Jacob Shook's Revolutionary War Claim

Jacob Shook's Revolutionary War Claim

Rev War pension file. Jacob Shook S7486.

The pension file contains no family info, only some personal facts and a recital of service. Details include the following: •

Born 19-Apr-1749 in Northampton Co PA. •

Enlisted 1775 from Lincoln Co NC. Served 1 mo as a private in Capt William Bateman's company of Col Christopher Bateman's NC regiment.

• Enlisted (drafted) again 9-Aug-1776. Served 2 months as a private in Capt Rodolph Conrad's company in Col Bateman's NC regiment.

•Enlisted (drafted) again 10-May-1781 in Capt Daniel Smith's NC regiment. Discharged 10-Aug-1781. •

Lived in Burke Co NC after the Rev •

Living in Haywood Co NC on 3-Oct-1833 when he filled out the application.

• Died 1-Sep-1839 • Signed application • Andrew SHOOK provided an affidavit. •Information sent to J.H. Braly, Elizabeth M. Braley, Col William Carpenter, and others. This means that John Hyde BRALY was looking at this person, at least; either we're both right about the connection or we're both wrong.

One of the persons asking for a copy of Jacob's file was H.C (?). SHOOK, who was apparently visiting the city (letter written from a DC hotel). However, his letter indicates that Jacob was the son of George SHOOK and married Isabel WIZEL.

Another letter was from Joyce SHOOK of Bat Cave NC. The following is an excerpt from a typed family history, dated 1935, provided without references by Bill Shook of Leicester NC.

Linda Shook supplied the same information, word-for-word, from a printed book (uncited) she found in the Asheville library. Some years later , George Shook moved with his family to what is now Burke Co, NC.

There Jacob grew to manhood, and, when the Revolution came on, he enlisted in the Continental army and fought through the period of the war, proving himself to be a valiant and patriotic soldier. The part he played was mostly in NC and was all the way from Moore Creek Bridge to Guilford Court House. After the War closed, Jacob Shook married Isabella Weitzell, and, in 1786, when in the 37th year of his age he came to what is now Haywood Co and settled on the Pigeon river with his family.

Shortly after Jacob arrived on the Pigeon, a brother, Andrew, came and journeyed down the Pigeon and built a home in what is now Iron Duff township. The place is now (1935) owned by Lee Stevenson. Jacob Shook is credited with having built the first frame house in Haywood Co. The building is still standig and owned by D.I.L. Smathers, who lives in it (1935).

The house is one of the interesting spots in the town of Clyde, and is a remarkable structure in many ways. The nails used in the building were made by hand by Jacob Shook himself. Bishop Asbury, the first of the rank to be consecrated in America, in some of his trips through Western NC, held meetings in the chapel room that had been fitted up in the third story for divine services.

The first church in Haywood Co of the Methodist denomination was organized in that room, tradition asserts. After his arrival at a spot in the lower Pigeon river valley, which later became the town of Clyde, Jacob Shook's son, David, was born, 19-Sep-1786. Jacob lived to the venerable age of almost a hundred years. Peter, another son, remained in Haywood Co as did David, but his other children, John, Abraham, Daniel, Polly, Betsy, Jacob, Susannah, Peggie or Margaret, and Catherine, all except Polly, moved from the county and settled in Georgia and Texas. ... ...Jacob Shook is said to have built the first framed house in Haywood Co, near what is now the village of Clyde in the lower Pigeon valley. There were no sawmills the, so the lumber was cut by a rip-saw and the nails were wrought in the blacksmith shop. This sturdy Hollander, who seems to have been gifted with vision, had one room in his home dedicated to the worship of God, and this room has been preserved intact for more than a hundred years as a hallowed shrine.

