Echoes from the Dismal Swamp

1850 Census, Cass County, Georgia

John A. O’Shields b. SC, abt. 1829; wife, Frances Ophelia, b. GA, abt. 1827 (John A. O’Shields married Frances Ophelia Gaines, 16 May 1850, in Cass County, Georgia.)
Silas O’Shields, b. SC, abt. 1832, (living in home of Alfred C. Day

1860 Census, Cass County, Georgia
Silas O’Shields, b. SC, abt. 1832;  wife, M. b. abt. 1834; child, L. b. abt. 185

1860 Census, Jackson County, Alabama

John A. O’Shields, age 35, b. abt. 1825, SC;  Francis A., age 36, b.abt.1826, SC;  Henry J.,age 7, GA;  Fannie M., age 6, GA;  Ann E. age, 3, GA;  Isabella, age, 11/12, b. Alabama

1870 Census, Cass County, Georgia

Fanny O’Shields, b. SC, abt. 1827, (widow of John A. O’Shields); son, Henry J., b. GA, 1851;  daughter, Fannie, b. GA, 1855

Silas O’Shields, wife, Catherine b. abt. 1839; Sidney(male), b. abt. 1862; daughter, Anna, b. abt. 1866, GA

Sidney O’Shields was incarcerated on 10 February 1879, from Bartow County, Georgia.  The nature of the crime  is unknown at this time.

Silas O’Shields served in the Civil War,  Pvt in Co “D”- 10th Battalion,Georgia Cavalry- Bartow County, Georgia

“The Standard Express Newspaper, “  Bartow County, Georgia, OBITUARY

January 4, 1872
SILAS O’SHIELDS, who for a long time has been a resident of our town, died on the 22nd (Dec 22, 1871) after a few days of severe affliction.
He was Kind, in offensive and obliging and had, we suppose, but few enemies.We tender his bereaved family our heart-felt sympathies and invoke upon the blessing of Him, who is the merciful friend of the widow and orphan. (Courtesy of Peggy Sasscer)

The Cartersville American, Cartersville, Georgia, October 21, 1884, page 5
On Wednesday evening, October 15, Mr. J. W. Bridges was married to Miss Annie O’Shields, at the residence of the bride’s mother, in this city. The ceremony was performed by Rev. F. M. Daniel. The happy couple left on Thursday for Pensacola, Florida, where Mr. Bridges is located, as agent for the Southern News Co., and which will be their future home.

OBITUARY of Catherine O’Shields, wife of Silas O’Shields:
“The Courant American Newspaper”
Cartersville, GA
Oct 13, 1887- Pg 3:
Mrs. O’Shields, mother of Mrs. J. Wylie Bridges, died at her home on Erwin Street last week after a long and painful illness. She was one of the first that settled in Cartersville when it was a hamlet and was long a consistent and dutiful member of the Baptist Church. (Courtesy of Peggy Sasscer)

Newly uncovered information showing John A. O’Shields and his wife, Frances, did in fact have a daughter named, Ann E.  She was born abt. 1859 in Alabama.  In 1870, Ann E. O’Shields does not appear in the 1870 Census records with Frances O’Shields.  It is a mystery as to the identity of the parents of Annie O’Shields who married J.W. Bridges.  Was she the daughter of Catherine O’Shields or the daughter of Frances Gaines O’Shields and her husband, John A. O’Shields?

1880 Census, Dawson County, Georgia
Henry J. O’Shields, b. 1851; wife, Sallie E., b. abt. 1855; son, Henry M. b. 1877; mother of Henry J. O’Shields, Ophelia, age 46.

1900 Census, Portsmouth Ward 2, Portsmouth City, Virginia
Henry Jethro O’Shields  b. February 1851 in Georgia; wife, Sarah, b. July 1857;
Children:
Henry M.  b. July 1877, GA (wife, Nonie, b. January 1880)

Notes for–  Henry Meyers O’Shields; married Naomi Crawford. A descendant of this couple, David O’Shields, supplied the maiden name of Henry Meyers O’Shields’ wife.)   Today, I found new information.  They married 11 October 1899, in Haralson County, Georgia, ceremony performed by A. G. Shaw.  Naomi Ruth Crawford was born in Carroll County, Georgia, parents were Augustus A. Crawford, b. abt. 1850 and Artie, whose maiden name is unknown at this time.

Fannie (Frances) M. b. September 1880,GA, married Charles E. Porter

Barbara L., b. December 1882  GA, d. 7 June 1972, married Mitchell Brown

Bernice b. November 1887, born in ALABAMA, married Ollie Russell

Jo (F) b. June 1892, GA

Cornelia (F)  b. June 1896, GA, married William Morecock

Henry Jethro O’Shields was born, 25 February 1851, and died 19 March 1912.  Sarah Elizabeth (Garrison) O’Shields was born, 10 July 1858, and died 15 January 1946. (SOURCE:  Tombstones, Oak Grove Cemetery, Portsmouth, Virginia)

Henry Jethro O’Shields, son of John A. O’Shields and his wife, Frances Ophelia Gaines,  married Sarah E. Garrison.  (Information taken from the death certificate of Henry Meyers O’Shields stated he was the son of Henry Jethro O’Shields and Sarah E. Garrison.  SOURCE: David O’Shields, who is a descendant of Henry Jethro and Henry Meyers O’shields.  David O’Shields lives in Virginia. He sent this information to me due to our communications via internet for the past several months.)

