Absalom S. Shelley was the son of John Shelley and Sallie Ann (Sarah) Davis. He was named after his grandfather, Reverend Absolom Davis who was a circuit preacher who traveled through Kentucky and Tennessee and his grandmother was Allie Fair Guffey. On his father's side, his grandparents were Peter M. Shelley and Jane Shy. He was born in Kentucky and later went west to Texas, ending up in New Mexico when the territory opened. He mustered in on Feb. 1, 1864 at age 19 in the Patrol Number One, Jack County, 1st Frontier District as a Private under Commanding Officers H.J. Thompson and T.F. Roberts in Jack County, Texas and served 26 days. This patrol was to protect the people in Texas from Native Americans like the Apache. He purchased land outside of Cliff, Grant County, New Mexico and wrote to his brother Peter McKindree Shelley about this. At some point Absalom takes on his mother's maiden name of Davis due to some event in Texas , and he started using an alias with the Davis name. At the time that he was living in Texas, lynching mobs were rampant as there were water rights quarrels, and no peace officers to keep the area civil. Later Texas appointed Texas Rangers to help keep the peace, but not all of the rangers were model citizens themselves. They had lived in San Saba, Texas.
In the 1880 census in Kinney County, Texas, he is listed as S. Davis (probably Stamper Davis, Stamper being his middle name), but clearly this is he and his family. Sarah was listed as S.R. Davis; son George J. (George Jones); son John A. (John Abijah); E.J. (Emilie Jennettie); A.D. (Alzaria Deane); I.A. (Ida Adeline); and W.P. (William Peter). All of the ages in the census coincide with the ages of this Shelley family. Later Absalom is in the New Mexico Territory census of 1885 as a laborer, and again the name is listed as A.S. Davis (Absalom Stamper), and the wife and children listed by their initials, with the youngest, W.P.D. listed who was William Peter Dempsey Shelley.
In 1885,using the name Stamper Davis, he established a freight express business in Silver City, New Mexico (from the Silver City Enterprise newspaper dated March 25, 1885). His route was from Silver City to Gold Hill, New Mexico (41 miles south of Silver City). A freight express business would have consisted of the owner driving a box wagon with a team of 2 to 6 mules or horses. Most likely mules in New Mexico for their endurance in the environment. Freight would have been mining rock, mining materials, construction materials, (and the article mentioned he carried mail).
It is unknown if he had sold his property to Peter prior to setting up his freight business, or if it was sold after his death, but there is a canyon called Davis Canyon which is said to have been his property in the vicinity. His brother Peter McKindree Shelley set up the 916 Ranch which is still operational today by his descendants in Cliff, Grant County, New Mexico. It is known that Geronimo and his band were in Grant County and raided their ranch. It was written in the history of Grant County that at Absalom's ranch the family hid in a rock house on the property from the Apache. All that remains of the rock house is now a pile of rocks on the property, according to a distant family member. The family survived the incident.
The Silver City Sentinel reported on Friday, April 30, 1886 that "Stanford" Davis of Silver City had died on last Tuesday. Tuesday coincides with the death date given by his granddaughter Thelma Mae Shelley of April 27, 1886. He was using the name of Stamper Davis so the newspaper must have thought his name was Stanford, not Stamper.
Absalom married Sarah Rebecca Keith, the daughter of Abijah Birden Keith and Delilah Adeline Ryals, on August 13, 1869 in Bell County, Texas. After Absalom's death Sarah Rebecca took back the Shelley name, and lived with her daughter Alzaria in New Mexico, and later moved back to Texas where she had other children residing. She died at Sweetwater, Nolan County, Texas and is buried there.
Children of Absalom Shelley and Sarah Rebecca (Keith) Shelley:
1. George Jones Shelley, born Nov. 8, 1870 in Bell County, Texas, died Dec. 29, 1891, buried at Mountain View Cemetery in Harker Heights, Bell County, Texas.
2. John Abijah Shelley, born Dec. 18, 1871 in Bell County, Texas, died Dec. 10, 1949 in Susanville, Lassen County, California. He married Ellen Angeline Welch in 1899 in Penasco, Lincoln County, New Mexico, died in Susanville, Lassen County, California.
3. Emilie Jeanettie Shelley, born July 9, 1873 in Taylor, Texas, died Jan. 2, 1892.
4. Alzaria Diane Shelley, born Feb. 10, 1875 in Mills County, Texas, died March 6, 1951 in Merkel, Taylor County, Texas. She married Oliver Eidson Dec. 24, 1894.
