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Descendants of William De Shackelford
7.JAMES5 SHACKELFORD (ROGER4, JOHN3, LANCELOT2, WILLIAM1DE SHACKELFORD) was born Abt. 1662 in Gloucester Co., Virginia, and died Bef. 1734 in Gloucester Co., Virginia.He married ELIZABETH ROBBINS July 14, 1687 in Christ Church, Middlesex Co., Virginia, daughter of CHRISTOPHER ROBBINS.
Notes for JAMES SHACKELFORD:
James and Elizabeth lived in Abington and Ware Parishes, VA.James sold
his wife's property, in Elizabeth City, without her knowledge in the same
county Elizabeth Co., VA (Ref:William W. Hening, Statues at Large, from
the first session of the legislature, year 1619, Vol IV, Chapter XXIX, pp
461-465).
James, son of Roger, born about 1660, married Elizabeth Robins, at Christ
Church, Middlesex County, July 14, 1687. She was a grand-daughter of John
Robins, of Robin's Neck, Gloucester. She had a sister, Ann, who married
Robert Freeman.
Through this marriage James came into possession of considerable land in
Gloucester and Elizabeth City Counties, the final disposition of which
will appear in a later chapter. James and Elizabeth resided in Abingdon
and Ware Parishes in Gloucester, where James died in 1734, leaving a son
James and many other children. Elizabeth lived to be very old, about 98,
when she "was buried Aug. 2, 1748". James was evidently not a very
thrifty man, as will appear later on in this story.
There is hardly a doubt that the immigrant Roger left other children than
those I have mentioned (James, Francis, John and Zachariah), but I am not
able to find their names. All of "Tidewater" Virginia is full of
Shackelfords, even to this day, and they must be descendants of the
immigrant, Roger.
There is a question as to the date James died - it was evidently prior to
1734, because in that year she is called a widow. James Shackelford and
Elizabeth Robins, his wife, left a large number of children, including
James, born June 10, 1690, Mary, John, Charles, Roger, Robert, Richard,
Jane and Diana.
But it so happened that James Shackelford, and Robert Freeman, who
married Ann Robins, Elizabeth's sister, had sold most of the land that
belonged, by inheritance, to their respective wives, with the result that
they were left in desperate circumstances.
In an effort to rescue themselves and their numerous children, Elizabeth
Shackelford and her eldest son, James, and Ann Freeman and her eldest
son, Robert, made the following petition to the House of Burgesses for
their relief.
Henings Statutes at Large, Volume IV, Chapter XXIX, pp. 461-464. "August
1734 - 8th George II"
"An Act for docking the entail of certain Lands in the Counties of
Gloucester and Elizabeth City and vesting the same in Henry Willis in fee
simple, and for settling other Lands and Tenements, and several slaves to
the same uses."
I.Whereas John Robins, late of Robin's Neck in the County of
Gloucester, deceased, was in his life time, seized in fee simple of two
thousand acres of land, with the appurtenances, lying and being in
Robin's Neck aforesaid, between the rivers Ware and Severn, in the
parishes of Ware and Abingdon in the County aforesaid; and of five
hundred acres of Land with the appurtenances, lying and being in the
parish of Elizabeth City in the County of Elizabeth City and so being
thereof seized, did make his last will and testament in writing bearing
date the two and twentieth day of November in the year of our Lord one
thousand six hundred and fifty five, and thereby, among other things, did
devise unto his second son William Robins, the plantation lying in
Elizabeth City County in the possession of lieutenant Lee, George Martin,
and Mr. Linnor; and all that part of his dividend, in the County of
Gloucester, lying on the Westward side of Gowlett's Creek, part whereof
was in the possession of John Walker and Robert Gowlett, to him, and the
heirs of his body lawfully begotten, forever - and devised to his third
son Thomas Robins, and to the heirs of his body lawfully begotten,
forever, the plantation lying in Elizabeth City, in the occupation of
James Andrews and John Hanson; and six hundred acres, part of his
dividend, in Gloucester County - and he devised his plantation, in
Elizabeth City, in the possession of Robert Gray, John Lee, and Simon
Sleeder; and his plantation in Gloucester County, where he then lived
with all the remainder of that dividend of land, not before given, to his
eldest son Christopher Robins, and the heirs of his body lawfully
begotten forever; and declared his will to be, that if either of his sons
died without heirs of their bodies, the two surviving sons should enjoy
all the said lands, equally to them and their heirs, forever. And if two
of his sons should die, without heirs of their bodies, then the survivor
should enjoy all the said lands to him and the heirs of his body lawfully
begotten, forever. And if it should happen, that all his three sons
should die without issue, then he devised all the said lands to his two
daughters, their heirs and assigns, forever, as by the said last will,
relation unto being had, as more fully and at large may appear.
