John Matthew Shippen Jr (1879 - 1968)

Born 2 Dec 1879 in Washington, District of Columbia, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Effie (Walker) Shippen — married 8 Jan 1899 in Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States

Husband of Maud (Lee) Shippen — married 27 May 1901 in Shinnecock Indian Reservation, Suffolk, New York, United States

Descendants

Died 20 May 1968 at age 88 in Newark, Essex, New Jersey, United States

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Biography

John Shippen Jr is Notable.

John Shippen became the first American-born person to compete in professional golf when he played in the second U.S. Open in 1896. Although his competitive career was severely limited by discrimination during the time, he had a long career as a teaching professional at several clubs.^[1]

John Shippen Jr. was born in 1879 in Washington, D.C.^[2][3] He was one of a number of children of John Shippen Sr. and his wife Eliza Spottswood.^[4][5]

John's father was a minister who was assigned after John's birth to the Shinnecock Indian reservation in Suffolk County, New York. John Jr. began caddying at the nearby Shinnecock Hills Golf Club. At the age of 16, he earned an assistant professional post there when he began giving lessons to some of the club members and became an accomplished player in his own right.^[6]

With the second ever U.S. Open to be held at Shinnecock in 1896, Shippen entered the championship with the encouragement and funding of some friends. Several English and Scottish professionals threatened to boycott, but the U.S. Golf Association president stated the tournament would proceed regardless, and the professionals did play. John tied for sixth in the championship, winning ten dollars.^[7] He went on to compete in five more U.S. Opens, the last in 1913.

John's first wife was Effie Walker, whom he married in Manhattan, New York in January 1899.^[8] She died only seven months later in July from consumption.^[9]

John married a second time to Maud Lee in 1901 in Shinnecock, New York.^[10] In 1910^[11] and 1920 they were living in Suffolk County, New York, and by 1920 they had six children in the household.^[12] In 1930 they were living back in Washington, D.C. with three of their children. John was listed as a messenger for a government office.^[13] One of his daughters would say later that they moved to Washington, D.C. because her mother was well-educated and did not like the level of education they were getting at their small school in New York.^[14]

By 1940 John was living at Shady Plains Golf Club in New Jersey, where John would be the golf professional until his retirement in 1960.

He died in 1968 in a nursing home in Newark, New Jersey^[15][16] and was buried in Rosedale Cemetery in Linden, New Jersey.^[17]

Research Notes

Many articles state he was a descendant of the Shinnecock tribe, namely that his mother was Shinnecock Indian. His daughter Clara disputed that and stated that both of her father's parents were Black. She stated "My father was a Negro. Every time I meet somebody, I have to correct that story.”^[18]

