Linking to the Pierson (Pearson) Triplets: Shadrack, Meshack & Abednego

I originally planned to do a post on the Pierson triplets, Shadrack, Meshack, and Abednego.  But then I found that others have already written about them and didn't see any reason to duplicate their efforts.  Here is a link to an excellent post about the triplets.  And here is another to additional info on them.

Instead, I think I'll do a post outlining how my family links to them.  If I ever want to join the D.A.R., this line would get me there.  While my information before the triplets is not confirmed, I believe my lineage after them is pretty well documented, so here goes.  I hope it is not too confusing.

Charles Pierson (spelled several ways, but I will stick with this spelling for this post) and his wife, Sally Weathers, were living in Culpepper Co., Virginia, when in 1754, Sally gave birth to triplet boys that they named Shadrack, Meshack, and Abednego.  One researcher I've seen said that Charles himself had a twin brother, but I have not confirmed that.  Another child, Charles, was born about 1756.

Not as much is known about Abednego, but both Shadrack and Meshack fought in the Revolutionary War.  For details about their service, see the links above.  Meshack's obituary says that Abednego was killed in the Revolutionary War, but I have not attempted to confirm that, so I don't know if that is correct.  Apparently their brother, Charles, was also killed in the Revolution since some of Shadrack and Meshack's petitions for bounty land are as heirs of their brother, Charles.

Anyway, Shadrack married Rachel Clinch and they had ten children:

Shadrack Pierson, b. 1754 at Culpepper, VA, d. 1838 at Scott Co., IN

+Rachel Clinch, b. 18 Jul 1762 at Culpepper, VA

├── Frances Pierson, b. 1783, d. 1843

├── Bartholomew Pierson, b. 1787, d. 8 Sep 1862

├── Nancy Pierson, b. 1788

├── James Weathers Pierson, b. 14 Mar 1790

├── Sally Pierson, b. 1793

├── William C. Pierson, b. 1797

├── Shadrack Pierson, b. 1799, d. 1854

├── George W. Pierson, b. 1803

├── Cassandra Pierson, b. 1804 at KY, d. after 1850

└── Henry Clinch Pierson, b. 1806 at VA, d. 1842 at Scott Co., IN

Shadrack and his family moved to Kentucky and then, by 1826 or so, they were in Scott Co., Indiana. Shadrack died there about 1838 and is buried there.  

It seems, however, that my ancestor was Meshack (also spelled many ways, but I will stick to this spelling).

Meshack was apparently the second of the Pierson triplets born in 1754 in Bromfield Parish, Culpepper Co. (now Madison Co.), Virginia.  

According to his pension application, Meshack enlisted as a private in Capt. George Slaughter's Co., in Col. Peter Muhlenberg's 8th Virginia regiment.  He was taken prisoner at the battle of Germantown and  held 11 months in jail in Philadelphia and New York before escaping to rejoin his company and regiment. Mesheck said he spent 11 months and four days in prison, first in Philadelphia, then in New York.  His name appears on a list of exchanged prisoners and he is on the American payroll 1 Aug 1778.  After escaping the British, he transferred to the Life Guard of General Washington and served under Major Gibbs and Lt. Colfax.  He was employed driving a wagon and served until the close of the Revolution.

About 1785, he married a Mary Jennings.  We know of five children:

Meshack Pierson, b. 1754 at Bromfield Parish, Culpepper, VA, d. 15 Aug 1847 at Christianburg, Shelby Co., KY

+Mary Jennings?, b. 1754 at VA, d. circa 1814

├── Meshack Pierson Jr.

├── Elizabeth Pierson, b. 7 Jan 1788 at Fauquier Co., VA, d. 20 Oct 1880 at West Half Center, Hendricks Co., IN

├── Sally Pierson, b. 1789

├── William Pierson, b. circa 1790 at Virginia (probably)

└── John Pierson, b. 1794

Meshack is found on the tax list of 1800 in Garrard Co., Kentucky.  

