Moses Shelby

 

 

Biographies

Moses Shelby

Moses Shelby was born 05 May 1728 in Tregaron, Cardiganshire, Wales, and died 13 Oct 1776 in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina.  He married Isabel Alexander, daughter of William Alexander and Agnes Alexander.  She probably died in 1780 in Cabarrus County, North Carolina.

On May 4, 1744, his father, Evan, turned over to Moses a fifty-acre parcel of land called "Hunt's Cabin," located a short distance from the right bank of Licking Creek about eight or nine miles southwest of Evan’s home, Maiden's Choice, which places it in present day Washington County, Maryland.  However, about 1760, Moses and his family joined the great exodus to the south, going to South Carolina.  The slight information we have on this move indicates that they may have settled near the sea coast below the Santee River, near Charleston.   Whether Moses found the climate or the soil of South Carolina unsuitable, was offered better inducements, or what, we don’t know but we do know that two years later, on June 2 1762, he bought a sizeable piece of land on "the waters of Clear Creek," a branch of Rocky River, in Anson County, North Carolina.  His sister, Mary, and her husband, Adam Alexander, had already relocated to this area.

The North Carolina Colonial Records show that Moses was a member of the Mecklenburg Militia under his brother-in-law, Colonel Adam Alexander.  Moses' will was dated September 2, 1776.  It was a common practice for soldiers going into war to prepare a will before they left. But, although Moses is listed as a patriot by the Daughters of the Revolution, he did not see much action in the war.  He died in October of 1776. His will was probated in January of 1777.

At a meeting of the Inferior Court on the third Thursday of January A.D. 1777 and in the first year of American Independence . . . The last Will and Testament of Moses Shelby, deceased, was proved in open court by the oath of James Harris, one of the subscribing witnesses.

I give to my dear and beloved wife during her widowhood this house wherein I now live, together with all the furniture and lands and tenements that lay about it, except such furniture as hereafter mentioned.  I also give to my loving wife five work creatures and eight milch cows and calves - together with two plows and tackling and all my plantation tools for the benefit of my wife and six youngest children.

 

Item:  When my hereafter named Executors come to cancel my book debts, bonds and notes and find their value, they are then to make an equal dividend betwixt my wife and six youngest children and also the money arising from a vandue made, to be divided in the same manner except 25 pounds I will allow to my loving wife the better to enable her to school the six youngest children.

 

Item:  The two oldest Negroes, Rince and Fillis I order and will to remain on the plantation for the better support of my wife and six youngest children and if any issue by either of the two wenches after what has been mentioned I order and will one to each of my four youngest daughters.  The first to Catherine and so on.

 

Item:  I will and bequeath to my loving wife one Negro wench named Sude, her lifetime and then to give her to whom she will of my family.

The court minutes in Mecklenburg, over the next several years, contain many references to the “orphans” of Moses Shelby.  It is not known for sure what happened to Isabel after Moses’ death.  Some think she followed him in death in 1780.  However, there is an interesting entry in the court records of nearby Cabarrus County that states: "The last Will of testament of Isable Craton was proved in Apr Court by the Oath of E. Speiars. . . .Isable CRATAIN dec'd. Daughter, Mary WILEY, bequeathed a woman slave, was to be sold after being valued by Robert COCHRAN.”  Moses’ and Isabel’s oldest daughter, Mary, married Oliver Wiley so it is quite possible that the Isabel Craton that is mentioned is the widow of Moses Shelby.

Children of Moses Shelby and Isabel Alexander were:

1.  Mary Shelby was born 1746 at Hunts Cabin, Frederick County, Maryland and died 21 Aug 1822 in Cabarrus County, North Carolina.  She married Oliver Wylie in 1768 in Cabarrus County.  He was born 1744 in Clear Creek, North Carolina, and died in December of 1802 in Concord, Cabarrus County, North Carolina.

Mary received the following mention in her father’s will:

Item:  I will to my beloved daughter, Mary Wylie, the sum of five shillings sterling together with what I have already given her.

Oliver and Mary Wylie were recorded on the census of Mecklenburg County in 1790 as having four sons under sixteen, five daughters and four slaves.   In total they had eleven children:  Evan, William, Eleanor, Isabel, Moses Cicero, Margaret, Hannah, Oliver, Isaac, Jane, and Jeanette.

