Elias* Shiles

*Connection of Eli Shiles to father Thomas Shiles is speculative at this point but this compiler applies it based upon the following reasoning. Elias/Eli Shiles was known to have collaborated with his father-in-law Christopher Cardiff in overseas trading from Delaware in the later 18th and early 19th centuries. However, his parentage remains elusive as many of the Delaware Shiles family. There are two theories this compiler is currently setting forth:

(1) Elias Shiles and others of his family came directly to Delaware from parts unknown, perhaps England, in the late 18th century, set up shop in business and account for the Shiles families that descended over the years in Delaware and parts beyond.

(2) This compiler thinks a more likely scenario, is that Elias was part of the original Shiles Family that descended from the immigrant Thomas Shiles who was in the Whitehaven, Maryland area by the late 17th century. Shiles is a fairly rare surname and, so it would be an interesting coincidence if Elias Shiles were not somehow connected in a familial way to the Shiles that were already expanding in MD/DE by the time we find Elias there around 1800. We know that one arm of the Shiles family, that of Thomas Shiles born before 1709 was trekking about the land from MD to DE and NC in the mid-18th century and it very well could be that Elias took advantage of the connections made in those journeys and established an international trade business in and around Bethel and Portville Delaware, an area already teeming with sailors and their families at the time.

On Jun 12 1805, Eli Shiles in consideration of lawful claim of his wife Rachel and heir of Christopher Cardiff, deceased, received from Christopher Cardiff and wife Amelia (Milly) 57.5 acres of land in Broad Creek Hundred adjacent to "Oak Grove." (SxLR-AB25:74). In 1817, Eli purchased more land near "Oak Grove" from Joseph and Priscilla Quillen. (SxLR-AI32:543)

Eli/Elias Shiles shows up in the following census records:
1810 Census: 21001-31101 in Broad Creek Hundred, Sussex Co., DE (pg 329).
1820 Census: 210001-02111 in Broad Creek Hundred, Sussex Co., DE.
1830 Census: 1101100010000-0010110010000 in Broad Creek Hundred, Sussex Co., DE.
1840 Census: 0020000001000-0000001000000 (as Eli Shiles) in Broad Creek Hundred, Sussex Co., DE.

On Nov 15 1847, Eli/Hetty Shiles, for $124.26, sold land in Broad Creek Hundred to Jonathan Downing, part of "Oak Grove", 32a-6p.

Eli Shiles' will was written on Nov 9 1847 and probated in Sussex County, DE on Jan 8 1849. In it, he mentions sons James, David and John W. Shiles, wife Hetty, grandson David Asbury Williams. He also mentions Nelly Walston, wife of William Walston; Kiziah Downing, wife of Jonathan Downing; Margaret Reed, wife of Ezekiel Reed and Ann Lankford, wife of Littleton Lankford. (SxW-K:329)

Elias* married Rachel Cardiff, daughter of Christopher Cardiff and Margaret (?), about 1788. (Rachel Cardiff was born in 1760-1770 ⁸ and died on 28 Jul 1833 in Sussex Co., DE ⁹.)

Elias* next married Hetty Moore on 14 Sep 1836 in Sussex Co., DE.¹ (Hetty Moore was born between 1790 and 1800 in Sussex Co., DE ¹⁰.)