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SHACKELFORD CLAN MAGAZINE
Genealogy of Shackelfords and Shacklefords.
Editor: T. K. Jones. 251 Morgan St. Versailles, Ky.
$1.00 A Year. Published Monthly. .10c A Copy
Versailles, Ky. January 1953. Vol 8. No 9.
Motto: A people which takes no pride in the noble achievements of remote ancestors, are not likely to achieve anything worthy ot be remembered with pride by remote descendants.
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GREETINGS FROM KENTUCKY.
Perhaps there are many of you that has long since decided that we had forgotten you, but if so, then you will have to change your mind.
You will recall that we told you in the November 1952 issue of this little leaflet that we were to be married about the 9th of December, and then go to Florida for the winter. Then in your December issue we told you that the next number of the magazine would come to you from St Petersburg, Florida. The latter statement has proved to be a mis-statement of fact.
This writer left Lubbock, Texas, Sunday morning December the 7th, and went directly to Lucedale, Mississippi, where we met our bride to be, and were quietly married by the Rev Dr Ellison, pastor of The First Methodist Church at that place. Then we left immediately for Mobile, Alabama, where we had a brief honeymoon, then on to St Petersburg, Florida, where we remained until March 18, 1953.
During the winter Mrs Jones and I decided to make our future home in Kentucky, at least for awhile, and so we are now in our new home at the above address.
As before stated, it was our intention to publish the January and February numbers of the magazine in Florida, but our records and equipment never did
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reach us there, so we have been unable to get the magazines to you earlier. But now that we have our equipment, and at least some of our records we will have all back numbers coming to you in rapid fire order. The February number will accompany this one, and the next two will follow in a very few days.
Therefore we are greeting you from The Blue Grass State for the first time.
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"It takes a heap o'livin' in a house t' make it a home"--Guest--
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In the last three numbers of the magazine we have been discussing the Darnaby Family. As you will recall, the Darnabys of Kentucky are descended from William Darnaby and his wife Diana Shackelford, of Gloucester and Spottsylvania Counties, Virginia. They came into Kentucky immediately after the close of the Revolutionary war, and settled in what was then Fayette County, Virginia, but later became the State of Kentucky. We have Miss Emma B. Coons, of Lexington, Ky., to thank for the following statement regarding them, and we quote--"The Darnaby Family came to Kentucky in 1784. The following facts have been gleaned from the most reliable sources that we have been able to gather, truthful and exact plain facts in regard to the nationality and quality of men and women who left their homes in Virginia during the times of the first settlement of the present State of Kentucky, at a time when the woods were full of wild beasts and infested with a race of wild and murderous Indians who took special delight in Killing both men and women.
These men and women sprang from a brave and noble race of people who were then occupants of the State of Virginia, and others of the now Southern and Eastern States of the Union. They, in main, were the descendants of those who had come to America from the different powers or kingdoms of Europe, many of them having been forced to leave their native homes because of their non-conformity with the state religion. These early comers to America were mostly
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men and women who had been reared on land as cultivators of the soil, who possessed in quality that metal which goes to make a true and hardy race of people.
They were not only true to each other but true to the teachings of the Holy Word of God. It was the children of such parents that settled and cleared away the forests of Kentucky, as well as the savage inhabitants, and opened the way to what is now the most beautiful and lovely land upon the face of this earth.
The central portion of Virginia around old Fredericksburg was the place, and at the date of which we begin our sketch was 1737, the home of a highly cultivated and strictly moral class of people. These, with their descendants, had become the owners and occupants of the most beautiful and fertile protion of the State.
Socially, the people of this region were divided into two classes, the one being the "land lords" or as they were often called "farmers", and through the southern States--"planters". The other composed of the laboring class or non-land holders and the negroes.
The land lords were slave owners, some owning large numbers, who, in connection with the sons and daughters of the land lords performed the labor of the farm and home, as was the custom then and for more than one hundred years after. The boys, when out of school, were kept at work with the slaves, and when under the care of an overseer, often one of the eldest and most worthy negroes belonging to the farm, was subject to the old darkey's orders, as were the other negroes.
Having now given a short sketch of the habits, conditions and social relations of these early fathers and mothers we will proceed with a sketch of the heads of one branch of a family whose descendants in after years left that home of their youth and penetrated into the forests of the present State of Kentucky.
The names of these families which will occupy
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our attention are those who by marriage connections form the ground work of this sketch.
The names are Darnaby, Dudley and Gayle. The heads of these three lived in Virginia not very distant from old Fredericksburg about 1737. Of this there can be no doubt, but as to their exact location we know nothing.
