The family of Elijah Ashcraft Shacklett and Mary Walker Saunders

Mary Walker Saunders (Polly) died at age 44 and left 3 rather young children. Elijah married again, a Mrs. Oliver from Cincinnati. There was an oft-told tale about some wife from the "North" who said "What do Negroes eat and do they sleep in the house or the barn?" Since I don't see any other "northern" brides in these lists, can we attribute that story to Mrs. Oliver?

Betsy Shacklett m John C. Walker Taylor. After his early death she worked at the state asylum as a seamstress. The two younger children lived with relatives. She, too, died young.

Their children were:
        Lauren - got his law degree but he owned a laundry in Baltimore.
                 m Eva
                                  Belle b 1897 - lives in retirement center in Philadelphia
                                          Winfield Cain m Lorraine - fin. advisor in Baltimore
                                          (We spent Christmas Eve with them in Baltimore in 1984.)
                                   Thurston - lives in Vancouver
                                   Walker - d
                                    Harriet b 1913 d Two children, Eva and Lauren live in Balt.
                 Percy m Lena - 1 d Elizabeth - lived in Joplin. She and husband were killed
                                                in auto accident in Fla. on way to visit Adalisa and Lois.
                                                Their 2 daughters had commited suicide prior to that.
                                                One left 3 children.
                 Mary m Dr. Crutcher - lived in Ft. Myers, Fla.
                 Jesse m          lived in Boone, had laundry. Son Lauren killed in WWII. Son Fred
                                       still lives in Boone.

Samantha Barbara - apparently lived on farm with Uncle Bud and Auntie until 1907. She was in South America with niece, Tenn Hart, and about 1909 she and Aunt Lina bought house in Brandenburg where they lived the rest of their lives.

William Anderson m Enfield Williams. After they left the farm they lived in Brandenburg for a few years and then they moved to Texas to homestead. Later they lived in Boone with their son.

          Their children were:
                  Elijah - m Mary         Son, Bill
                  Elizabeth - died young

          Their children were:
                  Wathena - educated at Northwestern? Policewoman in Chicago. M Mr. Long
                                   lived in Missouri on a farm.
                   Tennessee m Joe Hart, a seminarian. They went to South America to be missionaries
                                   and remained for 50 years. She went to college in Georgia when she brought
                                   her 3 young daughters back for education.
                           Thomas - lives in Seattle - was prof. at U. of Pittsburg
                           Joe - lived in New Jersey. Two children live in Atlanta.
                           Laura (Lolly) m - lives in Texas. Children
                           Lois - graduated from Agnes Scott, Johns Hopkins nursing school and
                                     Baptist Theological Seminary. Mission work in Cali, Colombia.
                           Sarah m minister. Children. Lives in the South.
                    William (Billy) - Went to Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar. See obit.

Aunt Pollie raised the young children after the death of their mother. She lived on East Hill in 1907 and Thomas Hart remembers carrying her Sunday dinner.

[handwritten:] Aunt Pollie Shacklett
Born in middle 1830s
a slave of Grandfather Shacklett's
Died in 1926

More on Aunt Polly

For larger photo click here:
Courtesy of Lisa Hardin, November 2006.

Taken about 1936

Charles Sellars was born a slave at Grandma Williams about the time Viola was born. After Grandma's death he and Martha lived at this place near Ekron.
Mary Ray told about Charles' coming to visit her mother just shortly before her death. When Mary came back into the room her mother had drifted off into sleep and Charles sat holding her hand with the tears running down his face.

Ben Wooley Shacklett (our great grandfather's brother) said "My father and mother (Benjamin and Elizabeth Ashcraft Shacklett) emigrated from Pennsylvania, Fayette County, in the year 1796. They took water at Redstone, with their small effects on a flatboat, and floated down the Ohio River and landed at the mouth of the Beargrass (Creek), at the head of the Falls of the Ohio. He lived there two years; assisted in building the first mill that was built on Beargrass in Jefferson County; it was called Higers Mill. In 1798 he dropped down to the Tobacco Landing (on the Ohio) and settled in Jackey's Grove, near the center of Meade County, with two boys and a girl.

