Shaver Genealogy - John Shaver & Mary Blackwelder of North Carolina, Tennessee, & Arkansas

Shaver Genealogy
John Shaver & Mary Blackwelder of North Carolina, Tennessee, & Arkansas

Preface
Historical Narrative
Descendant Listings
Documentary Sources
Discussion Groups
DNA Research

Preface

Many of the Shaver families in the USA trace their ancestry to this couple, who were married in what is now Cabarrus County, North Carolina in the late 1760s. This web site is intended to be a compendium of the research done on John Shaver and Mary Blackwelder and their descendants. Much has been published on this family in various historical books and family histories, some of it accurate, some not so accurate. As is often the case with family histories, once something is in print, it often is considered to be "gospel". It is my hope that this web site will facilitate a critical examination and discussion of the facts, legends, and myths surrounding this Shaver family and to allow us Shaver researchers and descendants to learn more about our origins and our relatives' contributions to early America. The best way to separate fact from fiction and to resolve conflicting information is to go back to the primary sources (see Documenting Your Genealogy Research - Guide to Citing Sources). These include records of marriages, births, deaths, and burials, census listings, Bible records, tax lists, probate and land records, etc. The information in the descendant listings on this web site will include documentation of the primary sources as much as possible, and transcriptions of many of those sources will be presented in links below. This is a working document and not necessarily definitive, since much of it is based upon information found on the Internet or in published secondary sources. It will be modified and (hopefully) improved as more researchers provide input and, most importantly, evidence.

Historical Narrative

John Shaver was born about 1745 in Ephrata, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania to Peter Schaeffer and Dorothy (Miller?). Peter Schaeffer's father is thought to have been Joseph Schaeffer, who arrived in the 1709-1710 Palatinate immigration (from Germany by way of London, England) to New York. (The surname was Anglicized to Shaver in the mid-1700s.) Not long after John's birth around 1745, Peter moved his family from Pennsylvania to the New River settlement in southern Virginia (in present-day Pulaski County). In the early 1750s, they moved again to Cape Fear River in Bladen County, North Carolina (the northern half of which became Cumberland County in 1754). The land on which they settled was "opposite the mouth of Rockfish Creek", which places it about five miles south-southeast of present-day Fayetteville, Cumberland County, North Carolina.

By the late 1760s, John Shaver left Cumberland County and settled along Cold Water Creek in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, in the part that became Cabarrus County in 1792. Around 1769, John Shaver married Mary Blackwelder, a daughter of John Adam Blackwelder and his wife Catherine (maiden surname unknown). Mary's family name, Blackwelder, was Anglicized from Schwarzwalder after her father's immigration to America from Germany. John Adam Blackwelder arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from Germany on 14 September 1738 aboard the ship Friendship. He was born in Durrn, Schwarzwald (Black Forest), Germany in 1715. The Schwarzwalder ancestry has been traced back to John Adam Blackwelder's great-great-grandfather Jacob Schwarzwalder, who died in 1646. See my Blackwelder web site.

John Shaver served as a Private in the North Carolina Militia during the American Revolution.

Where did the John Shaver and his wife Mary live? Cold Water Creek and its tributary Little Cold Water Creek are just to the east of the present-day town of Concord in Cabarrus County (formed in 1792 from Mecklenburg County), along the road to Mount Pleasant. Mary's father John Adam Blackwelder received a grant of 156 acres of land in 1762 on "little Coldwater and waters of rocky or Johnstons river", which he sold to Mary's brother Charles Blackwelder on 26 September 1794 . This is where Mary lived at the time of her marriage to John Shaver. (Many of the current residents of this part of Cabarrus County are descendants of John Adam Blackwelder or his brother Caleb Blackwelder.) On 2 November 1784 , John Shaver received a grant (from the State of North Carolina) of 150 acres of land along Cold Water Creek.

Present-day Cabarrus County, between Concord and Mount Pleasant, along Cold Water and Little Cold Water Creeks (highlighted area is Little Cold Water Creek; Rocky River is about four miles south of the confluence of Cold Water Creek and Little Cold Water Creek)

The John Shaver family appears in the 1790 census of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina (Salisbury District, page 367):

At this time, the household consisted of two free white males of 16 years and upwards, six free white males under 16 years, four free white females, and no slaves. It is not clear if these numbers include non-relatives living in the household. There were seven sons (Peter, John, Daniel, Michael, Joseph, Charles, and Jacob) and four daughters (Rachel, Leah, Elizabeth, and Easter). Some of these children may have been born just after this census, in the early 1790s.