We also know that a young Scotchman by the name of Darnaby, and also one by the name of Dudley, were reared in the family of each, to manhood. The names of their fathers we do not know, but young Darnaby's name was Edward, while young Dudley's name was Robert. The young men were married some time between 1750 and 1760, to two sisters of the same section of Virginia.
(Note by T. K. Jones** It is now known that young Darnaby's name was not Edward, but William, Jr., a son of William Darnaby, Sr., and his wife Diana Shackelford.)
The two sisters belonged to a well educated and highly respected family by the name of Gayle. William Darnaby, Jr, married Judith Gayle, the exact date being unknown, the first absolute reliable date given is the birth date of a son--John Darnaby, who was born June 27, 1760.
John, and a younger brother--Edward Darnaby, with others, were the first settlers of the eastern part of Fayette County, Ky. So William Darnaby, Jr, and his wife Judith Gayle, stand at the head of that branch of the name of Darnaby--Gayle Family, which in after years moved from Virginia in a body into the wilderness of Kentucky, in what is now Fayette County. Here they lived out their remaining days and their ashes now rest under the green sod that flourishes where their hands cleared the cane and timber.
Edward Darnaby, the second son, (of whom we shall have more to say in later issues of the magazine--T. K. J. ) was born in the year 1765. And besides the two sons there were two daughters.
John Darnaby, although but fifteen years of age at the time of the Declaration of Independence, was
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a soldier of the Revolution. (end of quote from the sketch of Miss Emma B. Coons).
There is much more of the sketch by Miss Coons, but space here will not allow the entire quotation. Then too, we have already made mention of this Darnaby family in former issues, and will again make mention of them from time to time until we have given you the records of them as we have them, beginning where we left off in your December 1952 issue.
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"Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds, wake in the day to find that it was vanity"--
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Since we have been out of contact with you so long we have very little family news to give you this month, but we will give you what we have, and remind you that we are again settled and will be grateful for any and all items that you will be so kind as to pass our way. Please send us any and all birth, wedding and death announcements of any of the clan members everywhere. Thank you.
Before the family news however, we wish to welcome the following new subscribers, and to thank those who have sent along their renewals. Following are the new subscribers: Miss Mildred Murphy, Fontana, Calif,; Miss Ida Hendricks, Los Angeles, Calif.; Dora Ahlstrom, of Provo, Utah.; and Mrs A. R. Bleakley, of Dallas, Texas. Mrs Bleakley ordering a full set of the first eight volumes. Renewals from the following: Mr Robert H. Shackleford, of Canton, Miss.; (two years) Dr John A. Shackelford, Martinsville, Va.; Mrs Ira J. Seitz, of Fresno, Calif.; Mrs B. H. Hartsfield, of Birmingham. Ala.; Mrs Fern Bachar, of Fort Morgan, Colo. To all of whom we are grateful indeed.
Additional data was sent in by the following: Dr B. H. Shackelford, of Atlanta, Ga.; Mrs C. W. Matthews, of Woodland, Ga.; Mrs R. L. Thacker, of Franklin, W. Va.; Mrs B. W. Gandrud, of Tuscaloosa, Alabama.; Mr John H. Shackelford, of Hobart, Okla.; Mrs O. M. Morrison, of Eagleville, Mo.; Mrs Alvon S. Jones, of Spartanburg, S. C.; Mrs Julian C. Lane, of Atlanta, Ga.; Miss Ida
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Hendricks, of Los Angeles, Calif.; Mrs Margaret S. McGuinn, of Spartanburg, S. C.; Miss Mildred Murphy, of Fontana, Calif.; and our good friend Mr J. R. Johnson, of Lexington, Ky., and who continues to keep us informed of all the family happenings in and around Lexington. To all of whom we are grateful, and say again--Thanks a million.
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We have only two births to report this month, and both of them potential presidents.
Master John Aubrey, lusty son of Mr and Mrs Aubrey C. and Estell Curington-Kirk, of 705 Ave B, Lubbock, Texas, put in his appearance on December 9th, 1952, (birth day of ye auld Editor) and we might add that this was quite an event in the Kirk home, as they have but one other child--a daughter Tommie Sue, fourteen years of age.
A belated report informs us of the birth of Master Lee Edwin Morrison, another lusty member of the masculine gender who put in his appearance July 16th, 1952, and will henceforth make his home with the proud parents Dr and Mrs Gaylord Morrison, of Greely, Colo. This is another grandson for Mr and Mrs O. M. Morrison, of Eagleville, Mo, the paternal grand parents. Therefore we extend hearty congratulations and best wishes to all parents and babies.
