Thomas* Shiles

Note an e-mail below sent to me from Becky Miller regarding her research into the Shiles family when she was Director of the Nabb Center for Delmarva History and Culture at Salisbury University. This is one reason this compiler places his Delaware line of Shiles as connected to this Thomas Shiles.

Thomas is listed in the 1723 Tax List for Somerset as a taxable dependent to Naomi Shiles in Wicomico Hundred. Before Becky's notes below, I had listed Thomas in this Delaware line simply based upon the fact that he bought land, on Apr 20 1738, in Somerset County from Robert Givans called "Little Neck". Though in Somerset County, Maryland in 1738, it came to be in Worcester County when that county was formed in 1742. To complicate matters even more, after the transpeninsular line was drawn in 1750 to define the MD/DE southern border, and then confirmed by Mason and Dixon when they did their work in the 1760s, the land then becomes part of Sussex County in Delaware. Through the work I accomplished working with John Lyon on early old Somerset land patents, we know the exact location of the tract "Little Neck" as a bit less than 2 miles east and slightly north of modern Laurel, DE. Hence, this places Thomas Shiles in what becomes the Broad Creek Hundred area of Delaware at a time when other families show up there from the late 18th century forward. More work is required but this compiler's speculation is that these Shiles lines descend from this Thomas Shiles.

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From: Miller's Choice [milchoice@yahoo.com]
Sent: Wednesday, February 11, 2015 5:55 PM
To: Mike Hitch
Subject: your Shiles line

Mike,

After your post of the Washington Hitch home, I googled one of the Hitch's, Uriah I think and ended up on your site. One thing led to another with my genealogical ADD and I saw that you had a Shiles line. Anyway, you probably have already considered this, but instead of how you have it going, I conjecture that a more likely candidate for the father of Jesse Shiles is Thomas Shiles, brother to the John Shiles who m. Ann Evans. The reason I know that the Joshua? Shiles is not the son of John Shiles and Ann Evans is from their grandson's estate. Let's look at the grandson, Jesse Dashiell Shiles.

Jesse Dashiell Shiles was named as grandson in the distribution of the estate of Susannah Dashiell on 29 June 1789 (EB16:286). The inventory of the estate of Jesse Shiles was filed on 13 February 1798, signed by next of kin Samuel Covington and George Whithear (EB21:226). The account of his estate was administered by John Irving and Nelly his wife, showing an inventory valued at £55 plus an additional £40 in sales leaving £91.17 distributed on 3 September 1799 in equal one eighth parts to the representatives of James Dashiell; John Dashiell; John Jones and Elizabeth his wife; George Whithear and Rebecca his wife; John Irving and Nelly his wife; Major Shiles now deceased; representatives of Prettyman; representatives of Betty Hamet (EB24:78). Since he had no issue and no living siblings, his estate by law fell to his parents and since they were not living, it fell to the siblings of his parents or their descendants. James Dashiell, John Dashiell, Elizabeth Jones, and Rebecca Whithear were on his maternal side; Nelly Irving, Major Shiles, Prettyman and Betty Hamet the paternal side. Note: I am unsure if Major Shiles is male or female.

Now, let's look at Thomas Shiles, brother to John who m. Ann Evans. I have nothing to indicate who he married or if he had children, but he ended up in Delaware after a hiatus in NC. I conjecture that after he returned, he married a much younger woman and had issue.

On the 1723 tax list Thomas Shiles is in the household of Naomi Shiles Wicomico Hundred. In 1724 he is shown as head of household but in 1725 Naomi Shiles is again head of household with Thomas in her household. In 1727 Thomas is head with John Shiles in his household. In 1730 and 1731 he is head; by 1733 John Shiles, William McCoy (crossed out) and John McCoy are in his household; in 1734 and 1735 John McCoy is with him. By 1736 Thomas Shiles is head of household in Nanticoke Hundred with John McCoy with him. From 1738 to 1740 he is still in Nanticoke Hundred. On the 1734 debt book Thomas Shiles held 300 acres part of Ignoble Quarter. On 23 January 1732 John Evans sold to Edward Willin for £16 25 acres of Edwards Lot, being part of the land sold to John Evans by Robert Crockett out of Noble Quarter and Little Monmouth beginning on the creek side at a marked pine standing near the place where Thomas Shiles's pasture fence now stands and thence.. .. to the land that belongs to Madam Hampton thence. . . to the east side of Shiles Creek to the mouth of a gut a little above where Margaret Martin lived thence down the creek (AZ:79). From the will of Madam Mary Hampton in 1741: Whereas I some years ago entered into an Obligation to a certain Thomas Shiles conditioned to convey unto the said Thomas Shiles all my Right, Title, and Interest of in and to a certain tract of land called Ignoble Quarter situated upon Wicomico River . . . containing by estimation 300 acres which the said Thomas hath since sold unto the Rev'd Thomas Fletcher and not as yet from me conveyed I therefore give and devise unto Thomas Fletcher . . . the tract of land called Ignoble Quarter. (EB9:249).