On 20 January 1794 , John Shaver sold the last of his land in Cumberland County (160 acres, a share of the 640 acres owned by his father Peter Shaver, who died intestate some years earlier). This deed was signed by both John Shaver and his wife Mary, and is the only known piece of documentary evidence showing his wife's first name.

Around 1796, John Shaver was one of 418 signers of a petition (John Melchor's Petition) involving fishing rights along the Rocky River and its tributaries in Cabarrus County. Cold Water Creek and Little Cold Water Creek are tributaries of the Rocky River. (His signature is at the top of this web page.)

On 18 April 1796 , John Shaver purchased one of the original lots in the newly-formed town of Concord - "Lot No. 4 in the South East Square . . . beginning at Union Street". This was located at the southeast corner of Union Street and Corban Street (across the street from where the Cabarrus County Courthouse building is currently situated). His family appears in the 1800 census of Cabarrus County (page 686):

John Shaver's household in 1800 consisted of six free white males (four under age 10, one of 16 and under 26, and one over 45), five free white females (one under age 10, two of 10 and under 16, one of 16 and under 26, and one over 45), and three slaves. It looks like his three oldest sons (Peter, John, and Daniel) had left the household, perhaps having already moved Sumner County, Tennessee, where John Shaver's brother Michael had settled and died a few years earlier.

John Shaver sold his lot in Concord in August 1802 . On 21 September 1803 , he also sold to William McGraw "land joining sd. McGraws land on the west side of Coldwater containing eight acres".

Four of John Shaver's children were married in Cabarrus County (dates of marriage bond given).

5 November 1798 - Rachel to John Cline
29 November 1803 - Leah to Matthias Mock
9 Apr 1807 - Elizabeth to George Letsinger
7 Sep 1808 - Joseph to Mary Corzine

John Shaver does not appear in the 1810 Cabarrus County census. Had he already moved the rest of his family to Sumner County, Tennessee? (Unfortunately, the 1800 and 1810 federal censuses for Tennessee have been lost.) The 1811 tax list of Sumner County lists two John Shavers (John and his son).

Two of John Shaver's sons were married in Sumner County (dates of marriage bond given).

18 September 1805 - Daniel to Josa Chaddock
1 October 1811 - Michael to Elizabeth Mock

John Shaver's daughter Elizabeth apparently died before 1812, as her husband George Letsinger remarried in Sumner County, Tennessee (bond dated 30 May 1812) to Elizabeth White.

The last record of a John Shaver in Cabarrus County (for this era) is a deed dated 2 September 1815, in which he sold 178 acres of land "on the road leading from Concord to Charleston" to William McGraw. The deed says that this John Shaver was of Cabarrus County, but our John Shaver and a number of his married children were already in Sumner County, Tennessee by this time. (Was this land deed for the same John Shaver?)

Nothing more is known about Mary (Blackwelder) Shaver. We don't know if she lived long enough to move with the rest of her family from North Carolina to Tennessee.

At least three of John Shaver's sons (Charles, Joseph, and Jacob) served in Tennessee militias during the War of 1812. (The United States declared war against Great Britain on 18 June 1812. The Treaty of Ghent, signed on 24 December 1814, officially ended the war, but word was slow in getting to the soldiers in the field (and on the sea), so the Battle of New Orleans was fought 8 January 1815 and was a disaster for the British.) Jacob's unit was involved in the Battle of New Orleans.

Sometime between 1815 and 1818, John Shaver and many of his children left Sumner County, Tennessee to settle in sparsely-settled Lawrence County in the Missouri Territory. (Lawrence County became a part of Arkansas Territory upon its formation in 1819, when Missouri applied for statehood. Randolph County was subsequently formed on 29 October 1835 from the part of Lawrence County in which the Shaver family had settled. Arkansas became a state in 1836.) This was about 260 miles due west of Sumner County, Tennessee. Perhaps Jacob, Joseph, and Charles traveled in that area during their service in the War of 1812 and learned of settlement opportunities there.

