Revolutionary War Pension Application For John Shiveley (Shively) Filed In Bradley County, Tennessee

       John Shiveley (Shively) made a declaration for a Revolutionary War pension in Bradley County, Tennessee on October 15, 1845.  It appears that the pension was rejected because the applicant was not on the service rolls, he could not provide documents, and he could not produce witnesses who could testify to his service.  Mr. Shively states he was 95 years of age at the time of applying.  He states that about 4 years after he served there was a fire that destroyed his discharge papers.  

      Who is this John Shively?  From the 1830 McMinn County, Tennessee census record is a listing for a John Shively.  In the household are one male between the age of 80 and 90, one male between the age of 20 and 30, one male under age 5, one female between the age of 60-70, and one female between the age of 20-30.    A search of the 1840 McMinn County and Bradley County census records did not produce a listing for the surname Shively.  

       It is interesting that there is no information on John Schaufele, who was born April 14, 1749 and baptized May 26, 1749 who was the son of Johann Michael Scheiffle.  It is known that his brothers Christian Shively, Jacob Shively and Henry Shively moved to Kentucky.  The birthdate for this John Schaufele (Shively) is certainly very close to the age of the John Shively applying for the pension.  

      Even though we do not know the lineage of the John Shively who applied for this Revolutionary War pension the document is a wonderful piece of history.  Below is my best transcription of the information contained in the document:

Declaration

In Order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress of the 7^th of June 1832

Sate of Tennessee       SS

Bradley County      On this 15^th day of October 1845 personally appeared before me an acting Justice of the peace for Bradley County  John Shively aged ninety five years and seven months who being first duly sworn according to Law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provisions made by the act of Congress of June 7^th 1832:  That he enlisted in the army of the United States in the year 1776 and in the summer of that year declarant says that he went to Shepherdstown, Berkley County in the State of Virginia in company with one  Matthew Shaw and at that place (Shepherdstown) they met with a recruiting officer by the name of Nathaniel Linder  viz both declarant and Shaw enlisted in the service of the United States as private soldiers for the term of three years or during the war of the revolution if not sooner discharged and received from said recruiting officer a bounty of Twelve dollars.  Declarant says that he remained at Shepherdstown some short time after enlistment,   he thinks two months     He says as to the name or number of the regiment that he served in he does not recollect but recollects that he served under the following named officers  Viz General  Stephans  Col Larke  Maj George Wales and Capt Spotswood Dandridge:   He says from Shepherdstown he with his company marched to New Brunswick in the state of New Jersey at which place he says he joined the army under Gen. Washington at which place he remained but a few days until he was ordered to march with the army to a Town called Trenton on the Delaware River at which place he says the army had a Battle with the Hessians under the command of Col. Rasole:  this Battle he says was fought on the night of the 25 of December 1776 which Battle terminated favorable to the American army.   Declarant further says the they took nearly the whole garrison prisoners of war amounting in number to near one thousand after taking the aforesaid prisoners they immediately crossed the Dela ware River and he says that he was one of the guard ordered to conduct the prisoners immediately to Albemarle Baracks in the county of Albemarle in the state of Virginia at which place declarant says he remained some three or four months as a guard and he says that from Albemarle Barracks they took the prisoners to a Town in Virginia called Winchester at which place he says he left the prisoners and he says he marched immediately from there to Pennsylvania near Philadelphia at which place he says he was attached to his former company and shortly after that time he says they had a severe Battle with the British army on a creek or small river called Brandywine   Viz in preparation for the Battle he says that he was placed at Chads Ford under the command of General Wayne some small distance from where the mane Battle was fought at the old Quaker field in which engagement the American army was defeated:   from Brandywine he says he marched with the army under Gen Washington to a camp called White Marsh.  From thence to Germantown at which place he says they had another Battle with the British and were defeated again:  from thence to Valley Forge at which place he says he remained several months in log hut, prepared by the army to winter in.     From thence to Mammouth at which place he say the two armies have a Battle, and from thence he says he went to White Plains at which place he days he remained several months, and from thence he says he marched under the command of Gen Wayne to Stony Point which march he says was preformed in the night in great silence and with unloaded guns and he says that the Americans succeeded in entering the fort and capturing the inmates as prisoners of war amounting to near nine hundred and he says that after Gen Wayne got possession of the fort that it was with difficulty that Gen Wayne could prevent the soldiers from massecuring the prisoners:   from thence he says he went to West Point in the state of New York and there remained some time occasionally marching through the country to and fro and returning to the above place:  from thence he says he marched to Little York in Virginia after remaining there some short time a cannonading commenced between the two armies which lasted several days and the result was that Lord Cornwallis with his whole army surrendered them selves up as prisoners to General Washington:  Declarant says shortly after the Battle of York Town the he received from his Capt Dandridge a written discharge and he further says that his whole time was employed as a soldier either in garrison or in the field and that he was not engaged in any civil persuit during the above time:  Declarant says shortly after he was discharged from said service he returned to Berkley County Virginia where he says he lived at the time of his entering the service as aforesaid.  Declarant says about four years after he left the army that his discharge was destroyed by fire in Berkley County Virginia.  Declarant says his reason for not applying for a pension sooner is that he was generally informed that in consequence of the loss of his discharge he could not obtain a pension unless he could procure two witnesses that served with declarant.   He says the he does not know of any witnesses that he could prove his service by:   Declarant says by reason of old age and the consequent loss of memory that he cannot swear positively as to the precise length of his service but according to the best of his recollection not less than five years as a soldier under the above named officers for which he claims a pension:   He hereby relinquishes any claim what ever to a pension or an annuity Except the present and he declares that his name is not on the pension Rolle of any agency in any State in the United States.

