Nathan Shipley (1807 - bef. 1884)

Born 1807 in Tennessee, United States

Descendants

Died before 9 Jun 1884 before age 77 in Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States

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Biography

Nathan Shipley was born about 1807 in Tennessee the second identified son of Richard Shipley, Sr. and Hannah Retta Hughes.(1) He married Charlotte Campbell about 1828 in Tennessee. She was born about 1811 in Tennessee. Nathan and Charlotte had nine children all born in Tennessee (probably in Hamilton County since he and Charlotte remained there until their deaths):(2) Louiza (about 1830), Marion (about 1832), Richard (about 1834), Mary (about 1836), Elizabeth (about 1838), William Nathan (1841), Delila or Delia(3) (1843), Margaret (about 1845), and Nathan Taylor (1849 or 1850)(4).

The Shipleys were said by a kinsman to be "easy going, sociable, but never set any branches afire with their industriousness or prosperity. Slow to get up in the mornings, they milked the cows, went to the fields long after the sun was high and hot, milked and slopped the hogs, had supper way after dark - after which some neighbors would likely drop in to talk a while. No one went to bed until Uncle Nathan read selections from the Bible and all would kneel while he prayed. After the marriage of William to Elmira Gothard, they lived in the home for a while and it was said that she frequently went to sleep while he prayed. She loved and respected the family as long as they lived." (5)

In 1828 Nathan acquired 200 acres on the lower side of Opossum Creek near Bakewell, Hamilton County, Tennessee, USA. He operated a mill on the property and was in business with Richard Shipley in the firm N. Shipley and Brother.(6) In 1835 Nathan made a good investment in a lot in Dallas. He paid $30.12 for it and then sold it that same year to Samuel Igou for $150.(7) By 1840 he found himself in financial trouble eventually losing all his property at public auction.

"...he fell into debt. A judgment was entered against his mill and surrounding several hundred acres. The property went in 1840 to Robert McRee and Lewis Patterson for $500, but that sale was voided and it passed to John W. Saunders and George W. Martin for $200 in 1842. Finally, William Clift in 1843 took advantage of the Nathan Shipley bankruptcy by getting his 300 acres for "50 cents - he being the highest and best bidder."(8)

"B. B. Cannon bought his "valuable mill seat" and 25 acres on Falling Water Creek for only a $1 bid. In 1844, the Shipley mill was sold to Wilson Hixson for $30."(9) The mill wheel still exists.

Nathan and Charlotte remained in Hamilton County all their lives. He died after 1880 in Hamilton County, Tennessee, USA and Charlotte died after 1880.(10)

Compiled and written by Susan Kimes Burgess 2003.

Sources

(1) Cecil Shipley's sources of information on Nathan Shipley and Charlotte Campbell are: 1) The personal genealogy of Jane McAfee Smith, <JSmith4950 at aol dot com>, 2) "History of the Shipley and Related Families," Michael Wayne Shipley, <DavidnMike at aol dot com>, 3) The Crawley-Shipley genealogy provided by C.M. Crawley, Sr., <cmcrawley at email dot msn dot com>, 4) 1850, 1860, 1870, and 1880 census of Hamilton County, Tennessee, USA.

(2) Nathan Shipley is listed on the 1830 Census, Hamilton County, Tennessee, USA, p80 line 20: 1 Free WM 20-29, 1 Free WF 0-4, 1 Free WF 15-19 from <http://www.rootsweb.com/~tnhamilt/1830-80.htm>.

(3) Lynne Chandler

(4) Birth years are estimated from the 1850 Hamilton County, Tennessee, USA census for Nathan Shipley.

(5) Hamilton County Pioneers, John Wilson, BookCrafters, Chelsea, Michigan, 1998, p265.

(6) Paraphrased from Hamilton County Pioneers, John Wilson, BookCrafters, Chelsea, Michigan, 1998, p265.

(7) Hamilton County Pioneers, John Wilson, BookCrafters, Chelsea, Michigan, 1998, p265.

(8) Hamilton County Pioneers, John Wilson, BookCrafters, Chelsea, Michigan, 1998, p265.

(9) Hamilton County Pioneers, John Wilson, BookCrafters, Chelsea, Michigan, 1998, p35.

(10) Source: 1880 Federal Census, FHL Film 1255259, National Archives Film T9-1259, Page 89A Census Place: District 11, Hamilton County, Tennessee, USA Relation Sex Marr Race Age Birthplace Nathan SHIPLEY Self M M W 73 TN Occ: Mill Wright Fa: MD Mo: TN Charlotte SHIPLEY Wife F M W 69 TN Occ: Keeping House Fa: TN Mo: TN Minerva CAMPBELL Niece F S W 13 TN Occ: At Home Fa: TN Mo: TN

Census

Hamilton County, Tennessee in 1840 in the Sixth Census of the United States.^[1]

Hamilton County, Tennessee on the 23rd day of September, 1850, age 45, with wife Charlotte and nine children in the Seventh Census of the United States.^[2]

11th District, Hamilton County, Tennessee on the 18th day of August, 1870, with wife Charlotte and three children in the Ninth Census of the United States.^[3]