The Skaggs-Files

Nathan Pascal Shipley, Sr. was born the 27th of May, 1827(1) near Knoxville, Knox County, Tennessee, USA(2) the first child of Benjamin Franklin Shipley, Sr. and Sarah Sally Burkett.(3) Nathan is listed as a laborer living with the Lester family on the 1850 Arkansas census.(4) He married Elizabeth "Betsey"(5) Mildred Lester(6) the 28th of October, 1851 in Crawford County, Arkansas, USA. Elizabeth was born the 31st of July, 1831(7) in Cedarville, Crawford County, Arkansas, USA the first child of William Thomas Lester and Margaret Elizabeth Talkington. She was the sister of Mary Sharp Lester, the wife of Benjamin Shipley, Jr., Nathan's brother. Elizabeth could read and write. They had six children all born in Crawford County, Arkansas, USA who also all became literate. Eliza Jane was born in 1852; William Lester was born in 1854, Thomas Wilson was born in 1855, James Wright was born in 1858, Nathan Pascal, Jr. was born in 1860, and Jefferson S. was born in 1862. In 1858 Nathan received a land warrant for section 2-11-31 in Crawford County, Arkansas, USA.(8)

In 1860 Nathan's mother, Sarah, was living with Nathan and Elizabeth or in a dwelling next door to them (probably on Nathan's property).(9) His two younger brothers were living with Sarah: James age 12 and Elijah age 10. Sarah "Sally" Shipley had been abandoned by her husband and left quite destitute. She had no land of her own.

Nathan died the 22nd of February, 1863 in Crawford County Arkansas at the age of 35. There are several conflicting versions about Nathan's early death(10) but the one that seems most likely is that Nathan was hanged with his brother, Richard, by bushwhackers (more criminals than soldiers) during the Civil War.(11) Relatives, who live out in the area, say they can show the spot where the two were hanged. Richard Shipley deserted the Confederates and was hanged by the rebels according to military records and Susan Arabella's testimony from the James Shipley pension record.(12) She was Nathan's sister and the wife of 1) Young E. Reynolds and later, 2) William Thomas Crabtree.

Sarah Caroline "Sally" Shipley Bowers related this story to R. Cecil Shipley the 9th of June, 1998.(13) She said in 1959, six years before his death, her father, Benjamin Harrison Shipley, Sr. told her of a conversation he had with his father, William Lester Shipley, when William was lucid and mentally capable. She said her father was still disturbed by the story and found it difficult to discuss. William was nine when his father, Nathan Pascal Shipley died.

"William Lester, father of Elizabeth Lester who married Nathan Pascal Shipley, owned the land around where Oliver Cemetery is located today. Nathan Shipley helped William Lester clear the land. Eventually, he married Elizabeth Lester and they bought 120 acres in Chester, Arkansas, at $1.25 per acre. Nathan and Elizabeth homesteaded another 80 acres so that they had 200 acres.

Chester, Arkansas is situated in a mountainous region containing numerous caves. During the Civil War bushwhackers lived in the caves and stored stolen goods in them. The bushwhackers raped and pillaged at will in the area surrounding Chester. Eventually, the Federal troops moved into the area and began raiding the caves and capturing the goods and ammunition stored in them. The bushwhackers believed Young Reynolds was a spy and had told the Federals which caves to raid and search. Young Reynolds was married to Nathan's sister, Susan Arabella Shipley.

A group of bushwhackers rode into the yard of Elizabeth and Nathan Pascal Shipley at first light on the morning of February 22, 1863. The bushwhackers roused all of the family from sleep and herded them outside into the front yard. The family included Nathan Shipley, Elizabeth Shipley, their six children ages 1 through 10, and Richard Shipley, the brother of Nathan. The bushwhackers hanged Nathan and Richard in the front yard in front of the rest of the family. (Young E. Runnels/Reynolds was also murdered in 1863.)

Later, the Shipley house burned and Elizabeth lived with Eliza Jane Shipley, older sister of William Lester Shipley, who married David Walker Lewis. Later, Eliza supposedly bought the Shipley property."