2.  Evan Shelby was born in 1748 at Hunts Cabin, Hagerstown, Frederick County, Maryland, and died in April of 1825 in Mecklenburg, North Carolina.  He married Susannah Polk Alexander in 1774 in Mecklenburg, North Carolina.  She was the daughter of Benjamin Alexander and Susan Polk.  She was born 1759 in Mecklenburg, North Carolina and died in 1837 in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina.  Evan is the subject of the next generation.

3.  Thomas Shelby was born in 1752 at Hunts Cabin, Frederick County, Maryland and died in April of 1799 in Popular Springs, Cabarrus County, North Carolina.  He was a private in Rutherford’s Indian Campaign in 1776. He married Sarah Helms.  She died in 1805.

Thomas received the following mention in his father's will:

Item:  I will and bequeath to my beloved son, Thomas Shelby, that plantation known by the name of the Poplar Springs place to be separated from the plantation I now live upon in the following manner.  The line to begin near Oliver Wylie's run and to go betwixt two springs near the north of Shelby's branch, from thence to a large black oak well known by said Wylie.  The profit or money earned in the public service by wagoning by Evan and Thomas Shelby to be divided equally.  A Negro lad I will to my beloved son Thomas Shelby.  Also, I will and bequeath to my beloved son, Thomas, the wagon and team he has abroad at this time, except one bay horse called dick.  I will him one other black horse called Jack in his place.

In 1790 he was recorded on page 162 of the census report for Mecklenburg County as Capt. Thomas Shelby with one son under sixteen, two daughters, six slaves.  Thomas Shelby and Sarah Helms had five children:  Mary, Sarah Ellen, Moses Alexander, Elizabeth and Isabel.

4.  Eleanor Shelby was born in 1755 at Hunts Cabin, Frederick County, Maryland.  She married John Caruthers 1776 in Cabarrus County, North Carolina. 

She received the following brief mention in her father's will:

Item: I will to my daughter, Eleanor Caruthers, the sum of five shillings sterling together with what I have already given her.

John and Eleanor Caruthers had four daughters: Mary, Isabel, Sarah and Esther.

5.  William Shelby was born in 1760 in Clear Creek, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina and died in February of 1787 in Livingston County, Kentucky.  He married Sarah Caruthers. 

He received the following mentions in his father's will:

Item:  I will and bequeath to my beloved sons, William and John Shelby, the plantation I now live upon together with two other surveys joining the original survey as said deeds will testify upon examination, to be equally divided between said William and John Shelby at the discretion of my executors and to revert to said William and John Shelby or the surviving one at the age of 21 years, but if both should die under that age, I order the whole to be sold and equally divided amongst my surviving children.

Item:  I will to my son, William Shelby, one Negro girl named Phebe and Morrison's mare and colt.

Moses Shelby, Jr. was born 08 Nov 1761 in Frederick County, Maryland and died 21 Jul 1823 in Claiborne County, Mississippi.  He married Elizabeth Neil 01 Mar 1784.  She was born in 1763 in South Carolina and died 07 Sep 1819 in Claiborne County, Mississippi.

He received the following in his father's will:

I will and bequeath to my beloved son, Moses, the plantation on mile branch on the wagon road and all the money that is due to me from James Ross which is about 48 pounds, also I will to my son, Moses Shelby, one yearling stallion colt, brown color, one two year old iron grey filly of Morrison's mare and one Negro boy, Dick.

Moses Shelby, Jr. served in Colonel William Polk's regiment during the Revolution. After he married he moved to Greene County, Georgia and later moved to Crittenden County, Kentucky. He left Kentucky in 1811 and settled in Claiborne County, Mississippi, where he died September 27, 1823.

Moses Shelby and Elizabeth Neil had five children: Sarah Julia, Marquis de Lafayette, Mary Jane, Elizabeth and Jack Spratt.

7.  John Shelby was born in 1762.  From his father he received the items described under William and the following:

Item:  I will to my son, John, the first born surviving Negro child that any of the two wenches may have and one black-faced mare and colt.

 

8.  Catherine Shelby was born in 1763.  She married Rev Robert Archibald in 1780.  She was a minor at the time of her father's death and received the following:

 

Item:  I will and bequeath to my beloved daughter, Catherine, one bed and furniture, one neat saddle and bridle and a creature valued to 20 pounds.

Rev. Robert Archibald was recorded on page 159 of the census of 1790, Mecklenburg County, with a son under sixteen, two daughters, four slaves.