On 24 February 1803, Meshack's daughter, Elizabeth, married John Rodgers' son, George W. Rodgers.  The Garrard Co., Kentucky marriage book reads: "#275  George Rodgers    Betsy Pearson   Feb 24, 1803 (license) Meshack Pearson (bond)   Consent of father Meshack Pearson."  The marriage bond reads, "Know all men by these presents that we George Rogers and Meshack Pearson do promise to pay Jas. Garrard Esq Governor of Kentucky the sum of Fifty pounds current money, the payment of which will and truly to be made unto the said Garrard and his successors and we bind ourselves and each of our Heirs & jointly and Severally hereby these presents sealed and Dated the 24th day of Feb'y 1803 --  The Condition of the above obligation such that whereas there was a License issued for a marriage intended between the above bound George Rodgers and Betsy Pearson, now should there be no lawful cause to obstruct s'd marriage then the obligation to be void, else to remain in force.  [signed]  George Rogers {seal}    Meshack Pearson {seal}  Witness  [unreadable] Fetsher [?]"

A Garrard Co., Kentucky deed dated 2 March 1803 shows that Meshack and Mary sold 48 acres on Speeds Fork of Sugar Creek to John Rodgers for 60 pounds.  The deed was proved in court 15 March 1803 by Mary and Meshack. 

Meshack is found on the 1810 census in Shelby Co., Kentucky.  

Between 1814 and 1816, a number of land transactions took place between Meshack and his son-in-law, George W. Rodgers.  On 26 February 1814 George bought 100 acres at Six Mile, Shelby Co., Kentucky from M. Pierson.  Meshack appears on the deed records in Shelby Co., Kentucky, on 3 September 1814, when he sold 100 acres on Six-Mile Creek to his son-in-law, George Rogers, for $1.  

According to The Pierson Family by John Phillips (1980, no publication information in my notes), on 27 September 1814, Meshack and Mary Pierson made a deal with George Rodgers.  For $1, they sold him a slave named Charlotte, a seven-year-old Negro boy named Daniel, five horses, 11 head of cattle, nine sheep, 30 hogs, all the grain on their farm, two beds, all their household and kitchen furnishings, two plows, two hoes, two wedges, one wagon and a rifle.  In turn, Rogers agreed to support Meshack and Mary in a "comfortable manner" the rest of their lives. 

Then, on 2 March 1816, George Rodgers sold 100 acres at Six Mile in Shelby Co., KY to Meshack Pearson and on July 18, 1816, Meshack bought everything back from Rogers, except the land.  

Another excerpt from The Pierson Family by John Phillips states that on 14 July 1818, "Mesheck and Shadrack, in an effort to get veterans bounty land from the state of Virginia, gave power of attorney to Nathaniel Sawyer of Frankfort.  The brothers appeared before a Franklin County justice of the peace to acknowledge the documents, but they gave Bourbon County addresses.  Mesheck's document is marked 'rejected' with the notation that he'd already received bounty land."

On 20 November 1818, Meshack was issued Bounty Warrant #6281 for 100 acres.  The warrant was recorded in Book 3, page 46.  And on 1 March 1819, he was allowed a pension for Revolutionary service.  This comes from a transcription done in 1934 of Pension Claim S. 35555 and needs further review & follow up.  The John Phillips book on the Pierson family states that this was the date Meshack filed for a pension and that he had more than 15 years of bureaucratic problems over the pension.  According to John Phillips' book on the Piersons, on 2 October 1819, "Meshack appeared before O. G. Waggener, a justice of the peace in Franklin Co., Kentucky, and declared that ... he had been a soldier in the Eighth Virginia Regiment and knew Charles Pierson.  This action was part of Meshack and Shadrack's effort to get bounty land from the state of Virginia as heirs of their late brother Charles.  Warrant 6385 for 400 acres was issued to the heirs June 16, 1820."  

Meshack and his family (including 2 slaves) are found on the 1820 census in Shelby Co., Kentucky.  In 1824, Meshack sold parcels of land to his sons, William and John.  

His wife Mary died sometime before he remarried on 27 September 1824 to a Mildred Lee.

The 1830 census taker entered this next to Mesheck's name "This man is one of three sons born at one birth, Shadrack, Meshack and Abenago.  They all lived to be men - two are yet living."  The household was 1 white male 70-80 and 1 white female 60-70.

On the 1840 census, the household consisted of 1 white male 80-90 (Meshack), 1 white female 70-80 (Mildred), and 2 females who may have been granddaughters who were aged 5-10 and 10-15.