Henry Jethro O’Shields married Sarah Elizabeth Garrison in Cobb County, Georgia, 1 October 1876.  Sarah was the daughter of David Elias Garrison and Mary Ann Tippins. (Marriage Records, Cobb County, Georgia)

Henry Jethro O’Shields was the editor and publisher of Mountain Chronicle in Dawson County, Georgia.  It was established in 1879; printed every Friday; 4 pages; 19×25; Subscription $1.00;  (This information was taken from George P. Rowell & Cos., American Newspaper Directory, published 1882, in New York.)

Henry Jethro O’Shields published “The Stevenson Chronicle” in Stevenson, Jackson County, Alabama.  (1887)

In 1888, Henry Jethro O’Shields was one of the Editors of “The Piedmont Post,” located in Anniston, Calhoun County, Alabama.

Henry Jethro O’Shields was publisher of The Tallapoosa Dispatch, 1891.  This newspaper was located in Tallapoosa, Georgia, about ten miles from Bremen, Georgia, in Haralson County and very near the Alabama border.

“The Bremen Chronicle,” Bremen, Haralson County, Georgia, Established 1893; Editor & Publisher Henry Jethro O’Shields; Wednesdays; 4 pages, 18×24; Subscription $1.00.

OBITUARY of Frances Ophelia Gaines O’Shields, The Atlanta Constitution

Mrs. F. O. O’Shields, Anniston, Ala., 14 April 1905, died here this morning. Mrs. O’Shields was 72 years of age. She is survived by a son, H. J. O’Shields, of Portsmouth, Va., and a daughter, Mrs. J. T. Hemphill.  The interment will take place tomorrow afternoon.

Frances Ophelia Gaines O’Shields died while living with her daughter, Frances M. O’Shields Hemphill of Anniston, Calhoun County, Alabama. Frances M.  O’Shields married James T. Hemphill, 22 October 1876, Bartow County, Georgia. (Courtesy of Peggy Sasscer)

Frances M. O’Shields Hemphill, died 31 August 1918, Calhoun County, Alabama.

Among the Revolutionary War Pension papers for Jethro O’Sheal is a letter that was written 12 October 1855 by John A. O’Sheal, who was one of the HEIRS of Jethro O’Sheal.  John was living in Cass County, Georgia, near his wife’s parents, Henry and Anna Gaines in Adairsville, Georgia, and  approximately ten miles from Calhoun, Gordon County, Georgia, which was the location from where the following letter was mailed. This letter proves John A. O’Sheal was a direct descendant of Jethro O’Shields.

SOURCE: Publication: M804; Pension number–S 18144–Jethro O’Shields or O’Sheal

Calhoun, Georgia, October 12, 1855,

L. P. Waldo, Esq.

“Sir, I desire some information in relation to what time Jethro O’Sheal of Spartanburg District, South Carolina drew his last pension or in other words at what time he made his last draw from the pension office.  The SAID Jethro O’Sheal was a Revolutionary soldier and died in the year 1846, about the last of end of that year. There was some time before he died that he did not draw at all, therefore there is coming to his HEIRS you will please give me some information concerning the amount that there is coming to SAID O’Sheal from the time he made his last draw up to December 1846, you will much oblige.    Yours very truly, John A. O’Sheal”

The line of descent from Jethro OSheal to John A. O’Sheal:

JETHRO OSHEAL had a daughter, ELIZABETH.

ELIZABETH OSHEAL married TYREE HARRISON in Spartanburg, SC.

ELIZABETH OSHEAL and TYREE HARRISON had a daughter, Charlotte.

CHARLOTTE HARRISON married JOHN O’SHEAL and had a son, John A.  (Charlotte Harrison and John O’Sheal were cousins.)

Their son, JOHN A. O’SHEAL was the same person who mailed the letter to L.P. Waldo 12 October 1855.

JOHN A. OSHEAL was the great-grandson of JETHRO OSHEAL through JETHRO OSHEAL’S daughter, ELIZABETH OSHEAL who married
TYREE HARRISON.

One researcher reported the name, Sarah or Sara was written into the letter by John A. O’Sheal.  My research shows this is not true.  I have quoted the entire letter from John A. O’Sheal, and the name–Sara–does not appear.  The researcher who reported the name Sara was incorrect with his conclusion.  The researcher substituted the word–SAID–for the name, SARA.