Sworn to and subscribed before me                                   his

The day and year aforesaid                                        John  x  Shivley

   B. Strother     S. Royston                                                mark

Justice of the  Peace for Bradley County

and state aforesaid

State of Tennessee

Bradley County                  B S S Royston an acting Justice of the Peace for B.C. do certify after the investigation of the matter and inquiring particularly of men of the first respectably who says that they have been acquainted with John Shivley who has sworn and subscribed to the above declaration that he is a man of good moral character and I do further certify after conversing with declarant freely my self in relation to his service as a soldier of the war of the revolution  I am clearly of the opinion that he is of the age of ninety five years as he says and that he served in the war of the revolution as he states in his declaration.  I do further certify that by reason of bodily infirmity that he is not able to be at court to make a declaration in the presence and hearing for the court this the 15^th day of October 1845.             B. Strother S. Royston

Justice of the Peace For Bradley County

State of Tennessee

Bradley County               I, John H. Robertson Clerk of the County Court in and for the County aforesaid do certify that B. Strother S. Royston Esq who’s name appears to the within declaration is now and was at the date of his signature an acting Justice of the peace for Bradley County      He was duly elected and commissioned and sworn and faith and credit is due to his official act.  Given under my hand and seal of office in Cleveland  October 18^th 1845 

John H. Robertson  Clk

State of Tennessee

Bradley County            I Benjamin Humbright Chairman and Chief presiding Justice of the peace in and for the court for the County of Bradley aforesaid do certify that John H Robertson who’s name appears to the foregoing certificate is the clerk of said County and that his certificate appears in due form of law given under my hand and seal October 18^th 1845.

Benjamin Humbright     Seal

   Chairman of the County court for Bradley County

Daniel Shively Received 160 Acres In Nebraska From The Homestead Act

     The Homestead Act was a federal law that gave an applicant up to 160 acres of undeveloped federal land.  The law required that the person file an application, improve the land, and file for a deed. The applicant had to be at least 21 years old and had to live on the land for 5 years.  The original act was signed into law in 1862.  The Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 ended homesteading.

     Daniel Shively of Merrick County, Nebraska was one applicant who did receive 160 acres from the Homestead Act.  Daniel applied for the land on May 11, 1892 and was granted the acreage on April 24, 1899.  The land granted was the NW quarter of Section 20 in Township 15N of Range 6W of the 6 Principal Meridian.  

   The applicant had to satisfy the requirements and also had to provide statements from others who knew him and could verify his claim.  The publisher of the local newspaper had to prove that  notice to the witnesses had been made public.  For Daniel Shively's claim, G W Beard publisher of the Central City Nonpareil in Central City, Nebraska gave proof of the notification.  The notice ran for 6 weeks, from 16-March-1899 to 20-April-1899.  The legal notice stated "Notice for Publication, Land Office at Lincoln, NEB, March 11, 1899:  Notice is hereby given that the following named settler has filed notice of his intention to make final proof in support of his claim, and that said proof will be made before the County Judge at Central City, Neb., on April 22, 1899, viz:  Daniel Shively H. E. 18304 for the nw 1/4 sec. 20, tp. 15, range 6 W.  He names the following witnesses to prove his continuous residence upon and cultivation of said land, viz:  Henry O. Gay, of Central City, Neb.; David H. Johnston, of Central City, Neb.; Charles O. Gregg, of Central City, Neb.; Clark Newcomer, of Central City, Neb.        J. W. Johnson, Register         Documented in the archives are the testimonies of David H. Johnston and Charles O. Gregg.

