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George Shirley born about
1815 NC. A residence of Tarboro Township, Edgecombe Co NC in
the 1870 census; occupation: farm laborer. A Dicey Shirley (b
abt 1805 NC) is living next door to George Shirley in 1870. George
died prior to the 1880 census when his wife was enumerated as
a widow
married Caroline MacNair on 25 Dec 1866 in Edgecombe Co NC
after the end of the Civil War. She was born about 1837 in NC;
Living alone in Sparta Twp, Edgecombe Co in 1880 census, widowed.
children:
1(i). Gray Shirley born about 1855 NC
1(ii). Gille Ann Shirley born about March 1856 NC;
living in Sparta Edgecombe Co NC in 1880 with 3 children (surname
Shurley), unmarried. She is found in the 1900 census with considerable
number of children "widowed" (but with the same surname).
It appears that some (or all) of her children were fathered by
John S. Gray, a white farmer of Edgecombe Co NC. It is not determined
yet whether they married.
children: (surname SHIRLEY)
2(i). Frank Shurley born about 1874 NC
married Polly Black 03 Jun 1897 in Edgecombe Co NC
2(ii). Martha Shurley born about April 1876 NC
2(iii). Mathew Shurley born about December 1877 NC
2(iv). Disraeli Shurley born about June 1881 NC; A
William D. Shirley age 21, son of John S. Shirley [Gray?] and
Gillie A Shirley, born Tarboro NC married Sadie M. E. Lewis in
Norfolk VA on 8 Dec 1902; She was daughter of William H. and
Martha Lewis.
2(v). Stanley Shurley born about Sep 1884 NC; He was
a boarder in the HH of John Gray in 1900 (white); He was living
in Princeville Town in 1910 census with his new wife (mulatto)
married Elizabeth Williams on 17 Jul 1905 in Edgecombe Co
NC, age 23
2(vi). Christina Shurley born about June 1887 NC; death
certificate says her father was John S. Gray
2(vii). Samuel P. (J.) Shurley born 13 December 1892
in Tarboro NC; living in Sparta Twp in 1910; He lived 8 Pike
Street, Staten Island, Richmond Co NY in 1920 census. He was
described as 5'11" 225 lbs in his WWII draft card.
married Blanche ______ in NY
children:
3(i). James Shirley born about 1915 in NY; He is likely
the same James Shirley, born 12 Dec 1914 who died Jun 1987 in
Staten Island Richmond Co, NY
3(ii). Blanche Shirley born about 1918 in NY (twin)
3(iii). Stanley Shirley born about 1918 in NY (twin);
not in family's 1930 HH;
Richmond Co Death Record: Shirley, Stanley 1 y Feb 3 1920
3(iv). Raymond Shirley born about 1921 in NY; He is
likely the same Raymond Shirley born 30 Jun 1920 who died 24
Oct 1988 in Staten Island, Richmond Co NY
3(v). Lorraine Shirley born about 1922 in NY
2(viii). Arizona Shurley born about May 1895 NC; she
is living with her brother Stanley in 1910 census
2(ix). Paul Parmentus Shurley born 31 May 1897 in Tarboro
Edgecombe Co NC; living with his brother Samuel in 1910 census;
living with sister Christina in 1920 in Edgecombe Co. Occupation:
contractor; He died 27 Apr 1979 in Tarboro Edgecombe Co NC, age
81; buried 30 Apr 1979.
married 1st Gatsy Knight; She is named as the mother of son
Paul Jr at time of his death.
married 2nd Caroline Renalton Keys on 12 Apr 1937 at Edgecombe
Co; wife at time of Paul's death (death cert); She was born 25
Nov 1906 at Martin Co NC; she was the daughter of George Keys
and Leader Mullins
children:
3(i). Paul Shirley Jr. died 16 Jul 1924, age 1 mo 5
days; buried Wilson Cem in Edgecombe Co NC
1(iii). Isaac Shirley born about 1859 NC; In 1880 he
was a laborer on the farm of Noah Pender, a black farmer of Sparta
Edgecombe Co NC; he was age 23 at time of marriage in 1883.
married Puss Hagins on 3 March 1883 at Edgecombe Co NC (no
Twp listed), She was age 19 at time of marriage.