Sally Shipley Bowers said she doubts that Nathan Shipley voluntarily was involved in activities for either side during the war. He wanted to live in the mountains and not be involved in the war. She also doubts the story about Nathan going to Little Rock and organizing a company of men to fight with the Federals. She didn't know how Young Reynolds died.

Elisabeth Minerva Shipley said,

"My great grandfather was about 5 when Nathan was murdered. Elizabeth lived on the farm with Jefferson, her youngest child. The other children were dispersed among family members. Jefferson was supposed to care for his mother, but he was lazy. Elizabeth died of a broken back when she tried to lift a sack of potatoes in her old age."

After the Civil War, Nathan's mother and brother, Sarah and James, lived on Elizabeth's property for two or three years until they moved to government land nearby.(14) It appears that James was in poor health and often unable to work. They were very poor. When James became ill in 1869, Elizabeth cared for him in her home for about three weeks until he died. Sarah said that a grandchild was living with her when James died.(15) Could this have been one of Elizabeth's fatherless children? In 1880 Elizabeth had three sons living with her: Thomas, James, and Jefferson.(16) They were working on the farm. Eliza Jane and her family lived next door.(17) William Lester Shipley was living with the Albert Rainwater family in Lees Creek where he worked on their farm. Elizabeth died the 1st of October, 1882(18) in Crawford County, Arkansas, USA. Nathan and she are both buried in Oliver Cemetery near Cedarville, Crawford County, Arkansas, USA.

Footnotes: (Written by Susan Kimes Burgess)

(1) 1) Letter written by Thomas Wilson Shipley in 1936 listing his parents birth dates in the possession of Lynne Chandler, 2) Headstone has Nathan’s birth date 05-27-1827 and died 02-22-1863.

(2) From Lynne Chandler: Eloda (Lavender) Shipley’s family notes state:
" Note Always
Rev. T. W. Shipley states his father Nathan born near Knoxville Tenn and that the family was from Baltymore Md. never failed to stress the blue-blood that was in the family-
Also made mention often of the three brothers who came to America from England.
All Shipleys up to his generation tall slender build - blond hair light blue eyes. Noted for their good speaking voices. Singing voices - splendid manners. In fact rather snobbish.
However there is much to be proud of in your Shipley blood."

(3) Data on Nathan and Mildred is from a Gedcom from Cecil Shipley unless otherwise noted. His sources were: 1) Grace Thirsaline Shipley Collins and Barbara Collins and 2)Roy Wayne Shipley.

(4) Research of R. Cecil Shipley
1850 United States Federal Census
Name: Nathan Shipley
Age: 22
Estimated birth year: abt 1828
Birth place: Tennessee
Gender: Male
Home in 1850
(City,County,State): Jasper, Crawford, Arkansas
Page: 335
Roll: M432_25
Enumerated 21 December 1850,
Family 48/48,
William Lester,47,m,farmer,1000,KY,
Margaret Lester,38,f,KY,
Elizabeth Lester,18,f,AR, (married Nathan Shipley, son of Benjamin Franklin Shipley)
Sarah Lester,13,f,AR,
Mary Lester,9,f,AR,
Cynthia Lester,7,f,AR,
Lavinia Lester,5,f,AR,
Nancy Lester,3,f,AR,
Serena Lester,10/12,f,AR,
Nathan Shipley,22,m,TN, (son of Benjamin Franklin Shipley, married Elizabeth Lester)

(5) Various family members often refer to her as Betsey in the Sarah Shipley pension depositions.

(6) Her name is sometimes given as Mildred Ann Elizabeth Lester.

(7) 1) Letter written by Thomas Wilson Shipley in 1936 listing his parents birth dates in the possession of Lynne Chandler, 2) Headstone for Elizabeth has her born 07-21-1831 and died 10-01-1882.

(8) Lester, Neal and Allied Families, by Shirley Wimpey Ward, 1987.