The present owner (1932), D.I.L. Smathers, has enlarged and improved the building, but that sanctuary, in which the apostles of Methodism preached the Gospel of the Kingdom, has been sacredly preserved. Here the first Methodist church in the country is said to have been organized about the beginning of the nineteenth century. People came there for a radius of eight miles to hear Bishop Asbury, Boahm, McDendree, and other itinerants. Surrounded by lofty mountain peaks, the scene is well calculated to stir the poetry and pathos of the soul. Jacob Shook, this unique and eccentric Dutchman,should be honored with a place in Methodist history. He was one of the Highland patriots who fought in the Revolutionary War. He hospitably entertained Ashbury and the pioneer preachers, and his home became the center of the great Methodist movement in Haywood Co. He owned a large body of fertile bottom land, and gave the site on which Shook's Camp Ground was built, and thus contributed, no one knows how much, to the success of the Redeemer's Kingdom in Western NC.

Shook was powerfully converted after the old fashion Methodist style. Whilst under deep conviction for sin, he went out into the cornfield to plow. He prayed and wept as he worked. Finally the burden of guilt was lifted and his soul was flooded with joy. He shouted and praised the Lord as he continued to work. He dropped the lines, left his plow, lost his hat, and shouted all over the field. That was a happy, triumphant day for the new convert, but the horse played havoc with his corn.

In the early days, the camp meeting was a wonderful institution. Shook's Camp Ground was a great rallying point for the Methodist clans, and hundreds of souls were converted there. The plan of the camp ground is interesting. There were about forty tents. Some tenters built neatly framed and weather boarded tents. Others built cottages of round logs. Scaffolds built along the sides of the tents served the purpose of beds. The dirt floors were carpeted with straw. A large tent was built in the center of a square plot of ground which would accommodate a vast assembly. Slabs from a sawmill were used for seats. Then the tenters, who were mostly farmers, covered the space enclosed by the tent with fresh cut wheat or oats straw on which the ladies and gentlemen could kneel without soiling their clothes. The exercises of the camp meeting period were conducted as follows: about daylight, the first trumpet was sounded as a signal for the people to rise and prepare for worship. In about half an hour, the second trumpet sounded, summoning the people to family prayer in their tents. The third trumpet was the signal for a public prayer meeting under the big tent. Then there was preaching at the stand at eight and eleven A.M., three P.M., and at early candle light. The men and women were not allowed to sit together. Great was the camp meeting in its day, but, like all else in this world, it had an end, and probably we shall see it no more. End of extract.

The following is an extract from an undated (but probably 1994) article from the Canton"Enterprise". It was furnished by Bill Shook of Candler. SHOOK HOUSE NEEDS TO BE RESCUED by Ken Israel and the Shook House. For some years I ahve passed by the old Shook House which is in Clyde at the corner of Morgan Street at Highway 19-23 going west. Every time I see the house I feel sad because I know that it has just about the richest heritage of any house in NC.

This column is going to be difficult this week because I am going to let the house tell its own story. Please listen to this grand old house talking. Next year I will be 200 years old, and I tell you this. No other house is still standing around in Haywood Co that is anywhere near by age.

Jacob Shook, a Revolutionary War soldier, designed me and did he build me well! With skills he had learned from his father George Shook, Jacob hand-crafted the nails and pegs used to hold me together. He took virgin spruce timber and built my skeleton with wooden pegs. I'm not one to brag, mind you, but I was built to be the most magnificant house in this part of the country. My skeleton was then covered with the finest boards that could be sawed. As a matter of fact, I was one of the first three story frame houses built in what is now Haywood Co. I wasn't like one of those common one-room log cabins built by so many of the other settlers. It was to be the home for Peter Shook, one of Jacob's sons. Jacob Shook had built his own house nearer the river than where I stand. Too bad, the first house that Jacob Shook built burned to the ground in the 1970s. It was older than I, and I really miss the companionship that it gave me. Jacob Shook was a remarkable man. I'll never forget him. Even though I was built for his son Peter, Jacob Shook had other ideas for my use.