5. Ida Adeline Shelley, born Dec. 14, 1876 in Taylor, Texas, died Oct 15, 1964 at Roscoe, Nolan County, Texas.
6. William Peter Dempsey Shelley, born Feb. 23, 1880 in San Saba, San Saba County, Texas, died Feb. 11, 1960 in Modesto, Stanislaus County, California. He married Adeline Mae "Addie" Wright, the daughter of Hezekiah Hamilton Wright and Margaret Emily Red.
In the 1880 census in Kinney County, Texas, he is listed as S. Davis (probably Stamper Davis, Stamper being his middle name), but clearly this is he and his family. Sarah was listed as S.R. Davis; son George J. (George Jones); son John A. (John Abijah); E.J. (Emilie Jennettie); A.D. (Alzaria Deane); I.A. (Ida Adeline); and W.P. (William Peter). All of the ages in the census coincide with the ages of this Shelley family. Later Absalom is in the New Mexico Territory census of 1885 as a laborer, and again the name is listed as A.S. Davis (Absalom Stamper), and the wife and children listed by their initials, with the youngest, W.P.D. listed who was William Peter Dempsey Shelley.
In 1885,using the name Stamper Davis, he established a freight express business in Silver City, New Mexico (from the Silver City Enterprise newspaper dated March 25, 1885). His route was from Silver City to Gold Hill, New Mexico (41 miles south of Silver City). A freight express business would have consisted of the owner driving a box wagon with a team of 2 to 6 mules or horses. Most likely mules in New Mexico for their endurance in the environment. Freight would have been mining rock, mining materials, construction materials, (and the article mentioned he carried mail).
It is unknown if he had sold his property to Peter prior to setting up his freight business, or if it was sold after his death, but there is a canyon called Davis Canyon which is said to have been his property in the vicinity. His brother Peter McKindree Shelley set up the 916 Ranch which is still operational today by his descendants in Cliff, Grant County, New Mexico. It is known that Geronimo and his band were in Grant County and raided their ranch. It was written in the history of Grant County that at Absalom's ranch the family hid in a rock house on the property from the Apache. All that remains of the rock house is now a pile of rocks on the property, according to a distant family member. The family survived the incident.
The Silver City Sentinel reported on Friday, April 30, 1886 that "Stanford" Davis of Silver City had died on last Tuesday. Tuesday coincides with the death date given by his granddaughter Thelma Mae Shelley of April 27, 1886. He was using the name of Stamper Davis so the newspaper must have thought his name was Stanford, not Stamper.
Absalom married Sarah Rebecca Keith, the daughter of Abijah Birden Keith and Delilah Adeline Ryals, on August 13, 1869 in Bell County, Texas. After Absalom's death Sarah Rebecca took back the Shelley name, and lived with her daughter Alzaria in New Mexico, and later moved back to Texas where she had other children residing. She died at Sweetwater, Nolan County, Texas and is buried there.
Children of Absalom Shelley and Sarah Rebecca (Keith) Shelley:
1. George Jones Shelley, born Nov. 8, 1870 in Bell County, Texas, died Dec. 29, 1891, buried at Mountain View Cemetery in Harker Heights, Bell County, Texas.
2. John Abijah Shelley, born Dec. 18, 1871 in Bell County, Texas, died Dec. 10, 1949 in Susanville, Lassen County, California. He married Ellen Angeline Welch in 1899 in Penasco, Lincoln County, New Mexico, died in Susanville, Lassen County, California.
3. Emilie Jeanettie Shelley, born July 9, 1873 in Taylor, Texas, died Jan. 2, 1892.
4. Alzaria Diane Shelley, born Feb. 10, 1875 in Mills County, Texas, died March 6, 1951 in Merkel, Taylor County, Texas. She married Oliver Eidson Dec. 24, 1894.
5. Ida Adeline Shelley, born Dec. 14, 1876 in Taylor, Texas, died Oct 15, 1964 at Roscoe, Nolan County, Texas.
6. William Peter Dempsey Shelley, born Feb. 23, 1880 in San Saba, San Saba County, Texas, died Feb. 11, 1960 in Modesto, Stanislaus County, California. He married Adeline Mae "Addie" Wright, the daughter of Hezekiah Hamilton Wright and Margaret Emily Red.
