Shirley Association Genealogical Research Website

Shirley Family
of Laurens and Fairfield Counties, South Carolina and Tuscaloosa, Alabama

DNA Haplogroup E3b
Misc. Information for this branch
Theory detailing other children of Richard Shirley

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This Lineage Page Last Updated January 2021
Richard Shirley born say 1712. Richard Shirley is untraced prior to arriving in colonial South Carolina sometime in the late 1760s. However, family bible records of William Stubley Shirley family suggest he had a brother Richard who "moved South". Y-chromosome DNA from descendants of both Richard Shirley and William Stubley Shirley (Branch 22) do indeed match; however, many other Southern Shirley families of no known connection to Branch 1 and Branch 22 also match this DNA. William Stubley Shirley supposedly migrated out of Augusta Virginia to Orange Co NC where he is enumerated in the 1755 tax list, and then to colonial Georgia, along the Savannah River. There are 3 interesting records in Augusta Co Virginia dated 1748, 1751 and 1753 which may be the above Richard and William Shirley, prior to their migration South (if the WS Shirley bible notation is correct AND applies to the above Richard Shirley).

Upon arrival in South Carolina, Richard's elder sons John and Robert Shirley patented land in along Raeburn's Creek, land later to become Laurens County SC. Richard petitioned for a Royal land grant himself, on Raburn's Creek in 1768, and was granted the land the next year in 1769.

The family's proximity to Raeburn Creek inevitably led to their close connection with the Pinson family, which was then headed by the Reverend Aaron Pinson, founder of the Raeburn Creek Baptist Church. Although, the Shirley family may have instead migrated South with the Rev Aaron Pinson family from the Orange Co NC area. Rev Pinson's church and congregation migrated to South Carolina to spread the gospel - as was frequently done by pastors and their congregations in those days.

[The following information describes the migration of the Pinson family, which matches the migration route of their neighbors, the Shirleys of Laurens Co SC] "It is not known from where Aaron Pinson came to settle in old Orange county NC nor how long he had been there when four tracts of land were surveyed for him in late 1753, (Wm Stutley Shirley found in 1755 Orange NC tax list). The first new Light Separate Baptist church in the colony of NC was begun at Sandy Creek in 1755. An early convert, Aaron Pinson with his family joined some of the Sandy Creek group who sought greater freedom by removing to the Georgia/SC border about 1765...applied in August 1766 to the colony of Georgia for 200 acres on Rosemary Branch in St George Parish (see William S. Shirleys grant in St George's parish Richmond Co Ga in 1769). In May 1767 a 250 ac tract was surveyed on the NE side of the Saluda River in the area that became Laurens Co SC. Raeburns Creek meeting house was built nearby in 1767. Aaron Pinson preached there and had charge for the Little River off Saluda church in 1771-2. Religous harassment, lawlessness and a massive Indian raid in 1773 caused settlers to flee the area. Many members of the old mother church at Sandy Creek had gone west by 1771 over the mountains into what is now eastern Tennessee. by late summer of 1775 Pinson and various other members of the SC churches had settled there also. They refused to move back east of the mountains, built forts acquired ammunition, formed their own government adn took their stand against the British and Inddians on 20 and 21 July 1776. He was named justice of peach in 1776 for Washington Co NC and served Cherokee Creek (a branch of the Nolichucky) Baptist Church after removing to Wilkes Co NC by 1782 (see item for Thomas Shirley, his son in law, in Wilkes Co). He and his family had returned by 1784 to Laurens Co SC where he resumed his pastorate of Raeburn Creek Church and served until his death by 1800."

Richard apparently died not long after obtaining his land grant in 1769. Richard was certainly deceased by 1775 when his widow and son Robert sold 350 acres of Richard's 500 acre grant to Andrew Cunningham, land on which they lived at the time.

DB F: 212 Recorded 1797 Indenture. Jan 10 1775. Between Robert Shirley, planter and Jane, his wife, and Mary, his mother, of the one part to Andrew Cunningham, planter, of the other part for the sum of four hundred pounds, hath granted 350 acres of land, it being the plantation on which said Robert and Mary now live, it being a part of the 500 acres of land which was originally granted unto Richard Shirley, dec'd, which was the said Robert Shirley's father and the said Mary Shirley's husband, situate in Craven or Berkley Co on Raburn Creek waters of Reedy and Saluda Rivers which land was granted unto the said Richard Shirley by Hon. Lord Charles Granville Montague, Commander and Chief of the Proviince of South Carolina..wit: David unningham, Godfrey Isbell and Joseph Pinson.

married Mary __________ [?Mattison, surname according to old family info, no proof].

