52 Ancestors: 32 Greats

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.

To commemorate the 32^nd week of blogging our ancestors, I am following the theme to honor one of my 32 3X great-grandparents. I know the names of only 19 of the 32, but of those 19, three names are incomplete:

Leonard Davis Jr and Fanny Wyant; Samuel Willson and UNKNOWN; 

Fielding Jollett and Mary Ann Armentrout; John Frank Rucker and Mary Jarrell; 

Ezekial Herndon and Sarah Jones; William Eppard and Helena Foland; 

Isaac Shiflett and Susan Jordan; Stephen Slade and Margaret UNKNOWN; 

Unknown Keene and Unknown Douglas; 

Burton Shiflett and Nancy Elizabeth Frazier

One who has always intrigued me is Nancy Elizabeth Frazier Shiflett. She was my maternal grandfather’s maternal grandmother’s mother. She was the oldest daughter of John Frazier and Lucy Hardin Shiflett, born on Valentine’s Day in 1811. In all there were 9 children in this farming family of Albemarle County, Virginia (and later Greene County).

At the ripe age of 23, Nancy married Burton Shiflett on December 1, 1834 in Albemarle County. Albemarle borders Greene where the two then lived and raised 11 children. Nearby were the farms of Burton’s brother Madison as well as Nancy’s brothers Michael/Miley and William. Their other siblings were not far away either.

Shifletts and Fraziers have a long history of intermarriage as well as a colorful history of feuding that could rival the Hatfield-McCoy saga if they had a better public relations representative. I have been unable to uncover what led to the fight between Burton Shiflett and Nancy’s older brother Leland one day in September 1860. But the fight involved a knife, and in the end, Burton lay dead.

Greene County, Virginia
Historic Jail
(formerly a museum run by the Greene County Historical Society)

Poor Nancy – too soon a widow and caught in the middle between brother and husband. I wonder if she attended court to witness her brother’s trial. Did she pray for leniency? The Grand Jury found just cause to charge Leland with Murder. However, Leland’s jury of peers found him guilty of Voluntary Manslaughter:

“We the Jury find the prisoner is guilty of Voluntary Manslaughter, and fixed his term of imprisonment to four years in the penitentiary house, Nov 20, 1860.”

The Judge gave Leland an opportunity to speak for himself but he had nothing to say, and so he was led out of the courtroom and to the jail.

It could not have been easy for a woman in the mid-nineteenth century to keep up the household on her own. In the 1870 census, Nancy was head of household with three unmarried adult daughters still at home “without occupation” and one son “helpless.” George was enumerated as being “Dumb,” meaning he could not speak. That implies he was probably also deaf since census takers were instructed NOT to check “Deaf” if the person could still speak despite loss of hearing. 

Perhaps it was fortunate that Nancy’s daughter Lucy and her husband James Franklin Jollett were next door. He was listed as a farm laborer, so it is likely he worked on his mother-in-law’s farm, which she valued at $600 in the 1870 census.

The next year Nancy and her children sold the land to her brother Miley Frazier for $300.

Nancy E. Shiflet widow of Burton Shiflett decd, John C. Shiflett and Lucretia his wife, Jas. F. Jollet and Lucy Ann his wife, Nancy F. Shiflett, George Austin Morris and Susan C. his wife, Victoria J. Shiflett to Miley Frazier

21 Dec 1871

Greene County Deed Book 

This deed Made this twenty first day of December 1871, between Nancy E. Shiflet widow of Burton Shiflett decd, John C. Shiflett and Lucretia his wife, Jas. F. Jollet and Lucy Ann his wife, Nancy F. Shiflett, George Austin Morris and Susan C. his wife, Victoria J. Shiflett of the first and Mily Frazier of the second part all of Greene County Virginia, Witnesseth, that in consideration of three hundred dollars to them in hand paid by said Mily Frazier, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, The said Nancy E. Shiflet, John C. Shiflett and Lucretia his wife, Jas. F. Jollet and Lucie Ann his wife, Nancy F. Shiflet, George Austin Morris and Susan C. his wife, Victoria J. Shiflet, hereby grant unto the said Mily Frazier with general warranty the following real Estate to wit: Two hundred acres more or less, Beginning on Lynches River at Henry Austins corner thence to Burr? Lanes line, thence with said Lanes line to Wyatt Mills' corner thence to Poison Nole? corner thence to pole hill corner thence to the beginning, the above land lies in the county and State aforesaid.

