• General Notes

  Elizabeth "Betsey"(1)  Mildred Lester(2) was born the 31st of July, 1831(3)  in Cedarville, Crawford County, Arkansas, the first child of William Thomas Lester and Margaret Elizabeth Talkington.  She could read and write.  William Lester, father of Elizabeth Lester, owned the land around where Oliver Cemetery is located today.  Nathan Pascal Shipley, Sr. helped William Lester clear the land.  He is listed as a laborer living with the Lester family on the 1850 Arkansas census.(4)  He married Elizabeth Lester the 28th of October, 1851 in Crawford County, Arkansas 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.
  
  Nathan was born the 27th of May, 1827(5)  near Knoxville, Knox County, Tennessee(6)  the first child of Benjamin Franklin Shipley, Sr. and Sarah Sally Burkett.(7)   He was the brother of Benjamin Shipley, Jr. who married Elizabeth's sister, Mary Sharp Lester.   Nathan and Elizabeth had six children all born in Crawford County, Arkansas 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).   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.
  Later, the Shipley house burned and Elizabeth lived with Eliza Jane Shipley who married David Walker Lewis.  Later, Eliza supposedly bought the Shipley property."
  
  Elisabeth Minerva Shipley said,
  
  "My great grandfather was about 5 when Nathan was murdered.  Elizabeth lived on the farm with Jefferson, her youngest child.  The other children were dispersed among family members.  Jefferson was supposed to care for his mother, but he was lazy.  Elizabeth died of a broken back when she tried to lift a sack of potatoes in her old age."
  
  After the Civil War, Nathan's mother and brother, Sarah and James, lived on Elizabeth's property for two or three years until they moved to government land nearby.(9)   It appears that James was in poor health and often unable to work.  They were very poor.  When James became ill in 1869, Elizabeth cared for him in her home for about three weeks until he died.  Sarah said that a grandchild was living with her when James died.(10)   Could this have been one of Elizabeth's fatherless children?  In 1880 Elizabeth had three sons living with her:  Thomas, James, and Jefferson.(11)   They were working on the farm.  Eliza Jane and her family lived next door.(12)   William Lester Shipley was living with the Albert Rainwater family in Lees Creek where he worked on their farm.  Elizabeth died the 1st of October, 1882(13)  in Crawford County, Arkansas, USA.  Nathan and she are both buried in Oliver Cemetery near Cedarville, Crawford County, Arkansas, USA.
  
  Written by Susan Kimes Burgess
  Footnotes:
  
  (1)  Various family members often refer to her as Betsey in the Sarah Shipley pension depositions.
  (2)  Her name is sometimes given as Mildred Ann Elizabeth Lester by other researchers.
  (3)  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.
  (4)  Research of R. Cecil Shipley: 1850 United States Federal Census
  (5) 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.
  (6)  From Lynne Chandler:  Eloda (Lavender) Shipley’s family notes state:
  (7)  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.
  (8)  Lester, Neal and Allied Families, by Shirley Wimpey Ward, 1987.
  (9)  Sarah Shipley pension papers 379,798.
  (10)  Sarah Shipley pension papers 379,798.
  (11)  1880 Upper, Crawford County, Arkansas, USA Census.
  (12)  The Walker Lewis family is listed right next to Elizabeth Shipley household in the 1880 Crawford County census.
  (13)  Headstone for Elizabeth has her born 07-31-1831 and died 10-01-1882.
  -------------------------------------
  Research of Susan Kimes Burgess:
  1850 Census:  Jasper Township, Crawford County, Arkansas enumerated December 12, 1850
  REEL NO:  M432-25  PAGE NO:  335A
  LN  HN   FN  LAST NAME  FIRST NAME     AGE SEX  RACE  OCCUP.         VAL.      BIRTHPLACE       MRD.  SCH.  R/W  DDB
    9   48   48  Lester        William    47   M              Farmer         1,000    Ky
  10  48   48  Lester         Margaret        38   F                                                Ky                                 X
  11  48   48  Lester         Elizabeth       18   F                                                Ark
  12  48   48  Lester         Martha J        16   F                                                Ark
  13  48   48  Lester         Srah            13   F                                                Ark                     X
  14  48   48  Lester         Mary            9    F                                                Ark                     X
  15  48   48  Lester         Cynthia         7    F                                                Ark                     X
  16  48   48  Lester         Lavonia         5    F                                                Ark                     X
  17  48   48  Lester         Nancy           3    F                                                Ark
  18  48   48  Lester         Serena          10/12 F                                               Ark
  19  48   48  Shipley        Nathan          22   M              Laborer                           Ten
                     REMARKS:  p669B  (son of Benjamin Franklin Shipley, married Elizabeth Lester)
  
