The furthest back I have been able to trace my Shakespeare ancestors is 1842. They are located in the Inventory and Appraisement records for their deceased slaveowner, Elijah Wigelsworth, who lived in the Berkley Township of Spotsylvania County, VA.
Sancho(aka Sanker)Shakespeare (born in 1799 in Virginia) and Lucinda Jackson/Zander (born circa 1803) began cohabitating together as husband and wife circa 1831. They were separated from their children in 1845 when Elijah's estate was divided among his wife and children.
Sancho, Lucinda and their son, John, became the property of Elijah’s widow, Mary Wiglesworth D.M. Wigelsworth. Sancho and Lucinda continued to be owned by Mary Wiglesworth until the end of slavery.
A Freedmen Bureau document created in February 1866 shows Sancho and Lucinda living in Caroline County, VA. It is not clear when they moved to the area or the circumstances under which the move took place. I suspect they may have traveled to Caroline County, VA after slavery was abolished to reunite with their other family members. The 1870 census for the Madison Township of Caroline County, VA shows many of the Shakespeare family members living near each other.
Sancho Shakespeare died on August 20, 1882. Lucinda Shakespeare died on January 18, 1887. They had the following children: Eliza, Richmond, Louisa, Nancy, Matilda, Beverly, John and Martha.
Eliza Shakespeare (circa 1832 - ???)
Eliza was born circa 1832. She became the property of Elijah Wigelsworth’s son, Andrew J. Wigelsworth (aka Jackson Wigelsworth), after Elijah’s estate was settled circa 1845. I have not found any additional information about Eliza. I do know that Andrew J. Wigelsworth moved to Tennessee. I am not sure when, but if he moved during slavery; it is possible that Eliza may have moved to Tennessee as well.
Richmond Shakespeare (circa 1834 - ???)
Richmond was born circa 1834. He became the property of Elijah Wigelsworth’s daughter, Almira W. Wigelsworth (aka AW Wigelsworth) after Elijah’s estate was settled circa 1845. I have not found any additional information about Richmond. I do know Almira W. Wigelsworth married Jefferson Flippo of Caroline County, VA on January 25, 1854. If Almira still owned Richmond at that time, he would have moved to Caroline County, VA and Jefferson Flippo would have become his new slaveowner.
Louisa Shakespeare (circa 1835 - 12/8/1920)
Louisa Shakespeare was born circa 1835 in Spotsylvania County, VA. She became the property of Elijah Wigelsworth’s son, Absolom W. Wigelsworth (aka AW Wigelsworth) after Elijah’s estate was settled circa 1845. I have not found much additional information for Louisa during slavery. She married William Woolfolk in August 1856.
Nancy Shakespeare (circa 1836 - ???)
Nancy was born circa 1836. She became the property of Elijah Wigelsworth’s daughter, Almira W. Wigelsworth (aka AW Wigelsworth) after Elijah’s estate was settled circa 1845. I do not have much information about Nancy after this time. I believe she later became the property of Jefferson Flippo of Caroline County, VA when Almira W. Wigelsworth married Jefferson Flippo of Caroline County, VA on January 25, 1854. The Caroline County birth records indicates Jefferson Flippo’s slave named Nancy gave birth to a daughter named Susan Flippo in April 1861. I am not sure if this is Nancy Shakespeare or what became of Susan Flippo.
Matilda was born circa 1838. She was enslaved by of Elijah
Wigelsworth’s daughter, Almira W. Wigelsworth (aka AW Wigelsworth) after
Elijah’s estate was settled circa 1845. Almira married Jefferson Flippo
of Caroline County, VA on January 25, 1854. After the marriage,
Jefferson Flippon became Matilda slaveowner.
Matilda had several children during slavery. Since the father’s name
was not recorded with slave births, the father of some of her children
is not known.
Baby Flippo was born on January 5, 1861 in Caroline County, VA and died March 8, 1861.
