Joseph Shelby

Joseph SHELBY was born on 7 Apr 1789 in Mason Co, KY. He died on 8 Apr 1849 in Union Co, IN. His tombstone reads:

JOSEPH SHELBY

       died<br/>

April 8, 1845
Age 60 yrs 1 da

"The present solid prosperity enjoyed by the people of Hancock county may be attributed in a large measure to her early settlers. In the days of the settlement, when a wilderness was the only welcome tendered a stranger, little to encourage and much to discourage came to his lot. But those sturdy and self-reliant men who came to their new homes with a determination to succeed and worked persistently and honestly, became later the prosperous and honored citizens of this locality. Belonging to this band of worthy pioneers is the subject of this sketch and a review of the lives of the noteworthy citizens of Hancock county would not be complete were we to omit mention of him."

"Joseph Shelby and his wife, Isabella Shelby, nee Williams), were both Southerners by birth, the former having been born in Mason county, Kentucky, and the latter in South Carolina. Joseph’s father, Joshua Shelby, was also a native of Mason county, Kentucky, and was a farmer by occupation. He migrated to Union county, Indiana, when this state was yet a territory. He entered land in the county, cleared and cultivated a good deal of it and resided thereon until his death. His son Joseph was reared in the Blue Grass state, but removed with his parents to Union county, Indiana. He served in the army for nine months during the war of 1812 and participated in battles with the Indians. His wife had received a land warrant for one hundred and sixty acres of land in Center township, Hancock county. Joseph Shelby settled in Union county after his marriage, but in 1834 sold his farm of one hundred acres and in the spring of the following year came to Hancock county, making the journey by wagon. Upon the arrival here he settled on the place where the subject now lives and also purchased other land, two tracts, one of two hundred acres and another of one hundred and sixty acres, in section 26, and eighty acres south of there. This land was all a dense wilderness at that time, but they courageously went to work to created a home amid such discouraging surroundings. A round-log cabin, eighteen by twenty feet in size, with two rooms, was erected and a vast amount of labor was expended in the effort to clear the land make it cultivable. Mr. Shelby died in the spring of 1849, aged seventy years, a faithful and consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. Shelby was formerly a Whig, but later became affiliated with the Democratic party, never however, holding any public office."

The children born to this couple were:

1. Joshua W., deceased, was a farmer in Buck Creek township;
2. Eliza Ann, deceased; Lydia became the wife of Moses Dunn, of Buck Creek township, and both are deceased:
3. John M. is a farmer residing in Center township;
4. Rebba Jane was the wife of John D. Mints, of Buck Creek township, and both are also dead;
5. Benjamin is the immediate subject of this review;
6. Susanna, who married James Bennett, lived in Buck Creek township and both have passed away;
7. Hampton B. was a resident of Indianapolis, in which city he was killed.

http://www.rootsquest.com/indiana/hancock/1902/shelby_benjamin_f.html

Children:

1. Joshua W SHELBY (born on 16 Jun 1815).
2. Lydia Ann SHELBY was born about 1818 in Union Co, IN.
3. Eliza Ann SHELBY was born in Union Co, IN.
4. John M SHELBY was born on 25 Jan 1823 in Union Co, IN. He died on 20 Jan 1890. He was a Farmer about 1853 in Indianapolis, Marion Co, IN.
5. Rebecca Jane SHELBY was born in Union Co, IN. Called Reba Jane
6. Benjamin Franklin SHELBY was born on 15 May 1829 in Union Co, IN. He died in 1911 in Indianapolis, Marion Co, IN. Bliss Morton gives more data for Benj and his family of 12 children
7. Susannah SHELBY was born on 2 Jun 1831 in Indianapolis, Marion Co, IN. She died on 1 Oct 1863 in Indianapolis, Marion Co, IN. Bliss Morton states: "...My wife and I were residing in Indianapolis in May 1927. One bright day we picked up her mother and drove about 18 miles east to the old Shelby Farm on Sugar Creek, where she had been born. A main east-west road ran in front of the farm. From it a little used dirt [road] ran north on west side of the creek for years. The old log house sat there, roof fallen in, dilapidated, grass, weeds, bushes where once was the yard and garden. About a hundred yards from the house, on banks of creek had been the early burial place for the family, now grown up in tall grass, weeds, briars, and trees, with cattle pasturing around. Searching among trees, briars and weeds, I found pieces of head-stones. after brushing dirt off them we were able to read inscriptions: JOSEPH SHELBY died April 8, 1845 Age 60 yrs 1 da SUSANNAH BENNETT wife of James Bennett died Sept 1, 1863 aged 32 yrs 3 mos 29 da MARY E. dau. of J. & N. Shelby died June 20, 1864, aged 16 yrs 8 mos 24 da
8. Hampton Brown SHELBY (born on 18 Oct 1834).

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