Shirleys of Laurens Co SC Theory (continued)
		1. Thomas Shirley - I theorize that Thomas is another son of Richard Shirley of Laurens Co SC, and brother of John and Robert Shirley. Born about 1750. Pinson family tradition says that Thomas Shirley married the daughter of Rev. Aaron Pinson, whose migration from SC to east Tennessee and back was detailed at the top of the prior page. Thomas was named as a legatee in the 1804 distribution of the estate of Rev Aaron Pinson, Sr 11 Oct 1804 Lauren Co Loose Estate Box56/Packet 3 - Aaron Pinson Sr dec'd. Moses Pinson exor. [list of payments to legatees] To Thomas Shurley legatee 82.97; To Joseph Fowler legatee 83.00; To John Pinson Sr legatee 83.00; To Joseph Pinson legatee 83.00; To Isaac Pinson legatee 93.00; To John Hary/Henry legatee 95.00; To John Pinson legatee Sen 84.41; To Solomon Cole legatee "ste[ ] 24.32; To John Cole legatee 20.00; To Joseph Cole legatee 20.00. [note: in a very dark document in the estate file is an agreement signed by all of the legatees as of 1803. Thomas Shurley is clearly literate and signs with very nice handwriting.] After Thomas Shirley appears in the 1777 militia rolls for Washington Co TN, we find the following Wilkes Co NC document connecting hiim with Aaron Pinson (You will recall in the Pinson story, that Rev Aaron Pinson migrated briefly to Wilkes NC before returning to SC) Jan 1, 1781 Pendleton Isabell married Sarah Henderson; Thomas Shurley and Aaron Pinson bondsmen Upon his return to SC, Thomas Shirley lived in Spartanburg SC (next to Laurens Co). Joseph Pinson, son of Rev Aaron Pinson and brother-in-law of Thomas Shirley, also lived in Spartanburg Co SC when he moved back to SC. Joseph's brother Aaron Pinson Jr also moved to Spartanburg. We find Thomas Shirley and William Shirley both living on land near Tyger Creek in Spartanburg Co in the 1780s, and Thomas is found in the census thereafter. 1790 Census '96th District, Spartanburg Co. William Sherley page 87, 0 males under 16, 1 male over 16, 5 females Thomas Sherley page 87, 3 males under 16, 3 over 16, 5 females 1800 Spartanburg Census Aron Sherley 00010 - 00121 (born 1755-1774, Is he the son of John Shirley Sr of Laurens Co, or an elder son of Thomas?) Thomas Sherley 41101 - 10110 1810 Spartanburg Census William Shearley 10100 - 10100 (born 1784-1794) Thomas Sherley 02201 - 00001 In 1815, Thomas Shirley administers the estate of Edward Shirley, with Robert Shirley as a witness Aug 1 1815 Granted a citation to Thomas Shirley to admr. on the estate of Edward Shurley decd Records show that Thomas Shirley provided a gift of livestock to three grandaughters named Ward in 1809, and likely died prior to 1820 census. Theorized family of Thomas Shirley We can construct the following pedigree for Thomas Shirley using the census (assuming they are correct, of course)   1790 Census 1800 Census 1810 Census Theory Male b bef 1774 (age 40?) b bef 1755 (age 50?) b bef 1765 (age 60?) Thomas b ~ 1750 d ~1815 Female in household b 1755-1774 b bef 1765 wife Miss Pinson b ~ 1755 Male b bef 1774 gone (age 28?)   son b ~ 1772 Male b bef 1774 gone (age 27?)   son b ~ 1773 Female in household gone (married?)   dau b ~ 1775 Male b 1774-1790 gone (age 23?)   son b ~ 1777 Female in household gone (married?)   dau b ~ 1778 Female  in household gone (married?)   dau b ~ 1780 Male b 1774-1790 b 1774-1784 gone (age 28?) son b ~ 1782 Female in household b 1774-1784  gone (married?)  dau b ~ 1785 Male  b 1774-1790 b 1784-1790  Spartanburg SC census William b ~ 1788 Male    b 1790-1800  b 1784-1794 son b ~ 1790 Female   b 1790-1800 gone (married?)  dau b ~ 1792 Male   b 1790-1800 b 1784-1794 son b ~ 1794 Male   b 1790-1800 b 1794-1800 son b ~ 1796 Male   b 1790-1800 b 1794-1800 son b ~ 1798 * One daughter married a Ward and had children, named in 1809 as Matilda, Abigail, and Cynthia Ward, grandchildren of Thomas Shirley. ** In 1815 a Melinda Shurley was cited for bastardy in Spartanburg. She is possibly the youngest daughter of Thomas Shirley *** Naturally, some of the younger children could in fact be grandchildren living in the Thomas Shirley household. However, birthdates as late as 1798 would only put Thomas and wife at their theoretical ages 48 and 43. ****Some pedigrees have listed this Thomas Shirley as the son of John Shirley and wife Rebecca of Laurens Co SC, but census clearly shows Thomas to be much older than would be allowed as a son of John Shirley, who was born 1738. Thomas is more likely John's brother. *****Thomas Shirley shown above should not be confused with Thomas Shirley, Branch #50, Revolutionary War soldier who was born 1755 in nearby Fairfield Co SC. His descendants carry the DNA of the Shirleys originating in Spotsylvania Co VA, different from the Shirleys of Laurens Co SC.
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