Elijah Benjamin Shelley (abt. 1830 - 1865)

Born about 1830 in Henry, Alabama, United States

Husband of Elizabeth (Brackin) Shelley — married 8 Feb 1865 in Henry, Alabama, United States [uncertain]

Descendants

Died 21 Feb 1865 at about age 35 in Petersburg, Virginia, United States

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Biography

Elijah Shelley served in the United States Civil War.
Side: CSA

Elijah was born in Georgia [4] in about 1830 to Reuben Shelley and his wife. The family moved to Henry County, Alabama. Elijah married Elizabeth Brackin in 1855 in Henry County, Alabama [1 & 2]. They had 4 children, 2 girls and 2 boys. Elijah worked as a farmer [4].

Elijah Shelley was a private in Company A, 4th Florida Infantry Battalion during the Civil War. He enlisted on January 29, 1863 at Westbay, Florida. [NOTE: Although most of the service record information has the enlistment date just given, one service record gave the enlistment date as March 10, 1862 at Crawfordville.] On June 8, 1864, the 4th Florida Infantry Battalion was consolidated into the 11th Florida Infantry Regiment, along with two companies of the 2nd Infantry Battalion. Elijah served in Company C of the 11th Florida Infantry Battalion. He was wounded and sent to Richmond Hospital June 4, 1864. Most likely this was during the Battle of Cold Harbor (June 1-3, 1864). It appears that Elijah contacted Rubeola (service record spelling) and was admitted June 16, 1864 to the General Hospital Howard's Grove at Richmond, Virginia. He was returned to duty September 24, 1864 but it appears that he served at the hospital for awhile. Elijah was promoted to corporal. On February 20, 1865 he was admitted to the General Hospital in Petersburg, Virginia with cerebral meningitis. He died there February 21, 1865. [NOTE: There is a little disagreement between the service record and the pension record. The pension record states that Elijah died February 14, 1865 at Richmond, Virginia. Perhaps this was simply a mistake on the part of Elizabeth Shelley who filed for the pension.]

Sources

1. Helon H. Cutler, Henry County, Alabama Records. Volume ll: 1821-1901. Marriage Records (Cutler Publications, 1993), page 218.

2. According to the Marriage Record: 1822-1868 of Henry County, Alabama, the marriage of Elijah Shelly and Elizabeth Brackin took place on the 8th day of February 1855 "at the residence of Matthew Brackin."

3. A land deed dated March 5, 1858 between Moses Brackin and Matilda Brackin his wife to Elijah Shelly, both of the State of Alabama, Henry County for 159 81/100 acres of land in Sections 17 and 18, in the amount of $400. (Recorded July 2, 1859 in Deed Record Book H, Pages 234-235.)

4. 1860 U.S. Census for the State of Alabama, Henry County, Sanders Beat 13 (Elijah Shelly, age 30, born in Georgia, working as a farmer). [Census available on ancestry.com.]