John Shaver remained in Lawrence County (Randolph County after 1835). At the time of the 1830 census, he was in his 80s and was one of the oldest men in the Arkansas Territory. He was the only white person in his household, along with 11 black slaves. John Shaver left a will dated 22 March 1832 ; the will was proved 10 March 1835 (after his death):

"Lawrence County, Arkansas Territory I, John Shaver of said county and territory knowing that it is impossible by the irrevocable decrees of heaven unto all men once to die and feeling myself far advanced in the evening of life and by common causes of nature I know that my time of probation on earth will not be long. I therefore avail myself of the opportunity while I am of sound and disposing mind to make this my last will and testament. And in the first place I recommend myself to God who gave it and my body to its mother dust from whence it came to be enterred in a decent and Christian like manner. As it relates to my Estate, I hereby dispose of it in the following manner. At my natural death I will and bequeath unto my legal heir Peter Shaver, John Shaver, Daniel Shaver, Joseph Shaver, Michael Shaver, Jacob Shaver, Charles Shaver, Rachel Clien, Lear Mock, Easter Murray, each of the above named legatees to have an equal part of my estate both real and personally and to Elizabeth Lisenger, daughter of Elizabeth Lisenger decd., my daughter, I will and bequeath one hundred dollars to be paid by my Executors when legally demanded by her or agent. Also to the above named Easter Murray and the lawful heirs of her body, I wish to have an equal part with the rest of my heirs. I furthermore say and declare in this my last will and testament that John Murray (who married my daughter Easter Shaver) shall never have the privilege of selling, trading or in any way disposing of any of my estate whether personal or real but I do hereby will and bequeath it to my daughter and the heirs of her body exclusively to themselves for their use and benefit and not to be subject to the control or use of said Murray in any way whatever. Also to the heirs of Leah Mock I will and bequeath an equal part with the rest of the Legatees my last will and testament is that my Executors who I shall hereafter name shall demand all the legatees has any of the property in hand which property I have not bargained nor sold to any of them if they bring it forward to the Executors and receive their part in full, if not they must account to the Executors for the same. Peter Shaver has one girl name Lilly I suppose to be worth six hundred dollars, John Shaver one girl named Fanny worth seven hundred dollars Daniel Shaver one woman named Ann and two children worth one thousand dollars, Joseph Shaver one girl named Harriet worth five hundred, Jacob Shaver one girl name Polly worth six hundred dollars, Charles Shaver one boy called Green worth six hundred dollars, Easter Murray one girl Sopha worth six hundred dollars. The property shall be brought forward within twelve months after my decease by being notified by the Executors which said property if not brought forward to the time they shall receive at the above named price in part or all of their ... (illegible). All which negroes when re-turned shall be under the full control of and management of my Executors which I shall appoint as to what shall be in my posession at my death and I do hereby appoint Daniel Shaver and Michael Shaver my sons both of the county and territory above named to be my lawful Executors and to manage the business of my Estate at my death and I do not wish my Estate to come under the manage of the court more than it is compelled to be by (law) only to sanction my will. My Executors shall pay my taxes, fur-nish me with necessities which they shall be paid for extra to their part. I wish my property to be man-aged with the least expense, my real estate I wish divided without sale if to the satisfaction of the lega-tees. I wish the Executors to take my property in hand at my decease and manage it to the best advan-tage as I repose confidence in them. And I do hereby disannul and make void all former wills, revoking all former wills and testaments by me made and hereby declare by these presents this to be my last will and testament made and delivered by me in possession of my right mind uncontrolled by any person whatever, In Testimony whereof I have hereto set my hand this 22 March A.D. 1832.
Signed and acknowledged in the presence of us
Burwell J. Wiley
Levi Fletcher
John (his X mark) Shaver"

Descendant Listings

Over 6,400 descendants of John Shaver and Mary Blackwelder have been identified. Most of John and Mary's children raised their families in Tennessee and Arkansas, and many of this Shaver family live there today. A study of this family shows how the population of post-Revolutionary America increased so quickly. John and Mary Shaver had 11 children, 83 grandchildren, and over 427 great-grandchildren. Here is a listing of their descendants (through four generations):

[Note: To view the Adobe Acrobat documents, you will need the Adobe Acrobat Reader software. This can be downloaded free from http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html. You can download the files to your disk to view them, or use your web browser with the appropriate plug-ins.]

Children of John Shaver & Mary Blackwelder (Adobe Acrobat document; 132 KB; 18 Dec 2005)

Explanation of Format of Descendant Listings

Documentary Sources

1790 US Census (Adobe Acrobat document; 87 KB; 2 Jan 2005)
1800 US Census (Adobe Acrobat document;483 KB; 3 Nov 2005)
1820 US Census (Adobe Acrobat document; 88 KB; 18 Dec 2005)
1830 US Census (Adobe Acrobat document; 120 KB; 4 Mar 2006)
1840 US Census (Adobe Acrobat document; 129 KB; 18 Dec 2005)
1850 US Census (Adobe Acrobat document; 167 KB; 4 Mar 2006)
1860 US Census (Adobe Acrobat document; 183 KB; 4 Mar 2006)
1870 US Census (Adobe Acrobat document; 194 KB; 4 Mar 2006)
1880 US Census (Adobe Acrobat document; 239 KB; 4 Mar 2006)
1900 US Census (Adobe Acrobat document; 297 KB; 4 Mar 2006)
1910 US Census (Adobe Acrobat document; 236 KB; 28 Nov 2006)
1920 US Census (Adobe Acrobat document; 278 KB; 28 Nov 2006)
1930 US Census (Adobe Acrobat document; 292 KB; 28 Nov 2006)

