52 Ancestors: #27 - Madison SHIFLETT

Amy Johnson Crow of No Story Too Small has issued a challenge:  write one blog post each week devoted to a specific ancestor.  It can be a story, a biography, a photograph, an outline of a research problem – anything that focuses on one ancestor.

James Madison SHIFLETT, my third great granduncle, was either the first or second son of Jacob Shiflett and Polly Jarrell.  The ages of Jefferson Shiflett as reflected in census records and obituary suggest he was the first born.  However, Jacob’s will lists Madison first and Jefferson third; whether the list was intended to be chronological is not clear. 

Unlike his brother Jefferson, Madison stayed close to home.  In 1836, he obtained a land grant for 59 ¾ acres next to his father’s land in a section of upper Orange County that two years later became Greene County, Virginia. 

In 1844, Madison married Lucinda SHIFLETT.  They had at least 4 children, but sadly they just didn’t seem to stick.  One died as an infant; one was shot and killed as a teenager; one simply disappeared after the 1860 census.  However his daughter Rebecca managed to live a long time, marry, and produce plenty of grandchildren. 

Apparently by 1860, Madison was already a widower.  In June he was enumerated along with his three children living with his brother-in-law and sister, Pemberton and July Ann Catherine Lamb.  In August, Madison was enumerated again, but this time he was on his own living with his children next door to his mother Polly Jarrell and brother Burton. 

In 1870, the 60-year old Madison married a 25-year old Parrenia Herring.  As creepy as that sounds today, those obvious May-December marriages were very common.  They had one daughter.

 Three Generations:

James Madison SHIFLETT ( 1809 Orange Co, VA – May 1887 Greene Co, VA ) & m1) Lucinda SHIFLETT (1819 –  Before 1870) 13 Dec 1844 Greene Co, VA ; & m2) Parrenia HERRING (1845 - ) 3 Jul 1870 Greene Co, VA

Madison and Lucinda had the following children:

1. Matthew SHIFLETT ( 1847 Greene County, VA - )

2. Burton SHIFLETT ( 1849 Greene County, VA - 20 Oct 1866 Greene Co, VA )

3. Rebecca Jane Catherine SHIFLETT ( Aug 1850 Greene Co, VA - 1936 Albemarle Co, VA) & Burton MCALISTER ( Feb 1842 – 1933 Albemarle Co, VA ) 06 Aug 1867 Greene Co, VA 

• Lucinda C. MCALISTER ( Apr 1868 Greene Co, VA - 23 Apr 1933 Albemarle Co, VA ) & John F. WALTON  16 Jul 1914 Albemarle Co, VA
• William B. MCALISTER ( Aug 1871 Albemarle Co, VA – 1939 ) & Martha UNKNOWN ( Dec 1863 - ) about 1898
• Parthena Alice MCALISTER ( 1873 Albemarle Co, VA - )
• John Turner MCALISTER ( 1875 Albemarle Co, VA – 1961 ) & Virenda J. FRAZIER (25 Feb 1878 Greene Co, VA - 26 May 1955 )  02 Jan 1900 Greene Co, VA
• Laura A. MCALISTER ( Mar 1878 Albemarle Co, VA – 1962 ) & Richard Franklin GARRISON 01 Jun 1929 Albemarle Co, VA
• Mary Lee MCALISTER ( 17 Apr 1881 Albemarle Co, VA - 01 Oct 1917 Albemarle Co, VA ) & James Nathaniel FRAZIER (16 Jul 1886 Greene Co, VA - 23 Aug 1953 Charlottesville, VA ) 18 Jan 1911 Albemarle Co, VA
• Richard Harrison MCALISTER ( Mar 1883 Albemarle Co, VA - 1958 Albemarle Co, VA ) & Lillie A. GARRISON (09 Apr 1881 Augusta Co, VA - 1965 Albemarle Co, VA )
• Emmitt Franklin MCALISTER ( 25 Sep 1885 Albemarle Co, VA - 07 Jan 1957 Albemarle Co, VA ) & Fannie Catherine SHIFLETT ( 1895 Greene Co, VA – 1985 )  09 Mar 1912 Greene Co, VA
• Edward F. MCALISTER ( Mar 1888 Albemarle Co, VA - )
• Bernard Dabney MCALISTER ( Jan 1890 Albemarle Co, VA  -  12 Jan 1919 Albemarle Co, VA ) & Beattie WOOD 29 May 1911 Albemarle Co, VA
• Myrtle Blanche MCALISTER ( May 1894 Albemarle Co, VA -  31 Jan 1933 ) & Samuel Watts WALTON (1892 Albemarle Co, VA - 1963 Albemarle Co, VA )

4. Noah W. SHIFLETT ( 10 Apr 1856 Greene Co, VA - 12 Sep 1856 Greene Co, VA )

Madison and Parrenia had the following child:

5. Ardenia SHIFLETT ( 1872 Greene Co, VA - )

© 2014, Wendy Mathias.  All rights reserved.