Nancy E. (her x mark) Shiflett

John C. Shiflett

Lucretia (her x mark) Shiflett

James F. Jollett

Lucy Ann Jollett

Nancy F. Shiflett

George Austin Morris

Susan C. Morris

Victoria J. Shiflett

Acknowledged by all parties 21 December 1871 before Greene County J.P. Nath. B. Chapman and J.A. Davis

In 1880 Nancy and her son John Conway were living together along with his two children by his first wife. John was listed as disabled. (However, he was not SO disabled that he couldn’t marry a third time and father more children.)

Nancy Elizabeth Frazier Shiflett died January 22, 1895 and is buried in Lacey Springs, Rockingham County, Virginia.

Tombstone of Nancy E. Frazier Shiflett
photo courtesy of Olen Morris

Two Generations:

Nancy Elizabeth FRAZIER ( 14 Feb 1811 Albemarle Co, Virginia – 22 Jan 1895 Lacey Springs, Rockingham Co, Virginia) & Burton SHIFLETT (1814 Orange Co, Virginia – 06 Sep 1860 Greene Co, Virginia)  01 Dec 1834  Albemarle, Virginia

1. Ola SHIFLETT ( 1835 - )

2. Jacob Haskell SHIFLETT ( 1836 - before 08 Oct 1871) & Lucretia JOLLETT (18 Sep 1838 Rockingham Co, Virginia - 31 Dec 1911 Rockingham Co, Virginia)  05 Aug 1858 Page Co, Virginia

• Mary E. SHIFLETT ( May 1859 - before 1955) & George R. MAYHEW   17 Mar 1879 Page Co, VA
• Martha F. S. SHIFLETT ( 15 Mar 1863 - before 1955) & George W. MCCAULEY  08 Jun 1882 Rockingham Co, VA

3. John Conway SHIFLETT ( 02 Jun 1840 Greene Co, VA – 09 Feb 1917 Albemarle Co, VA ) & m1) Lucretia SHIFLETT (1846 Greene Co, VA - ) 07 Dec 1863 Greene Co, VA ; m2) Nancy J. SHIFLETT (May 1848 - ) ; m3) Mary D. SHIFLETT (1849 – 1924) 28 Jul 1880

Children of John and Lucretia:

• Eudora A. SHIFLETT ( 01 Jul 1866 - 28 Dec 1932) & John Lewis GIBSON 18 May 1884 Greene Co, VA
• Joseph Ottobine SHIFLETT ( 30 Mar 1868 - ) & m1) Edie COLEMAN 10 Mar 1909 Augusta Co, VA ; m2) Rosa L. ROBERTS

Children of John and Nancy:

• John Conway SHIFLETT JR. ( 05 Oct 1877 - 27 Apr 1947) & Alice E. SHIFLETT 11 Oct 1901 Albemarle Co, VA
• Lucy Ann SHIFLETT ( 05 Oct 1877 - 30 Sep 1947) & Adam K. WYANT

Children of John and Mary:

• Maude B. SHIFLETT  (Feb 1883 - 31 Oct 1957) & George Burruss SHIFLETT 29 Dec 1904 in Albemarle Co, VA
• Wilford Clement SHIFLETT ( 05 Apr 1888 - 05 Aug 1961) & Lutitia Jane MORRIS 27 Oct 1921 Greene Co, VA
• Woodford H. SHIFLETT ( 20 May 1890 - 02 Feb 1926) & Louise LEWIS 06 Mar 1916 in Albemarle Co, VA

4. Lucy Ann SHIFLETT ( 1843 Greene Co, VA - 1884 Monroe, Greene, VA) &. James Franklin JOLLETT (17 Nov 1836 Rockingham Co, VA – 03 Jun 1930 Augusta Co, VA) 12 Nov 1859 Greene Co, VA