January 2021 - Some researchers have long claimed that Richard Shirley married Mary Graham of Fairfax Co VA. The Shirley Association has long dismissed this claim as "connect the dots research". Indeed, a Richard Shirley did marry Mary Graham as documented in records in early Fairfax County Virginia, but there is no evidence that the above Richard Shirley of Laurens Co SC is the same person who appeared earlier in records in Fairfax Co VA.

However.....

Without primary evidence to substantiate a genealogy theory, researchers often rely on evidence from say collateral families to hint at a specific lineage target. Thus, if we assume Richard Shirley of Raeburn's Creek Laurens Co SC migrated South with the Rev Aaron Pinson family, then there are indeed hints that Richard Shirley may have been the person of that name in Fairfax Co VA and did indeed marry Mary Graham. Most Pinson researchers connect Rev Aaron Pinson directly with the Pinson family of Fairfax Co VA and with a brother Joseph Pinson who moved from Fairfax VA to Laurens Co SC. Coincidence?

Note: The dates of Richard and Mary Graham Shirley's appearances in Fairfax and Loudoun Co Virginia records do NOT conflict with the dates of their appearance not long afterward in South Carolina records. So it is "possible" Richard and Mary Shirley of SC are the same people

So if - a lot of ifs - it is true that Richard Shirley of Laurens Co SC is indeed the same person who appeared earlier in Fairfax Co VA, then it would strongly suggest a family connection with the Shirleys of next door Prince William Co VA - Represented in several Shirley Branches e.g. #2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8 and 10. And interestingly, Richard's Y-chromosome DNA does match the DNA of the Prince William County Shirley families. But if all true, then we might delete our theory regarding a connection with the Branch 22 William Stubley Shirley (which would be tough to do)

Your thoughts?

children

1(i). Robert Shirley born about 1736, eldest son of Richard Shirley of Laurens Co SC and his wife Mary. He was enumerated in the 1790 census for Fairfield County SC, with only his wife and 2 sons in the household; Robert Shirley was granted and had surveyed 13 acres, 153 acres, and 520 acres in Fairfield County in 1792 with partner Lewis Harding; He was enumerated again in Faifield Co SC in the 1800 census. However, both his sons were at that point leading their own census households; Robert sold much of his tract of 520 acres to various purchasers in 1804; Robert was likely alive in 1810 Fairfield SC census but living and enumerated in the household of son Elijah Shirley; On 20 November 1811, Robert sold the final portion of his original 520 acre tract to Thomas Briggs. Robert's wife Genny relinquished her dower claim in the land on 5 December 1811. Son Elijah Shirley witnessed the deed along with a person named Elizabeth Shirley. Robert likely died sometime shortly thereafter.

married Genny_______. Various deeds up through 1811 list her name as Jennie or Genny. She was alive in December 1811 when she relinquished her claim of dower rights upon her husband's sale of land in that year.

1(ii) John Shirley Sr was born 27 August 1738 Culpeper Co. VA [?source of this precise date and place]. He first appears in Laurens Co SC records on 3 February 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. 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 $33.87 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.

married Rebecca______. She died before June 1825 in Laurens Co SC

other children likely see also link at top

1(iii). Thomas Shirley of Spartanburg Co SC born say 1750, Appeared in Womack's militia list in Washington District (Tennessee) in 1777 and 1778 with other members of the Shirley family of Laurens Co SC. Migrated to (then) Wilkes Co NC with the Rev Aaron Pinson family; He died about 1815 likely in Spartanburg Co SC

married ______ an unnamed daughter of Rev. Aaron Pinson of Laurens Co SC

1(iv). William Shirley of Spartanburg Co SC born say 1755; Appeared in Womack's militia list in Washington District (Tennessee) in 1777 and 1778 with other members of the Shirley family of Laurens Co SC.

married Elizabeth _______

1(v). Edward Shirley of Spartanburg Co SC Appeared in Womack's militia list in Washington District (Tennessee) in 1777 and 1778 with other members of the Shirley family of Laurens Co SC. His estate was administered in 1815 in Spartanburg Co SC by Thomas Shirley, presumably his brother. No evidence of marriage or children (as yet found)