II.And whereas the said William Robins, the second son, some time
afterwards departed this life, without issue, whereby the land devised to
him, vested in the said Christopher Robins, and Thomas Robins, according
to the said will, and the said Christopher Robins thereby became seized
in fee tail of one moiety of the said several dividends of land, in the
counties of Gloucester and Elizabeth City, and so being thereof seized,
departed this life, leaving issue two daughters, Anne and Elizabeth, who
entered and were seized as the law requires, and so being thereof seized,
the said Anne intermarried with one Robert Freeman, and the said
Elizabeth intermarried with one James Shackelford which said Robert and
James, afterwards did sell and alien, to divers persons, all the lands so
as aforesaid descended to their respective wives, except sixty acres, and
sometime afterwards departed this life; the said Robert leaving issue by
the said Anne, Robert Freeman their eldest son; and the said James
leaving issue by the said Elizabeth, James Shackelford, their eldest son,
besides many other children, who were all left in very poor
circumstances; and since their decease, the said Anne Freeman, and
Elizabeth Shackelford, have been obliged to bring several ejectments, for
recovering their right to the said lands, sold as aforesaid, by their
husbands, and in the prosecution thereof, have been put to great expenses
for law charges; and in order to defray the same, have been forced to
sell their estate in the said lands, and have executed conveyances
accordingly to Henry Willis of the County of Spotsylvania, gentleman, and
for the better assuring of his title the said Robert Freeman and James
Shackelford, the eldest sons and heirs apparent of the said Anne and
Elizabeth, joined in said conveyances so that the said Anne and
Elizabeth, Robert and James, can never in their life times, receive any
benefit or advantage from the said lands; and the said Anne and
Elizabeth, have now a very numerous issue, consisting of upwards of three
score children and grandchildren, who are all in miserable circumstances,
unable to support themselves but by the hard labor of those who are able
to work.
III.And whereas the said Henry Willis is and stands seized in fee
simple, of and in, one water grist-mill, two plantations, and two
thousand acres of good land, with the appurtenances, lying and being in
the little fork of Rappahannock river, in the County of Spotsylvania,
aforesaid, which he is willing to settle, with eight slaves, to the uses
of the said entailed lands, so as that the fee simple estate of the said
entailed lands may be confirmed to him, whereby the said Anne and
Elizabeth and their poor families, may hereafter be comfortably
subsisted; all which appears very just and reasonable.
IV.And for as much as notice has been given in the several parish
churches wherein the said entailed lands lie, of the application to this
general assembly, to dock the said entail, pursuant to your majesty's
instructions, may it please your most excellent majesty, at the humble
suit of the said Anne Freeman, and Robert Freeman, her son and heir
apparent, Elizabeth Shackelford and James Shackelford, her son and heir
apparent, and the said Henry Willis, that it may be enacted, by the
Lieutenant-Governor, Council and Burgesses, of this present General
Assembly, and by the authority of the same, That all that part of the
lands, so as aforesaid devised by the last will and testament of the said
John Robins, to the said Christopher Robins, and the moiety of the said
lands devised to the said William Robins, which upon his death without
issue, remained to the said Christopher, and whereof the said Christopher
died seized as aforesaid, with all and singular the appurtenances
thereunto belonging, be and are hereby vested in the said Henry Willis,
his heirs and assigns, to the only use and behoof of the said Henry
Willis, his heirs and assigns, forever: and he the said Henry Willis, his
heirs and assigns, shall hold the same, freed and discharged from all the
limitations in the last will and testament of the said John Robins
contained: And that the water grist mill, two plantations, and two
thousand acres of land, with the appurtenances, lying and being in St.
George's parish in the little fork of Rappahannock river, in the County
of Spotsylvania, aforesaid, being part of three thousand acres of land
granted to the said Henry Willis, by patent, bearing date under the seal
of the colony of Virginia, the first day of February, in the year of our
Lord one thousand seven hundred and twenty-six be and are hereby vested
in the said Anne Freeman and Elizabeth Shackelford, and the heirs of the
body of the said Christopher Robins forever: And that all and every
person or persons whatsoever, who by the last will and testament of the
said John Robins, might have claimed the said first mentioned entailed
lands now vested in the said Henry Willis, by virtue of the limitations
of the said John Robins last will and testament shall forever hereafter,
hold and enjoy all and singular the said last mentioned lands and
premises, with the appurtenances, successively, one after another, as
they might have claimed and held the same entailed lands, if this act had
never been made.
