John Shine--Twiggs county
I have recently done some pretty extensive research on John Shine, including a visit to Twiggs county, Georgia and would like to share some information with anyone who cares to read this. I am presently writing a book on the Shine family.John Shine was my ggggg grandfather.
John Shine (Daniel, Daniel) was born in 1759 in Jones county, North Carolina.His childhood plantation fronted on the Trent river, near the present town of Comfort, NC.The plantation house of his brother, Col. James Shine, still stands in Comfort, with a historical marker that calls it "Shine Inn" and describes a visit by George Washington. A photo of this house is posted on the Jones county website.
John Shine lived in Jones county during the beginnings of the Revolution, when the rumblings of battle were all around. At age 21, he joined the North Carolina militia and fought at the Battle of Camden, in South Carolina. John spoke often of this battle through his life.His obituary reports that he spoke of the "portly and animated figure of Baron de Kalb, and the bleached locks and early retreat of General Gates" in this battle.
After the Revolution, he returned to Jones county and married Clarissa Williams, daughter of James Williams and Sarah Brice. Both of these families were long seated in Jones county, NC. I have found documents that reveal that John and Clarissa were living on land that he inherited from his father-in-law during these years. He is well recorded in Jones county through sales of livestock, land and slaves between 1786 and 1796. His children were all born there between 1783 and 1790.
In 1795, John traded the land he lived on, inherited from his father-in-law to his parents (Daniel and Barbara Franck Shine) for interest in another tract of land for his two sons, James Williams and Daniel Whitaker Shine.This is the last recorded transaction I have been able to find for him in Jones county, which is unusual because there are frequent transactions prior to that. The land was left in the care of John's parents until the boys were 21.This is curious to me, I suspect that John may have gone to the Indian territory that is now Georgia in 1795 to seek his own land, and did this to provide for his sons in case he never returned from this dangerous territory. However, this is speculation--I do not have documentation for that.It is recorded that this land was eventually sold by the boys to their Uncle James Shine in 1813 for $2000, after they were living in Georgia.
In 1801, his father, Daniel Shine II passed away, leaving the Jones county plantation to his son James. When John Shine moved to Georgia is a bit sketchy to me. The last legal transaction for him in Jones county was 1795, but the census has him in 1790 and 1800 in Jones county. His children would record their place of birth on future census records as North Carolina.
It is possible that he joined a wagon train that traveled to Georgia in 1802 with a group of families known to have been friends of the Shines, but this is speculation on my part.
After his service in the Lafayette Militia during the War of 1812, John Shine was to speak in Milledgeville, Georgia at a ceremonyfor General Lafayette. this honor was bestowed on him due to his service in the Revolution and the War of 1812.
According to family legend from family members still in Twiggs county, John Shine "hated ignorance".It is said that he personally educated his family and the workers and slaves on the plantation.
John Shine died March 11, 1832 at the home of his son, Daniel Whitaker shine. He is buried in a beautiful grove of dogwood and hickory trees in back of the house of his gggg grandson, who still owns the virgin land deeded to John as a soldier of the Revolution.The ruins of the plantation house inherited by his brother Daniel are still there. His obituary records a good man,a man to be proud of. I have digital photos of the grave and plantation house, and a digital copy of his original obituary--please email me if you want a copy.Susan Shine Kilcrease
More Replies:
-
Re: John Shine--Twiggs county
Richard Kaminsky 6/07/06
-
Re: John Shine--Twiggs county
c hewett 6/08/06
-
Re: John Shine--Twiggs county
Richard Kaminsky 6/08/06
-
Re: John Shine--Twiggs county
-
Re: John Shine--Twiggs county
-
Re: John Shine--Twiggs county
Mary McKenzie 10/11/05
-
Re: John Shine--Twiggs county
Dennis Melton 3/22/05
-
Re: John Shine--Twiggs county
E L Williams 8/04/05
-
Re: John Shine--Twiggs county
Dennis Melton 8/04/05
-
Re: John Shine--Twiggs county
E L Williams 10/21/06
-
Re: John Shine--Twiggs county
-
Re: John Shine--Twiggs county
-
Re: John Shine--Twiggs county