LEWIS SHAPARD (Chapter 10) 1812-1813 Preparations for Migration

Chapter 10

PREPARATIONS FOR MIGRATION

1812-1813

As more and more settlers migrated westward into Tennessee, word kept returning to Lewis Shapard in North Carolina of great opportunities in land and business ventures for those willing to make the trip. Recall that in April of 1807, Lewis Shapard traveled with his brother-in-laws Solomon Paine, James Paine, William Bird Brooks, and Edmund Shelton, among others (possibly Robert Paine, Jr.), to visit the Tennessee frontier and see first-hand the land that was the talk of so much potential prosperity. Their expedition party had ventured as far as current-day Middle Tennessee, scouting different locations for settlement, as well as, assessing areas for land and business ventures. In all, during their four month excursion the men traveled over 1,200 miles, returning home to North Carolina in August or September. In the months and years that followed, Lewis and his brother-in-laws became convinced that their futures belonged in Tennessee, specifically middle Tennessee.

Perhaps the most enticing factor for Lewis Shapard and his brother-in-laws to migrate was that the tobacco and cotton crops grown on their plantations in North Carolina were greatly depleting the soil’s nutrients, rendering each successive crop less fruitful. Tennessee offered the allure of fresh, rich, untouched, fertile lands at a reasonable price. To encourage settlement, the US government passed the Land Act of 1800, which held the minimum purchase price for frontier land at $2, which was often lower than the land values of settled areas. In addition, Lewis Shapard and his brother-in-laws were all slave owners which made them particularly suited for agricultural success in Tennessee. Tobacco and cotton were the main financial crops during this era, yet, were labor intensive and dependant on slavery for commercial production. Even if not planting themselves, they saw great potential income in renting out their slaves to other planters for the growing season. During their expedition to Tennessee in 1807, Lewis and his brother-in-laws realized that middle Tennessee was the place to migrate, as it had the richest soil and best topography for planting, being less mountainous than the terrain of eastern Tennessee.

Beyond agriculture, the men, especially Lewis Shapard, appreciated the unparalleled business opportunities for wealthy entrepreneurs, like themselves. Although Tennessee was rural, about 20 percent of the population was financially non agricultural. As towns grew, so too did their need for products and supplies. Lewis and his brother-in-laws recognized the wealth potential of the region for manufacturers and sellers of cloth, hats, saddles, kitchenware, soap, tools, nails, etc., as well as, larger enterprises such as mills, for grinding grains or cutting wood, tanneries for making leather, iron import for making tools, nails and plows. Also of particular interest were “commission merchants” for the buying, transporting and selling of goods, such as tobacco and cotton, beyond one’s own locality.

The first family members to make the move to Tennessee was Martha Shapard’s sister Sarah (Paine) (1778-1835) and her husband William Bird Brooks (1774-1836). In 1812, the Brooks family migrated from Caswell County, North Carolina to Tennessee, settling in Giles County which had been formed in 1810 from a portion of Maury County. They settled on a rich plot of land nine miles southeast of the newly established county seat in the town of Pulaski. A stage road ran west of the property and allowed for ease of transportation. This area would be the focal point of migration for many of the Paine siblings, and those that came purchased land adjoining one another.

Solomon Paine (1787-1858) was the next to venture to Tennessee, traveling with the families of Lewis and Martha Shapard and Dr. William S. Webb in early 1813.

In the fall of 1814, one year after Lewis and Martha (Paine) Shapard migrated to Tennessee, Martha’s brother James Paine (1776-1840) made the commitment to relocate. James initially sent his slaves to Giles County accompanied by his wife’s brother Robert Williams (1783-1816), to make a crop for the ensuing season and to construct a house and quarters. In May of 1815, James migrated from Person County, North Carolina with the rest of his family to Tennessee, where a fine crop and house awaited them. Tragically, James’ wife Mary (Williams) died on November 30, 1815, at the age of 33 years old, and was buried in Giles County. Two years later, James would remarry to Elizabeth Hancock. In May of 1816, James purchased 1,280 acres on the Indian Creek in Giles County from William Polk for the staggering sum of $1,800.

Edmund Shelton (1770-1846) and his wife Polly (Paine) (1779-1844) and their children also migrated from Person County Tennessee in the summer or autumn of 1815, most likely caravanning with James Paines’ family for the long trip to Giles County, Tennessee. Edmund purchased his first tract of prime real estate from W.H. Buchanan, being a 100 acre tract highly valued at $800. Over the next two years, William B. Brooks, James Paine and Robert Paine would purchase the neighboring tracts.

In the spring of 1816, Robert Paine (1785-1846) and his wife Polly (Cocke) (1792-1823) and their children also came to Tennessee from Person County, North Carolina. Records show that in May of 1816, he bought 471 acres from William Polk in Giles County bordering the land of his brother James Paine.

Lewis and Martha Shapard’s commitment to migrating to Tennessee was solidified on February 3, 1812, when Lewis and Martha sold their 300 acre plantation in St. David District to Hugh Darby of Lunenburg, Virginia for $600. Mr. Darby (b. circa 1768) was an attorney and was connected to Lewis and Martha Shapard through his brother Daniel Darby (b. 1770-1818) of Caswell County. Daniel had been associated with Michael Nicholson and was listed in a settlement of his estate in 1803. Thereafter, Daniel Darby resided near the Shapard plantation and served on numerous committees with Lewis Shapard over the years.  Interestingly, after the sale of their plantation, the Shapard family remained in Caswell County until 1813. Lewis rented his former plantation house from Mr. Hugh Darby, providing a place for his family to stay until it was time for them to leave North Carolina.