"After the death of my grandfather (1809), my father, Ben Shacklett, went back to Pennsylvania and settled up the estate and brought down the river a flatboat load of castings, bar irons, axes, hoes, reaping hooks and some square box stoves, the first that were ever introduced in the county."

In 1814 the steamboat, Elizabeth, was built at Brandenburg's Landing only 3 years after the first steamboat built in the west, at Pittsburg. It was owned by a group of citizens and was not a financial success. Although these men were experienced flatboat men they were not successful with steamboats. Benjamin Shacklett was captain when the boat ws sold at New Orleans.

An account is given of Benjamin Shacklett having his brother, "Old Choc" as pilot on one trip. (Which brother was that?) On this particular trip, "Old Choc" got drunk and Capt. Shacklett had to take the wheel and took the boat far up the Yazoo in his inexperience.

Benjamin Shacklett was the first sheriff when Meade became a county in 1823. He was captain of a company in 1811 and wnet as far as Vincennes. In 1812 he was a major under General Wilcox. He was in the battle of Tippecanoe but did not get to Fort Harrison until after the battle.

Benjamin Shacklett was State Representative from Hardin County in 1815, 1817 and 1820. Collins, History of Ky.

In 1930 Cousin Sallie Shacklett from Island, Ky. (near Owensburo) wrote FSF (Sallie was daughter of Minerva J. Humphrey, a granddaughter of Sarah Shacklett and John Jenkins, m. to Absolom Shacklett who was son of Blancit and Rachel.) - "My mother (about 11 at the time) saw Uncle Ben buried at the old Hill Grove church by the honors of war. His grandchildren and my mother were going to school there and his dog came to the funeral, with the family, and refused to return home. They fed him till the school closed. He stayed after that and starved to death on Uncle Ben's grave."

BENJAMIN SHACKLETT
b 1-24-1774 Fayette Co, Pa d 5-24-1838 Meade Co., Ky.
m 10-9-1792 Elizabeth Ashcraft b 8-2-1773 Pa d 3-27-1839 Ky

Benjamin Shacklett and wife and his sister Sally and her husband, John Jenkins, moved to Ky. in 1796. The other brothers and sisters followed within a few years. Almost all settled in the Hill Grove area.

       Barbara b 4-26-1794 d 11-2-1873
               m 2-8-1812 James B. Dowell
                        Nancy m William Dowell
                        Sarah m Griffin Dowell
                        Susanna Jane m Burnis Shacklett
                        John A m Melissa Stith
                        Ben Shacklett m Melvina Stith, divorced, m 2d Tigua Indian, Juana Marquez.
                                He went to Mexican War and decided to settle in Texas but apparently
                                Melvina rejected this idea. He became 1st mayor of El Paso. Read about
                                him in Ben Dowell, El Paso's First Mayor. At some point he brought his 2d
                                wife home to visit. Disastrous.
                         James M m Sarah Ann Stith
                         Mary S. m Edmund J. Stith
                         Nehemiah
                         Mason
                         Doan
                         Elizabeth m Armistead Barnes
                         Another

       John Gray b 3-6-1796 d 10-21-1867
               m 10-8-1823 Susannah Chalfon b 5-9-1800 d 9-27-1843
               m 4-10-1845 Elizabeth Chalfon (Chalfin?) b 1802 d 7-18-1855
                        William Daniel
                         Ben Downs
                         Aaron C (A C)
                         John Chalfon (J C) b 2- -1834 d 2-11-1863
                         Elijah Thomas
                         Richard Mays
                         Mary Elizabeth

       Richard b 2-12-1798 d 1875 in MO Moved to Scotland Co MO in1853
               m 12-30-1823 Mahala Allen b 2-11-1798 d 5-15-1854
               m 2d 3-26-1857 Mrs. Eliza Catlett
                        Richard Hayden
                        Samuel
                        Rebecca
                        Elizabeth
                        Barbara
                        Another ?