Absalom S. Shelley was the son of John Shelley and Sallie Ann (Sarah) Davis. He was named after his grandfather, Reverend Absolom Davis who was a circuit preacher who traveled through Kentucky and Tennessee and his grandmother was Allie Fair Guffey. On his father's side, his grandparents were Peter M. Shelley and Jane Shy. He was born in Kentucky and later went west to Texas, ending up in New Mexico when the territory opened. He mustered in on Feb. 1, 1864 at age 19 in the Patrol Number One, Jack County, 1st Frontier District as a Private under Commanding Officers H.J. Thompson and T.F. Roberts in Jack County, Texas and served 26 days. This patrol was to protect the people in Texas from Native Americans like the Apache. He purchased land outside of Cliff, Grant County, New Mexico and wrote to his brother Peter McKindree Shelley about this. At some point Absalom takes on his mother's maiden name of Davis due to some event in Texas , and he started using an alias with the Davis name. At the time that he was living in Texas, lynching mobs were rampant as there were water rights quarrels, and no peace officers to keep the area civil. Later Texas appointed Texas Rangers to help keep the peace, but not all of the rangers were model citizens themselves. They had lived in San Saba, Texas.
In the 1880 census in Kinney County, Texas, he is listed as S. Davis (probably Stamper Davis, Stamper being his middle name), but clearly this is he and his family. Sarah was listed as S.R. Davis; son George J. (George Jones); son John A. (John Abijah); E.J. (Emilie Jennettie); A.D. (Alzaria Deane); I.A. (Ida Adeline); and W.P. (William Peter). All of the ages in the census coincide with the ages of this Shelley family. Later Absalom is in the New Mexico Territory census of 1885 as a laborer, and again the name is listed as A.S. Davis (Absalom Stamper), and the wife and children listed by their initials, with the youngest, W.P.D. listed who was William Peter Dempsey Shelley.
In 1885,using the name Stamper Davis, he established a freight express business in Silver City, New Mexico (from the Silver City Enterprise newspaper dated March 25, 1885). His route was from Silver City to Gold Hill, New Mexico (41 miles south of Silver City). A freight express business would have consisted of the owner driving a box wagon with a team of 2 to 6 mules or horses. Most likely mules in New Mexico for their endurance in the environment. Freight would have been mining rock, mining materials, construction materials, (and the article mentioned he carried mail).
It is unknown if he had sold his property to Peter prior to setting up his freight business, or if it was sold after his death, but there is a canyon called Davis Canyon which is said to have been his property in the vicinity. His brother Peter McKindree Shelley set up the 916 Ranch which is still operational today by his descendants in Cliff, Grant County, New Mexico. It is known that Geronimo and his band were in Grant County and raided their ranch. It was written in the history of Grant County that at Absalom's ranch the family hid in a rock house on the property from the Apache. All that remains of the rock house is now a pile of rocks on the property, according to a distant family member. The family survived the incident.
The Silver City Sentinel reported on Friday, April 30, 1886 that "Stanford" Davis of Silver City had died on last Tuesday. Tuesday coincides with the death date given by his granddaughter Thelma Mae Shelley of April 27, 1886. He was using the name of Stamper Davis so the newspaper must have thought his name was Stanford, not Stamper.
Absalom married Sarah Rebecca Keith, the daughter of Abijah Birden Keith and Delilah Adeline Ryals, on August 13, 1869 in Bell County, Texas. After Absalom's death Sarah Rebecca took back the Shelley name, and lived with her daughter Alzaria in New Mexico, and later moved back to Texas where she had other children residing. She died at Sweetwater, Nolan County, Texas and is buried there.
Children of Absalom Shelley and Sarah Rebecca (Keith) Shelley:
1. George Jones Shelley, born Nov. 8, 1870 in Bell County, Texas, died Dec. 29, 1891, buried at Mountain View Cemetery in Harker Heights, Bell County, Texas.
2. John Abijah Shelley, born Dec. 18, 1871 in Bell County, Texas, died Dec. 10, 1949 in Susanville, Lassen County, California. He married Ellen Angeline Welch in 1899 in Penasco, Lincoln County, New Mexico, died in Susanville, Lassen County, California.
3. Emilie Jeanettie Shelley, born July 9, 1873 in Taylor, Texas, died Jan. 2, 1892.
4. Alzaria Diane Shelley, born Feb. 10, 1875 in Mills County, Texas, died March 6, 1951 in Merkel, Taylor County, Texas. She married Oliver Eidson Dec. 24, 1894.
