Nathan Pascal Shipley Sr.

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Nathan Pascal Shipley Sr.

Birth
Death
22 Feb 1863 (aged 35)
Burial
Chester, Crawford County, Arkansas, USA Add to Map
Memorial ID
View Source
Dble. Stone. Husband of Elizabeth Shipley. Possibly in the rocked in area. There was sinking inside this area, but no stones.

Nathan Pascal Shipley, Sr. was born the 27th of May, 1827(1) near Knoxville, Knox County, Tennessee, USA(2) the first child of Benjamin Franklin Shipley, Sr. and Sarah Sally Burkett.(3) Nathan is listed as a laborer living with the Lester family on the 1850 Arkansas census.(4) He married Elizabeth "Betsey"(5) Mildred Lester(6) the 28th of October, 1851 in Crawford County, Arkansas, USA. Elizabeth was born the 31st of July, 1831(7) in Cedarville, Crawford County, Arkansas, USA the first child of William Thomas Lester and Margaret Elizabeth Talkington. She was the sister of Mary Sharp Lester, the wife of Benjamin Shipley, Jr., Nathan's brother. Elizabeth could read and write. They had six children all born in Crawford County, Arkansas, USA who also all became literate. Eliza Jane was born in 1852; William Lester was born in 1854, Thomas Wilson was born in 1855, James Wright was born in 1858, Nathan Pascal, Jr. was born in 1860, and Jefferson S. was born in 1862. In 1858 Nathan received a land warrant for section 2-11-31 in Crawford County, Arkansas, USA.(8)

In 1860 Nathan's mother, Sarah, was living with Nathan and Elizabeth or in a dwelling next door to them (probably on Nathan's property).(9) His two younger brothers were living with Sarah: James age 12 and Elijah age 10. Sarah "Sally" Shipley had been abandoned by her husband and left quite destitute. She had no land of her own.

Nathan died the 22nd of February, 1863 in Crawford County Arkansas at the age of 35. There are several conflicting versions about Nathan's early death(10) but the one that seems most likely is that Nathan was hanged with his brother, Richard, by bushwhackers (more criminals than soldiers) during the Civil War.(11) Relatives, who live out in the area, say they can show the spot where the two were hanged. Richard Shipley deserted the Confederates and was hanged by the rebels according to military records and Susan Arabella's testimony from the James Shipley pension record.(12) She was Nathan's sister and the wife of 1) Young E. Reynolds and later, 2) William Thomas Crabtree.

Sarah Caroline "Sally" Shipley Bowers related this story to R. Cecil Shipley the 9th of June, 1998.(13) She said in 1959, six years before his death, her father, Benjamin Harrison Shipley, Sr. told her of a conversation he had with his father, William Lester Shipley, when William was lucid and mentally capable. She said her father was still disturbed by the story and found it difficult to discuss. William was nine when his father, Nathan Pascal Shipley died.

"William Lester, father of Elizabeth Lester who married Nathan Pascal Shipley, owned the land around where Oliver Cemetery is located today. Nathan Shipley helped William Lester clear the land. Eventually, he married Elizabeth Lester and they bought 120 acres in Chester, Arkansas, at $1.25 per acre. Nathan and Elizabeth homesteaded another 80 acres so that they had 200 acres.

Chester, Arkansas is situated in a mountainous region containing numerous caves. During the Civil War bushwhackers lived in the caves and stored stolen goods in them. The bushwhackers raped and pillaged at will in the area surrounding Chester. Eventually, the Federal troops moved into the area and began raiding the caves and capturing the goods and ammunition stored in them. The bushwhackers believed Young Reynolds was a spy and had told the Federals which caves to raid and search. Young Reynolds was married to Nathan's sister, Susan Arabella Shipley.

A group of bushwhackers rode into the yard of Elizabeth and Nathan Pascal Shipley at first light on the morning of February 22, 1863. The bushwhackers roused all of the family from sleep and herded them outside into the front yard. The family included Nathan Shipley, Elizabeth Shipley, their six children ages 1 through 10, and Richard Shipley, the brother of Nathan. The bushwhackers hanged Nathan and Richard in the front yard in front of the rest of the family. (Young E. Runnels/Reynolds was also murdered in 1863.)

