George was born on 30 JUN 1797 in Winchester, Frederick County, VA, the son of unknown parents.
He died on 27 AUG 1856 in Lyndon, Whiteside, Illinois.
His wife was Rachel Curlette Pierce, who he married on 10 DEC 1820 in Winchester, Frederick County, VA. Their ten known children were Tobias Riley (1822-1887), Washington (1823-1831), Gabrilia Augusta (1837-1912), Fielding (?-?), Mary Ann (?-?), Mary Elizabeth (?-?), George William (?-?), Alfred Pierce (?-?), Sarah Jane (?-?) and Rachel Malisia (?-?).
| Event | Date | Details | Source | Multimedia | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birth | 30 JUN 1797 |
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| Death | 27 AUG 1856 |
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Note 1
From A History of the Valley of Virginia By Samuel Kercheval
Chapter VII
INDIAN INCURSIONS AND MASSACARES - Page 69
After the defeat of Braddock, the whole western frontier was left exposed to the incursions of the Indians and French in the spring of the year, 1756, a party of about fifty Indians, with a French captain at their head, crossed the Alleghany Mountains, committing on the white settlers every act of barbarous war. Capt. Jeremiah Smith, raised a party of twenty brave men, marched to mee this savage foe, and fell in with them at the head of Capon River, when a fierce and bloddy battle was fought. Smith killed the captain with his own hand; five other Indians have fallen, and a number wounded, they gave way and fled. Smith lost two of his men. On searching the body of the Frenchman, he was found in possession of his commission and written instructions to meet another party of about fifty Indians at Fort Frederick*, to attack the Fort, destroy it, and blow up the magazine.
The other party of Indians were encountered pretty low down the North Branch of the Capon River, by Capt. Joshua Lewis, at the head of eighteen men; one Indian was killed when the others broke and ran off. Previous to the defeat of this party they had committed considerable destruction of the property of the white settlers, and took a Mrs. horner and a girl about thirteen years of age prisoners. Mrs. Horner was the mother of seven or eight children; she never got back to her family. The girl, whose name was Sarah Gibbons, the sister of my informant**, was a prisoner about eight or nine years before returning home. The intention of attacking Fort Frederick was of course abandoned.
*Fort Frederick was commenced in the year 1755, under the direction of Gov. Sharpe, of Maryalnd, and was probably finished in 1776. It is still standing on the Maryland side of the Cohongorution. Its walls are entirely of stone, four and a half feet thick at the base, and three at the top; they are at least twenty feet high, and have undergone but little dilapidation. Dr. john Hedges and his son, Capt. John c. Hedges, aided the author in the examination of this place, and measuring its area, height and thickness of the walls. Its location is not more than twelve miles from Martinsburg, in Virginia, and about the same distance from Williamsport in Maryland. It encloses an era of about one and a half acres, exclusive of the bastions or redoubts. It is said that that the erection of this fort cost about sixty-five thousand pounds sterling.
**Mr. Jacob Gibbons was born the roth of September, 1745. Since the author saw him, he has departed this life - an honest, good old man.
Written by Harry L. Shiner Reference ALOB2 S.L. Library
George Huse Shiner and his younger sister Cynthia were reared by their maternal Grandmother, Sarah Lister on a little farm on Opequan Creek, about four miles west of Winchester Virginia. Sarah Lister died September 16, 1832 at the age of 90 years 4 months and 11 days, at the home of George Huse Shiner with whom she made her home. Spelling of her name in an old Bible is Lister but was pronounced as Lester. Mr. Shiner's mother was a daughter of Sarah Lister but no authentic record so far of his father. I presume his Father's name was George Shiner, as the U.S. Census of 1790 shows such persons as head of a family in Fredrick Co. at the time. Mr. Shiner was married at Winchester, VA December 10, 1820 to Rachel Curlet Pierce, daughter of Michael Pierce and wife.
Cynthia was a cripple with rheumatism for years. Aunt Jane Strickland has an old muff box that belonged to Cynthia. She thinks that there was an old Bible with her name in it. She also had an old reader that Grandfather Tobias R. Shiner used in Virginia. George Huse was a miller by trade and run Carter's Mill on Opequah Creek for years. It was a water grist mill.
Sarah Lister was born May 5,1742, possibly near Winchester. She died September 15, 1832 at the home of George Huse Shiner. According to a record in an old Bible there is a tradition in the family that Grandmother (her maiden name not known) was captured by Indians when a young girl. She lived with them for 8 or 9 yearsand became quite contented with their mode of living. She evidently was quite well thought of by the Indians for she married the Indian Chief's son. They had one child, a son.
Her brother found her with the Indians and induced her to return to the white people; in fact, I think she was forcibly taken at first, as she had become so attached to the indians, she prefered to live with them.
Awhile after her return to her people, she married ________ Lister. His first name probably Michael. Mr. Lister was from Ireland and tradition says he was being educated for the priesthood when he ran away to America and married Grandmother Lister.
Sarah was quite well known in locality as a doctor of children, no doubt her life with the Indians being acquainted her with the medical properties of many herbs and she was well known as an Indian Doctor. It is said when she went to see a sick child she always took a dainty for the well children.
Grandmother Lister's Indian child grew up with the White Children, but was always more of an Indian than a white and when he ran away to the Indians, Grandmother Lister said, "It is best and it is only right that his Father should have him".