Arizona Notes (Adobe Acrobat document; 114 KB; 27 Sep 2005)
Arkansas Notes (Adobe Acrobat document; 379 KB; 25 Feb 2006)
California Notes (Adobe Acrobat document; 217 KB; 28 Nov 2006)
Florida Notes (Adobe Acrobat document; 105 KB; 25 Feb 2006)
Georgia Notes (Adobe Acrobat document; 107 KB; 10 Nov 2005)
Idaho Notes (Adobe Acrobat document; 108 KB; 10 Nov 2005)
Illinois Notes (Adobe Acrobat document; 136 KB; 18 Dec 2005)
Kentucky Notes (Adobe Acrobat document; 155 KB; 10 Nov 2005)
Louisiana Notes (Adobe Acrobat document; 129 KB; 25 Feb 2006)
Missouri Notes (Adobe Acrobat document; 386 KB; 28 Nov 2006)
North Carolina Notes (Adobe Acrobat document; 158 KB; 23 Oct 2005)
Oklahoma Notes (Adobe Acrobat document; 169 KB; 28 Nov 2006)
Oregon Notes (Adobe Acrobat document; 115 KB; 10 Nov 2005)
Tennessee Notes (Adobe Acrobat document; 230 KB; 18 Dec 2005)
Texas Notes (Adobe Acrobat document; 243 KB; 4 Mar 2006)
Washington Notes (Adobe Acrobat document; 120 KB; 27 Sep 2005)

Miscellaneous Notes (Adobe Acrobat document; 153 KB; 27 Sep 2005)
World War 1 Draft Registrations (Adobe Acrobat document; 143 KB; 28 Nov 2006)

Biography of Jacob Blackwelder Shaver (#B) (Adobe Acrobat document; 3,085 KB; 23 Oct 2005)

See my library of digital images (photos, newspaper clippings, etc.) related to this family.

Discussion Groups

GenForum - Shaver
RootsWeb - Shaver

DNA Research

A new tool in genealogical research is the use of genetic markers in DNA to establish family relationships. See Genetics, DNA and Health History. The y-chromosome is passed down from father to son to grandson to great-grandson, etc. along the male line (as are surnames in many modern western societies). Occasionally, due to random mutations, one or more of the genetic markers may change in an individual and be passed down to his son that way (similar to a surname changing from Schaeffer to Shaver). Standard tests are available (based on a cheek swab) to identify 12, 25, 37, or 59 markers on the y-chromosome. (The more the markers, the more precise the idenfication; I strongly suggest 25 or more markers, in order to be useful for genealogical purposes.) All direct male descendants of John Shaver would have a very similar, if not identical, set of markers (or haplotype). Someone with a surname of Shaver (or some variation), whether or not they had done in-depth genealogical research, could compare their haplotype to known John Shaver direct male descendants to see if they were likely to be a direct male descendant of John Shaver. Likewise, the John Shaver haplotype could be compared to haplotypes of other families to see if these families were closely related in Germany. I would like to establish a confidential database of haplotypes of John Shaver's direct male descendants to give us a tool to identify possible John Shaver descendants and to find closely related Shaver families from Germany. Ideally, we would need several samples from direct male descendants of each of John's sons. The Family Tree DNA testing service is one of the most well-known. If anyone is interested, please contact me by e-mail. The tests range in price from $99-$269, depending upon the number of markers, when ordered from Family Tree DNA as a part of the Shaffer DNA project. The results page will start to be grouped by family, as more data comes in. (That's when this will become especially useful in establishing linkages between families back into Germany.)

This web page is a result of my own research over 39 years, and includes the collective works of many, many others to whom I owe a great debt of gratitude. I would like to acknowledge them here.

If you would like to comment on any information contained within, or wish to correspond with me about this family, please send me an e-mail message at: marslan@nc.rr.com. Additions and corrections are greatly appreciated. I am especially interested in receiving information obtained from primary sources (census listings, Bibles, cemeteries, vital records, probate and land records, etc.) and photographs and digital images relating to this branch of the Shaver family so that I can incorporate them into this page. Also, I would like to provide links to other pages on the Internet that deal with Shaver genealogy.

Mark B. Arslan