    The applicant had to answer 21 questions regarding the claim.  From the questions it is learned that Daniel Shively was 36 years old (born in 1863) and had a family which consisted of a wife and one child.  He first made settlement on the land on 11-May-1892 and established a residence there on 1-October-1892.  He states part of the house was built before 1892 and the rest in the fall of 1898.  He claims improvements to the land consisting of the frame residence worth $200, graineries, corn cubs and about five acres of trees.  Daniel states he had fifty five acres of land broken and had raised corn and small grains each year.

    Daniel Shively is recorded on the 1880 Merrick County census in the household of his father, Henry Shively.  From the census report is learned: Clarksville precinct Henry Shively age 48, widowed, born in Ohio, son William B age 20 born in Indiana, daughter Rosanna age 18 born in Indiana, son Daniel age 17 born in Indiana, son George W age 14 born in Iowa, and daughter Elizabeth M age 9 born in Iowa.   It is known that Henry Shively was married 1st to Elizabeth Ann Richards who is buried in the Bureau Cemetery in Merrick County.  Henry Shively married 2nd Virginia A. Giels on 1-May-1883.

    Daniel Shively was married to Rhoda Consada "Sada" Sowl on 16-October-1895 in South Bend, Cass County, Nebraska.  He is listed on the 1900 Merrick County, Mead Township census:  Daniel Shively age 36, born April 1863 with wife Sadie R born February 1879 and son Lester F born February 1898.  Daniel and Sada Shively had at least one other son, Harold S. Shively born 1906.   Daniel, Sada and Lester are buried in the Bureau Cemetery in Merrick County, Nebraska.

Shively Family DNA Project

      In November 2004 a Shively Family DNA Project was started with the purpose of using the advances in science to further support the research that had been done on the Shively lineages.  The project results can be found at http://www.familytreedna.com/public/shively/         

    The project has had 23 participants with the surnames of Shively, Shivley, Shiveley, Sheibley, and Branum.  Two participants, surnames Hively and Snively, joined the Shively project to see if there was a possible DNA match which there was not. 

   Seven of the participants have had Y-DNA-12 matches with two additional having mutations.  This group of participants descend from Michael Shively who has land records from 1766 in Frederick County, Virginia and later, 1778-1780, in Berkeley  County, Virginia.  One ancestor, Phillip Shively, stayed in Monongalia County, West Virginia and the rest migrated to Kentucky.  For the nine participants the documented ancestors included:  1) Phillip Shively died 1841 in Monongalia County, West Virginia who married to Appolona Abigail Back (Baugh,Pauch)  2) John Heinrich Scheifele (Shively) born 27-Jan-1759 in York County, Pennsylvania, died 14-June-1842 in Orange County, Indiana and married Mary Banta 3) John Christian Shively born 25-Oct-1746 Lancaster/York County, Pennsylvania, died 6-Feb-1826 Jefferson County, Kentucky married Mary Bashore (Basore,Baysor)  4)  Jacob Shively born ca 1772, died ca 1851 in Taylor County, Kentucky, married Sophia Davis on 17-Sep-1799 in Green County, Kentucky   5) John Shively died ca 1806 Breckenridge County, Kentucky, married Susanna Hayden on 10-Oct-1794 in Washington County, Kentucky.

     Three participants have had Y-DNA-12 matches.  This group is from the well documented Shively lineage of Durs Schaublin.  For these three participants the documented ancestors included: 1) Christian Shively born 1683 Oberdorf, Canton of Basel, Switzerland, died ca 1752 Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, married on 14-Jul-1708 to Barbara Spithaler (Spitteler).  Barbara was born 9-Aug-1689, died 9-Jan-1759   2)  Martin Scheible born ca 1770-1774, died before 1810, married to Elzabeth Hoffer on 17-Apr-1798 at Trinity Lutheran Church, Lancaster County, PA  3)  Benjamin Shively born 1799 and married to Barbara (last name unknown) who was born 1809.

         Three  participants had Y-DNA matches and this group was 1 mutation difference than the group immediately preceding this paragraph which might mean there is a possible connection to the above group.  For these three participants the documented ancestors included:  1)  Jacob Shively born 22-Feb-1751 on shipboard at sea, died 1-June-1824 Franklin County, Pennsylvania.   He married Barbara Linder born ca 1755, died 6-Dec-1824 in Franklin County, Pennsylvania.  Jacob's family settled in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania and in 1805 or 1806 moved to Franklin County, Pennsylvania  2)  Daniel Shively born ca 1782 in Pennsylvania, died ca 1860 Adams County, Ohio, married Mary (last name unknown).  Mary was born ca 1790, died before 1860 in Adams County, Ohio.  One participant was one mutation from these three participants and most probable was related. The ancestor of this participant was:  John Shively born ca 1798, died ca 1808 Pendleton County, Kentucky, married to Hanna Boyd.