(9) Research of R. Cecil Shipley:
1860 United States Federal Census
Birthplace: Tennessee
Home in 1860: Upper, Crawford, Arkansas
Gender: Male
Value of real estate: View image
Post Office: The Narrows
Roll: M653_40
Page: 720
Year: 1860
Head of Household: Nathan Shipley
Enumerated 01 August 1860,
Family 801/773,
Nathan Shipley,28,m,farmer,1000,1611,TN, son of Benjamin Franklin Shipley,
Sr.
Elizabeth Shipley,

As transcribed by Ancestry.com
Home in 1860 Age in 1860 Estimated Birth Year Birthplace Gender
Nathan Shipley Upper, Crawford, AR 28 1831 Tennessee Male
Elizabeth Shipley Upper, Crawford, AR 28 1831 Arkansas Female
Elora I Shipley Upper, Crawford, AR 8 1851 Arkansas Female
William Shipley Upper, Crawford, AR 6 1853 Arkansas Male
Thomas Shipley Upper, Crawford, AR 4 1855 Arkansas Male
James Shipley Upper, Crawford, AR 2 1857 Arkansas Male
Nathan Shipley Upper, Crawford, AR 9.12 Arkansas Male
Shrob Shipley Upper, Crawford, AR 65 1794 K Female
James Shipley Upper, Crawford, AR 12 1847 Arkansas Male
Elijah Shipley Upper, Crawford, AR 10 1849 Arkansas Male

(10) One unsubstantiated version says that he was forced to fight with the Confederates during the battle of Prairie Grove. He subsequently went to Little Rock and organized a company of 100 men ready to enlist with the North. The men were planning to elect a captain. Everyone suspected that Nathan would be elected, but a rival wanted to be captain. The men took turns cooking meals for the company. When it was the turn of the rival to cook, he prepared Nathan a plate of poisoned food. [Lynne Chandler has a note from someone that says, "Elizabeth Lester Shipley couldn’t get a pension because she couldn’t prove Nathan died a Union soldier. He died of a poisoned drink. Old Nathan got up a company of 100 men for the union (after being forced to fight for Confederates at Prairie Grove)."] Another version says it was at a celebration dinner that he was poisoned.

(11) Lynne Chandler has a letter written by William Curtis Shipley where he says, "The Lester’s & Shipley’s were Northern Methodist or Republican Methodist, had no slaves & had union sympathies. Nathan Shipley and his brother Richard Shipley were killed in their front yard during the civil war. Elizabeth Shipley was left with several small children, Nathan P. Shipley, James Wright Shipley, William Lester & T. Wilson Shipley among them."

(12) Sarah Shipley pension papers 379,798; Deposition I, pages 30, 31; by Susan Crabtree.

(13) E-mail from R. Cecil Shipley, Feb. 19, 2000.

(14) Sarah Shipley pension papers 379,798.

(15) Sarah Shipley pension papers 379,798.

(16) 1880 Upper, Crawford County, Arkansas, USA Census.

(17) The Walker Lewis family is listed right next to Elizabeth Shipley household in the 1880 Crawford County census.

(18) Headstone for Elizabeth has her born 07-31-1831 and died 10-01-1882.
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Deed as typed by R. Cecil, Shipley: He says, "I tried to maintain the format of the original. I made each line contain the same words and placed each line in the same location. This deeds confirms the sale of property from Nathan to William. I transcribed the first name of Rawlings as Asahel. The book, A History of Hamilton County, Tennessee, USA, James W. Livingwood, Memphis State University Press, Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee, USA, 38152,198, records it as Asabel."

Deed of Conveyance This indenture made this 16th day of April
Nathan Shipley one thousand eight hundred and thirty
To four between Nathan Shipley of the County
William P. Shipley of Hamilton and State of Tennessee of the
one part and William P. Shipley of the