On 20 April 1738 Robert Givans, eldest son of Robert Givans, deceased, wife Easter consenting, sold to Thomas Shiles for the sum of £20 that tract or parcel of land called Little Neck lying on the south side of the Nanticoke River between the mouth of Broad Creek and Deep Creek beginning at a marked cypress standing on the eastside of the mouth of the Beaverdam Branch and thence north . . . and with a right line drawn to the first bounder containing 50 acres more or less (MF:269). On the 1745 debt book for Worcester County Thomas Shiles is shown with 50 acres of Little Neck; by 1755 and through 1757 there is a notation "gone to Carolina". In March 1762 Thomas Shiles had surveyed for him 546 acres in Chatham County, North Carolina on both sides of Brooks Creek off the Haw River which was patented in January 1763 in now Pittsboro, NC which is the county seat of Chatham County (researched by Glenn Major; "Granville Land Grants in Chatham County", p. 6 compiled by Jim Wiggins at http://chathamhistory.org/granville/Granville%20Intro%20draft%20DWP%20Edit%20mod%2016Apr09%20new%20map.pdf). In 1773, Thomas Shiles and Ann Shiles sell land in Edgefield SC awarded by Gov. Charles Montagu conceivably for service during the Cherokee War. Google Books: Edgefield South Carolina Deed Books 13,14,15 ; Wells, Carol. Thomas Shilles of Craven County to Nathan Melton, planter. L&R, 3 May 1773/4, 100 pounds S. C. Money, 225 acres in Berkeley County on Indian Creek of little Saludy, part of 450 acres granted to Thomas Shiles 13 October 1772 by Gov. Charles Montagu, bounding on William Whitaker's land. Witness John North, William Thonson, William West Junior. Thomas Shiles Ann Shiles,. Proven 17th of November 1773 by William West Junior; John Fairchild, J. P.. Recorded 13th of October 1797. (Glenn Major to LDR list 17 August 2010; to Becky Miller 23 August 2010).

The inventory of John Shiles' estate was signed by next of kin Thomas Shiles and Sarah Shiles and filed by administrator John Shiles on 22 September 1774 (116:364). [John Shiles was his brother. No idea who Sarah is.] On 1 December 1775 Thomas Shiles gave testimony about Isaac Atkinson's activities at the Lower Ferry during the trial in Talbot County (MD Hist. Mag p.154-166 Dec 1910 Vol. 5 No 4). On the 1783 tax list he had no land and was the only one in his household.

The 1738 deed from Givans to Shiles mentions Broad and Deep Creeks which are now in Sussex County. I wonder if Shiles moved to that location in 1737 as the tax lists indicate he changed hundreds in from Wicomico in 1736 to Nanticoke in 1738, not showing at all in 1737. Then, of course, the Worcester debt books show he was "gone to Carolina" by 1755. Thus, he is scarce in action in the Somerset records until his brother John dies. I can only assume that Thomas gave a bond for the land Ignoble Quarter, didn't pay and Madam Hampton gained title. That may well be the reason for his move from the 300 acre tract to the 50 acre tract. I have not pursued Thomas further than shown above, but you should look at judicial records to see who this John McCoy is. He might be merely an apprentice but he could also be the son of someone Thomas married. Also, the Worcester debt books for the 1760's and 1770's should be checked for him and also to see if there is a deed where Thomas Shiles sells Little Neck.

It is not unheard of for someone to leave the area and return. My ancestor, George Hopkins, also moved to Craven County, wrote his will down there but it was probated in Somerset. By the tax lists I know he came home to die and his widow and some of the younger children continued in Somerset and Dorchester Counties. Thomas Shiles would be long in the tooth to be having children once he got back; perhaps he has a son while in NC and the son comes back with him. Perhaps because he was in NC, that's why descendants in DE don't have a "trail" to follow.

Sorry, nothing definitive to offer but perhaps leads to chase down.

Keep those historical posts coming. I always find them of interest.

Becky

Thomas* married.