Elizabeth (Whitaker) Shearer (1806 - 1852)

Born 4 May 1806 in Fairview, Buncombe County North Carolina, USA

Ancestors

Wife of Spencer Harrison Shearer — married 27 Apr 1824 in Buncombe County North Carolina USA

Died 19 Oct 1852 at age 46 in Titus County Texas USA

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Biography

Elizabeth Whitaker Posted 13 Nov 2007 by DeloresGordon61 Elizabeth Whitaker Shearer, Part One Elizabeth Whitaker was born in Fairview, Buncombe County, North Carolina, on May 8, 1806. She was the daughter of James Whitaker Sr. (1779-1871) and Mary “Polly” Walker (1779-1849). Elizabeth’s father, James Whitaker was born in Rowan (now Davidson) County, North Carolina. He was the son of Joshua Whitaker and Mary Reed. Elizabeth’s mother was the daughter of Howard Walker of Wilkes County, North Carolina. In March 1807, James Whitaker moved his wife and four children across the mountain to Swannanoa. James and Polly Whitaker’s last nine children were born in Swannanoa. Elizabeth Whitaker grew up in Swannanoa — however her parents remained active members of Cane Creek (now Fairview) Baptist Church. Elizabeth’s father was very active in community affairs. James Whitaker was a Justice of the Peace from 1809-1817, captain of the Militia and Treasurer of the Board of Wardens. He was elected to the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners, Postmaster of Swannanoa, and represented Buncombe County in the General Assembly from 1818- 1823. Whitaker was just as active in the church. He was a deacon at Cane Creek (Fairview) Baptist Church and Clerk of the French Broad Association. On April 27, 1824, Elizabeth Whitaker married Spencer Shearer. The marriage took place in Buncombe County. Spencer Shearer was born in North Carolina in 1800, the son of a weaver of Welsh descent. By March 1825 the Shearers had moved to Macon County, North Carolina. Elizabeth Shearer’s parents James and Polly Whitaker, and most of her brothers and sisters had moved to Macon County as well. Eliza Shearer, the first of twelve children born to Elizabeth and Spencer Shearer, was born March 13, 1825 in Macon County North Carolina. In 1835, Elizabeth and Spencer Shearer and the Whitakers, moved to Valley River, near Andrews, in what is now Cherokee County. The Shearers lived at Valley River until 1843. They then moved to Texas. The Shearers spent the first year in Texas at Old Fort Sherman. They then bought land and built a house near Cypress in what was then Titus County (now Franklin County), Texas. In 1852 Elizabeth Shearer and three of her sons came down with pneumonia. All died within ten days of each other. Elizabeth Whitaker Shearer died October 19, 1852. Spencer Shearer married a second time to Elizabeth Penn Castle. Spencer Shearer died February 15, 1866. Both he and Elizabeth died and are buried in the Cypress Community of Titus (now Franklin) County, Texas. Fannie E. Hodgecoke, granddaughter of Spencer and Elizabeth Whitaker Shearer, wrote the following history in 1937. Fannie Hodgecock was between 85 and 90 when she wrote down her recollections of what she remembered or heard about the Shearer life in North Carolina and the early days in Texas.

“Grandfather Spencer Shearer was born and married in North Carolina. The familymoved to Texas in 1843, along with a crowd of other people, but I have forgotten the names of any of them. Mother (Sarah Avaline Shearer Hodgecock or Hedgcock) was 16 years old that year, and told me a lot about living in North Carolina as well as the trip to Texas. The children walked most of the way. I think she said it took them two days to cross the Mississippi River and when they left there a large group of children walked on ahead. They soon came to a fork in the road, and of course took the wrong one. Along about noon they began to realize that they were wrong, but instead of turning back as most people would have done, they went ahead and took all left hand roads and by about night they made it back to the other road and caught up with the wagons. I think they stayed the first year in Texas at Old Fort Sherman. Grandfather settled in the west part of Titus County in what was to be later Franklin County. The Hodgecoke (Hedgecoke) family came from the same part of North Carolina (as the Shearer) but they did not come to Texas until 1849. They settled west of Grandfather’s property on the edge of Hopkins County. I have heard Mother Hodgecoke say that Grandfather Shearer was the leading man of the whole settlement. All community activities centered on his place. They had church once a month at Cypress Church and everybody had to go to Grandfather’s for dinner. Of course most people brought enough for their dinner but they all had to go to Grandfather’s. Some, however, who brought nothing, ate the most. I remember this custom even after I was quite a big girl. I wish I could remember the names of some of the families who came to Texas when our folks did, but I can’t. However mother said they were all half and quarter-blood Cherokee Indian stock, and were not satisfied with their condition in North Carolina. They decided to drop their Indian connection and be white people in fact, so they moved away. Grandfather Spencer Shearer was part Cherokee. They were in North Carolina when the Cherokees were rounded up and driven west like so much stock. I think Uncle Rand Shearer was hired by the government to go along and help with the movement. It is my impression that he came on to Texas and looked the country over before returning home and it was his report that caused all the others to decide to move here. He came also and settled in Hopkins County near the Hodgecoke family. I have heard Mother Hodgecoke talk about what a contrary wife he had. Said she quarreled all the time and hated the country so bad Uncle Rand finally went back. His boys hid out during the Civil War and did not go. Uncle Harrison Shearer was in command of a squad of men at one time, sent out to hunt for that kind of men. He had dinner with Uncle Rand, and was hunting his boys but the subject was not mentioned, although I imagine Uncle Rand knew what their business was.

Mother said that several years after the Indians were taken away, an old man who had been a neighbor of theirs came back. He had walked all the way from Texas. He stopped with Grandfather (Spencer Shearer) and told him he had left some money buried where he had lived. Grandfather went with him to the ruins of his old house and they dug up quite a large sum of gold from under the hearth in the ruins. Mother grew up speaking the Cherokee language and knew it better than English when they moved to Texas. “ Parents:

• James Whitaker (1779 - 1871)
• Mary Walker Whitaker (1779 - 1849)

Spouse:

• Spencer Harrison Shearer (1800 - 1866)*

Siblings:

• Sarah Sally Whitaker Mann (1801 - 1838)*
• William Whitaker (1803 - 1862)*
• James Whitaker (1804 - 1899)*
• Elizabeth Whitaker Shearer (1806 - 1852)
• Jesse Whitaker (1808 - 1891)*
• Joshua Whitaker (1809 - 1886)*
• Mary Polly Whitaker Jarvis (1812 - 1902)*
• Stephen Decatur Whitaker (1814 - 1900)*
• Lettice Whitaker Taylor (1816 - 1892)*
• John Whitaker (1818 - 1885)*
• Silas Whitaker (1820 - 1902)*
• Adeline Whitaker Dunkin (1822 - 1907)*
• Caroline Whitaker Kimsey (1825 - 1905)*

Spencer and Elizabeth had 12 children in all. In Oct. 1852, Elizabeth and their three sons developed pneumonia and all died within 10 days of each other.

Sources

• Find A Grave Memorial# 41409920
• Burial: Cypress Cemetery - Cypress, Franklin County Texas, USA