John Shelby (1723 - 1794)

Born 10 Jun 1723 in Tregaron, Cardiganshire, Wales

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 4 Dec 1794 at age 71 in Washington County, Virginia

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Note: This profile was adopted to help source the several files of the different John Shelbys and to clarify the mixups. It is a work in progress.

John Shelby served with Washington County Militia, Virginia Militia during the American Revolution.

Biography of John Shelby

Birth

10 Jun 1723

Parents

Evan Dhu Shelby and Catherine Davies Morgan

Siblings

Major Moses Shelby (1718)

Br Gen Evan Dhu Shelby (1720)

Thomas Shelby (1725)

Eleanor Shelby

Mary Shelby (1734)

Rees Shelby

____ Shelby who married Joseph Chaplain

Spouse

Louisa Looney

first marriage

Sarah Davis (1725–1773)

Marriage: November 1745, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, United States

Children

Children by first marriage

1. John Shelby, jr married Elizabeth Brigham
2. David Shelby (ca 1763) married Sarah Bledsoe
3. Evan Shelby
4. Thomas Shelby
5. Isaac Shelby
6. Louise Levicie "Louisa" Shelby (1767–1832)
7. Catherine Shelby married Evan Shelby III, a cousin

• These children were named in Notable Southern Families, Volume II

Children by second marriage

1. John Shelby (1752–1806)
2. Isaac Shelby (1754–1812)
3. Catherine Shelby (1760–1820)
4. Colonel David Shelby (1763–1822)
5. Sarah Shelby (1764–1806)
6. Evan Shelby (1767–1821)

Death

4 Dec 1794

Washington County, Virginia

From the historic public records is this information that clears up some of the confusion, or does it add to it?

Revolutionary War Service

John Shelby, Sr

Service: Virginia Rank(s): Civil Service, Captain

Birth: 1724 Wales

Death: 12-4-1794 Washington County, Virginia

Service Source: Summers, Annals of Southwestern Virginia, pp 957,1000,1001,1047

Service Description: 1) Capt, Washington County Militia

2) Commissioner, Washington County^[1][2]

There are historical records that state Louisa Looney was the first wife of John Shelby. There is another that includes Louise(a) Levicie Shelby, born 1758 in Virginia and who married William McCrabb. Louisa Levicie Shelby was a daughter of John Shelby by his first wife, Louisa Looney Shelby. Another descendant record gives John Shelby who married Elizabeth Brigham as John Shelby's child by his wife, Louisa Levicie Looney. At least one of these records gives the marriage date for Louisa Looney and John Shelby as 1750; that does not correlate to the birth dates of the children, but does correlate with the gift of land to John Shelby from his father in 1750, presumed to be a wedding gift.

Within the historical records it states that Sarah Davis was married to John Shelby as his second wife. There is a file from one descendant that states Catherine Shelby Shelby (married Evan Shelby born 1754) was a daughter of John Shelby by Sarah Davis. Other descendant files name John Shelby who married Elizabeth Brigham as one of John Shelby's children by Sarah Davis; and David Shelby who married Sarah Bledsoe as a child by Sarah Davis.

To add to the confusion about what children were by which wife. It is written that John Shelby and wife Louisa Looney had the following children: John Shelby, Jr who married Elizabeth Brigham; Isaac Shelby; David Shelby born circa 1763 and married Sarah Bledsoe; Evan Shelby; Thomas Shelby; Louisa Shelby who married William McCrab; and Catherine Shelby who married Evan Shelby III, her cousin.^[3]

On 19 May 1750 he received one hundred and fifty acres from his father, probably a wedding gift.

John Shelby, son of Evan Dhu Shelby and Catherine Davies Shelby, served with Br Gen Shelby at the battle of King's Mountain.^[4]

John Shelby served as captain in Col Evan Shelby's Virginia Regiment and was promoted to 2nd Major. He was buried in Hagerstown Maryland; but died in Washington County, Virginia.^[5]

The first Shelbys in America reportedly came from Glammorganshire in Wales. The Shelby family are identified with the early history of Tennessee and Kentucky. They share with the Seviers and the Isbells the honor of having the greatest number of sons represented in the battle of King's Mountain. There were seven Seviers, six Isbells, and six Shelbys. In that pivotal and yet famous battle the youngest soldiers from from the Sevier, Isbell and Shelby families. James Sevier who was 16; William Isbell who was the youngest at 15; and David Shelby who was 17 years old.^[6]

Notes

Sources

1. ↑ Summers, Annals of Southwestern Virginia, pages 957,1000,1001,1047
2. ↑ Daughters of the American Revolution, DAR Genealogical Research Databases, database online, (http://www.dar.org/ : accessed 18 Jan 2021), "Record of John Shelby, Sr.", Ancestor # A102462.
3. ↑ Notable Southern Families, Volume 2, page 313
4. ↑ Notable Southern Families, Volume II, page 313
5. ↑ Historical Collections of Virginia;... Its History and Antiquities..., written by Henry Howe, page 501
6. ↑ Notable Southern Families, Volume II, page 305-306