V.And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the said
Henry Willis shall, after the passing of this act, place upon the said
last mentioned lands, in the County of Spotsylvania, eight slaves, (to
wit) Four men and four women, not exceeding the age of twenty years; and
shall deliver in the names of such slaves, so to be placed, into the
court of the county where the said lands lie, there to be recorded; and
forever afterwards the said slaves shall be annexed to the said last
mentioned lands and premises; and shall pass in descent, remainder, and
reversion, so long as they or any of their increase shall be living with
the said last mentioned lands; and forever after, shall from time to time
vest in the person and persons claiming and holding the said last
mentioned lands under the limitations of the will and testament of the
said John Robins respectively.
VI.Saving to the King's most excellent majesty, his heirs and
successors, and to all and every other person or persons, bodies politic
and corporate, their respective heirs and successors all such right,
title estate, interest claim, and demand other than the persons, claiming
under the last will and testament of the said John Robins as they, every,
or any of them, should, or might claim, if this act had never been made.
VII.Provided always, that the execution of this act shall be suspended
until his Majesty's approbation thereof shall be obtained."
Their petition was approved, and the petitioners moved in a body, with
their children and grandchildren to St. George's Parish, Spotsylvania
County, in 1736.In the petition Elizabeth and Anne are spoken of as
"widows" in 1734.
After arrival in Spotsylvania, the family fortunes must have improved
vastly, as the county records show many land transactions, purchase and
sale, with records of slaves, et cetera.
Notes for ELIZABETH ROBBINS:
"James widow Elizabeth (Robbins) Shackelford and her son James Jr and
other children moved from Gloucester Co to Spotsylvannia County
Virginia.Joining in this move was Ann (Robbins) Freeman and her
family.Both sisters were widows in 1734. They settled on lands in
Spotsylvannia that had been awarded them by Henry Willis in 1734.Henry
Willis may have been a maternal grandfather to both Ann and Elizabeth.
The number that went from Gloucester Co to Spotsylvania County was quoted
as three-score (60 souls). It is reasonable to assume all births,
marriages, deaths recorded in Abington Parish, Gloucester Co Virginia
after 1734 are children or grandchildren of other sons of emigrant Roger,
and not of James Shackelford.
It is not known for sure if James and Elizabeth's son John Shackelford
made the 1734 migration to Spotsylvania County. John would have been
about 34 years old and already married with a family of his own in
Gloucester County or next door in King and Queen County Virginia, where
Grandfather Roger had also resided."
Ref:Shackelford Brothers Married Baldock Sisters.
More About ELIZABETH ROBBINS:
Fact 1: August 02, 1748, Burial date.
Marriage Notes for JAMES SHACKELFORD and ELIZABETH ROBBINS:
Married in Christ Church, Middlesex Co., VA according to information from
Don Jeter.
Married in Abbington Parish, Gloucester Co., Virginia, according to
Shackleford Clan Magazine, Vol. 1, No. 1.
Children of JAMES SHACKELFORD and ELIZABETH ROBBINS are:
i. | MARY6 SHACKELFORD, m. HENRY FLETCHER, April 07, 1735. | ||
10. | ii. | CHARLES SHACKELFORD. | |
iii. | ROBERT SHACKELFORD. | ||
iv. | JANE SHACKELFORD, m. JOSEPH BOSWELL, October 23, 1731. | ||
11. | v. | DIANA SHACKELFORD. | |
vi. | JAMES SHACKELFORD, b. February 01, 1687/88; d. Died Young. |
More About JAMES SHACKELFORD: Fact 1: Died in infancy |
12. | vii. | JAMES SHACKELFORD, b. June 10, 1690, Gloucester, Virginia; d. Virginia. | |
13. | viii. | ROGER SHACKELFORD, b. Abt. 1700, Gloucester Co., Virginia; d. December 24, 1779, King and Queen, Virginia. | |
14. | ix. | JOHN SHACKELFORD, b. 1705, Gloucester Co., Virginia; d. February 19, 1789, King and Queen, Virginia. | |
15. | x. | RICHARD SHACKELFORD, b. Bet. 1705 - 1710. |