        A Franklin County, Virginia line had two participants who had Y-DNA-12 matches.  Both participants descended from John Shively born ca 1755, died 1834 Franklin County, Virginia. He married 1st to wife unknown and 2nd to Susannah (Crist) Gusler, the widow of Christian Frederick Gusler.

        There are four participants who have not yet had Y-DNA-12 matches but the lineages are well documented.  These participants are from the ancestors of 1)  Moses Shively born 1825 in Pennsylvania, married Elizabeth Wentle who was born ca 1825 in Pennsylvania (on they 1860 Mifflin County, Pennsylvania census)  2) Leonhardt Anton Sheiffele born 7-Feb-1842 in Stuttgart, Wurtemburg, Germany, died 11-May-1910 Youngstown, Ohio.  He married Mary M. Stroble on 10-Apr-1870 in Stark County, Ohio    3)  Peter Scheibly born 10-Apr-1742 Switzerland, died 7-Sep-1823 in Perry County, Pennsylvania.  He was married 1st to Anna Elizabeth Heinsen who was born ca 1747 and married 2nd to Christina Linn   4) John Scheible (Shively) born 18-June-1830, died 14-Apr-1869 Dauphin County, Pennsylvania and married 1st Eva Regina Frank and married 2nd Catherine Ann Kuhn.

     There are still Shively lines which have not had a DNA match.  If there is a male Shively descendant who is interested in the project the participants encourage joining the group and submitting a DNA sample.   The more participants the greater the chance of finding matches.   The more matches that can be established helps to  leave to future generations of Shively researchers our proof our of Shively lineage.

 

John Shively And Wife, Mary Geer, Located In Vinton County, Ohio Records

     Part of the enjoyment of the hobby of genealogy is finding new information on a family that has not been well documented, sharing the information, receiving additional new information from those with whom the information was shared, and then putting the pieces of the information together. One family for which this applies is the family of John Shively, born 1800 in Virginia, and his wife Mary (maiden name Geer), born 1800 in Pennsylvania.

   The census records are a good source of information starting in 1850 because it was requested that all members of the household be listed.  Prior to 1850 the  head of the household was listed with the number of individuals in age groups enumerated.  The family of John Shively and Mary are located in Ohio on the 1850 Vinton County, Jackson Township census.  In the household are John Shively, age 50 born in VA, wife Mary age 50 born in PA, son Isaac age 24 born in OH, daughter Nancy age 17 born OH, and son John age 12 born in OH.  Also located in Jackson Township are the families of George Shively age 29, wife Nancy age 17, and daughter Sarah J age 5 months; David Shively age 26, wife Amy age 26 and son John W age 2 months; James S Bell age 30, wife Catherine age 23, daughter Catherine age 10, son Oliver age 7, and daughter Mary E age one year.   George Shively, David Shively and Catherine Bell are the married children of John and Mary Shively.  Note that James Bell was married prior to Catherine Shively and this was her first marriage.

     As more people moved west new counties were formed from existing counties in some of the states to help reduce the distance people had to travel to get to the courthouses. The families living in these areas might have never  moved but their names begin to appear in a different county. This may be case for the family of John Shively because Vinton County, Ohio was formed in 1850 from several earlier established counties.  One of the counties that gave up land for Vinton County was Hocking County.  On the 1840 Hocking County, Ohio, Jackson Township is the family of John Shively.  If the information found on the 1850 Vinton County census is compared to the 1840 Hocking County census the following can be notated:  1840 lists John Shively, head of household, male age 40-50; there are 2 males ages 15-20 which would be sons George and David; 1 male age 10-15 which would be son Isaac; 1 male age under 5 which would be son John; 1 female age 40-50 which would be wife Mary; 1 female between 10-15 which would be daughter Catherine; and 1 female between 5-10 which would be daughter Nancy.

     Who were the parents of John Shively, born 1800 in Virginia?  Hopefully future research will be able to answer this question.  There are not too many early Shively families in Virginia but the information available on them is limited. One interesting history on this family was found in “Vinton County Ohio History & Families, Turner Publishing Company, Paducah, Kentucky, 1996, pages 128-129”.  In the history mention is made that John Shively was a famous weaver who came from Holland to Columbiana County before 1800.  More research and documentation is suggested before accepting this into your family genealogy.

     Not all of the family of John and Mary stayed in Ohio.  It is known that their daughter Mary married James Bell and records for them can be found in Coles County, Illinois.  John and Mary’s son, David, had descendants that are located in Caldwell County, Missouri.

    The Locust Grove Cemetery in Vinton County lists several of the family members of John and Mary Shively indicating that not all of the family left Ohio. The names of descendants of John Shively and Mary Geer continue to appear on the census records in Vinton County through 1930. The 1930 census records are the last census records that are currently available.