• Burton Lewis JOLLETT  (1860 in Virginia – Before 5 May 1934 in Greene Co, Virginia) & m1) Louisa SULLIVAN (1861 – 1900) 20 Jan 1881 ; & m2) Cornelia MORRIS (Nov 1844 – Before 1920) 19 Sep 1900 Greene Co, Virginia
• Emma F. JOLLETT (1 Feb 1863 Greene Co, Virginia - 10 Apr 1945 in Shenandoah, Page, Virginia) &  Andrew Jackson COLEMAN (29 Jul 1858 Greene Co, Virginia – 4 Oct 1947 Shenandoah, Page, Virginia) 26 Nov 1880 Greene Co, Virginia
• Laura E. JOLLETT (30 May 1865 Greene Co, Virginia - 30 Jul 1947 Shenandoah, Page, Virginia) & William J. SULLIVAN (13 Jan 1866 – 22 May 1942 Shenandoah, Page, Virginia) 14 Jan 1886 Greene Co, Virginia
• Leanna (or Columbia Ann) JOLLETT (14 Mar 1867 Greene Co, Virginia - 20 Sep 1936 Greene Co, Virginia) & James Mitchell KNIGHT (9 May 1866 Greene Co, Virginia – 16 Feb 1942 Greene Co, Virginia) 1 Mar 1885 Greene Co, Virginia
• Mary Frances JOLLETT (10 Jan 1870 Greene Co, Virginia - 22 Feb 1950 Harrisonburg, Rockingham, Virginia) & Walter Beriah Sylvester DAVIS (12 Sep 1867 Rockingham Co, Virginia - 31 Oct 1934 Shenandoah, Page, Virginia) 11 Feb 1890 in Greene Co, Virginia
• Sarah Catherine Sallie JOLLETT (11 May 1872 Greene Co, Virginia - 7 Jul 1944 Washington DC) & George Thomas CLIFT (Sep 1865 Virginia - ) 30 Mar 1891
• Victoria Elizabeth JOLLETT (19 Mar 1878 Greene Co, Virginia - 2 May 1944) & Decatur Bainbridge BREEDEN (15 Sep 1877 – 27 Sep 1952 Washington DC) about 1902
• William Isaac JOLLETT  (Jan 1880 Greene Co, Virginia - Jul 1903 Newport News, Virginia)
• Ulysses Finks JOLLETT (26 Jan 1883 Greene Co, Virginia - 30 Jan 1931 Baltimore, Maryland) & Sadie Janiero LAMB 23 Nov 1903 Greene Co, Virginia

5. Francis M. SHIFLETT ( 1844 Greene Co, VA - )

6. Jeremiah SHIFLETT ( 1847 Greene Co, VA - )

7. Nancy Frances SHIFLETT ( 1849 Greene Co, VA - 1926 Fairfax, VA ) & William Gordon MORRIS Jr. (1851 Greene Co, VA – before 1900 Greene Co, VA ) 20 Sep 1872 Greene Co, VA

• William Layton MORRIS ( 1874 Greene Co, VA - 03 Feb 1895) & Ida Mary DAVIS  09 Dec 1890
• Upshur MORRIS ( 1875 – 1891)
• Addie MORRIS ( 27 Mar 1876 - Apr 1901) & Henry ARMENTROUT
• Lemuel Belvin MORRIS ( 16 Dec 1877 - Oct 1947) & Emma C. UNKNOWN 1906
• Marvin Tollie MORRIS ( 07 Aug 1878 Greene Co, VA – 1943) & Virginia RHINEHART
• Ethel MORRIS ( Jul 1881 - after 1940) & Peter DAVIS 1908 Greene Co, VA
• Vessie Lelia MORRIS ( 15 Feb 1883 - 06 Mar 1950 Fairfax, VA ) & Paul Edgar RHINEHART
• Margaret Elizabeth “Maggie” MORRIS ( 13 Sep 1884 - ) & Unknown WILLS
• Blanche Cornelia MORRIS ( 27 Feb 1887 - 25 Dec 1968 Greene Co, VA) & Levin P. SMITH
• William Gordon “Bill” MORRIS III ( 12 Feb 1891 - 09 Jul 1968 Greene Co, VA) & Dorothy SNIVLEY