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		Shirley Family of Laurens and Fairfield Counties, South Carolina and Tuscaloosa, Alabama DNA Haplogroup E3b Misc. Information for this branch Theory detailing other children of Richard Shirley
		< Back to the USA Lineage Index Page
		This Lineage Page Last Updated January 2021 Richard Shirley born say 1712. Richard Shirley is untraced prior to arriving in colonial South Carolina sometime in the late 1760s. However, family bible records of William Stubley Shirley family suggest he had a brother Richard who "moved South". Y-chromosome DNA from descendants of both Richard Shirley and William Stubley Shirley (Branch 22) do indeed match; however, many other Southern Shirley families of no known connection to Branch 1 and Branch 22 also match this DNA. William Stubley Shirley supposedly migrated out of Augusta Virginia to Orange Co NC where he is enumerated in the 1755 tax list, and then to colonial Georgia, along the Savannah River. There are 3 interesting records in Augusta Co Virginia dated 1748, 1751 and 1753 which may be the above Richard and William Shirley, prior to their migration South (if the WS Shirley bible notation is correct AND applies to the above Richard Shirley). Upon arrival in South Carolina, Richard's elder sons John and Robert Shirley patented land in along Raeburn's Creek, land later to become Laurens County SC. Richard petitioned for a Royal land grant himself, on Raburn's Creek in 1768, and was granted the land the next year in 1769. The family's proximity to Raeburn Creek inevitably led to their close connection with the Pinson family, which was then headed by the Reverend Aaron Pinson, founder of the Raeburn Creek Baptist Church. Although, the Shirley family may have instead migrated South with the Rev Aaron Pinson family from the Orange Co NC area. Rev Pinson's church and congregation migrated to South Carolina to spread the gospel - as was frequently done by pastors and their congregations in those days. [The following information describes the migration of the Pinson family, which matches the migration route of their neighbors, the Shirleys of Laurens Co SC] "It is not known from where Aaron Pinson came to settle in old Orange county NC nor how long he had been there when four tracts of land were surveyed for him in late 1753, (Wm Stutley Shirley found in 1755 Orange NC tax list). The first new Light Separate Baptist church in the colony of NC was begun at Sandy Creek in 1755. An early convert, Aaron Pinson with his family joined some of the Sandy Creek group who sought greater freedom by removing to the Georgia/SC border about 1765...applied in August 1766 to the colony of Georgia for 200 acres on Rosemary Branch in St George Parish (see William S. Shirleys grant in St George's parish Richmond Co Ga in 1769). In May 1767 a 250 ac tract was surveyed on the NE side of the Saluda River in the area that became Laurens Co SC. Raeburns Creek meeting house was built nearby in 1767. Aaron Pinson preached there and had charge for the Little River off Saluda church in 1771-2. Religous harassment, lawlessness and a massive Indian raid in 1773 caused settlers to flee the area. Many members of the old mother church at Sandy Creek had gone west by 1771 over the mountains into what is now eastern Tennessee. by late summer of 1775 Pinson and various other members of the SC churches had settled there also. They refused to move back east of the mountains, built forts acquired ammunition, formed their own government adn took their stand against the British and Inddians on 20 and 21 July 1776. He was named justice of peach in 1776 for Washington Co NC and served Cherokee Creek (a branch of the Nolichucky) Baptist Church after removing to Wilkes Co NC by 1782 (see item for Thomas Shirley, his son in law, in Wilkes Co). He and his family had returned by 1784 to Laurens Co SC where he resumed his pastorate of Raeburn Creek Church and served until his death by 1800." Richard apparently died not long after obtaining his land grant in 1769. Richard was certainly deceased by 1775 when his widow and son Robert sold 350 acres of Richard's 500 acre grant to Andrew Cunningham, land on which they lived at the time. DB F: 212 Recorded 1797 Indenture. Jan 10 1775. Between Robert Shirley, planter and Jane, his wife, and Mary, his mother, of the one part to Andrew Cunningham, planter, of the other part for the sum of four hundred pounds, hath granted 350 acres of land, it being the plantation on which said Robert and Mary now live, it being a part of the 500 acres of land which was originally granted unto Richard Shirley, dec'd, which was the said Robert Shirley's father and the said Mary Shirley's husband, situate in Craven or Berkley Co on Raburn Creek waters of Reedy and Saluda Rivers which land was granted unto the said Richard