Written by Susan Kimes Burgess

Footnotes:

(1) 1) Letter written by Thomas Wilson Shipley in 1936 listing his parents birth dates in the possession of Lynne Chandler, 2) Headstone has Nathan's birth date 05-27-1827 and died 02-22-1863.
(2) From Lynne Chandler: Eloda (Lavender) Shipley's family notes state:
(3) Data on Nathan and Mildred is from a Gedcom from Cecil Shipley unless otherwise noted. His sources were: 1) Grace Thirsaline Shipley Collins and Barbara Collins and 2)Roy Wayne Shipley.
(4) Research of R. Cecil Shipley: 1850 United States Federal Census
(5) Various family members often refer to her as Betsey in the Sarah Shipley pension depositions.
(6) Her name is sometimes given as Mildred Ann Elizabeth Lester by other researchers.
(7) 1) Letter written by Thomas Wilson Shipley in 1936 listing his parents birth dates in the possession of Lynne Chandler, 2) Headstone for Elizabeth has her born 07-21-1831 and died 10-01-1882.
(8) Lester, Neal and Allied Families, by Shirley Wimpey Ward, 1987.
(9) Research of R. Cecil Shipley: 1860 United States Federal Census
(10) One unsubstantiated version says that he was forced to fight with the Confederates during the battle of Prairie Grove. He subsequently went to Little Rock and organized a company of 100 men ready to enlist with the North. The men were planning to elect a captain. Everyone suspected that Nathan would be elected, but a rival wanted to be captain. The men took turns cooking meals for the company. When it was the turn of the rival to cook, he prepared Nathan a plate of poisoned food. [Lynne Chandler has a note from someone that says, "Elizabeth Lester Shipley couldn't get a pension because she couldn't prove Nathan died a Union soldier. He died of a poisoned drink. Old Nathan got up a company of 100 men for the union (after being forced to fight for Confederates at Prairie Grove)."] Another version says it was at a celebration dinner that he was poisoned.
(11) Lynne Chandler has a letter written by William Curtis Shipley where he says, "The Lester's & Shipley's were Northern Methodist or Republican Methodist, had no slaves & had union sympathies. Nathan Shipley and his brother Richard Shipley were killed in their front yard during the civil war. Elizabeth Shipley was left with several small children, Nathan P. Shipley, James Wright Shipley, William Lester & T. Wilson Shipley among them."
(12) Sarah Shipley pension papers 379,798; Deposition I, pages 30, 31; by Susan Crabtree.
(13) E-mail from R. Cecil Shipley, Feb. 19, 2000.

Thank you,
Susan Burgess (#47528859)
Dble. Stone. Husband of Elizabeth Shipley. Possibly in the rocked in area. There was sinking inside this area, but no stones.

Nathan Pascal Shipley, Sr. was born the 27th of May, 1827(1) near Knoxville, Knox County, Tennessee, USA(2) the first child of Benjamin Franklin Shipley, Sr. and Sarah Sally Burkett.(3) Nathan is listed as a laborer living with the Lester family on the 1850 Arkansas census.(4) He married Elizabeth "Betsey"(5) Mildred Lester(6) the 28th of October, 1851 in Crawford County, Arkansas, USA. Elizabeth was born the 31st of July, 1831(7) in Cedarville, Crawford County, Arkansas, USA the first child of William Thomas Lester and Margaret Elizabeth Talkington. She was the sister of Mary Sharp Lester, the wife of Benjamin Shipley, Jr., Nathan's brother. Elizabeth could read and write. They had six children all born in Crawford County, Arkansas, USA who also all became literate. Eliza Jane was born in 1852; William Lester was born in 1854, Thomas Wilson was born in 1855, James Wright was born in 1858, Nathan Pascal, Jr. was born in 1860, and Jefferson S. was born in 1862. In 1858 Nathan received a land warrant for section 2-11-31 in Crawford County, Arkansas, USA.(8)

In 1860 Nathan's mother, Sarah, was living with Nathan and Elizabeth or in a dwelling next door to them (probably on Nathan's property).(9) His two younger brothers were living with Sarah: James age 12 and Elijah age 10. Sarah "Sally" Shipley had been abandoned by her husband and left quite destitute. She had no land of her own.

Nathan died the 22nd of February, 1863 in Crawford County Arkansas at the age of 35. There are several conflicting versions about Nathan's early death(10) but the one that seems most likely is that Nathan was hanged with his brother, Richard, by bushwhackers (more criminals than soldiers) during the Civil War.(11) Relatives, who live out in the area, say they can show the spot where the two were hanged. Richard Shipley deserted the Confederates and was hanged by the rebels according to military records and Susan Arabella's testimony from the James Shipley pension record.(12) She was Nathan's sister and the wife of 1) Young E. Reynolds and later, 2) William Thomas Crabtree.

