Sully's Shively Brothers
I'd like to tell you, with all certainty of fact and completeness of detail, about the Shively brothers, but that is not yet possible. I can paint a partial picture though, based on a mixture of historical records and second hand accounts. Two brothers, George and Jacob Shively, worked at Sully for Richard Bland Lee at separate times. What follows tells of their lives.
Jacob Shively, Sr. traveled from his birthplace in Germany[1] to America sometime prior to 1758, the year his son was born.[2] George was born in Virginia.[3] By 1765, the Shively's were living on 235 acres of land in Loudoun County, Virginia.[4] Here George grew to adulthood. But no sooner was he an adult than he was called to service in the Revolutionary war, assigned to the 5th and 7th VA regiments.[5] During the war years, the tax records of Loudoun County do not list either George or his father.[6] George continued to serve the populace as a militiaman in the 1st Battalion, 57th Regiment of the Loudoun Militia at Frying Pan Springs.[7]
George was an Old Baptist and attended the Little River Baptist Church located near Aldie, VA. In 1780, he married Rebeckah Riley, a woman of Irish descent whose family was also Old Baptist.[8] They had at least six children: Margaret (born 9 Nov 1782), Nancy (born 1786), Sarah (born 1791), Phebe (born 1794), Jacob (born 27 Apl 1797), and Catherine (born 30 Mar 1799.)[9] Margaret married Jacob Gooley who had, at age 20, chosen George Shively as his guardian after the death of his father.[10] By 1782, George was leasing 150 acres of land from George Turberville just east of Sully on the Frying Pan Road (now Centreville Road.)[11]
George and Rebeckah changed churches in 1809 and began attending "The Church of Frying Pan Spring" also known as "The Meetinghouse at Frying Pan Spring."
At A Church Meeting held July 15 1809
…Agreed to Receive George Shively & Rebeckah his Wife by Dismifsion from Little River Chruch.[12]
Acceptance into another congregation required a dismission (some sort of written release on good terms) from the previous church. Controversy erupted the following year as a result of a letter George wrote to the Little River Church. In the Meetinghouse at Frying Pan Spring church minutes of April 14, 1810 it is recorded that:
A letter was Recd from Little River Church in Ansr to our Written to them by Brother Shively and on hearing the same the Church Determined that Brother Shively Acted Improperly in Writing the above letter and it was Resolved that he (Shively) shall Either in Writing or Personally make an Acknowledgement to that Church for his conduct toward her.[13]
George evidently didn't make amends with his second letter.
July 20, 1811 Br [brother] Shively suspended from our fellowship until he makes acknowledgments to Little River about the two letters.[14]
George must have resolved this issue because he remained with the church. On May 15, 1814 the church baptized "a Black man belonging to George Shivily."[15]
George Shively was working at Sully for Richard Bland Lee by 1785, possibly earlier. George was Lee's overseer.[16] His responsibilities included planning for the next season's crop and collecting rents. [I cannot prove, but only speculate, that some of his services may also have been related to the blacksmith shop. In 1785, the estate of James Whaley (Lee's overseer at an earlier time) "paid George Shively for Smith a/c & rect"[17]] On one occasion, George traveled to Leesburg with Lee to witness a deed when Lee sold a slave girl named Hannah to Chloe Pash in 1789.[18] Two years later, in October of 1791, George bought a slave, a four year old boy named Isaac, from Lee for only one shilling.[19]
The timing of this purchase coincides with George's move from the Frying Pan Road lease to a tenant farm of 100 acres near Arcola (about 6 miles west of Sully.) The acreage was doubled to 200 acres in 1793 and by 1800 he added to his tenancy an additional 10 acres of land, which probably included buildings since the tax rate was over five times higher than the farmland tax rate.[20] In addition to farming, George raised cattle.[21] For his convenience, George petitioned Loudoun County, in 1813, for a road from Charles Lewis's mill (near the Little River Church) to Frying Pan Meetinghouse. Geroge became the overseer for the road.[22]
George continued to possess his Turberville lease until 1798 when his younger brother, Jacob Jr., took over the lease.[23] Jacob was born c. 1772 in Loudoun County, VA.[24] His wife, Catherine, ran off with another man in 1790. Jacob placed ads in local papers notifying the public of her elopement.
Whereas my wife Catherine has conducted herself so ____ as to procure her the censure of every good citizen; and without any reason, has eloped from my bed and board, and gone off with a person of ill-_____, named Jacob Wise.