5. Ida Adeline Shelley, born Dec. 14, 1876 in Taylor, Texas, died Oct 15, 1964 at Roscoe, Nolan County, Texas.
6. William Peter Dempsey Shelley, born Feb. 23, 1880 in San Saba, San Saba County, Texas, died Feb. 11, 1960 in Modesto, Stanislaus County, California. He married Adeline Mae "Addie" Wright, the daughter of Hezekiah Hamilton Wright and Margaret Emily Red.
In the 1880 census in Kinney County, Texas, he is listed as S. Davis (probably Stamper Davis, Stamper being his middle name), but clearly this is he and his family. Sarah was listed as S.R. Davis; son George J. (George Jones); son John A. (John Abijah); E.J. (Emilie Jennettie); A.D. (Alzaria Deane); I.A. (Ida Adeline); and W.P. (William Peter). All of the ages in the census coincide with the ages of this Shelley family. Later Absalom is in the New Mexico Territory census of 1885 as a laborer, and again the name is listed as A.S. Davis (Absalom Stamper), and the wife and children listed by their initials, with the youngest, W.P.D. listed who was William Peter Dempsey Shelley.
In 1885,using the name Stamper Davis, he established a freight express business in Silver City, New Mexico (from the Silver City Enterprise newspaper dated March 25, 1885). His route was from Silver City to Gold Hill, New Mexico (41 miles south of Silver City). A freight express business would have consisted of the owner driving a box wagon with a team of 2 to 6 mules or horses. Most likely mules in New Mexico for their endurance in the environment. Freight would have been mining rock, mining materials, construction materials, (and the article mentioned he carried mail).
It is unknown if he had sold his property to Peter prior to setting up his freight business, or if it was sold after his death, but there is a canyon called Davis Canyon which is said to have been his property in the vicinity. His brother Peter McKindree Shelley set up the 916 Ranch which is still operational today by his descendants in Cliff, Grant County, New Mexico. It is known that Geronimo and his band were in Grant County and raided their ranch. It was written in the history of Grant County that at Absalom's ranch the family hid in a rock house on the property from the Apache. All that remains of the rock house is now a pile of rocks on the property, according to a distant family member. The family survived the incident.
The Silver City Sentinel reported on Friday, April 30, 1886 that "Stanford" Davis of Silver City had died on last Tuesday. Tuesday coincides with the death date given by his granddaughter Thelma Mae Shelley of April 27, 1886. He was using the name of Stamper Davis so the newspaper must have thought his name was Stanford, not Stamper.
Absalom married Sarah Rebecca Keith, the daughter of Abijah Birden Keith and Delilah Adeline Ryals, on August 13, 1869 in Bell County, Texas. After Absalom's death Sarah Rebecca took back the Shelley name, and lived with her daughter Alzaria in New Mexico, and later moved back to Texas where she had other children residing. She died at Sweetwater, Nolan County, Texas and is buried there.
Children of Absalom Shelley and Sarah Rebecca (Keith) Shelley:
1. George Jones Shelley, born Nov. 8, 1870 in Bell County, Texas, died Dec. 29, 1891, buried at Mountain View Cemetery in Harker Heights, Bell County, Texas.
2. John Abijah Shelley, born Dec. 18, 1871 in Bell County, Texas, died Dec. 10, 1949 in Susanville, Lassen County, California. He married Ellen Angeline Welch in 1899 in Penasco, Lincoln County, New Mexico, died in Susanville, Lassen County, California.
3. Emilie Jeanettie Shelley, born July 9, 1873 in Taylor, Texas, died Jan. 2, 1892.
4. Alzaria Diane Shelley, born Feb. 10, 1875 in Mills County, Texas, died March 6, 1951 in Merkel, Taylor County, Texas. She married Oliver Eidson Dec. 24, 1894.
5. Ida Adeline Shelley, born Dec. 14, 1876 in Taylor, Texas, died Oct 15, 1964 at Roscoe, Nolan County, Texas.
6. William Peter Dempsey Shelley, born Feb. 23, 1880 in San Saba, San Saba County, Texas, died Feb. 11, 1960 in Modesto, Stanislaus County, California. He married Adeline Mae "Addie" Wright, the daughter of Hezekiah Hamilton Wright and Margaret Emily Red.
Gravesite Details
It has not been confirmed where Absolom is buried. Please contact me if you have information.
Family Members
Siblings
Advertisement
Advertisement
