James Boyer Shelley

Please see "Bowyer vs Boyer" above

Biographical Data and Family

• Born January 7, 1792, Claverly, Shropshire, England.
• Christened: "James Bowyer Shelley"
• His biological father, whose surname became James' middle name, was not much involved in his life. His biological father split up with Martha around the time James was born having never married Martha
• At about age six, Martha Shelley married Samuel Hugues, whose role was in James' life appeared to have always been that of stepfather; James was never formally or informally adopted by Samuel; James never took on Hughes as his surname.
• Came to Utah 1851, Alfred Cardon company.
• Married 1st: Elizabeth BRAY in Claverly, England. She died in the Mississippi river while on the way with James to join the Saints.

Their Children

• William, married Jane Dunn;
• Thomas, married Charlotte Elsmore;
• Martha;
• James, married Mary Lee;
• John, married Ellen Gibson;
• Joseph, married Elizabeth Robinson;
• Sarah, married Edward Conder, married Jacob Varney.

Sawed the first log in American Fork, Utah; lumberman and farmer. Died November 19, 1870, American Fork. Sources:

Pioneers and Prominent Men of Utah photographs, page 270
Pioneers and Prominent Men of Utah, page 1158

James Bowyer Shelley was born in the little village of Chetton, Shropshire, England, January 7, 1792, the son of James Bowyer and Martha Shelley. As a boy he learned to be a tiller of the soil and grew up to be a hard working, honest man.

Conditions at that time were far different from what they are today. The golden headed grain was cut by hand with the sickle, or old fashioned cradle, and then carted to the barn and stored until the cold weather of winter came on, when it was threshed out with a flail, furnishing employment to the farm hands during the winter seasons. Farm wages were ten shillings a week, or about $2.40, and that was considered a good wage at that time. Under these conditions Grandfather Shelley acquired habits of industry, thrift and economy.

He married Elizabeth Bray, daughter of Francis and Margaret Bray, who was also born in Shropshire, England, October 21, 1794, and to this union 7 children were born: William, Thomas, Martha, James, John, Joseph, and Sarah.

Grandfather and Grandmother were members of the Church of England. Grandmother afterwords joined the Methodist faith. In the year 1848 Mormon Elders visited the neighborhood in which the Shelley family lived and on December 11, 1848, Grandmother Shelley and her son Thomas joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, followed soon after by the other members of the family, with the exception of Martha. After they had accepted the newly revealed religion they desired to gather with the Saints in the Rocky Mountains of America. In the month of February, 1851, Grandfather and Grandmother, with their sons, William, Thomas, James, John, and Joseph, and their daughter, Sarah, together with the wife of Thomas and the wife and 4 children of William, set sail on the ship "Ellen Maria" and after a voyage of several weeks landed in New Orleans, April 5, 1851.

Within a few days the party proceeded by steamer up the Mississippi River. When near Memphis, Tennessee, April 13th, Grandmother Shelley was drowned while attempting to draw a bucket of water from the swift stream.

The following is an account of this incident taken from the Latter-Day Saints' Millennial Star, July 1, 1851:

"Arrival of the "Ellen Maria" at New Orleans.-- By letter from Elder G. D. Watt, dated St. Louis, April 17th, we learn that the Ellen Maria arrived at New Orleans on the 5th of April, having made the voyage in 63 days.

"She experienced a strong gale of wind on the 5th of February, but it abated on the sixth, and in a few days afterwords the Saints had become accustomed to sea life, and were free from sickness. On the 11th she cleared the Irish sea, where it is not uncommon for vessels to be detained twenty or thirty days. The remainder of the voyage was as pleasant as sea voyages generally are.

"Meetings were held every Sabbath, and also during the week; at which Elder Pratt addressed the Saints and others present, on the glories of our Holy religion, "treating of the dealings of God with mankind in former times, and upon what he will do in the latter times, quoting from the Prophets in the written word, and opening the future to view, until the Saints felt like leaping for joy, and shouting aloud, because of their privilege to live in these days, when the power and majesty of God are, and shall be displayed in so many marvelous ways.

"On the 9th of April, most of the company left New Orleans for St. Louis, on the Alex. Scott, one of the largest boats on the river, and arrived there on the 16th.

"A sorrowful circumstance transpired in going up the river. Sister Shelley, aged 55 years, wife of James Shelley, from Worcester Conference, in attempting to draw a bucket of water from the stream, while the boat was running ten miles an hour, was suddenly plucked into the water by the force of that mighty current. She floated for a moment, and then sank to rise no more. The engines were stopped immediately, and a boat manned and sent in search of her, but it was unsuccessful obtaining the body. We sympathize with the bereaved husband and family. This is not the first accident of the kind. The Star not long ago contained a similar report and and the brethren and sisters were then cautioned against this unwise action. When will the Saints be advised and learn wisdom from what experience teaches? It is the work of the strongest man to reach water from the mighty current of the Mississippi, especially when running against the stream at so rapid a rate; and no female should on any pretense attempt it. We hope this sad occurrence will prove a warning hereafter."