Sarah Caroline "Sally" Shipley Bowers related this story to R. Cecil Shipley the 9th of June, 1998.(13) She said in 1959, six years before his death, her father, Benjamin Harrison Shipley, Sr. told her of a conversation he had with his father, William Lester Shipley, when William was lucid and mentally capable. She said her father was still disturbed by the story and found it difficult to discuss. William was nine when his father, Nathan Pascal Shipley died.

"William Lester, father of Elizabeth Lester who married Nathan Pascal Shipley, owned the land around where Oliver Cemetery is located today. Nathan Shipley helped William Lester clear the land. Eventually, he married Elizabeth Lester and they bought 120 acres in Chester, Arkansas, at $1.25 per acre. Nathan and Elizabeth homesteaded another 80 acres so that they had 200 acres.

Chester, Arkansas is situated in a mountainous region containing numerous caves. During the Civil War bushwhackers lived in the caves and stored stolen goods in them. The bushwhackers raped and pillaged at will in the area surrounding Chester. Eventually, the Federal troops moved into the area and began raiding the caves and capturing the goods and ammunition stored in them. The bushwhackers believed Young Reynolds was a spy and had told the Federals which caves to raid and search. Young Reynolds was married to Nathan's sister, Susan Arabella Shipley.

A group of bushwhackers rode into the yard of Elizabeth and Nathan Pascal Shipley at first light on the morning of February 22, 1863. The bushwhackers roused all of the family from sleep and herded them outside into the front yard. The family included Nathan Shipley, Elizabeth Shipley, their six children ages 1 through 10, and Richard Shipley, the brother of Nathan. The bushwhackers hanged Nathan and Richard in the front yard in front of the rest of the family. (Young E. Runnels/Reynolds was also murdered in 1863.)

Written by Susan Kimes Burgess

Footnotes:

(1) 1) Letter written by Thomas Wilson Shipley in 1936 listing his parents birth dates in the possession of Lynne Chandler, 2) Headstone has Nathan's birth date 05-27-1827 and died 02-22-1863.
(2) From Lynne Chandler: Eloda (Lavender) Shipley's family notes state:
(3) Data on Nathan and Mildred is from a Gedcom from Cecil Shipley unless otherwise noted. His sources were: 1) Grace Thirsaline Shipley Collins and Barbara Collins and 2)Roy Wayne Shipley.
(4) Research of R. Cecil Shipley: 1850 United States Federal Census
(5) Various family members often refer to her as Betsey in the Sarah Shipley pension depositions.
(6) Her name is sometimes given as Mildred Ann Elizabeth Lester by other researchers.
(7) 1) Letter written by Thomas Wilson Shipley in 1936 listing his parents birth dates in the possession of Lynne Chandler, 2) Headstone for Elizabeth has her born 07-21-1831 and died 10-01-1882.
(8) Lester, Neal and Allied Families, by Shirley Wimpey Ward, 1987.
(9) Research of R. Cecil Shipley: 1860 United States Federal Census
(10) One unsubstantiated version says that he was forced to fight with the Confederates during the battle of Prairie Grove. He subsequently went to Little Rock and organized a company of 100 men ready to enlist with the North. The men were planning to elect a captain. Everyone suspected that Nathan would be elected, but a rival wanted to be captain. The men took turns cooking meals for the company. When it was the turn of the rival to cook, he prepared Nathan a plate of poisoned food. [Lynne Chandler has a note from someone that says, "Elizabeth Lester Shipley couldn't get a pension because she couldn't prove Nathan died a Union soldier. He died of a poisoned drink. Old Nathan got up a company of 100 men for the union (after being forced to fight for Confederates at Prairie Grove)."] Another version says it was at a celebration dinner that he was poisoned.
(11) Lynne Chandler has a letter written by William Curtis Shipley where he says, "The Lester's & Shipley's were Northern Methodist or Republican Methodist, had no slaves & had union sympathies. Nathan Shipley and his brother Richard Shipley were killed in their front yard during the civil war. Elizabeth Shipley was left with several small children, Nathan P. Shipley, James Wright Shipley, William Lester & T. Wilson Shipley among them."
(12) Sarah Shipley pension papers 379,798; Deposition I, pages 30, 31; by Susan Crabtree.
(13) E-mail from R. Cecil Shipley, Feb. 19, 2000.

Thank you,
Susan Burgess (#47528859)