He stated that he would not be responsible for any debts incurred by her and that he "will take every advantage the laws of my county and justice will admit of, on any person or persons who harbor her."[25] Richard Bland Lee wrote to his brother Theodorick in April 1790 possibly relaying his response to this news. "I am glad to hear your account that Mr. Shively is going on as well as possible."[26]
It is not known precisely when Jacob began working for Lee. Letters written by the Lees only mention Mr. Shively, without including a first name, so it is difficult to differentiate between the brothers. One letter in 1789 and three letters in 1790 mention Mr. Shively, then there are no letters mentioning a Mr. Shively until nine years later. Perhaps most of the earlier letters refer to George and the four letters written between 1799 and 1803 refer to Jacob. (As written above, George moved in 1791.) The Fairfax County Park Authority Collections Department has an original account showing Jacob Shively (and his horse) being paid 50 pounds by Lee for one year's wages on November 1, 1799.[27]
Letters that probably refer to George include a letter Lee wrote in 1789: "Is Mr. Shivelley attentive to penning the cattle?"[28] In 1790 Lee wrote:
I hope therefore you will stimulate Shivelly to exert himself in collecting as many of my debts as possible during the winter, and tell him frequently to read my last directions, and be ready with his plow early to commence the operations for a large crop of corn and other grain. As he will cultivate no Tobacco, I expect that he will pursue the most effectual measures to fulfill my ideas…Has Shivelly sent the wheat to Mr. Watson?[29]
Letters probably referring to Jacob describe lesser responsibilities, mainly delivering items to and from relatives. A letter from Portia Lee Hodgson in 1799 stated "Shively arrived late last Evening…"[30] Lee writes to Zaccheus Collins in 1802 stating "The china in Alexa we send for it today - by Mr. Shivelley."[31] In 1803 Cornelia Lee states "she says when you send butter down again she will with pleasure take 6 Lbs if she can but know when Shivelly is to be this way again."[32] And Cornelia writes again in 1803 "let me know Mr Shivelley has not brought my trunk…"[33]
No letters mention Shively after 1803, which agrees with the fact that Jacob moved from Fairfax County (Sully was within the Fairfax County boundaries at this time) in late 1803 or early 1804.[34] (James Long worked for Lee during 1804.)[35]
Epilogue
Jacob had moved to Jefferson County, now Clarke County, Virginia and made his living farming. He married Elizabeth Castleman, a near neighbor, in 1810. Elizabeth's father, David Castleman, purchased a farm called Rose Hill located in Wickliffe in 1811. Jacob and Elizabeth lived at Rose Hill with her father. David Castleman died in 1826. Rose Hill stayed in the family for over 100 years.[36]
The Shively's had three daughters: Margaret Ann who married Samuel Kneller, Harriett E. who married C.C. McIntyre, and Mary C. who never married.[37] In 1868, Mary C. Shively wrote a letter to the Hon. Jacob Sheibley, then Associate Judge in Perry County, PA. She had recently learned that she had relatives in Pennsylvania and wrote about her family. She mentions that Jacob migrated to Jefferson County after his parents' death. She described him as having "as generous and noble a heart as a man ever possessed. He was the widows' and orphans' friend. The various relations of life were, by him sustained unexceptionable, and, in the language of the poet,
None named him but to praise.'"[38]
Jacob died in 1842 leaving his children independent. Deed records confirm that Jacob assisted an orphan and widow by being a bondsman at the time of their marriages.[39]
George's fate, although unfortunate, is also known, In 1815, George looked to the lands of Indiana for his future, but while traveling through Ohio near the present town of Kingston, George contracted a fatal illness. The responsibility of providing for the family fell upon George's eighteen year old son, Jacob. After George's death, it was decided best to abandon their plans of reaching Indiana, so the route was reversed and the family floated back down the Scioto river and finally settled in what was then known as Heller's Bottoms on Paint creek. Once settled, Jacob, with limited funds and the "meager education" he obtained during his childhood in Virginia, set out to work as a teamster hauling salt and shiskey to and from Zanesville. Through hard work and savings, he was able to buy 140 acres of land near Sulphur Lick Springs, which he leased out. Jacob continued both his hauling business and farming on the creek bottoms. Eventually he increased his land holdings to 275 acres and was able to limit his work to farming and stock raising.[40]
Endnote: Another Jacob Shively, Sr. and Jr. lived in Loudoun County during the period. This Jacob Shively Sr. built Waterford's first fulling mill 1/2 mile north of Waterford, Virginia.[41] No connection between the Sully, Waterford, or Perry Co., PA Shively's has been found to date.