County and State aforesaid witnesseth that the said
Nathan Shipley for and in consideration of the sum
of fifteen hundred dollars to him in hand paid the re-
ceipt whereof is hereby acknowledged hath bargained and
sold and by these presents conveyed and confirm unto
the said William P. Shipley his heirs and assigns
forever a certain tract of land situate in the County
of Hamilton bounded as follows beginning on a white
oak on the low side of Opossum Creek supposed to be
McGills upper corner on said creek thence south sev-
enty degrees west one hundred and twenty four poles
to a pine and post oak then north thirty six degrees
west one hundred poles to a large pine then north
twenty six degrees east one hundred and twenty five poles
to a pine thence south sixty four degrees east one
hundred poles to a white oak then north twenty six de-
grees east twenty poles to a white oak on the bank of
opossum creek thence up the creek as it meanders to
Eagleton line then south sixty degrees east one
hundred and seventy poles to a post oak corner to
Eagletons survey then south twenty one degrees west
one hundred and eighty poles to a black oak then
south thirty eight degrees west fifty poles to a post
oak on the bank of said creek then up the creek as it
meanders to the beginning including one hundred acres
more or less which tract of land together with heredit-
ament and appurtances thereto belonging
to the said Nathan Shipley for himself and his
heirs & to the said William P. Shipley his heirs and
assigns will warrant forever defend the lawful claim
of all persons whatever by these
presents as an indefeasible inheritance in fee sim-
ple in testamony whereof the said Nathan Shipley
hath hereunto set his hand and seal the day and year
first above written.

signed sealed and delivered Nathan Shipley seal
in presence of ackd 16th April 1834
Joseph M. Ward
John H. Craig

State of Tennessee Clerks office office 16th day of April
Hamilton County A.D. 1834 Personally appeared before
me Asahel Rawlings clerk of the court
of Pleas and quarter sessions of said county the with-
in named Nathan Shipley the obligor with whom
I am personally acquainted and who acknowledged that
he executed the within deed of conveyance for the
purposes therein contained. Witness my hand at office
the 16th day of April A.D. 1834
Asahel Rawlings Clerk

State of Tennessee
Hamilton County Registers Office the 16th day of April
A.D. 1834 then was this deed of conveyance
and the certificate of the acknowledgement thereof registered
here in this office in Book B pages 134, 135 & 136 given
under my hand at office the day and date last above written

Jeremiah Jones Register
By Asahel Rawlings Dep. R.
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The following information is from A History of Hamilton County, Tennessee, USA by James W. Livingwood, Memphis State University Press, Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee, USA, 38152, ©1981.

1819 - The north bank of the Tennessee River opposite an island called Oo-le-quah by the Cherokees (Dallas Island) was marked off as the reservation of Fox Taylor. It was later transferred to his brother, Richard. Richard later sold it to Asabel Rawlings. (p68)

1821 - 821 people lived in Hamilton County, mostly in the Sale Creek area. (Page 400) The first court was supposedly held at the tavern of Hasten Poe on Poe's Cross Roads, now the town of Daisy. (Page 89-90)

By 1823 - The state legislature changed the location of the court to the home of John Mitchell, about one mile from the place then being used. (Page 90)

"1822 Asabel Rawlings became postmaster at the new office at Hamilton County Courthouse. Eleven years later the name of the village changed to Dallas. . . .The next year the little town of about two hundred inhabitants proudly reported having one lawyer, two doctors, four stores, two taverns, and a blacksmith shop. A century later it became a deserted village under the waters of the Chickamauga Lake." (Page 90)

"Igou bought a lot in Dallas from Nathan Shipley."

1871 Dallas Island was part of James County unitl James County merged with Hamilton County in 1919. (Page 1)

1881 - South of Soddy a cluster of homes was named the town of Daisy. Page 266

1936 - Construction started on the Chickamauga Dam.(Page 399) 900 families and 425 graves were moved. Wolftever, Soddy, Sale, and Oppossum creeks became embayments, with water pushed up to the town of Soddy. The old Indian site of Dallas appears only as a small island. (Page 400)

Retro was a railroad station for the Cincinnati Railroad. The name was later changed to Bakewell. (Page 265)

"The cemetery is called Retro Hughes Cemetery. William Nathan Shipley and Nathan Taylor Shipley, sons of Nathan Shipley, are buried here. Other Shipley may be buried there as most of the tombstones have been destroyed."

"When the Welsh arrived, the village of Soddy consisted of only a few scattered houses" Page 266

"Some researchers believe Hannah Hughes was Welsh."

