John Shirley (1738 - bef. 1816)

Born 27 Aug 1738 in Fauquier, Virginia [uncertain]

Ancestors

Husband of Rebecca (Langston) Shirley — married 1770 in South Carolina

Descendants

Died before 11 Mar 1816 before age 77 in Laurens, Laurens, South Carolina, United States

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Biography

John Shirley was born on August 27, 1738 in Prince William, VA. Descendants of Richard Shirley of Virginia, Gen #4.[[1]] Note: I've seen where he was born in Prince William County, Fauquier County and Culpeper County

Married c. 1770 in Old District 96 (Laurens Co) SC to Rebecca (Unknown) Shirley b. c. 1748 in South Carolina.

Note: On Geni.com they show that he married Rebecca Shirley and Rebecca Starnes Shirley. (probably the same person). Not sure at this time if Rebecca's maiden name was Starnes or not. They also have the following children listed:
Aaron Shirley
Robert Shirley
Jesse Beverly Shirley
Robert Clemens Shirley
Moses Shirley
Rebecca Shirley
Hulda Shirley
Lydia Shirley; and
Mary Polly Shirley[[2]]

Timeline

Sometime before 8/1767, John migrated in conjunction with his family to what would become Laurens County, South Carolina.

In 1811 John Shirley is cited as witness to a land sale between his brother, who had moved on to Fairfield Co SC, and his oldest son Robert. John died 1816 in Laurens Co SC and son Robert acted as administrator of his estate. Rebecca lived until 1825. The probate letter from her estate provides the names of their children.

Born 8/27/1738 Prince William Co VA

Migrated before 8/1767 to Berkeley Co SC

8/28/1767 Berkeley Co SC land grant

John Shirley: On 11 Aug. 1767 a Royal land grant of 500 a. surveyed in Berkley Co. on a branch of Saluda River called Raburn Cr. bounded on all sides by vacant Land. Recorded 15 Feb. 1769 sig. John Caldwell.

1769 Ninety-Six District formed from portions of Colleton and Granville Counties

1779 Old 96 Dist. SC Census: SHIRLEY, John

1785 Laurens County formed from Old 96 District (Berkley Co) SC

1785 Laurens County split from Ninety-Six District

1/31/1788 Laurens Co SC Land Transaction

31 Jan. 1788. Sold to William Mitchell 200 a. in Laurens Co. which was granted to John Shirley, 28 Aug. 1767, on Raburn Cr., wit. Aaron Starnes, William Goodman, sig. John Shirley, Rebecca Shirley.

Census

1790 Census. Laurens Co SC Census. (John Shurles)

1800 Census. Laurens County, South Carolina. (John Shirley)

1810 Census. Laurens County, South Carolina. (John Shurley, Sr.)

1820 Census. Laurens County, South Carolina (Shirley)

Records

On Descendants of Richard Shirley of Virginia, Generation #4, they have Richard Shirley married to Mary Graham in Stafford County, Virginia. Together they had three children: Robert Shirley, John Shirley and Thomas Shirley.[[3]]

Notes

John was born in 1738. He passed away in 1816.