1(iv). Silvia Shirley born about 1861 NC
1900 Edgecombe Co Census
Gillia A. Shirley Mar 1856 NC; widowed
Martha A. April 1876 NC
Mathew Dec 1877 NC
Disraeli, June 1881 NC
Stanley Sept 1884 NC
Christina June 1887 NC
Samuel P. Dec 1892 NC
Arcyann May 1895 NC
Paul P. 1897 NC
1880 Sparta Edgecombe Co census
Gillyann SHURLEY Self S Female B 23 NC Cook --- ---
Frank SHURLEY Son S Male MU 6 NC At Home --- ---
Martha Ann SHURLEY Dau S Female MU 4 NC At Home --- ---
Matthew SHURLEY Son S Male B 2 NC At Home --- ---
Email
June 23 2011
I was hoping you could maybe help me with my research.
I will try to be as specific as possible but please let me know
if you need additional information and I will try to find it.
On your African-American research page, you have Shirleys in
the 1900 census. They are noted in the Edgecombe county, North
Carolina section. It shows Gillie Ann Shirley and her children.
Gillie was my great-great grandmother. I have followed her back
one more generation to the 1870 census, although the spelling
is Shurley. The info on the 1870 census shows Gillie as age 13,
her brother Gray at 15, her brother Isaac at 11, her sister Tilna
at 9 and her parents George and Caroline Shurley at 55 and 33.
They were still in Edgecombe county, NC.
What I'm hoping you can help me with is finding information
from family bibles or wills from this area. Considering this
was only 5 years after the end of the war, this was an established
family and none could read or write, I am assuming they were
slaves owned by one of the Shirley families in Edgecombe County,
specifically the Tarboro area. If you could identify slave owning
Shirleys from this area, this will be of great help to me before
I make a trip to North Carolina.
--------------
Thank you so much! As far as I can tell, Gillie Ann had
9 children, all mulatto. Family history has always been that
my great grandmother, Christiana was fathered by a white Shirley
man who was related to original slave owners. However, on Christiana's
death certificate, her father is listed as John S Gray. There
was a John S Gray in Edgecombe county, he was a white widower.
I don't know if the S stands for Shirley. So, of course, the
children all took Gillie's name. I found it quite interesting
that she would have 9 children with a white man at that time,
that many children seems to imply some type of relationship.
Please let me know if I can answer any other questions, I'm so
pleased that you have taken the time to look into this and I
thank you
-----------------
Any docs you can find would be helpful, I'm leaning towards
George and his family being owned by Henry Shirley then Elizabeth
Shirley who was left the Southerland Plantation in Tarboro, by
her husband. Henry and Elizabeth are also currently on your site,
I have the wording of his will leaving her slaves and property.
So hopefully you have documents that will help me narrow that
down.
On a side note about John S. Gray and Gillie Ann, from
what I can piece together from the 1900 census, although 8 of
the children are listed as living with Gillie, I believe their
son Stanley is also listed as living with John Gray as a boarder
and is noted as white. On the 1910 census, their sons Samuel
and Paul are shown living together but there are also 2 mulatto
Shirley men living with John Gray as servants. One of the names
looks like Paul, but its hard to read. The ages are correct for
Samuel and Paul. Perhaps there is something in journals or records
from the time that might mention Gillie and John.
Samson Shirley born about 1845;
He signed a labor agreement in Edgecombe Co with (former master?)
Robert D. Wimberly after the Civil War. He was age 35 at marriage
to Katie and age 58 at marriage to Sallie Barlow
married 1) Katie Porter on 19 May 1881 at Edgecombe Co NC;
She died (or divorced) after the 1900 census.
married 2) Sallie Ann Barlow on 30 Dec 1903 at Edgecombe Co
NC, She was age 35 at marriage
children:
1(i). Lucy Shurley born Mar 1882 NC
1(ii). Frank Shurley born 17 Nov 1884 NC; occupation:
truck driver; died 19 Jul 1961 Tarboro, Edgecombe, age 71.
married Minnie P. _____ wife at time of Frank's death (death
cert)
1(iii). Estee Shurley born June 1884 NC
1(iv). Rachael Shurley born July 1886 NC
1(v). Courtney Shurley born Feb 1890 NC;
1(vi). Martha Shurley born Sep 1893 NC
1(vii). Mary Shurley born Sep 1894 NC
Edgecombe Co NC Labor Contracts- Dated January 1, 1866
These are assorted labor contracts for people in Edgecombe and
Nash Counties, NC, in the two years after the Civil War. Typically,
labor contracts are between former slaveowners and their former
slaves, so this is can be a good indication of that relationship.
R[obert]D Wimberly and...