Upon reaching St. Louis the Shelley family with the exception of William and family started across the plains by team to the abode of the Saints in the Rocky Mountains. They settled n American Fork, which was then know as the Lake City, upon their arrival in 1851.

The habits of honesty, thrift, and industry, which had characterized his life in England were manifest in his new location and he proceeded to make the then barren desert blossom and bring forth its fruit. Realizing that lumber was an essential material in the construction of homes, he constructed the old saw pit, near where the Nielsen Blacksmith Shop now stands (Corner of Center and 1st North). This was the first saw mill in American Fork and he would saw by hand the rough native logs into a more finished product.

His was a life of honest toil. His opportunities were meager; no time-saving machinery; no splendid equipped high schools or colleges in which to receive special training. Just the plain school of experience to which he proved an apt scholar.

Mr. William S. Robinson bought lumber from him for $5.00 and had a flour bin made from it, which he still has and it is 60 or 70 years old. Grandfather took another companion in life. He married Mary Bathgate December 21, 1856. He died in American Fork, November 19, 1870, in his 79th year.

He was lame and used a walking stick. He was plain spoken but not afraid to speak his thoughts and was very witty. It is told of how on one occasion that he was loading hay and his boys were pitching it on the wagon, trying to see how fast he could load it. He slipped down on the side and when they asked him what he came down for he replied, "For more hay." He was also a choice English sheep shearer.

Grandmother Elizabeth Shelley, being strong in the faith after she had joined the Church, influenced her husband to come to Utah, and leave England where they were living in good circumstances. She carried a large belt of money around her waist. The day before she was drowned she took it off and gave it to her husband. She always had the feeling that she would not get to Utah, but would go far enough to make sure her husband would not go back.

(Written by his Great-Granddaughter, June Shelley Wright June 8, 1933)

• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Aug 16 2016, 19:25:24 UTC

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GEDCOM Note

James Bowyer Shelley was born in the little village of Chetton, Shropshire, England, January 7, 1792, the son of James Bowyer and Martha Shelley. As a boy he learned to be a tiller of the soil and grew up to be a hard working, honest man. 

He married Elizabeth Bray, daughter of Francis and Margaret Bray, who was also born in Shropshire, England, October 21, 1794, and to this union 7 children were born: William, Thomas, Martha, James, John, Joseph, and Sarah.

He died on November 19, 1870 in American Fork, Utah.

Taken from myancestry.org/ancestors/shelley.php#James:

<b>Orphan.
</b>      When James, the father of Thomas Shelley, was born, George Washington was the president of the United States. The well-known English poet with the same surname, Percy Bysshe Shelley, was also born in the same year, 1792. James' mother, Martha Shelley, never married James Bowyer, his father. We know that Martha Shelley and James Bowyer met in Easthope (see the Village of Easthope for more information). She raised her son, James Bowyer Shelley, and he bore her surname as his own. When James was just six years old, Martha married Samuel Hughes. James was orphaned at ten. As far as we know, his sons never wrote or told others about their father's life in England. Edith Shelley, a researcher on the line stated, if we are right, his mother was buried in 1802 making him only ten years. Her father and mother died in 1798. Her brother Richard in 1802. The only one left was her sister Ann who married Edward Morris. They lived in Neenton. Since James Boyer [his father] moved out of the area and didn't mention James Shelley in his will, he must not have helped him (James Boyer Shelley Ancestral Family Newsletter. Page 5)
<b>Agricultural Laborer.
</b>      James was an agricultural laborer according to the 1841 census. George F. Shelley states a little about James farming in a biographical sketch he wrote, a person who he never personally knew. The golden headed grain was cut by hand with the sickle or the old fashioned cradle and then carted to the barn and stored until the cold weather of winter came on when it was threshed out with a flail, furnishing employment to the farm hands during the winter season. Farm wages were low, ten shilling a week was considered a good wage.
<b>More Wealthy Than A Typical Agricultural Laborer.
</b>      According to the 1840 Tithe Map (see Map), James was farming several parcels that he rented in 1840. Because of this and the fact that he was able to emigrate with all of his family who converted to Mormonism in 1851, it is clear that he was much better off financially than the typical agricultural laborer of the day (for more detail, see the hamlet of Farmcote). 

<b>James Bowyer Shelley
Individual Information

</b>BIRTH DATE
7 January 1792
DEATH DATE
19 November 1870
GENDER
Male

with 9 people

<b>Companies
</b>James W. Cummings Company (1851)Age at departure: 59<b>Sources

</b>Alfred Cordon Emigrating Company, Journal, 1851 June-Sept.
Trail Excerpt
Source Location
Church History Library, Salt Lake City
Journal History, Supp. after 31 Dec. 1851, p. 3
McAllister, J[ohn] D[aniel] T[hompson], Journals, reel 1, vol. 1, p. 2-3

New FamilySearch/Family Tree
<i>Pioneers and Prominent Men of Utah,</i> 859.
Source Location
Church History Library, Salt Lake City