)

Louis B.----------------(born 1857, married ??

Sarah-------------------(born 1858, married ??

Flora--------------------(born 1860, married A. T. Prettyman)

Almanza----------------(born 1862, married A. E. Fiske)

Rosa H.-----------------(born 1866, married ??

Netty--------------------(born ??--, married A. M. Scott)

In the next issue we will give you additional records of the Johnson County, Missouri, Shackelfords and their descendants. But our records are far from complete, and we will be grateful and happy to have any additional information of any of them.

The August issue of the Magazine will accompany this one. And until then, Adios--The Editor.

Transcribed by Alex Early, November 1998


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