[1] State Centennial History of the County of Ross (Ohio) Volume II, reprint of the 1902 Edition, Henry Holcomb Bennett, Editor, compiled by Ross County Genealogical Society, Gateway Press, Inc. Baltimore, 1981, pp. 682-3.

[2] Loudoun County Tithables, microfilm, Fairfax County Public Library, Virginia Room. Hereinafter referred to as LC Tithables. George first appears on tax roll in 1774 at 16 years of age.

[3] 1880 Census, Ross Co. OH, Union Twp, page 1.

[4] LC Tithables, microfilm, Fairfax County Public Library, Virginia Room, 1765.

[5] Pay rosters, National Archives, Vol. 176 p. 407, copies provided by Shirley Carollo, descendant.

[6] LC Tithables, microfilm, Fairfax County Public Library, Virginia Room.

[7] Loudoun County, VA Militia Journals 1793-1829, transcribed by Don Blincoe, Sr. Athens GA, 1993, pp. 60, 114.

[8] Minutes of the Frying Pan Meetinghouse, July 15, 1809, microfilm, Fairfax County Public Library, Virginia Room. Hereinafter referred to as Minutes.

[9] Family Genealogy from Shirley Carollo, Sheffield Lake, OH.

[10] Loudoun County Court Orders, March 13, 1798, Loudoun County Courthouse, Leesburg, VA.

[11] Loudoun County Land Tax Books, 1782, microfilm, Fairfax County Public Library, Virginia Room.

[12] Minutes, July 15, 1809.

[13] Minutes, April 14, 1810.

[14] Minutes, July 20, 1811.

[15] Minutes, July 20, 1814.

[16] LC Tithables, 1785

[17] Loudoun County Will Book E, pp. 239-249.

[18] Loudoun County Deed Book R, p. 327, October 12, 1789.

[19] Loudoun County Deed Book T, p. 209, October 13, 1791.

[20] Loudoun County Land Tax, 1800, microfilm, Fairfax County Public Library, Virginia Room.

[21] LC Tithables, 1815, George Shively listed with 12 head of cattle.

[22] Loudoun County Road Petitions, Geo. Shively envelope, Loudoun County Courthouse, Leesburg, VA

[23] Fairfax County Land Tax Books, 1798, microfilm, Fairfax County Public Library, Virginia Room.

[24] LC Tithables, 1789 and letter from Mary C. Shively to Jacob Sheibley, August 14, 1868, transcript in Descendants of My Great-Grandparents by Mrs. (A.R.) Laura Wilhide Johnston, 1924.

[25] Virginia Gazette and Winchester Advertiser, July 28, 1790, microfilm, Handley Regional Library, Winchester, VA.

[26] Letter from Richard Bland Lee (RBL) to Theoderick Lee, April 9, 1790, Library of Congress (LOC) RBL Papers, 1779-1795, #438.

[27] RBL Ledger page with Jacob Shively, Fairfax County Park Authority, Collections office.

[28] Letter from RBL to Theoderick Lee, August 12, 1789, LOC, RBL Papers, 1779-1795, #427-8.

[29] Letter from RBL to probably Theoderick Lee, February 23 1790, LOC RBL Papers, 1779-1795.

[30] Letter from Portia Hodgson to Elizabeth Collins Lee, November 14 1799, University of Virginia Library (UVA), NSCD Collection, P/C Lee Papers.

[31] Letter from RBL to Zaccheus Collins, June 5, 1802, Historic Society of Pennsylvania, DPP, ZC, 1795-1805.

[32] Letter from Cornelia Lee to Elizabeth Lee, November 16, 1803, UVA, Accession # of collection: 5018, Folder: E. Collins, 1789-1804.

[33] Letter from Cornelia Lee to Elizabeth Lee ("by Mr. Shivelley"), December 24, 1803, UVA, Accession # of collection :5018, Folder: E. Collins, 1789-1804.

[34] Fairfax County Land Tax Books, microfilm, Fairfax County Public Library, Virginia Room, 1804.

[35] Fairfax County Personal Property Tax Books, microfilm, Fairfax County Public Library, Virginia Room, 1804.

[36] Some Old Families of Clarke Co., Virginia by Myers, Brown, & Chappell, 1994, p. 78.

[37] Ibid., and VA Historic Marriage Register Clarke Co. Marriages, 1836-1850 by Vogt & Kethley.

[38] Letter from Mary C. Shively to Jacob Sheibley, August 14, 1868, transcript in Descendants of My Great-Grandparents by Mrs. (A.R.) Laura Wilhide Johnston, 1924.

[39] Frederick County, VA Marriage Bonds by Hackett and Good. "25 Nov 1807 Francis Hutchins & Susanna Hall, widow of Joseph Hall decd late of Frederick Co. Bondsman Jacob Shively. 18 Feb 1812 William Jackson & Hannah Shepherd, daughter of Thomas Shephers, decd, of Frederick Co, Bondsman Jacob Shively, who signs Shivy."

[40] State Centennial History of the County of Ross (Ohio) Volume II, reprint of the 1902 Edition, Henry Holcomb Bennett, Editor, compiled by Ross County Genealogical Society, Gateway Press, Inc. Baltimore, 1981, pp. 682-3.

[41] Email from Bronwen Souders, Historian with Waterford Foundation. Credits that Sheri Spellman wrote about the fulling mill.