THE SHELBY FAMILY COLLECTION
1959

East Tennessee State University
Archives of Appalachia
Box 70295
Johnson City, TN 37614-0138

E-mail: archives@etsu.edu
Telephone: (423) 439-4338

INTRODUCTION

ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Provenance: The papers comprising the Shelby Family Collection are in the possession of Cass Knight Shelby, 603 Penn Street, Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania. He sent copies to a Mr. Gordon Aronhime of Bristol, Tennessee-Virginia. Mr. Hal Smith, Sherrod Library, East Tennessee State University obtained copies from Mr. Aronhime to place in the library. The date of the acquisition is unknown. The papers were transferred to the Archives of Appalachia on February 15, 1979

Access: The collection is open for research.

Processing Information: David Goodin completed processing, and the collection was opened to research June 15, 1979.

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

The Shelby Collection contains short histories of six members of the Shelby family: Evan, Jr., two men named Moses, and three named John. Evan, Jr. was baptized in St. Caron's Church, Tregaron, Cardiganshire, Wales on October 23, 1719. He moved with his family to the colonies when he was approximately sixteen years of age. He married his first wife, Letitia, in Washington County, Maryland at about age 25. Evan Jr. fought in the French and Indian War and rose to the rank of captain. After the war he formed a partnership for the establishment of The Evan Shelby and Company. Chief Pontiac's Rebellion in May, 1763 caused the company to lose money and forced the partnership to be dissolved. Evan sold some of his land to pay his debts. In 1768, Evan bought seven acres in Rowan County, North Carolina. Evan moved to southwest Virginia in 1768 or 1769. He and Isaac Baker bought one thousand and forty-six acres together which they divided equally. Evan received the southern tract which is now the site of Bristol, Tennessee-Virginia. In 1774 Evan served in "Dunmore's War", an Indian uprising and served in the Revolution in Southwest Virginia to protect the frontier. After the war, Evan opposed the state of Franklin and resigned from all military and political responsibility. Evan died December 4, 1794, and is buried at Bristol, Tennessee-Virginia.

Moses Shelby was born October 31, 1760 in Washington County, Maryland, the youngest son of Evan, Jr. and Letitia. Moses moved to southwest Virginia with his family. At the age of eighteen or nineteen he joined the Sullivan County regiments and served at King's Mountain, the Battle of Cowpens, and siege and taking of Augusta. In 1782 he served in the troop protecting land commissioners allotting land to Revolutionary soldiers of the state of North Carolina. He received twelve hundred acres in Montgomery County, Tennessee. In 1784 or 1785 Moses married and in 1789 moved to Livingston County, Kentucky. Moses moved once again in 1812 to New Madra County, Missouri and died about September 17, 1828.

Moses Shelby, Jr. was the nephew of Evan Shelby, Jr. He was born November 8, 1761 in South Carolina but moved to North Carolina and grew up there. Moses, Jr. served in Colonel William Polk's regiment during the Revolution. On March 1, 1784, he married and moved to Greene County, Georgia and later moved to Crittenden County, Kentucky. He left Kentucky in 1811 and settled in Claiborne County, Mississippi, where he died September 27, 1823.

John Shelby was a brother of Evan Shelby, Jr. and the third son of Evan and Catherine Shelby. He was born about 1724 in Wales. He came with his parents to the Colonies in 1735. On May 19, 1750 he received one hundred and fifty acres from his father. He also got married about this time. He fought in the French and Indian War and reached the rank of lieutenant. After the war he moved to Pennsylvania. In 1773 he sold his farm in Pennsylvania and moved to the Holston area near the Evan Jr. farm. He stayed in Sullivan County until at least 1806. The date of his death is unknown.

John Shelby, Jr. was the son of John Shelby and was born in Maryland in 1751 and was with John Shelby when he moved to Sullivan County. John, Jr. married a daughter of James Brigham, who gave thirty acres for Blountville and kept the first tavern there. John, Jr. served in the militia in 1776. In October, 1782, John went to Kentucky as a surveyor. For his services, he received a grant of five thousand acres and he chose lands near the site of present day Clarksville, Tennessee. In 1796 he represented Sullivan County at Tennessee's first constitutional convention and the next year bought eight hundred acres in Montgomery County. Sometime between 1798 and 1806 he moved to Montgomery County. In 1815 he served as state senator for the district of Steward, Montgomery, Humphrey, and Sumner Counties. He died sometime between November 11, 1817 and April 1818.

Evan Shelby, Jr. also had a son named John who was born August 19, 1748, in Washington County, Maryland. He married about 1771 and in 1778 was living in North Carolina. He moved to Berkeley County, Virginia, before July 1789. He went to Kentucky around 1795 and returned to Virginia later. He died sometime before July 29, 1805.

Important subjects covered in the collection include:

Shelby family

CONTENTS

Folder 1:

Short histories of Evan Shelby, Jr., Moses Shelby, Moses Shelby, Jr., John Shelby, John Shelby, Jr., and John Shelby, brother of Evan, Jr. The collection contains two letters from Cass Knight Shelby to Gordon Aronhime dated August 29, 1959 and November 10, 1959.

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MTC 06/01 - modified GKY 03/11/02