       Sarah b 1-21-1804 d 1-5-1895
               m 9-4-1822 Richard Payne
                        Elizabeth m Sim Hagan
                               William, Richard (m Lou Shacklett), George, Ben ("close relative" who preached
                               our grandfather's funeral), Sally Belle, Thomas
                        3 Sons, 1 Other daughter

       Benjamin Wooley b 10-15-1805 d 11-29-1894
                m 8-9-1826 Mary Kendall d 9 -1833 Ky
                m 10-7-1838 Harriet Kendall (cousin) b 2-4-1819 d 2-6-1900 Gorin MO
                         Heli (Eli) Kendall
                         Sarah D.
                         John Wooley - Disappeared - Father searched until his death
                         Mary A.
                Harriet's Children:
                         Jacob Kendall - (FSF had letter from J.K. Shacklett in 1930, Gorin MO. "We left
                                                    kentucky oct first, 1853 crosed the river at Brandenburge went
                                                    indiana to Springfield illinois and from there we crosed the missisipi river
                                                    in to misouri that is my Best recolecion of it I was only eight years old.")
                          Eliza
                          Benjamin Taylor
                          Elizabeth
                          Lydia
                          Barbara Ellen
                          Matilda
                          William

       Elizabeth b 1-22-1800 (Out of Place - belongs between Richard and Daniel)
              m 12-8-1817 John Shacklett Mills-Harrison Co. Ind.
                      11 Children

       Polly b 8-31-1807 d 1875
             m 9-1-1828 John Roberts
             m 2d 10-14-1847 Orla C. Richardson
                      Thomas Roberts
                      Benjamin Roberts
                      Joseph Roberts
                      Daniel Roberts
                      Elizabeth Roberts
                      Mary Ann Roberts
                      Gustavus (Gus) Warren Richardson
                      Julia Ann Richardson

       Jesse Blancit b 9-18-1809 d 1-21-1837
              m 7-22-1830 Rebecca Kendall b 1813 d 2-17-1877 (she m 2d 1845 Henry Samuels)
                       William Kendall b 12-31-1831 d 4-29-1863 (killed in Meadeville - Civil War)

       Elijah Ashcraft b 2-13-1813 d 10-26-1875
              m 9-1-1841 Mary Walker Saunders
              m 8-10-1870 Mrs. Eliza Perciful Oliver
                       SEE SEPARATE SHEET

       David H b 8-29-1815 d 9-5-1895 Moved to MO c 1853. In 1890 lived Sedalia, MO
               m 7-19-1838 Mary Roberts - b 1-18-1817 d 12-28-1977 Divorced
                        Nancy L.
                        Elijah E.
                        Lewis P.
                        Joseph R.
                        Absolom B.
                        Barbara K.
                        Millard Fillmore
                        Georgia Ann
                        Julia Ann

       Absolom b 10-19-1817 d 12-2-1863
                m 1-26-1837 Sarah Taylor Hayden
                         Jacob Hayden m Mary Kendall b 1-2-1847 d 1-23-1872
                                                 m 2d Adalisa Hardaway (for whom Adalisa was named)
                                                          Bernice m Bud Price
                        Daniel
                        Benjamin
                        Walsh
                        Correanor
                        John
                        Lou m Dick Hagen (See under Sarah m Richard Payne)
                        Laura

George Washington b 4-9-1820 d 1909
Unmarried - went around the Horn to California

These 81 children were first cousins of our grandfather. I do not recall their visiting back and forth with many of these cousins but you can see several families moved to MO and at least 1 family lived in Indiana. Lois Groves remembered Uncle Wash's (George Washington) visiting and talking about his trip around the Horn.

JOHN SHACKLETT
b 1747 d 1809 Fayette Co., Pa.
m. Barbara Quick b 1747 d 3-2-1846 Meade Co., Ky.