On 13 August 1847, Meshack made his will and on 15 August 1847, he died in Shelby Co., Kentucky.  He was 93 years old.  He was buried at Indian Fork Cemetery in Shelby Co., Kentucky. 

An obituary appeared in the Shelby News:  "Obituary of Meshack Peirson [sic] - 'The Shelby News,' September 1, 1847.   An Old Soldier Buried with the Honors of War.    Another veteran of the Revolution is gone.  Mr. Meshack Peirson [sic], one of the immortal band who devoted their all to the cause of their country in the memorable struggle for independence expired at his residence near Christianburg, Shelby County, Ky., on Sunday evening the 15th inst., at a very advanced age.  He was the second of three twin brothers, Shadrack, Meshack, and Abednego - all of whom enlisted in the service of their country.  The youngest fell in battle, and the two eldest removed to this State at an early period, and were, for many years, citizens of this county.  The eldest died several years ago.  The second, under the blessings of a kind Providence has lived to enjoy the fruits of his own toils, and to see the truth of the principles advocated by the founders of the glorious Republic fully realized.     The citizens of the neighborhood and county, on learning the fact of his decease, manifested a desire to inter the remains of the old soldier with the honors of war, as a last tribute of respect to one of the fathers of his country;  - for which purpose the necessary arrangements were accordingly made.    The funeral escort consisted of the officers of the 18th Regiment and also officers from Henry, a small company of light infantry commanded by Mr. W. Finley, the Kentucky Cavalry commanded by Capt. W.Y. Thompson, and a portion of Capt. S.H. Myles' company of Shelby Cavalry, all under the command of Col. J.W. Shean.     The military met a [sic] Christianburg early on Tuesday morning the inst. and proceeded thence about four miles to the residence of the deceased; where the procession being formed and the corpse received, it moved on horseback at about 12 PM to Indian Fork about five miles distant, in the following order:    John Steedman, Marshall/ 1. Officers of the 18th, and adjoining regiments/ 2.  A company of light infantry/ 3. The hearse containing the remains of the deceased, preceded and followed by pall-bearers/ 4. The widow, chaplain, and relatives of the deceased/ 5. The companies of cavalry/ Capt. T. M. Hartford, Asst. Marshall/ Capt. Wm. Moore, Asst. Marshall/ 6. Ladies and gentlemen on horseback/ 7. Citizens in carriages/ 8. Gentlemen on horseback/  The procession moved in double file to appropriate martial music and extended a mile in length, and numbered at least 1000 persons.    On the arrival of the procession at the church, where a very great number of people had collected, the military were dismounted, and the corpse conducted to the grave, where a very appropriate and impressive address was delivered by the Rev. Mr. Collard, in which he feelingly and eloquently alluded to the conduct of the deceased in periling his life in aiding to achieve the freedom of his country, and in assisting to plant the tree of liberty, which it had been his happy lot to see unfold itself, until now, it extended its lofty branches from the shores of the great Atlantic to the mightly [sic] Pacific.  After the conclusion of the address a short prayer was offered up to the throne of grace when the ceremonies were concluded by paying the usual military honors.    The greatest harmony and decorum prevailed throughout the whole of this solemn and imposing scene, and the immense concourse of citizens, numbering some 2000 at least, dispersed without the occurrence of anything to disturb the order of the occasion.      An Actor     August 24, 1847             Meshak Peirson (Pearson), Culpepper County, Virginia, enlisted in Capt. George Strother's company, 8th Virginia Regiment, Continental Establishment, March 9, 1776.  He fought in the battle of Germantown and was taken prisoner by the British.  After his escape eleven months later, he returned to the Army where he continued as a wagoner until after the capture of Cornwallis.    He died August 15, 1847 and was buried at Indian Fork Church graveyard, Shelby County, Kentucky."


It is Meshack and Mary's daughter, Elizabeth, who is my ancestor.  

As I  mentioned above, she married George W. Rodgers on 24 February 1803 in Garrard Co., Kentucky.  George was the son of John Rodgers and Mary Metcalfe.  