Charles Bullock 54
Pompey Wimberly 27
Henry Nicholson 40
Grandison Wimberly 34
Ralph Wimberly 30
Sampson Shirley 25
Ben Powell 25
Laura Wimberly 13
Henry Wimber;y 11
Sandy Wimberly 11
Sarah Killebrew 30
Isabella Killebrew 14
Alice Killebrew 12
Spencer Killebrew 9
Pattie Hart 18
James Sessoms and sons Daniel and Isaac
Sylvia Shirley, born about 1783
NC; living with her son Edgar Shirley in the 1870 and 1880 census.
Died after 1880.
mother of :
1(i). Edgar Shirley born about 1828 NC; sawyer living
at Walnut Creek in 1870 and farmer of Tarboro, Edgecombe Co NC
in 1880;
married Mary _____
children:
2(i). Alice Shurley born about 1862 NC
2(ii). Augustus Shirley born about 1863 NC
married Milly Williams 12 Nov 1885 at Edgecombe Co NC
2(ii). James E. Shirley born about 1869 NC
1880 Edgecombe Co NC census (others)
Burton SHURLEY 54 NC Farmer ; lives at Sparta, Edgecombe
Co NC in 1880
Rebecca SHURLEY 45 NC Farm Laborer wife
Sherman SHURLEY 16 NC Farm Laborer son
Pharaby BAKER 70 NC Keeps House Mother
Edgar SHIRLEY 52 NC Farmer NC NC ; living Tarboro Twp
Edgecombe Co NC in 1880
Augustus SHIRLEY 17 NC Laborer Son
James SHIRLEY 10 NC Farm Laborer Son
Sylvia SHIRLEY 96 NC Mother
Sam SHIRLEY Self M Male MU 43 NC Farmer NC NC living
at Walnut Creek Twp Edgecombe Co NC
Delia SHIRLEY Wife M Female B 44 NC Farm Laborer NC NC
David SHIRLEY Son S Male MU 15 NC Farm Laborer NC NC
Mary SHIRLEY Dau S Female MU 13 NC Farm Laborer NC NC
Maria SHIRLEY Dau S Female MU 9 NC NC NC
Cornelia SHIRLEY Dau S Female MU 7 NC NC NC
Geogiana SHIRLEY Dau S Female MU 3 NC NC NC
Richard SHIRLEY SonL Male B 21 NC Farm Laborer NC NC
Joseph SHURLEY Self M Male B 63 NC Farm Laborer ---
--- living at Sparta Twp Edgecombe Co NC
Rebecca SHURLEY Wife M Female B 42 NC Keeping House --- ---
Solomon SHURLEY Self M Male B 45 NC Farm Laborer NC
NC living at Lower Fishing Creek, Edgecombe Co NC; He is living
alone at Swift Creek Twp in 1910, age 80 [sic] widowed
Amanda SHURLEY Wife M Female B 38 NC Farm Laborer NC NC
Ransom SHURLEY Son S Male B 5 NC NC NC
Eliza SHURLEY Dau S Female B 2 NC NC NC
Feb 1855 - Inventory of the Estate of Henry Shirley of Edgecombe
Co NC, page 399. "Negroes Divided: Peter (Hayles?) Peter
(Hemctre?) George Burton Joe Mary & 2 children Courtney &
Adaline Esther & four children Mourning Dicy & Jim (Bradly)
Sylva, Lettice, Jim, Lewis Alsin, Amos Ned, Charlotte & child,
Jane and child, Sampson, Bob, Gray, Penny, Pat, Clary, Roger,
Polly, Edgar, Bill, Abram, Peter (old) Sampson Stephen Rose &
child, ?Samey Judy & child, Hillard, Daniel Frank, Caroline,
Tulol, Bob Jordan, Soloman, Harriett (small) Ellick. Negroes
undivided: Clara, Harriet, Eliza"
1870 Edgecombe Co census
James Shurley age 32 (jail)
Alex Shurly M 28y
Lucinda Shurly F 21y
Emily Shurly F 6m
Frederick Lane M 24y
Peter Lane M 25y
Soloman Shurley M 34y
Maude Shurley F 30y
George Shurley M 55y
Caroline Shurley F 33y
Gray Shurley M 15y
Gillie Ann Shurley F 13y
Isaac Shurley M 11y
Silvia Shurley F 9y
Edger Shurley M 47y
Mary Shurley F 45y
Alice Shurley F 8y
Augustus Shurley M 7y
James E Shurley M 1y
Silvia Shurley F 87y
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