The children of John and Barbara Quick Shacklett were born in Georges Township, Fayette Co, Pa. After John's death Barbara Quick rode horseback from area of Beasontown, Pa. to Meade County accompanied by her youngest son, Jesse. This was a trip of 500 miles and her age was 64 at the time. She made her home with her son Blancett and died at the age of 99.

       Priscilla b 1776
              m. Thomas Horne

       Catharine b 1778 d 1810
              m. Enoch Davis

       Polly b 1780
              m. Thomas Mills
              m. Daniel Fulton

                   Virginia b 1791 m 11-27-1809 William Carmickle
                   (Jane on Hardin County marriage license. Consent by John Jenkins.)
                   Sarah m 1-9-1817 Phillip Miller
                   George m 11-6-1820 Margaret Pane
                   Barbara b 4-21-1793 m 10-14-1812 George Humphrey
                            Minerva Jane m Col. Ab Shacklett, son of Blanchart
                   Margaret m Thomas Mills
                   Benjamin S. m Elizabeth Humphrey. H b 9-21-1793 d 7-2-1873
                   Philip m Mary Shane
                   John m Mary Kennedy
                   Elizabeth m Robert Phelps. 2nd Philip Miller

2. Benjamin b 1-27-1774 d 5-24-1838 (9 boys 4 girls)
m. 10-9-1792 Elizabeth Ashcraft
SEE SEPARATE SHEET

                   John m Amelia Thomas
                   Thomas m Ellen Brown
                   Blancett m Nancy Buchanan
                   Jesse m Davenport 2nd Chenault
                   Barbara m Lewis Triplett
                   Mary m George Langton, Perry Co., Ind
                   Sarah - never married
                   Katherine m Jerry Baily

4. Catharine b 1778 d 1810
m. Enoch Davis, a Quaker (uncle of Jefferson Davis?) (6 boys 1 girl)

5. Mary (Polly) b 1780
              m. Thomas Mills (3 sons)

                     John
                     Ben
                     Thomas

                      John m Sabinia Payne
                      James m Rebecca Bottomhouse
                      Sophia d at 18 - unmarried
                      Hannah m Orly C. Richardson
                      Mary m Warren Richardson
                      Priscilla m Louis Richardson
                      Sarah m Jonathon Simmons, moved to Calif.

                       John m 7-4-1832 Mary Beall
                       Jesse m in Arkansas
                       Jacob m Letitia Thomas
                       Dan Worden m English
                       Sophia m 6-11-1829 Julius Swan
                       Maria m 2-5-1833 Thomas Tobin
                       Rachel m William Vertrees
                       Katherine m Hardin Stevens
                       Sarah B. m Joseph Mock (Mauk), moved to Indiana

7. John b 2-25-1785 d 9-10-1823
m 12-30-1801 Rachel Wimp (6 girls 4 boys) SEE SEPARATE SHEET

8. Blancit b 3-18-1787 d 12-5-1859
m 6-10-1807 Rachel Ashcraft (sister of Elizabeth) (4 boys 8 girls)

                         Elizabeth m 1830 William Buchanon
                                Katherine m Ben Saunders (brother of Mary Saunders Shacklett)
                         John Blant m Eliza Shacklett d Jesse and Sallie Dodson
                         Matilda b 6-19-1812 d 9-22-1818
                         Richard (Crippled Dick) m 1850 Mary Partridge
                         Mary
                         Blancit J. m 1840 Sara Neafus
                         Lucinda m John Reese
                         Malinda b 1-4-1824 - unmarried
                         Mahala b 1-4-1824 m Jesse "Doc" Shacklett
                         Absolom Redmond Col. Mex War m 1849 Minerva J. Humphrey
                                    Sallie b 1853 d 1943 (Letters to FSF), Island, Ky.
                         Rachel Catherine m Andrew Reese (he m 2d Rachel Barnes)
                                    Great grandparents of Peewee Reese
                         Sophia m 1849 Will Saunders (brother of Mary Saunders Shacklett)
                                     Rachel m Jim Jones
                                              Eula m Hart (see pictures)
                                              Jim
                                     Wilbur m Sue Neal
                                              James Wilbur