• Fact: Burial (1816)
• Fact: http://familysearch.org/v1/LifeSketch John Shirley

of Laurens County South Carolina (continued from Branch #1) 1.iv John Shirley Sr was born Aug 27, 1738 Culpeper Co. VA [?source of this precise date and place]. He first appears in Laurens Co SC records on 3 Feb 1767 making a petition for a land grant of 200 acres on Rabun Creek of Reedy River (later Laurens Co). He received a state grant for 350 acres of land on the Saluda River on 2 Apr 1773. "Religous harassment, lawlessness and a massive Indian raid in 1773 caused settlers to flee the area. By late summer of 1775 Rev Aaron Pinson and various other members of the SC churches of Laurens Co had settled over the mountains into what is now eastern Tennessee. They refused to move back east of the mountains, built forts acquired ammunition, formed their own government and took their stand against the British and Indians on 20 and 21 July 1776. In 1777 John Shurley and his brother Robert Shurley and ?relatives Edward, Thomas, and William Shurley were enumerated on the militia rolls at Fort Womack in Washington District (now Sullivan Co), Eastern Tennessee. This land was disputed between Fincastle Co VA and NC and is often referred to as both in documents of the time. John Shurley appears the next year in Wood District with Edward Shurley in a 1778 Washington District tax list; About that time, Shirley secured a very large grant of 640 acres on Cherokee Creek that was later the subject of considerable dispute; Shirley's land was adjacent land of Joseph Pinson and where "widow Sherly lives", no doubt his widowed mother Mary Shurley; By 1782, John Shurley had moved to Wilkes Co NC by 1782, likely following the Rev. Aaron Pinson family who moved from Cherokee Creek church to take up a new church there. It was at that time that Shurley's land on Cherokee Creek came into dispute; The land was ultimately granted to Shirley in 1790, but that was long after the Shurleys left East Tennessee, moved to Wilkes Co NC and then returned to Laurens Co SC; Rev Pinson was preaching at Rabun Creek church in Laurens Co SC by 1784 and it is likely that John Shurley's family was in SC by that date as well; In 1788, John Shirley and wife Rebecca sold the 200 acres of land on Rabun Creek in Laurens Co SC originally granted to him in 1767. John Shirley of "Lawrence District SC" sold his land in East Tennessee in several transactions by his attorney John McKinney between 1808 to 1811. He signed the administrative bond for the estate of George Wright on 6 February 1804 in Laurens Co SC. He is identified in estate documents as John Shirley Senr. He purchased a gun and a bay mare for .87 1/2 from the Wright estate sale. John Shirley died sometime prior to the date his estate was probated 11 March 1816 in Laurens Co SC. 11 Mar 1816 Estate of John Shirley, dec'd. Robert Shirley applied for admin. Citation read by Jacob Niswanger March 1816. Appraisement 2.12 by Jacob Niswanger, James McPherson, ___ Moore. Admin bond: Robert Shirley, John Shirly, Wm McPherson. married Rebecca______. She died before June 1825 in Laurens Co SC Writ of Summons in the Case of Shubel Starnes vs. John Shirley et al. May 2nd, 1825... Laurens Co. South Carolina; To John, Aaron, Beverly, Lydia, Jane, Easter, Polly, Sarah, Hulda and Edy -- legal heirs and legal representatives of Rebecca Shirley, who died intestate. Greetings: You are hereby required to appear at the Court of Ordinary to be holden at Laurens Court House for the said District on the 6th day of June 1825 to show cause, if any of you can, why the real estate of Rebecca Shirley deceased containing ninety-six acres more or less, situate in the District and State aforesaid, being part of four hundred granted to Richard Shirley bounded by land of Jacob Newanger, Beverly Shirley and Shubel Starnes, should not be divided or sold attaining the same in equal porportion to the said John Shirley, Aaron Shirley, Beverly Shirley, Lydia Shirley, Jane Shirley, Elizabeth Shirley, Easter Shirley, Polly married to Graham Elmore, Sarah married to William McPerson, Rebecca married to Elijah Elmore, Hulda married to George Elmore and Edy Wright, widow. Given under my hand and seal the 2nd day of May 1825. David Anderson, Ordinary, Laurens District. Distribution of estate to: 1826 Mar 23 - Laurens Co Real Esate Receipt Book 1826 - 1836, page 2; Joint Receipt from all the legatees [list of legatees] John Shearly dec'd real estate; Shubel Starnes, petitioner v. Aaron Shearly, Moses Shearly, Eady Wright, Easter Shearly, John Shearly, Gray Elmore, George Elmore, Beverly Shearly, Elizabeth Shearly, Lydia Shearly, Jean Shearly, William McPhearson, Elijah Elmore children according to land and court documents 1790 Laurens SC census (age 52): 3 sons born before 1776, 1 son born between 1776-1790, and 11 daughters 1800 Laurens SC census (age 62): 1 son born 1774-1784, 2 new sons born 1790-1800; 11 daughters (3 new in household); sons John Jr and Moses Shirley living out of the household. http://www.shirleyassociation.com/NewShirleySite/NonMembers/UnitedStates/Lineages/Richardbranch1_John.html

Sources

• 1810 United States Federal Census; Census Place: Laurens, South Carolina; Roll: 61; Page: 191; Image: 00032; Family History Library Film: 0181420. amb 14:28, 7 December 2018 (UTC)
• "Family Tree," database, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org : modified 12 July 2020, 01:47), entry for John Shirley(PID https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/4:1:LD28-CNS); contributed by various users.

Acknowledgements

This profile created by Rachel Wolcott in Jul 2020.