Throughout the rest of the year of 1812, in preparation for migration, Lewis Shapard was finalizing all his business and personal accounts and settling any outstanding legal affairs. On March 28, 1812, Lewis, through the right of his wife, collected his final payment from the inheritance of the estate of his father-in-law Robert Paine, in the amount of £88.17.6 ¾. On May 9^th, Lewis attended the estate sale of the late James Burk, whereby he purchased a variety of items, including tea cups, spoon molds, a hammer, a pair of chains and 1,500 pounds of tobacco.

In late January of 1812, Lewis delivered his final guardian’s report on the financial expenses of the Nicolson girls to the justices of the Caswell County Court. Elizabeth M. Nicholson had married Alexander Caldwell the year before and was no longer accounted for by Lewis’ report. However, Polly Nicholson and Sally P. Nicholson were still underage, respectively 19 and 17 years of age, and remained under the guardianship of Lewis Shapard. The report showed that each girls expenditures for the year 1811 on board and clothing were £7.3.0 and that each still retained an inheritance from their father’s estate of £119.4.2 for future expenses. This is the last known record of Sally P. Nicholson. Her whereabouts beyond this date are speculative. However, it is known that her sister Polly Nicholson would leave Caswell County and migrate to Tennessee with the Shapard family.

          Lewis appears to have spent the end of January at Caswell Courthouse as he was a juryman in numerous County Court cases. On January 29^th, he was on the jury panel for The State vs. Elijah Carman; The State vs. James Vaughn, Jr.; Caleb Anglin vs. Nicholas Willis; and Koziah Mills vs. The Executors of John Dennis, deceased. The following day he juried Jessie Carter vs. Jacob Miles, Sr.; and Graves & Gunn vs. Edward Donoho. Later that same day, Lewis was the plaintiff in his own case in County Court against William Heritage for trespass. The jury found in favor of Lewis Shapard and assessed his damages to £2.10.0 plus costs of the suit. While there, Lewis was summoned to be a juror for the next term of the Caswell County Superior Court.

Still plaguing Lewis at this time was the lawsuit filed in Granville County, North Carolina, involving his late father’s estate. The suit was originally filed in September of 1811 and was attempting to resolve a sibling dispute over their respective inheritance. Lewis was summoned and appeared in Granville County in March of 1812, in front of the justices of the Superior Court of Equity to answer questions regarding the case. A few months later on November 7, 1812, Lewis Shapard returned to Granville County to attend the deposition of John Webb and William Royster at Mr. Alexander Hamilton’s store (no relation to the statesman Alexander Hamilton). John Webb (1747-1826) was Lewis Shapard uncle, through his marriage to Amy Booker, being the sister of Lewis Shapard’s mother Mary Booker. Mr. Webb appears to have been a lawyer or judge as he had a vast knowledge of the law and had been an invaluable friend to the Shapard family over the years, especially to Lewis Shapard’s father. During the deposition, Lewis questioned both witnesses regarding the details of the case. Despite his best efforts, the lawsuit would not be resolved before he left for Tennessee. This was Lewis’ last involvement in the case that wouldn’t be fully settled until March 4, 1815; whereby, Lewis Shapard was awarded an additional £146.3.2 from his father’s estate. Lewis Shapard received notice of the settlement by letter in April of 1815, eventually collecting the additional sum of his inheritance.

Interestingly, two historically significant events occurred the year the Shapard’s decided to move to Tennessee. In 1812, Tennessee was rocked by a series of intense earthquakes, the last of which was estimated to have been the most powerful earthquake in recorded North American history. The epicenter originated from just beyond Tennessee’s western border. However, the quakes were felt over 1 million square miles, as far north as Canada and as far east as North Carolina. The Mississippi River system was greatly affected, with reports of the Mississippi River flowing backwards for a brief time. In the aftermath, the epicenters landscape was drastically changed; elevations rose or dropped as much as 20 feet, some filling in with water forming new rivers and lakes overnight. There were massive mudslides and fallen trees that jammed the Mississippi River making navigation impossible in areas. Despite the destruction, the human toll was abated by the fact that this region was only sparsely settled.

The second major event of 1812 occurred on June 18^th, when the United States of America under President James Madison declared war with Great Britain. The war began due to the British encroachment on American vessels at sea in an effort to prevent them from trading with France, who at the time was also at war with Great Britain. In addition, the British had ties with many Indian tribes and would trade arms with them for goods. American sentiment disfavored the British for supplying the exact weapons that the Indians would use to make raids on American settlers. The war was fought from 1812 until 1815, mostly along the United States/Canadian border, as Canada was still a British colony. However, as the war continued, the British attempted invasions in New York, Baltimore and New Orleans. Inland, the British allied with the Creek Indian Tribe, inciting them to make raids on American settlements. By the end of the war, the British, Canadians and Indians had been repelled; the Whitehouse had been burned, Francis Scott Key had penned our national anthem during the bombardment of Baltimore, and no land had been won or lost. Despite the stalemate outcome, Americans felt satisfied, arousing an era of patriotism.