8. Susan Clementine SHIFLETT ( 22 Jun 1851 Greene Co, VA - 29 Dec 1928 Greene Co, VA ) & George Austin MORRIS (06 Apr 1848 Greene Co, VA – 14 Nov 1934 Greene Co, VA)  12 Dec 1870 Greene Co, VA

• Ida Belle MORRIS (15 Oct 1871 Greene Co, VA - 02 Apr 1917 Greene Co, VA) &  George Allen KNIGHT 11 Jul 1894 Greene Co, VA
• Francis Monroe MORRIS ( 21 Jul 1873 Greene Co, VA - 10 Aug 1936 Albemarle Co, VA) & Ludelia MORRIS 28 Dec 1899  Greene Co, VA
• Leviston Ervin MORRIS ( 01 Mar 1874 Greene Co, VA - 25 Dec 1957  Albemarle Co, VA ) & Roberta Ella MORRIS 28 Dec 1899 Greene Co, VA
• Altie Zora MORRIS ( 02 Dec 1876 Greene Co, VA - 29 Dec 1954) & Charles PERKEY  23 Dec 1902 Greene Co, VA
• Mary Ann MORRIS ( 02 Dec 1878 Greene Co, VA - 18 Jun 1947 Greene Co, VA) & James Charles SULLIVAN 19 Sep 1900 Greene Co, VA
• John Paul MORRIS ( 30 Mar 1880 Greene Co, VA - 21 Dec 1916 Greene Co, VA)
• Rhoda Green MORRIS ( 17 Nov 1882 Greene Co, VA - 22 Apr 1902 Greene Co, VA)
• Columbus Abell MORRIS (02 May 1884  Greene Co, VA - 20 Apr 1964 Pennsylvania) &  Elizabeth Bessie COLLINS 1913
• Sylvester E. MORRIS ( 22 Feb 1886 Greene Co, VA - 12 Nov 1967 Charlottesville, VA ) & Nettie Jane MORRIS 05 Aug 1930 Greene Co, VA
• Myrtle Nelson MORRIS ( Feb 1887 Greene Co, VA - 01 Mar 1970 Gordonsville, VA) & m1) Iola CRAWFORD ; m2) Anna COLLIER  05 Aug 1930 Greene Co, VA
• Willie Lee MORRIS ( 27 Feb 1889 Greene Co, VA - 15 Jul 1918 France)
• George Washington MORRIS ( 1892 Greene Co, VA - 1892 Greene Co, VA)
• Julia Catherine MORRIS ( 02 Apr 1893 Greene Co, VA - 01 Jun 1979 Alexandria, VA) & George C. GILMER 03 Jul 1918 Greene Co, VA
• Eveline Marie MORRIS ( 12 Mar 1895 Greene Co, VA - 26 Jul 1976 Fairfax, VA ) & Robert Lee COLLIER 22 Jun 1922 Albemarle Co, VA
• Mabel Alice MORRIS ( 12 Dec 1897 Greene Co, VA - 27 Jun 1966 Baltimore, MD) & Isaac Jackson “Jack” RICE

9. Victoria SHIFLETT ( Mar 1854 Greene Co, VA - before 1930) & Ambrose VERNON 26 Dec 1875 Greene Co, VA

• Ira McClellan VERNON ( 1876 Greene Co, VA - ) & JoAnn Josie MARSHALL  27 Jan 1898 Greene Co, VA
• Madie VERNON ( 1878 Greene Co, VA - )
• Unnamed VERNON ( Mar 1880 Greene Co, VA - )
• John F. VERNON ( Oct 1881 Greene Co, VA - )
• Lucy Ann VERNON ( 13 Jun 1884 Greene Co, VA - 03 Feb 1972) & Beauregard George SNOW  23 May 1906 Greene Co, VA

10. George W. SHIFLETT ( 20 Apr 1856 Greene Co, VA - )

11. Unnamed SHIFLETT ( Dec 1856 Greene Co, VA - 10 Mar 1857 Greene Co, VA)

© 2015, Wendy Mathias.  All rights reserved.