William Shapard - (Chapter 4) Post War - Cumberland County, Virginia - 1783-1785

Chapter 4

POST-WAR – CUMBERLAND COUNTY, VIRGINIA

1783 - 1785

 

It is hard to imagine the emotional, physical and financial toll of eight years of revolution and war, followed by the instability of a newly formed nation. Everything that the Shapards knew of government and religion had been cast away and were in the process of being transformed and shaped into new institutions. The new government, set forth by the Articles of Confederation in 1777, tried to operate under a loose union (confederation) of sovereign States each with their own constitutions. There was no president, as the governing body only consisted of representatives from each state, forming a Congress. Over time, however, it became apparent that this first form of government was too weak to function effectively and was overthrown in 1789, by the implementation of the Constitution of the United States and the election of George Washington as our first president.

Inflation remained high after the war which resulted in an economic depression from 1784 through 1785. Lawlessness was rampant due to the instability of the times. As a result, William Shapard was involved in no less than ten lawsuits during the war, and eight lawsuits in the year after the war. These suits mostly involved the collection of debts, however, a few involved theft, trespass, contempt, concealing tithables, and assault and battery.  The moral volatility of the times fluctuated for many years until new churches were established, filling the void left from the disestablishment of the Church of England. The Presbyterians were the first to take hold in Cumberland County and elsewhere, followed by the Baptists, and then the Methodists. All and all, for the citizens of the newly formed United States, stability in government, economics and religion would be elusive throughout the 1780s and 1790s.

Despite the financial, emotional and physical struggles affecting society, the Shapard family remained steadfast through their own struggles and persevered. Not only did they survive this volatile time during and after the war, in many ways they prospered. Four children were born to William and Mary Shapard family during the Revolutionary War: Booker was born circa 1775; Thomas was born on August 6, 1778; Mary “Polly” was born circa 1780 and John S. was born circa 1782. William’s eldest son, Samuel Booker Shapard, persevered through his two tours in the Virginia militia, and returned home to a hero’s welcome. In 1773, prior to the revolution Mr. Shapard owned three slaves (Phill, Nancy and Esther), yet, near the end of the war in 1782, he had amassed 10 slaves and built three slave quarters. On the Cumberland County Personal Property Tax List for 1783, Mr. William Shapard lists the names and ages of his slaves as: Phill, Peter, Pegg whom were all older than 16 years of age; and Aham, James, Harry, Ishmael, Hannah, Jack, Nancy whom were all younger than 16 years of age. In 1784, Mr. Shapard sold two of his younger slaves, Aham and James, to acquire a stronger more skilled male slave named “Old Ishmael.” In addition to his slaveholdings, Mr. Shapard was the owner of eight horses and twenty head of cattle.

The 1784 census reported that the Shapard household contained eleven white inhabitants. Since the census only included the number of whites of the household and not their names, it is unknown specifically who was accounted. If this tally was accurate, in addition to William and Mary, it would indicate that the children Samuel, Mildred, Elizabeth, James, William, Booker, Lewis, Thomas and Mary were already born. However, genealogical evidence suggests a high probability that John S. Shapard was born circa 1782, which would indicate that Samuel was residing elsewhere, perhaps as an apprentice, thus not included on the census list.

Mr. William Shapard was the defendant in a lawsuit involving Mr. John Land in 1783. The details of the lawsuit are unknown, however, what is known, is that Revolutionary War hero Peter Francisco was a witness for Mr. Land, and was paid for five days attending court and traveling 19 miles. Peter Francisco was a man of legendary herculean stature and strength. He was a towering six feet eight inches tall and weighed 260 pounds, which was unheard of during this era, and was known as the “Virginia Giant.” During the war, Peter joined the 10^th Virginia Regiment in 1777, at age 16, and soon gained fame due to his size and bravery against the British. He was issued by General George Washington a specially made sword, six feet in length, which he used to slay eleven Redcoats at the battle of Guilford Court House. Peter was wounded numerous times during the war by bullets, swords and bayonets, yet, continued to return to the field of battle. At the Battle of Camden in South Carolina, his status became legendary when he lifted a massive cannon, which had become stuck in mud, and single-handedly carried it off to prevent it from being captured by the British. After the war, in December of 1784, Peter married Miss Susannah Anderson of Cumberland County, Virginia. Susannah was the daughter of Capt. James Anderson and Elizabeth (Tyler) (Baker) Anderson whom lived in proximity to the Shapard plantation. Peter Francisco, the “Virginia Giant,” passed away in 1831 of appendicitis and was buried at Shockoe Hill Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia.

While no doubt the trial was highly attended by citizens wanting to see the famous war hero, it appears that his celebrity did not sway the judge, as the judgment fell favorably on the side of Mr. Shapard, whom was awarded £25 (pounds) as settlement. Interestingly, only a few months later, Mr. Land was back in court; however, this time he was the defendant, the case being brought forth by the Commonwealth of Virginia. Apparently vengeful after the first trial, Mr. Land trespassed on William Shapard’s land, where he engaged in a fight with Mr. Shapard, bringing about charges of trespassing, assault and battery. Mr. Shapard was awarded 325 pounds of tobacco from Mr. Land as a settlement of this suit.  