We have but one wedding to report in this issue. Mr and Mrs Henry Marshall Hoffman, of Atlanta, Ga., announce the marriage of their lovely daughter Janice, to Mr Larry Ellis Smith, in Atlanta, Ga., December 31st, 1952. Miss Janice Hoffman is the granddaughter of Mrs Julia A. Shackelford-Dillard, also of Atlanta.
So to them we extend sincere congratulations and best wishes for a long and happy life together.
We are saddened by the report of the passing of three beloved members of our clan that we can report to you in this issue, as follows:
Mrs J. H. Shackelford, formerly Susie Fambrough, age 88 years, of Lawrenceville, Ga., passed to her eternal reward at the home of a daughter, November
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6th, 1952. She is survived by two daughters, two sons, eleven grand children and eleven great grand children, along with a great host of other relatives and friends.
It has been the pleasure of this writer to meet Dr Ben H. Shackelford, son of Mrs Susie Fambrough-Shackelford, and to have found him one of the most genial and affable men it was ever our pleasure to know. We never had the pleasure of meeting Mrs Shackelford, but having met her son we feel her passing to be a personal loss.
Another beloved member of the clan was Mr Richard Jones Shackelford, of Carrolton, Ga., age 90, who finished his chores on this orb and passed to his eternal reward December 24th, 1952.
And again we feel this a personal loss. This writer had the pleasure of being entertained in the home of Mr and Mrs Richard Jones Shackelford some years ago while on a tour of research. Mrs Shackleford (sic) was living then, and we found them to be the sort of people that makes any community worth living in. They were kind and genial, and we loved them both. May the Lord bless their children in their hour of sorrow. Survivors include four sons, three daughters, nineteen grand children and sixteen great grand children, other relatives and his friends numbered only by those who knew him.
Mrs Mary Shackelford, age 69, of Demopolis, Ala., also completed her earthly chores, and departed for that destination from which no traveler ever returns, December 15th, 1952. Survivors include one daughter, two sons and two grand children.
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We will now begin with the Darnaby records where we left off in your December issue.
Ambrose Clayton was a farmer in Scott County, Ky, dates of his birth and death not known. He was married to Ann Elizabeth Darnaby, daughter of John Darnaby, Jr, and his wife Malinda Ellis, February 14, 1853. She was born February 27, 1819, and died May 19, 1901. Only one child was born to this union, a daughter named Laura Darnaby.
Laura Darnaby Clayton.,--(married James W. Briscoe)
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Laura Darnaby Clayton, was born in Scott Co, Ky., May 23, 1854. Date of death not known. She was married to James W. Briscoe, March 28, 1871. He was born June 2, 1857. Date of death not known. They had the following children:
Clayton A.,------(married ??
Allen Peak.,-----(married ??
Lorena James.,--(married Warren G. Cook)
Bryant.,---------(married ??
Ann Elizabeth Darnaby, eldest daughter of John Darnaby, Jr, and Malinda Ellis, after the death of her husband Ambrose Clayton, then married for her second husband--William Johnson. He was born 1799, and died 1875. They were married in 1859. They had only one child--Annie Johnson.
Annie Johnson was born 1861. (married J. F. Askew)
James F. Askew was born in 1844, and died 1912. They had four children, as follows:
Louise.,----------(married ??
Ann Darnaby.,---(married ??
Johnson.,--------(married ??
Jamie F.,--------(married ??
William Luther Darnaby, eldest son of John Darnaby, Jr., was born in Fayette County, Ky., December 22, 1820. He died in 1907. He was married to Elizabeth True, February 9th, 1854. She was born in Fayette Co, Ky., November 22, 1828, and died in Fayette Co, August 22, 1864. They had the following children:
H. True.,----(born Feb 17, 1855. d May 29, 1857)
Cora Belle.,-(married Dr Thomas Clifton Coons)
Lester.,-----(born Oct 29, 1860. d Feb 27, 1951)
Mary Ellis.,-(born July 30, 1863. d Aug 15, 1864)
We will continue the Darnaby family in the February issue. But in the mean time please remember to send us any and all birth, marriage and death announcements that you have or know about.
We have some very interesting personal items for you in the February issue. So please note.
Until next month, Adios--The Editor.
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Transcribed by Sandra A. Shackelford
June 2, 1998
UpdatedThursday, 01-May-2008 17:18:38 EDT