WAR JOURNAL
RICHARD SHIPP (1740-1781)
General Nelson's Corps of Virginia Light Dragoons
Richard Shipp III, son of Richard and Martha Shipp, as born in 1740 in Caroline or Essex County, Virginia. During the Revolutionary War he served in General Thomas Nelson's Corps of Virginia Light Dragoons and participated in the Siege of Yorktown.Issue: Second marriage to Isabel Martin, widow of John Martin.Early land records of Culpeper County, Virginia, show that Richard Shipp was in Culpeper County as early as 1755. (Culpeper County Deed Book E p. 12 –Instrument dated 5 August 1755, but not recorded until 15 August 1763- "Richard Parker & Gizell his wife of Culpeper to Richard Ship of Culpeper County 91 acres of land in the said county of Culpeper, Colony of Va.")
Other land transactions are: Deed Book E., p. 131- Instrument dated 22 March 1758- Robert Taliferro of Carolina County to Richard Shipp of Culpeper County "all that tract or parcel of land whereon the said Richard Shipp now liveth containing 100 acres on Mountain Run in the said county of Culpeper.. ." Witnesses: Kno. Parker, Samuel Clayton and Henry Gaines.
Deed Book E. p. 537- Instrument dated 16 June 1768- John McKenzie of Culpeper to Richard Ship of Culpeper- 400 acres.
Deed Book F. p. 343- Instrument dated 21 October 1771- Richard Ship and Ezbel his wife of Cul- peper County to Atalph Woolfolk of Culpeper, 400 acres in Brumfield Parish, said county.
Richard Shipp first married Lucy Yowell, who was born about 1742 and died about 1764. He had one daughter, Lucy, by this marriage. The mother died shortly after the birth of her daughter. In 1765 Richard married Mrs. Isabel Martin (also spelled Isabeila, Isbel and Ezbel) , widow of John Martin.
John Martin died in 1764 and left a son, John Martin Jr., as his only surviving heir.
Deed Book R., p. 115, Culpeper County, Va. By the will of John Martin deceased dated 12 January 1764 and recorded in Caroline Court I hold the following negroes: Temp, Celia, Rose, George and Peter during my natural life which after my decease descends unto the heirs of said Martin deceased.
Known all men by these presents that I Isbel Ship of the county of Culpeper for and in consideration of a negro girl named Rose to my daughter Nancy Ship made over by deed of gift by John Martin the only surviving heir of John Martin, deceased, of Caroline County. I have assigned transferred and made over to the said John Martin the following four negroes: Temp, Celia, George and Peter. Instrument dated 1 March 1792.
Signed Isbel ShipDeed Book R., p. 114, Culpeper County, Va. -I John Martin of Culpeper County, Va., the only surviving heir to John Martin, deceased, of Caroline County, Va., upon the consideration of my mother Isbel Ships relinquishing her right title and dower to the following negroes to wit: Temp, Celion, George and Pete do give freely and voluntarily a negro girl named Rose unto my sister-in-law Nancy Ship to her and her heirs forever --give the said Rose provided Isabel Ship immediately gives up the aforesaid four negroes which she now holds by John Martin's deceased will recorded in Caroline County, Va., bearing date 12 January 1764 provided if said Nancy Ship should die without heir lawfully begotten then the said negro girl so given to return unto my mother Isbel Ship to dispose of as she may think proper. Now should the said Isbel Ship die before the said Nancy Ship has any heir or the said Nancy leaving no heir, then the said negro girl Rose and her increase to be equally divided between the surviving children that Isbel had by her second husband Richard Ship. Instrument dated 1 March 1792 Signed, JOHN MARTIN Witnesses: William Bradley, Robert Strother, Reuben Thornhill
Will Book D., p. 106- Will of John Martin dated 19 April 1793 and proved 21 October 1793. Lends to mother Isbel Ship negro Temp for life. 'lends remainder of estate to wife Mary until daughter Isabele Martin comes of age and if she die without heir, then "I give it to be equally divided among my brothers and sister, that is, Ambrose Ship, John Ship, Richard Ship, Thomas Ship and Nancy Ship."
(The National Archives, Old Army Section, War Records Branch, Washington DC shows that Richard Ship served in the Revolutionary War. Muster roll card No.39187747: "Va.-Richd. Shipp, Revolutionary War, appears on list of General Nelson's Corps of Light Dragoons, last dated Baltimore, July 29, 1778.")
In his will, dated 9 February.1781 and proved 20 August 1781, Richard leaves his daughter, Lucy, a feather bed and furniture. He stipulates that the remainder of his estate should go to his wife, Isabel Shipp, and, after her death to his children Ambrose, Richard, Josiah, John, Nancy and Thomas.
In Will Book B -, p. 493 dated January 12, 1782, Richard Ship's estate was listed: One mare, 7 head cattle, 22 hogs, 4 narrow axes, 4 hilling hoes, one grub hoe, pair of wedges, one shovel plow clevis, two hammers, griddle, two iron pottshooks, one frying pan skillet one scythe, two linnen wheels, one woolen wheel, one saddle, one loom, a parcel of pewter, a parcel of earthen ware, knives, forks, box iron heaters, pair fire tongs, one churn, a chest, trunk, stone jug, tub and a feather bed.
As can be seen by this inventory, the farm families of early Virginia had very little.
Issue: First marriage to Lucy Yowell
i. Lucy, b. ca. 1784, Culpeper County, Va; mar. 27 December 1791, Culpeper County, Va. William Yowell. There is no further record of this family.
i. Ambrose, b. ca. 1766, Culpeper County, Va. (Green County, Va. 1850 census gives his age as 84); mar. 18 June 1789, Culpeper County, Va., Elender (Nellie) BarnesIsabel Shipp is listed as a taxpayer in 1782, Culpeper County, Va., and daughter, Nancey, is listed in Caroline County, VA.ii. Richard, b. 15 April 1768, d. 4 June 1836, Johnson County, Ky.; mar. 18 June 1789, Mercer County, Ky., Mary Copeland.
iii. Josiah, b. ca. 1770. It is possible that Josiah died before 1793 as he is not named as heir with his other brothers in the will of John Martin dated 1793. No further record.
iv. John, b. 18 November 1772; d. 1848, Green County, Ky., mar. 1st 29 January 1792, Green County, Ky., Nellie Sanders; mar. 2nd 18 April 1798, Elizabeth Durham.
v. Nancy (Nancey) , b. 1774; mar. 31 August 1794, Culpeper County, Va., Thomas Long.
vi. Thomas, b. 1776; d. 19 October 1827; mar. lst 21 September 1797, Ruth Sanders; mar. 2nd 10 November 1814, Elizabeth Wright.
In 1784 Isabel Shipp and her sons Ambrose, Richard, John and Thomas went to Green County, Ky. The family stayed close together on farms north of present-day Campbellsville and near the village of Saloma. In 1796 a church called Pittman Creek and Robinson Creek was organized. By 1802 there was a building with a ground floor and was located just north of the Pittman school in the middle of a field. Among the charter members who signed the Constitution were: Isabel Shipp, Richard Shipp, Thomas Shipp, Ambrose Shipp, Ruth Shipp (wife of Thomas}," Elenor Shipp (wife of Ambrose). The church membership list of 6 May 1812 still shows Isabel Shipp's name.
The unit in which Thomas Shipp served, General Nelson's Corps of Virginia Light Dragoons, was led by the soldier-statesman General Thomas Nelson Jr., first governor of Virginia and a veteran of the Yorktown campaign.