9.  Rachel Shelby was born in 1768 in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina and died in 1855 in Hardeman County, Tennessee.  She married William Yarborough in 1793 in Mecklenburg County.  He was born 1774 in Wake County, North Carolina and died in 1859, also in Hardeman County, Tennessee.

Rachel was mentioned in her father's will as follows:

Item:  I will and bequeath to my beloved daughter, Rachel Shelby, one bed and furniture, one neat saddle and bridle and a horse or mare - valued to 20 pounds.

Rachel and William Yarborough had ten children:  Susannah Jane, Sarah, William C., Hulda, George, Hampton, Benjamin, Reuben, John and Jentha.

10.  Margaret Shelby was born 16 Dec 1772 in Cleveland County, North Carolina and died 25 Sep 1844 in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri.  She married Oliver Harris in 1788.  He was born 28 Sep 1763 in Poplar Tent Territory, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina and died 25 Jan 1835 in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri.

Margaret was mentioned in her father's will as follows:

Item: I will and bequeath to my beloved daughter, Margaret, one bed and furniture, one neat saddle and bridle and creatures valued to 20 pounds.

Oliver Harris was recorded on page 160 of the census report of 1790, Mecklenburg County, with a wife, one daughter, and one slave but he and Margaret went on to have thirteen children:  Dorcus, Robert Wiley, Jane, Isabella, Moses S., Hezekiah Price, Thomas Shelby, Bernice Harris, Charles Augustus, Narcissa Sabrina, Oliver, John R and James G. 

11.  Isabella Shelby was born in 1775 in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina and died in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina.  She married Stephen Winslow Alexander on 22 Nov 1797 in Mecklenburg County. He was the son of James and Rachel Alexander.  He was born 05 Sep 1768 in Mecklenburg County and died in 1828.

Isabella received the following from her father:

Item:  I will and bequeath to my beloved daughter, Isabella Shelby, one bed and furniture, one neat saddle and bridle and creatures to the value of 20 pounds.

Isabella Shelby and Stephen Alexander had eight children:  Jane Isabella, Evan Pinckney, Margaret, Susan Melissa, Moses Lawson, Rachel and Mary A.

Beckenbach

Nicholaus von Beckenbach (1705 - ca 1750)

Johann Christian Beckenbach (1739 - ca 1790)

Johann George Beckenbach (1772 - 1834)

Johann Jacob Beckenbach (1797 - ca 1850)

Peter Beckenbach (1836 - 1878)

Charlie Geiger Beckenbach (1869 - 1932)

Edwin Ford Beckenbach (1906 - 1982)

Simons

John Simons (1715 - 1780)

Shadrach Simons (1758 - 1801)

John Joseph Simons (1793 - ca 1858)

Henry James Simons (1818 - ca 1870)

John James Simons (1842 - 1969)

James Elmo Simons (1870 - 1935)

Madelene Shelby Simons (1913 - 1985)

Duffy

Heinrich Dufe (ca 1760 - ca 1810)

Peter Joseph Dufe (1784 - 1846)

Peter Duffy (1815 - 1883)

Peter J Duffy (1851 - 1924)

Annie Elizabeth Duffy (1877 - 1935)

Peake

William Peake (ca 1800 - ca 1832)

Joseph Peake (1826 - 1876)

Lucy Charlotte Peake (1851 - 1883)

Bradley

James Bradley (1720 - 1788)

Francis Bradley (1743 - 1780)

James Alexander Bradley (1768 - 1839)

Margaret Weir Bradley (1813 - ca 1880)

Shelby

Shelby Phillip (ca 1650 - 1731)

Evan Shelby (ca 1690 - 1751)

Moses Shelby (1728 - 1776)

Evan Shelby (1748 - 1825)

Moses Shelby (1784 - 1826)

James Madison Shelby (1814 - 1889)

Jane Eliza Shelby (1846 - 1902)

Vogg

Michael Vogg (ca 1800 - ca 1845)

John Frederick Vogg (1824 - 1901)

Margaret Vogg (1856 - 1878)

Coachman

Alexander Coachman (ca 1640 - 1671)

Tilney Coachman (ca 1660 - 1716)

John Coachman (1700 - 1750)

James Coachman (1732 - 1789)

Joseph Coachman (1761 - 1814)

Mary Lynch Coachman (1792 - ca 1857)

 

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