1969 - The towns of Soddy and Daisy incorporated to form a twin city. (Page 426)
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Research of R. Cecil Shipley:
1830 United States Federal Census
Name: Shipley, Benjamin (son of Richard Shipley, Sr. and Hannah Retta
Hughes)
Township: Not Stated
County: Hamilton
State: Tennessee
Year: 1830
Roll: 180
Page: 81
1000100000000
0011100000000

1 male under age 5, Nathan Pascal Shipley
1 male age 20-29, Benjamin Franklin Shipley
1 female age 10-14, unknown but not a child of this family
1 female age 15-19, unknown but not a child of this family
1 female age 20-29, Sarah Burkett Shipley

1840 United States Federal Census
Name: Benjamine Shipley
Township: Vineyard
County: Washington
State: Arkansas
Roll: 20
Page: 268
2101100000000
2210100000000

2 males under age 5, Benjamin Franklin Shipley, Jr. and William Parker
Shipley
1 male age 5-9, Nathan Pascal Shipley age 13
1 male age 15-19, unknown but not a child of this family
1 male age 20-29, Benjamin Franklin Shipley, Sr. age 35
2 females under age 5, Naomi Shipley and unknown but not a child of this family
2 females age 5-9, Ibbey Jane Shipley and Susan Arabella Shipley
1 female age 10-14, unknown but not a child of this family
1 female age 20-29, Sarah Burkett Shipley age 30-31

Research of Susan Kimes Burgess:
1850 Census: Jasper Township, Crawford County, Arkansas enumerated December 12, 1850
REEL NO: M432-25 PAGE NO: 335A
LN HN FN LAST NAME FIRST NAME AGE SEX RACE OCCUP. VAL. BIRTHPLACE MRD. SCH. R/W DDB
9 48 48 Lester William 47 M Farmer 1,000 Ky
10 48 48 Lester Margaret 38 F Ky X
11 48 48 Lester Elizabeth 18 F Ark
12 48 48 Lester Martha J 16 F Ark
13 48 48 Lester Srah 13 F Ark X
14 48 48 Lester Mary 9 F Ark X
15 48 48 Lester Cynthia 7 F Ark X
16 48 48 Lester Lavonia 5 F Ark X
17 48 48 Lester Nancy 3 F Ark
18 48 48 Lester Serena 10/12 F Ark
19 48 48 Shipley Nathan 22 M Laborer Ten
REMARKS: p669B (son of Benjamin Franklin Shipley, married Elizabeth Lester)

1860 Census: Upper Township, Crawford County, Arkansas enumerated Aug 1, 1860 ; Post Office: The Narrows
Series: M653 Roll: 40 Page: 720
LN HN FN NAME AGE SEX Race OCCUP. VAL. BIRTHPLACE MRD. SCH. R/W DDBIPC
14 801 773 Nathan Shipley 28 M Farmer 1000 1611 Tenn
15 Elisabeth Shipley 28 F Arks
16 Elisa J. Shipley 8 F Arks
17 William Shipley 6 M Arks
18 Thomas Shipley 4 M Arks
19 James Shipley 2 M Arks
20 Nathan Shipley 9/12 M Arks
21 Throb Shipley 65 F Unknown Over 20 can't read or write (This is Sarah Burkett Shipley and her two sons, James and Elijah.)
22 James Shipley 12 M Arks
23 Elijah Shipley 10 M Arks

Find a Grave:
This rock wall goes around and area that has a sink whole in in. There were no stones in the walled in area. The stone sticking up on the oposite side of the wall, is Nathan and Elizabeth Shipley, both on one stone. It could be that they are both inside this walled in area.
Added by: Carlene R.
9/06/2008
Nathan Shipley
Birth: Mar. 22, 1827
Death: Feb. 22, 1863
Dble. Stone. Husband of Elizabeth Shipley. Possibly in the rocked in area. There was sinking inside this area, but no stones.
Burial:
Oliver Cemetery
Chester
Crawford County
Arkansas, USA
Created by: Carlene R.
Record added: Sep 06, 2008
Find A Grave Memorial# 29627712