James Shirley (abt. 1745 - 1801)

Born about 22 Aug 1745 in Northumberland County, Colony of Virginia, British Colonial America

Ancestors

Husband of Mary (McMekin) Shirley — married 9 Oct 1781 in Fauquier, Virginia, United States

Descendants

Died 23 Jul 1801 at about age 55 in Barren County, Kentucky, United States

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Biography

James Shirley

Origin

James was born c. at 22nd of August, 1735 at Northumberland County, Virginia Colony.^[1][2], the son of James Shirley and Molly (unknown maiden name).^[3] Records show that he was christened on the 22nd of August 1745.^[3]

Marriages

James Shirley married at least twice.

In 1754, he married Judith Garriott.^[3]

• He married as his 1st to Margaret Unknown,^[4] or to an Unknown wife.^[5]

• He married as his 2nd to Mary Meekin^[4] or McMekin.^[6]

Children

James and his first wife whose name is not known had one son:^[4][5]

1. Ezekiel, b c. 1776; m Dulcina "Dolly" Shirley, daughter of Argeland Shirley.^[5]

James and his second wife, Mary Meekin, had these children:^[4]

1. Robert, b c. 1780: m Elizabeth Shirley, daughter of Thomas and Mollie (Grubbs) Shirley (Robert and Elizabeth were first cousins).^[5]
2. Jane,
3. Caleb,
4. Melinda
5. Permelia
6. Jesse

Property and Positions

James later removed to Prince William County in Virginia Colony.^[4]

James was a soldier in the American Revolution (NSDAR #636948).^[6] He is enumerated in several documents from the Contental Army in the United States Revolutionary War. We was a member of the 6th Virginia Regiment in 1775^[7], and in 1777 he was part of the 10th Virginia Regiment.^[7]

He and and two of his brothers, Richard Shirley and Thomas Shirley, removed in 1783 to Abbeville District, South Carolina.

In 1792, the three families removed to Scott County, Kentucky, near Georgetown, where brother Richard died. They attended the Great Crossings Church, and James and Thomas were dismissed (transferred to another church) on 1 June 1785.^[8]

He was also enumerated in the 1800 US Census in Barren County, Kentucky.^[9]

In about 1798-99, James continued with Thomas and Richard's widow, Dorcas (Cullin) Shirley, to Barren County, Kentucky.^[4]

In Barren County they settled along the headwaters of the Barren, Blue Spring, White Oak and Fallen Timber Creeks. Part of this area is now in Metcalfe County.^[4]

Death and Legacy

James Shirley died on the 23rd of July, 1801.^[1][2] He was buried in Yewells Graveyard, Oldham County, Kentucky.^[10][2][4]

James married Mary McMekin on 9 October 1781 in Fauquier County, Virginia;^[11] but this was years after the birth of his son Moses.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} North America, Family Histories, 1500-2000, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., Provo, UT, USA. 2016. Lineage Book : NSDAR : Volume 165 : 1921
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} Findagrave.com
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} Millennium File, Heritage Consulting, Ancestry.com Operations Inc., Provo, UT, USA. 2003.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7} Schan, Edward, (27 Jan 1999) Fwd: SHIRLEY-GRUBBS-MEEKIN-CULLINS - Barren & Metcalfe Co. Citing Barren County's Celebration... accessed 8 Jan 2017.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3} Shirley Association, "James Shirley: born ca 1750's. Lived in Fauquier and Prince William Cos Virginia. Family to Abbeville SC, then to Barren Co Kentucky." accessed 9 Jan 2017.
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1} Old Pendleton Chapter S.C.G.S., (Apr 1999) Old Pendleton District Newsletter. Archive.org, (archived 21 Aug 2016) (Vol 13, No 4, Page 12 - but is marked p 21).
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1} U.S., Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., Provo, UT, USA, 2007.
8. ↑ Meyer, Leland Winfield, (January, 1936) "The Great Crossings Church Records, 1795-1801." Register of Kentucky State Historical Society. Kentucky Historical Society JSTOR.org (Vol. 34, No. 106, pp. 3-21).
9. ↑ Kentucky, Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 1810-1890, Ancestry.com Operations Inc., Provo, UT, USA, 1999.
10. ↑ Abstract of Graves of Revolutionary Patriots, Author: Hatcher, Patricia Law. Ancestry.com Operations Inc., Provo, UT, USA, 1999.
11. ↑ Virginia marriage record

See also:

• "World Connection Project" Contributor Bill Miles
• Garriott Family History
• Find-a-Grave, Yewell Graveyard, Orchard Grass Hills, Kentucky