The French and Indian War lasted from 1754 to 1763 and was the North American phase of the Seven Years' War.
Fincastle County, Virginia was created in 1772 from Botetourt County and abolished in 1776. It was divided into Montgomery, Washington and Kentucky Counties.
Colonel Evan Shelby was born about 1723 in Wales and was the son of Evan Shelby and Catherine Davis.
He married Leticia Cox. She was the daughter of Isaac Cox and Abigail Rose.
Isaac Shelby (1750, married Susannah Hart),
James Shelby (1752),
Evan Shelby (1754), and
Moses Shelby (1760).
Evan served He under Captain Moses Chapline during the French and Indian War (1754-1763) in Maryland.
Evan built a fort in what is now eastern Tennessee in 1771.
In 1771 Shelby brought his family to the Holston country, settling at Sapling Grove, or what is now Bristol, Tennessee.
Here he built a fort which was known as "Shelby's Station." It was quite commodious, many hundreds being forted there at times during Indian raids...
The Shelbys kept a store at their fort. On the facsimile of a leaf from the store ledger will be seen the names of some of their distinguished customers—the Seviers, James Robertson and Daniel Boone.... (from Historic Sullivan by Oliver Taylor)
In 1774, Isaac, James, and Evan served in the Fincastle County Militia during Lord Dunmore's War.
In 1776, Evan Shelby was a major in the Cherokee Expedition. Isaac and James Shelby were calptain.
Moses, James, Isaac, Evan Jr., John and David Shelby, signed the 1777 petition of men living on the north Holston River complaining about the division of Fincastle County. They felt the line was not equitable and the court house was too far away.
General Evan Shelby, high in the confidence of his countrymen everywhere, remarkable for his probity, candour, good sense and patriotism, was requested by Gov. Caswell to take charge of this delicate negotiation; and, in conjunction with others, whose assistance he solicited, met a Commission from the State of Franklin, on the 20th day of March, 1787, at the house of Samuel Smith. At this conference Gov. Sevier represented his own government, aided by such of its friends as he chose to invite. (from The Annals of Tennessee by James Gettys McGready Ramsey)
The Cherokeewere indigenous people who lived in the southern Appalachian mountains. European Americans called their towns in eastern Tennessee, the Overhill Towns. The towns included Chota, Tellico and Tanasi.
In 1776, the Cherokee planned to drive settlers out of the Washington District. The settlers were warned and stopped the first attack at Heaton's Station. The second attack was stopped at Fort Watauga. In response to these attacks, the militia burned Tuskegee and Citico.
The Battle of Kings Mountain was a decisive battle of the American Revoluton. It took place on October 7, 1780, nine miles south of the present-day town of Kings Mountain, North Carolina. The Patriot militia defeated the Loyalist militia commanded by British Major Patrick Ferguson.
The Battle of Point Pleasant(Battle of Kanawha) was on October 10, 1774. It was between the Virginia militia and the Shawnee and Mingo. The Shawnee unsuccesfully attempted to halt the militia's advance into the Ohio Valley.
Colonel Isaac Shelby was born about 1750 in what is now Washington County. He was son of Evan Shelby and Laetitia Cox,
He he married Susannah Hart in Boonesborough, Kentucky. Susannah was the daughter of Nathaniel Hart and Sarah Simpson.
Sarah Shelby McDowell (1785, married Ephraim McDowell)
Evan Shelby (1787, married Nancy Wilcox Warren)
Thomas Shelby (1789, married Mary Bullock)
Susan Shelby Fishback (1791, married James Fishback)
Nancy Shelby Nelson (1792, married Samuel Nelson)
Isaac Shelby (1795, married Mary Boswell)
John Shelby (1797)
Letitia Shelby Todd (1799, married Charles Todd)
Cathrine Shelby (1801)
Alfred Shelby (1804).
About 1770, a portion of the tract (973 acres) was purchased by Evan Shelby and Isaac Baker. In 1771 Col. Shelby, a noted Indian fighter, erected a fort on a hill overlooking what is now downtown Bristol. It was an important stopping-off place for notables such as Daniel Boone and George Rogers Clark, as well as hundreds of pioneers enroute to the interior of the developing nation. Shelby's Fort is best known as one place where the Battle of King's Mountain was planned.
He served as a lieutenant in his father's Fincastle Company, at the Battle of Point Pleasant during Lord Dunmore's War.
He was appointed Captain by the Virginia Committee of Safety in July, 1776, and in 1779, became a member of the Virginia House of Burgess for Washington County.
In 1780, he was appointed to be a justice of the peace in Sullivan County, Tennessee.
At the Battle of Kings Mountain in 1780, he led his regiment which was the left interior column. During the battle the middle two columns exchanging fire with the English for fifteen minutes while the flanking columns moved into position. The English drove back Colonels Shelby and Campbell with a bayonet charge.
He was appointed by Virginia Governor Jefferson as a Major in the escort of guards for the commissioners appointed to run the western boundary line between Virginia and North Carolina.
In 1782, he was a member of the legislature of North Carolina and later served as commissioner to settle claims on the Cumberland River and to lay off solders' lands near the site of Nashville. He attended the convention that framed the first constitution of Kentucky, and was elected that state's first Governor, was re-elected in 1812, serving until 1816.
In the War of 1812, he commanded 4,000 troops under General Harrison and marched into Canada in 1813.
He died July 18, 1826.
Fincastle County, Virginia, was created in 1772 from Botetourt County. In 1776 it was divided into three counties; Montgomery, Washington, and Kentucky (which the state of Kentucky).
In 1774 Governor Dunmore declared war against the indignious Americans. The war ended after Virginia's victory in the Battle of Point Pleasant on October 10, 1774.
John Shelby was born about 1723 in Wales and was the son of Evan Shelby and Catherine Davis.
John Shelby, Jr. (married Elizabeth Brigham),
David Shelby (1763 married Sarah Bledsoe),
Evan Shelby,
Thomas Shelby,
Isaac Shelby,
Louisa Shelby (married William McCrab), and
Catherine Shelby (married her cousin Evan Shelby III).
In 1777 the Washington County Court
ordered that Capt. Robert Craig and Capt. John Shelby be added to the Commissioners appointed to receive and destribute the Flour contributed in Augusta or elsewhere for the distressed inhabitants of this County.
In 1778 the Washington County, Virginia Court heard
the complaint of Mary Daily against her Mistress Katherine Shelby for misusage this day the said Mary Daily in her proper person and the complaint aforesaid bieng fully heard on consideration whereof it is the opinion of the Court the complaint is groundless & it is ordered that she seve her Master one year after the time of her indenture is expired for having a Bastard Child.