Another unusual case involving Mr. Shapard was filed in Charlotte County, Virginia, in July of 1783, by Mr. John Harvey as plaintiff. Recall that Mr. Harvey had moved Mr. Shapard to Cumberland County in 1762, and they had fostered a volatile relationship since then, over a disputed payment which required the court’s intervention to settle. Although the case was settled, in 1771, in favor of Mr. Harvey, these two men continued to sue and countersue one another for years afterwards. In July of 1783, Mr. Harvey claimed that while Mr. Shapard was on business in Charlotte County, he stole or carried away one of Mr. Harvey’s slaves named Abram. Mr. Shapard was brought before the Justices of the court and was found not guilty of the crime of which he was accused. Apparently, after Mr. Shapard was released, he was approached outside the court house by Mr. Harvey and his son Thomas Harvey both of whom threatened to kill him before he could leave town. Fearing for his life, Mr. Shapard immediately reentered the court house and explained to the Justices what had occurred. The Sheriff was ordered to arrest Mr. John Harvey and his son Thomas, whereupon they were brought before the Justices of Charlotte County and ordered to keep the peace and pay security in the amount of £50 (pounds) each. The security was to be held by the court for one year, and returned to Mr. Harvey and his son, only on the condition that they not breach the peace with Mr. Shapard during that time.

As fate would have it, eleven months later, the peace was broken. In June of 1784, Mr. Shapard was again in Charlotte County on business when he was maliciously assaulted by Mr. John Harvey. In addition, Mr. Harvey and his son Thomas attacked and beat Mr. Shapard’s slave Peter whom was with him at the time. The case was brought before the Justices of Charlotte County, whereupon a jury found Mr. John Harvey and his son guilty of the crimes committed, and awarded Mr. Shapard £5 (pounds) and 5 shillings for his injuries and one shilling for the damages to his slave. Interestingly, this settlement caused Mr. Harvey to lose everything he had recovered from Mr. Shapard via his original lawsuit against Mr. Shapard stemming from 1762. It is currently unknown why these men had so many interactions with one another over the years, as they lived in different counties; however, it is suspected that their occupational similarities, being waggonage and the conveyance of goods, created an unhealthy rivalry. Future research may reveal other connections through family, business, property, etc. Regardless, after the above mentioned lawsuit was settled in June of 1784, no more legal disputes were recorded between Mr. Shapard and Mr. Harvey.  

William and Mary Booker Shapard continued to hold land in Cumberland County, Virginia, until June 27, 1785, when they sold their 300 acre plantation to Mr. Richard Wilson, for £525 (pounds). Due to the fact that Mr. William Shapard had deeded all of his property to his son, Samuel B. Shapard, as recompense for his service during the Revolutionary War, Samuel was required to sign off on the sale of the property as an owner. In addition, prior to the sale, Mrs. Mary Shapard was required to acknowledge to the court that she was voluntarily choosing to relinquish her dowry to the land. Mrs. Shapard was not able to “conveniently travel to the court of the said County of Cumberland to make her acknowledgement of the said conveyance,” which implies that she was advanced in a pregnancy. The timeframe would suggest that the baby in question was her last child, Robert Shapard, born circa 1786 in Granville County, North Carolina.

The deed of sale of the Shapard plantation stated; “This indenture made the 27 day of June in the year of our Lord 1785 between William Shapard and Mary (his wife) and Samuel Shapard of the county of Cumberland of the one part and Richard Wilson of the same county of the other part. Witness that the said William Shapard and Mary his wife and the said Samuel Shapard for and in consideration of the sum of £525 (pounds) to them in hand paid by the said Richard Wilson have granted bargained and sold by these presents do grant, bargain and sell unto the said Richard Wilson one certain tract or parcel of land laying and being in the aforesaid county of Cumberland on the branches of the Green Creek and on both sides of Randolph’s Road containing 300 acres be the same more or less bounded by the adjourning lands of John Wright, deceased, John Lee, Flamstead Ransone and Richard Price and is the same land purchased by the said William Shapard of Thomas Wright and is conveyed by the said Thomas to the said William by deed of indenture among the records of Cumberland County Court…  (signed) Wm & Samuel Shapard”

The former Shapard plantation presumably remained with Mr. Richard Wilson until his death in 1827. The land was then passed to his son Allen Wilson (1780 – 1850) who had married Elizabeth Wright in 1806. After the death of Mr. Allen Wilson in October of 1850, his land was inherited by his son John W. Wilson, Esq. (1795 – 1869). Over the course of his lifetime, John had added significantly to his inherited estate; and by the time of his death in August of 1869, had amassed a 950 acre plantation named “Hors Du Monde.” The estate was tied up by the courts for many years after the death of Mr. Wilson, and finally settled in December of 1878, when it was determined that the estate would be divided into four shares among his children: John W. Wilson, Jr., N. C. Manson and Polly his wife, Charles A. Price and Fanny his wife, and Ellen Berkley.  

The Shapard family was once again called by the promise of adventure and prosperity in the vast fertile and inexpensive lands of the frontier. This time their focus was set on Granville County, North Carolina. Their choice of location was not by random, but directed by the community of friends and family that had gradually begun to congregate there. Their greatest influence came from Mrs. Shapard’s sister, Amy (Booker) Webb (b. Aug. 27, 1752 d. March 25, 1835) and her husband, Col. John Webb (1747 – 1826), whom had migrated from Essex County, Virginia, to Granville County, North Carolina, in January of 1782. Col. and Mrs. Webb had prosperous communication about their new location which eventually enticed the Shapards to move there only a few years later. No doubt that prior to their move, William Shapard would have taken numerous scouting trips to Granville County to meet with Col. And Mrs. John Webb and to scope out potential home sites.