Elizabeth and George had nine children before he died in May 1831 in Shelby Co., Kentucky.  Their children were:

George W. Rodgers, b. 1775 at Garrard Co., KY, d. 17 May 1831 at Indian Ford, Shelby Co., KY

+Elizabeth Pierson, b. 7 Jan 1788 at Fauquier Co., VA, d. 20 Oct 1880 at West Half Center, Hendricks Co., IN

├── Nicholas Rodgers, b. 5 Feb 1806 at Frankfort, Franklin Co., KY, d. 4 Aug 1873 at Franklin Co., KY

├── Charles Rodgers, b. 1808

├── Willis Rodgers, b. 10 Feb 1810, d. 16 Feb 1873

├── Alfred Rodgers, b. 9 Mar 1814, d. 28 Dec 1884

├── Thurzia Rodgers, b. 1815

├── Mahala Rodgers, b. 14 Jun 1817 at Shelby Co., KY, d. 6 Sep 1892 at MO

├── Achilles Rodgers, b. 17 Mar 1819 at KY, d. 24 Nov 1879

├── Sarah Rodgers, b. 1821

└── William M. Rodgers, b. 1829

Information from Mary Lou Marshall says that "George W. Rodgers died May 17, 1831 and was buried in a farm graveyard.  His stone was the only remaining stone in the graveyard so Julian Wood, who is also a descendant of George W. Rodgers, removed the stone and has it in his living room fireplace."  

In February 1834, Elizabeth (Pierson) Rodgers married William Christie in Shelby Co., Kentucky.  Her brother,  John Pearson swore that Elizabeth Rogers was his sister and a widow over 21 years of age and that she should be issued a license to marry William Christie.  


About 1836, Elizabeth and William Christie moved to Hendricks Co., Indiana.  They are found there on the 1850 census in Marion Township.  They are still there on the 1860 and 1870 censuses.  


Elizabeth (Pierson) Rodgers Christie died on 20 October 1880 in Hendricks Co., Indiana.  She was buried in the Danville East Cemetery, Danville, Indiana.  She was 92 years old.

Nicholas Rodgers, son of Elizabeth Pierson and George W. Rodgers, born 5 February 1806 in Franklin Co., Kentucky, is my ancestor.  He married his first cousin, Nancy Rodgers, on 25 May 1826 in Franklin Co., Kentucky.   Nancy was the daughter of Daniel T. Rodgers and his wife Catherine Austin.  Daniel T. and George W. were brothers.  (Pedigree Collapse!)

Nancy Rodgers was born 14 July 1805 in Franklin Co., Kentucky.  

Nicholas and Nancy Rodgers had ten children:

Nancy Rodgers, b. 14 Jul 1805 at Franklin Co., KY, d. 9 Feb 1876 at Franklin Co., KY

+Nicholas Rodgers, b. 5 Feb 1806 at Frankfort, Franklin Co., KY, d. 4 Aug 1873 at Franklin Co., KY

├── Jeptha Rodgers, b. 2 Mar 1827 at Franklin Co., KY, d. 23 Jul 1854 at Franklin Co., KY

├── Jeffrey Rodgers, b. 1828 at Franklin Co., KY, d. before 22 Jul 1873

├── Eliza Jane Rodgers, b. 2 Aug 1830 at Franklin Co., KY, d. 14 Jun 1864

├── Mahala Ann Rodgers, b. 9 Sep 1833 at Franklin Co., KY, d. 23 Aug 1915

├── William M. Rodgers, b. 10 Jul 1835 at Franklin Co., KY, d. 24 Feb 1895

├── John H Rodgers, b. 1836 at Franklin Co., KY

├── Sarah Frances Rodgers, b. 22 Nov 1838 at Franklin Co., KY, d. 24 Jan 1919 at Franklin Co., KY

├── Henry Rodgers, b. 20 Aug 1840 at Franklin Co., KY, d. 30 Mar 1913 at Kenny's Mill, Franklin Co., KY

├── Daniel B. Rodgers, b. 13 Sep 1843 at Franklin Co., KY, d. 1875

└── Nancy Rodgers, b. 5 Sep 1847 at Franklin Co., KY

  
Nicholas Rodgers died 4 August 1873 in Franklin Co., Kentucky.  He is buried in Lebanon Cemetery.  Nancy Rodgers died 9 February 1876 and is buried in Lebanon Cemetery.