Shirley by Hon. Lord Charles Granville Montague, Commander and Chief of the Proviince of South Carolina..wit: David unningham, Godfrey Isbell and Joseph Pinson. married Mary __________ [?Mattison, surname according to old family info, no proof]. January 2021 - Some researchers have long claimed that Richard Shirley married Mary Graham of Fairfax Co VA. The Shirley Association has long dismissed this claim as "connect the dots research". Indeed, a Richard Shirley did marry Mary Graham as documented in records in early Fairfax County Virginia, but there is no evidence that the above Richard Shirley of Laurens Co SC is the same person who appeared earlier in records in Fairfax Co VA. However..... Without primary evidence to substantiate a genealogy theory, researchers often rely on evidence from say collateral families to hint at a specific lineage target. Thus, if we assume Richard Shirley of Raeburn's Creek Laurens Co SC migrated South with the Rev Aaron Pinson family, then there are indeed hints that Richard Shirley may have been the person of that name in Fairfax Co VA and did indeed marry Mary Graham. Most Pinson researchers connect Rev Aaron Pinson directly with the Pinson family of Fairfax Co VA and with a brother Joseph Pinson who moved from Fairfax VA to Laurens Co SC. Coincidence? Note: The dates of Richard and Mary Graham Shirley's appearances in Fairfax and Loudoun Co Virginia records do NOT conflict with the dates of their appearance not long afterward in South Carolina records. So it is "possible" Richard and Mary Shirley of SC are the same people So if - a lot of ifs - it is true that Richard Shirley of Laurens Co SC is indeed the same person who appeared earlier in Fairfax Co VA, then it would strongly suggest a family connection with the Shirleys of next door Prince William Co VA - Represented in several Shirley Branches e.g. #2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8 and 10. And interestingly, Richard's Y-chromosome DNA does match the DNA of the Prince William County Shirley families. But if all true, then we might delete our theory regarding a connection with the Branch 22 William Stubley Shirley (which would be tough to do) Your thoughts? children 1(i). Robert Shirley born about 1736, eldest son of Richard Shirley of Laurens Co SC and his wife Mary. He was enumerated in the 1790 census for Fairfield County SC, with only his wife and 2 sons in the household; Robert Shirley was granted and had surveyed 13 acres, 153 acres, and 520 acres in Fairfield County in 1792 with partner Lewis Harding; He was enumerated again in Faifield Co SC in the 1800 census. However, both his sons were at that point leading their own census households; Robert sold much of his tract of 520 acres to various purchasers in 1804; Robert was likely alive in 1810 Fairfield SC census but living and enumerated in the household of son Elijah Shirley; On 20 November 1811, Robert sold the final portion of his original 520 acre tract to Thomas Briggs. Robert's wife Genny relinquished her dower claim in the land on 5 December 1811. Son Elijah Shirley witnessed the deed along with a person named Elizabeth Shirley. Robert likely died sometime shortly thereafter. married Genny_______. Various deeds up through 1811 list her name as Jennie or Genny. She was alive in December 1811 when she relinquished her claim of dower rights upon her husband's sale of land in that year. 1(ii) John Shirley Sr was born 27 August 1738 Culpeper Co. VA [?source of this precise date and place]. He first appears in Laurens Co SC records on 3 February 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. 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 $33.87 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. married Rebecca______. She died before June 1825 in Laurens Co SC other children likely see also link at top 1(iii). Thomas Shirley of Spartanburg Co SC born say 1750, Appeared in Womack's militia list in Washington District (Tennessee) in 1777 and 1778 with other members of the Shirley family of Laurens Co SC. Migrated to (then) Wilkes Co NC with the Rev Aaron Pinson family; He died about 1815 likely in Spartanburg Co SC married ______ an unnamed daughter of Rev. Aaron Pinson of Laurens Co SC 1(iv). William Shirley of Spartanburg Co SC born say 1755; Appeared in Womack's militia list in Washington District (Tennessee) in 1777 and 1778 with other members of the Shirley family of Laurens Co SC. married Elizabeth _______ 1(v). Edward Shirley of Spartanburg Co SC Appeared in Womack's militia list in Washington District (Tennessee) in 1777 and 1778 with other members of the Shirley family of Laurens Co SC. His estate was administered in 1815 in Spartanburg Co SC by Thomas Shirley, presumably his brother. No evidence of marriage or children (as yet found)
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