  1860 Census:  Upper Township, Crawford County, Arkansas enumerated Aug 1, 1860 ; Post Office:  The Narrows
  Series: M653  Roll: 40  Page: 720
  LN  HN       FN     NAME      AGE  SEX  Race OCCUP.    VAL. BIRTHPLACE     MRD. SCH.   R/W  DDBIPC
  14  801  773  Nathan Shipley       28   M    Farmer    1000 1611 Tenn
  15         Elisabeth Shipley  28   F                   Arks
  16         Elisa J. Shipley        8         F                   Arks
  17         William Shipley         6    M                   Arks
  18         Thomas Shipley     4     M                  Arks
  19         James Shipley      2     M                  Arks
  20         Nathan Shipley          9/12      M                   Arks
  21        Throb Shipley       65   F                   Unknown   Over 20 can't read or write (This is Sarah Burkett Shipley)
  22        James Shipley       12   M                   Arks
  23        Elijah Shipley      10   M                   Arks
  
  1870 Census:  Upper Township, Crawford County, Arkansas enumerated July 28, 1870; Post Office:  Lees Creek
  Series: M593  Roll: 51  Page: 245
  LN  HN   FN     NAME     AGE  SEX  Race OCCUP.         VAL. BIRTHPLACE    
  1  73  73  Shipley, Elisabeth 39   F    W    Keeping House  800  400  Ark
  2    Shipley, William    16   M    W    Farm Laborer        Ark
  3    Shipley, James 14   M    W    Farm Laborer        Ark
  4    Shipley, Thomas     12   M    W    Farm Laborer        Ark
  5    Shipley, Elisa 18   F    W                   Ark
  6    Shipley, Nathan     10   M    W                   Ark
  7    Shipley, Jefferson  8    M    W                   Ark
  8    Shipley, Margaret   66   F    W    Keeping House 300  300   Ky
  
  1880 Census:  http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/frameset_search.asp?PAGE=census/search_census.asp
  Source Information:
    Census Place Upper, Crawford County, Arkansas, USA
    Family History Library Film   1254041
    NA Film Number   T9-0041
    Page Number   478D
  Name  Relation Marital Status Gender Race Age Birthplace Occupation Father's Birthplace Mother's Birthplace
  Elizabeth SHIPLEY   Self   W   Female   W   49   AR   Keeps House   KY   KY 
  Thomas SHIPLEY   Son   S   Male   W   24   AR   Works On Farm   TN   AR 
  James SHIPLEY   Son   S   Male   W   21   AR   Works On Farm   TN   AR 
  Jefferson SHIPLEY   Son   S   Male   W   18   AR   Works On Farm   TN   AR 
  
  Find a Grave:
  This rock wall goes around and area that has a sink whole in in. There were no stones in the walled in area. The stone sticking up on the oposite side of the wall, is Nathan and Elizabeth Shipley, both on one stone. It could be that they are both inside this walled in area.
  Added by: Carlene R.
  9/06/2008
  Elizabeth Shipley
  Birth:    Jul. 21, 1831
  Death:    Oct. 1, 1882
  Dble. Stone. Wife of Nathan Shipley
  Burial:
  Oliver Cemetery
  Chester
  Crawford County
  Arkansas, USA
  Created by: Carlene R.
  Record added: Sep 06, 2008
  Find A Grave Memorial# 29627938
  
  Arkansas Land Records
  Name:     Elizabeth Shipley
  Land Office:   DARDANELLE
  Document Number:    1717
  Total Acres:   139.9
  Misc. Doc. Nr.:     5285
  Signature:     Yes
  Canceled Document:  No
  Issue Date:    4 Sep 1879
  Mineral Rights Reserved:      No
  Metes and Bounds:   No
  Statutory Reference:     12 Stat. 392
  Multiple Warantee Names:      No
  Act or Treaty:      May 20, 1862
  Multiple Patentee Names:      No
  Entry Classification:    Homestead Entry Original
  Land Description:  
  1    N½NW      5TH PM    No   11N  31W  2
  2    SWNW      5TH PM    No   11N  31W  2

Details of Elizabeth Mildred's family with Nathan Pascal SHIPLEY