                          John m Mary Toodridge
                          Jesse - unmarried
                          Jacob m Carrie Woods
                          Blanchert m 1836 Martha Ann Matthews
                          Hannah m 1834 William Stith
                          Mary m 1838 Elijah Dowell

                          Daniel m Mary Walker
                                   Jacob m Rachel Hardaway
                                   Dan - moved to MO
                                   Bernice or Burnus m in MO
                                   Mary m Richard Dowell
                                   Rebecca m Horace Dowell
                                   Sophia m E. H. Barnes
                                   Emily m Stith
                                   Sarah m Anthony Miles
                                            Betty m Gus Allen (Grandparents of Peewee Reese)
                                                  Bet m Jos. Woolfolk (See obits from Messenger)
                           Sarah m "Ap" Shacklett
                                    Ben
                                    Jake m 2nd Adalisa Hardaway
                                              Bernice m Bud Price
                                    Dan
                                    Lous m Dick Hagen
                                    Corinne
                                    John

10. Jesse b 1791 d 7-4-1836 Grand Gulf, La.
m 1811 Sara Dodson of Perry Co. Ind. (6 boys 2 girls)

                            Eliza m 1831 John Blant Shacklett
                            Daniel H. (White-eye) m Sophia H. Shacklett
                            Mary m Dan "Ross" Shacklett
                            Judge (Big) Blant m Elizabeth Wimp
                            John Gilbert m Sarah B. Shacklett
                            Jesse - died young
                            Ben Legister m Barbara Mills
                            Bernice m Susan Dowell

The Will was probated October 27, 1809 and the original is on file at Uniontown, Fayette County, Pennsylvania.

"I - John Shacklett Senior believeing in the Scripturs of the old and new testament and of cours the ten commandments recorded in the 20th chap. of Exodus to be a rule of good living, to both Jew and Gentile being a law call'd holy Just and good and beleive Christ came to fullfill preciptive Part and sufferd the penalty of said law to make up a Rightousness for all penitent pepole - Which makes up the good-news called the gosple - See Romans 4:25 - which reads thus - "Who was delivered for our offences and was raised again for our Justification"........etc, etc..........

In the name of God Amen - I, John Shacklet of the County of Fyate and State of Pennsylvania being low in body but of Sound memory believing in the mortality of the body and the imortality of the Soul - do make and publish this my last will and testament in the following Manner To-Wit:

........After all my debts are paid..I will until my wife Barbara Shacklet the income of the one third part of my landed estate and improvements during her natural life....likewise I bequeath to my above mentioned Wife all my moveable estate to be appropiated to her use during her life and at her death to be Equally divided amongst my children.

Secondly.....I will unto my children whose names is as follows To-Wit..Sarah Jenkings, Benjaman Shacklet, Priscilla Horne, Katharine Davis, Mary Fultton, Hanna Hayden, John Shacklet, Blanchert Shacklet, Sophia Hayden and :Jese Shacklet - all my landed estate and improvements only the above mentioned incumberance of one third to my Wife above mentioned during her life.

I appoint and constitute my Son Benjaman Shaklet and Charles Brownfeild My Excutors of this my last will and testament....in testimony Whereof I have set my hand and seal this 29th day of September 1809.

Samuel Woodbridge
Joseph Stilwell Sworn 27th (Oct. 1809)
Thomas Richards Sworn 27th (Oct. 1809)
Benjaman Shacklet Sworn 1st of March 1810.

Coped by Frances Shacklett Fast, from a copy sent by the Register of Wills, Uniontown, Pa., Fayette Co., March 19, 1924. All underscorings are on the copy as I received it.

There was some debate among the descendents whether Benjamin Sheklet was married to Sarah Blancit or Catherine Tucker or both. In his will the children that follow are listed.