• DAR Ancestor #: A102420

Evan Shelby, Jr. was born 23 October 1719 in Tregaron, Cardiganshire, Wales, and died 04 December 1794 in Sapling Grove, Sullivan County, Tennessee. He married Letitia Cox, daughter of David Cox and Susannah, in 1744. She was born 1725 in Maryland, and died 07 Sep 1777 in Charlottesville, VA. He married second Isabella Elliott. She died after 1794.

Evan Jr. became a fur trader, was in Braddock's Campaign (1755), served as first lieutenant to Capt. Alexander BEALL in 1767-8, and later held commissions in both Maryland and Pennsylvania. About 1773, he removed to Sapling Grove where he erected Shelby's Fort in what was then Fincastle County, Virginia, and later Washington County, Virginia, but is today Bristol, Sullivan County, Tennessee. In 1774, he commanded the Fincastle Company in Dunmore's War, and was at the battle of Point Pleasant on 10 Oct of that year. In 1776, Virginia Governor Patrick Henry appointed him Major in the troops commanded by Col. William Christian against the Cherokees. On December 21, of that same year, he was appointed colonel of the militia of newly-created county of Washington, and in 1779, he led an expedition against the Chickamauga Indian towns on the lower Tennessee River.

In October 1780, Evan Shelby, Jr. and his volunteer militia joined almost a thousand frontiersmen in the march on British Colonel Patrick Ferguson. The one-hour Battle of King's Mountain, at which Ferguson was killed and the British troops routed, is credited by most with having turned the tides of war in the south.

In 1781, he was elected a member of the North Carolina Senate, and in 1786, the North Carolina Assembly appointed him brigadier general of militia of the Washington District of North Carolina. In March 1787, North Carolina Commissioner Evan Shelby negotiated a temporary truce with Col. John Sevier, governor of the short-lived State of Franklin. In August 1787, he was elected governor of the State of Franklin to succeed Sevier, but declined. He resigned as brigadier general on October 29, 1787, the last of his public service.

Evan Shelby, Jr. was born in Wales and emigrated to the colonies with his parents. He married Letitia Cox.

Captain in the French and Indian Wars

1773: migrated to South West Virginia

Colonial in the Washington County, VA Militia

Battle of Point Pleasant on the Ohio against the Indians

1776: Christian's Campaign against the Cherokees

1778: Lititia Cox Shelby died

1779: Headed the Campaign against the Chickamaugas

1779: Survey showed his home to be in North Carolina -later became NE, TN - Bristol, TN

1787: Married Isabella Elliott

Made Brigadier General during the State of Franklin disturbances

Died: December 4, 1794