George Flippo/Shakespeare/Rollins was born in 1862 in
Caroline County, VA. The Caroline County birth records indicates
Jefferson Flippo’s slave named Matilda gave birth to a son named George
Flippo in 1862. The 1870 Caroline County census for the Sarah and
Lucinda Shackleford household (I believe this is Sancho and Lucinda
Shakespeare) includes a 9 years old male named George Shakespeare. The
1880 Caroline County census for the Sancho and Lucinda Shakespeare
contains a 17 year old male named George Rollins. I believe George
Flippo, George Shakespeare and George Rollins are the same person and
Matilda Shakespeare’s son.
John Henry Lewis was born August 1864. His father was Edward
Lewis. A 1866 Freedmen Bureau document indicates Matilda and Edward did
not remain together, however Edward did recognized John Henry as his
son. Matilda and John Henry remained the property of Jefferson Flippo
until the end of slavery. The last slaveowner of Edward Lewis was Albert
Filppo of Caroline County, VA. I believe Albert was the brother of
Jefferson Flippo.
The 1870 Caroline County census for the Dingo and Matilda Rollins
household includes an 8 year old male name Henry Rollins. The same
household in the 1880 Caroline County, VA census includes a son 15 year
old son named Henry. I believe Henry Flippo and Henry Rollins are the
same person and Matilda Shakespeare’s son.
John Henry Lewis married Rosanna Williams on December 17, 1891 in Caroline County, VA.
Matilda Shakespeare married Dingo Rollins of Hanover County, VA on February 15, 1868 in Caroline County, VA.
It is not clear when Beverly Shakespeare was born. A Freedmen Bureau
document created in February 1866 indicates Sancho and Lucinda
Shakespeare had a son 26 year old son named Beverly Shakespeare. Several
other documents give various ages for Beverly Shakespeare which makes
it difficult to determine when he was born. Beverly Shakespeare had
several wives and several children.
John Shakespeare (circa 1845 - ????)
An 1845 document showing the division of slave belonging Elijah
Wigelsworth’s estate indicates Lucinda and child John became the
property of Mary Wiglesworth D.M. Wigelsworth. A Freedmen Bureau
document created in February 1866 indicates Sancho and Lucinda
Shakespeare had a 24 year old son named John. The 1870 Caroline County
census show John (age 24) living in the household of Sarah and Lucinda
Shackleford household (I believe this is Sancho and Lucinda
Shakespeare). I have not found any additional information about John.
Martha Shakespeare (circa 1849 - 09/28/1914)
A Freedmen Bureau document created in February 1866 indicates Sancho
and Lucinda Shakespeare had a 19 year old daughter named Martha. The
1870 Caroline County census show Martha (age 21) living in the household
of Sarah and Lucinda Shackleford household (I believe this is Sancho
and Lucinda Shakespeare).
Martha may have married a man with the surname of Hart between 1870
and 1876. A 1876 Caroline County, Virgina marriage license for Arthur Lewis
and Mary Hart (daughter of Sancho and Lucinda Shakespeare) indicates she
is a widow. The marriage occurred on August 5, 1876 at Mount Pleasant
in Caroline County, VA. Arthur Lewis is the son of John and Lucinda
Lewis.
Martha
and Arthur eventually moved to Ohio.
They are listed in 1910 Hamilton County Cincinnati Ohio census living in the
household of John W. Merritt. John’s wife was Ella Merritt who is Arthur’s
sister. Martha died on September 20, 1914 from myocardial
insufficiency and was buried in the Colored
American Cemetery
in Hamilton County, Ohio
on October 2, 1914.
Arthur
continued to live with the Merritts after Martha’s death until they moved to Chicago,
Illinois. He remained in Hamilton
County, Ohio and is listed in the
1930 census as a boarder in the household of Gertrude Anderson. He died on
August 5, 1935 and was
buried in the Union Baptist
Cemetery on August 9, 1935.
Martha may have a had one child. The 1910 census indicates she has given birth to one child and has one living child. However, I have not be able to located any information on her or any of her living descendants.