Sources

1. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "John Shippen," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_Shippen&oldid=1104599559 (accessed August 23, 2022).
2. ↑ 1917 WWI Draft: "U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918"
   Registration State: New York; Registration County: Suffolk County
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 6482 #13002591 (accessed 22 March 2022)
   Name: John Mathew Shippen [John Matthew Shippen]; Race: Black; Birth Date: 2 Dec 1879; Residence Date: 1917-1918; Street Address: Shimecock; Residence Place: Suffolk County, New York, USA; Draft Board: 3; Physical Build: Slender; Height: Medium; Hair Color: Black; Eye Color: Blue; Relative: Mande Elliott Shippen.
3. ↑ 1942 WWII Draft: "U.S., World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942"
   The National Archives At St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; World War Ii Draft Cards (Fourth Registration) For the State of New Jersey; Record Group Title: Records of the Selective Service System; Record Group Number: 147; Series Number: M1986
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 1002 #7368961 (accessed 22 March 2022)
   Name: John Matthew Shippen; Gender: Male; Race: Black; Birth Date: 2 Dec 1879; Birth Place: Anacostia, District of Columbia, USA; Residence Place: Union, New Jersey, USA; Military Draft Date: 1942; Next of Kin: William J. Willis Jr. Residence: Shady Rest Golf Club, Scotch Plains, Union, New Jersey
4. ↑ 1879 Birth: "Washington, D.C., U.S., Select Births and Christenings, 1830-1955"
   Ancestry Record 60259 #243506 (accessed 22 March 2022)
   Shippen born on 3 Dec 1879, son of John M. & Eliza F. Spottswood, in Washington, District of Columbia.
5. ↑ 1880 Census: "1880 United States Federal Census"
   Year: 1880; Census Place: Washington, Washington, District of Columbia, District of Columbia; Roll: 121; Page: 159C; Enumeration District: 007
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 6742 #26860668 (accessed 22 March 2022)
   John Shippen (6/12), single son, in household of John Shippen (31) in Washington, Washington, District of Columbia, District of Columbia, USA. Born in Washington, D.C.. With parents John and Eliza, 3 siblings, grandmother Susan Spotwood
6. ↑ https://www.njsga.org/hall-of-fame/john-shippen-1879-1968
7. ↑ "Timeline of African-American achievements in golf" by Bob Denney, PGA Historian, published 6 Dec 2021
8. ↑ 1899 Marriage: "New York, New York, U.S., Extracted Marriage Index, 1866-1937"
   Ancestry Record 9105 #982382 (accessed 25 March 2022)
   Effie Walker marriage to John Shippen on 8 Jan 1899 in Manhattan, New York, USA.
9. ↑ Death of wife: The Washington Bee, Washington, District of Columbia, 29 Jul 1899, Sat, p. 5. Free View of Article
10. ↑ 1901 Marriage: "New York State, Marriage Index, 1881-1967"
    New York State Department of Health; Albany, NY, USA; New York State Marriage Index
    Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 61632 #5789486 (accessed 22 March 2022)
    John M Shippen Jr marriage to Maud E. Lee on 27 May 1901 in Shinnecock, New York, USA
11. ↑ 1910 Census: "1910 United States Federal Census"
    Year: 1910; Census Place: Southampton, Suffolk, New York; Roll: T624_1082; Page: 2B; Enumeration District: 1391; FHL microfilm: 1375095
    Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 7884 #20032630 (accessed 22 March 2022)
    John Shippen (29), married, Laborer, head of household in Southampton, Suffolk, New York, USA. Born in District of Columbia. With wife Maude, 5 children. Married 10 yrs.
12. ↑ 1920 Census: "1920 United States Federal Census"
    Year: 1920; Census Place: Southampton, Suffolk, New York; Roll: T625_1269; Page: 12A; Enumeration District: 139
    Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 6061 #76075921 (accessed 22 March 2022)
    John M Shippen (40), married, Laborer, head of household in Southampton, Suffolk, New York. Born in District of Columbia. With wife Maud, 6 children.
13. ↑ 1930 Census: "1930 United States Federal Census"
    Year: 1930; Census Place: Washington, District of Columbia; Page: 5A; Enumeration District: 0225; FHL microfilm: 2340033
    Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 6224 #6972571 (accessed 22 March 2022)
    John Shippen (50), married, Messenger, head of household in T Street N.W., Washington, District of Columbia, USA. Born in District of Columbia. With wife Maude, 3 children.
14. ↑ "The Negro in World History|John Shippen", Tampa Bay Times, (St Petersburg, Florida), 13 Apr 1969, Sun, p. 186 Free Online View - Part 1Free Online View - Part 2
15. ↑ Death: "New Jersey, U.S., Death Index, 1901-2017"
    Year Range: 1968; Surname Range: P-Z; Title: New Jersey, Death Indexes, 1904-2000
    Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 61260 #3031562 (accessed 22 March 2022)
    John Shippen death 20 May 1968 in Newark, Essex, New Jersey, USA.
16. ↑ Obituary: The Courier-News, (Bridgewater, New Jersey) 21 May 1968, Tue, p. 25 Free View of Article John Shippen, d. yesterday (20 May 1968) at nursing home in Newark. Golf pro at Shady Rest Country Club before retiring about 10 yrs ago. Survivors: 4 daughters, 1 son, 3 sisters, (all named in article). Interment Rosedale Cemetery.
17. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/6840/john-shippen: accessed 23 August 2022), memorial page for John Shippen (2 Dec 1879–20 May 1968), Find A Grave: Memorial #6840, citing Rosedale and Rosehill Cemetery, Linden, Union County, New Jersey, USA; Maintained by Find a Grave.
18. ↑ https://www.pgatour.com/news/2021/06/26/remembering-john-shippen-the-namesake-for-the-john-shippen-invitational-was-one-of-golfs-groundbreakers.webview.html?platform=ios&tour_pagetype=hybrid

See also:

• Wikidata: Item Q6257709, en:Wikipedia
• Wikipedia: John Shippen