Jeptha Rodgers, the oldest son of Nicholas and Nancy, is my ancestor.  He was born 2 March 1827 and died 23 July 1854, both in Franklin Co., Kentucky.    On 7 December 1848, he married Catherine Bohannon.  Jeptha and Catherine had one son, John William Rodgers, who was born 31 May 1852.  

Jeptha apparently died in an accident.  Franklin Co. death records give his cause of death as "Rising and breaking hip.  Disease hips."  He is buried at Indian Fork Baptist Cemetery in Shelby Co., Kentucky.  

Catherine Bohannon Rodgers Deakins Stephens

 After Jeptha's death, Catherine married two more times: first to John W. Deakins in 1855 with whom she had four children and second to Merritt Stephens in 1889.  Sometime after her third husband's death, Catherine moved to Indianapolis, Indiana.  She died there in 1923 at the age of 91 years.  She was buried in Lebanon Community Cemetery in Franklin Co., Kentucky.   
 Catherine and Jeptha's only son, John William Rodgers, is my ancestor.  I did a post on John Will already, that you can find here.  

John Will's daughter, Alice Myrtle Rodgers, was my great-grandmother.  I've done a post on her, too.  Her son, James Mortimer Perry, was my grandfather.

So here is the line from Meshack Peirson, the triplet to my grandfather:

	Mesheche Pierson (5422)
		b. 1754
		at Bromfield Parish, Culpepper, VA
		d. 15 Aug 1847
		at Christianburg, Shelby Co., KY
		m. c 1785
		at KY
	+Mary Jennings? (5423)
		b. 1754
		at VA
		d. c 1814
		at
	Elizabeth Pierson (5419)
		b. 7 Jan 1788
		at Fauquier Co., VA
		d. 20 Oct 1880
		at West Half Center, Hendricks Co., IN
		m. 24 Feb 1803
		at Garrard Co., KY
	+George W. Rodgers (5418)
		b. 1775
		at Garrard Co., KY
		d. 17 May 1831
		at Indian Ford, Shelby Co., KY
	Nicholas Rodgers (5409)
		b. 5 Feb 1806
		at Frankfort, Franklin Co., KY
		d. 4 Aug 1873
		at Franklin Co., KY
		m. 25 May 1826
		at Franklin County, KY
	+Nancy Rodgers (5410)
		b. 14 Jul 1805
		at Franklin Co., KY
		d. 9 Feb 1876
		at Franklin Co., KY
	Jeptha Rodgers (5406)
		b. 2 Mar 1827
		at Franklin Co., KY
		d. 23 Jul 1854
		at Franklin Co., KY
		m. 7 Dec 1848
		at Franklin Co., KY
	+Catherine Bohannon (5407)
		b. 3 Aug 1831
		at IN
		d. 22 Jun 1923
		at Indianapolis, Marion Co., IN
	John William Rodgers (5404)
		b. 31 May 1852
		at Frankfort, Franklin Co., KY
		d. 20 May 1930
		at Indianapolis, Marion Co., IN
		m. 11 Feb 1869
		at the home of William Allison, Franklin Co., KY
	+Emily Francis Allison (887)
		b. 19 May 1851
		at Frankfort, Franklin Co., KY
		d. 2 Jun 1915
		at Frankfort, Franklin Co., KY
	Alice Myrtle Rodgers (882)
		b. 17 Jul 1878
		at Frankfort, Franklin Co., KY
		d. 16 Aug 1943
		at St. Vincent Hospital, Indianapolis, Marion Co., IN
		m. 15 Sep 1898
		at the home of Newt Harrod, Frankfort, Franklin Co., KY
	+James Madison Perry (881)
		b. 18 Dec 1848
		at Lawrenceburg, Anderson Co., KY
		d. 8 Jun 1914
		at Frankfort, Franklin Co., KY
	James Mortimer Perry (5334)
		b. 26 Jun 1899
		at Harp, Bald Knob, Franklin Co., KY
		d. 21 May 1986
		at Yorktown Health Center, Yorktown, Delaware Co., IN

James Mortimer Perry (5334) is the 4th great-grandson of Mesheche Pierson (5422).

So cousins, if you want to join the Daughters of the American Revolution or the Sons of the American Revolution, here is a really good start on your application!

I know I skimmed over a number of ancestors here and I will eventually do posts on each of them, but this post is long enough, so details on those people will have to wait for another post.