I'll get to that point in a minute. He was a devoutly religious man. After he met Francis Asbury, he was never the same. That Asbury fellow was a mighty man. I first became acquainted with him when I was a bright 15- Anyway, Jacob Shook was so moved by Francis Asbury that he established a meeting room in my third story dedicated to the worship of God. Any way you look at it, human beings who write about me are careful not to call the meeting room a church. Well, I tell you, it was a church in every sense of the Biblical admonition, "Where two or three are gathered together, there am I also." That's the word from the Bible. And when it was often filled with people who came to worship, it was a church, month after month and year after year. My third floor was the place of worship for the First Methodist Church which was established in what is now Haywood Co. Whether the Methodist, or anybody else as a matter of fact, want to call my third floor a church, I could care less, but I claim the title of being the "Oldest Methodist Church Building" still standing in NC west of the Blue Ridge.

Just over the hill and south from here is Louisa Chapel where the congregation from my third floor eventually created a new church building. Before that the congregation would often meet at the Jacob Shook campground. The congregation then called their building the Camp Ground Church. Before his death Jacob Shook gave land upon which a log church was built. The congregation of the Camp Ground Church then moved to the new building and named it Louisa Chapel. Lousia was the name of Jacob Shook's unmarried granddaughter . So, I guess, in away that Louisa Chapel has the oldest congregation, but I have the oldest church building. I just want to be fair. But, when people gather in my third floor to worship, there is a church. Not only did Jacob Shook help establish the first church west of the Blue Ridge, he helped establish one of the largest camp meeting grounds in Western NC. Hundreds of souls were converted there, helping the Methodist Church become one of the fastest growing churches in the world during Jacob Shook's time. About 40 tents were built there. I was so glad to be part of the camp meeting movement. I can still remember some of the shouting and singing and preaching. Those were happy times of fellowship......

Well, Jacob Shook died in 1839 when he was 90 years old and was buried on a hill just south of here in what is now called Pleasant Hill Cemetery. The cemetery is about a half mile east of Louisa Chapel.

My wonderful memories of Father Jacob Shook, my creator, will linger on as long as I have rocks in my foundation. End of extract. Extract from information supplied by Linda Shook from an (uncited) book she found in the Asheville library.

In the earliest days of the county there were important settlements along the banks of the river near where the town of Clyde now stands. The Shooks, the Hayneses, the Osbornes, the Morgans, the Stameys, the Rogers's, and others were tilling the soil and raising their cattle before there was a town in the county.

In this township some of the first settlements were made and some of the oldest families reside. Here among the oldest settlers we find the names of Levi Smathers, Aaron Fullbright, Jacob Shook, David Shook, and others, who began the construction of a civilization upon the banks of the lower Pigeon. A little later, Mills Shook , David Hill, Abel Stamey, Jacoson Rogers, Peter Snider, Judson Osborne, G.N. Penland, H.P. Haynes, Allen Haynes, Thomas Green, W.W. Medford, and others who might be mentioned continued the building for the structure that the first settlers had planned. End of extract

Extract from "German Speaking People West of the Catawba River in NC 1750-1800" ed Lorena Shell Eaker, as found by Betsy Pittman. Johann Jacob Shook b 19-Apr-1749 Northampton Co PA, d 1-Sep-1839 Haywood Co NC; m 1786 Isabella Weitzell. 1790 Burke Co NC Census: Jacob Shook 6M<16, 1M>16, 3F. Pension records . Extract from "The Heritage of Catawba Co NC", Lucille M. Fulbright, Ed. Jacob Shook, son of George and Elizabeth Grubb, moved to Haywood Co to the present area of Clyde, where he married Isabella Wetzel and died in 1839 at the age of 90.

Extract from "Revolutionary War Soldiers of Western NC: Burke Co" by Emmett R. White. SHOOK, JACOB SUMMARY OF EARLY LIFE Born in Northampton Co PA 19-Apr-1749. He lived in eastern Burke Co during most of the Rev War, that portion which later became a part of Lincoln, then Catawba Co. He was prob a brother of Andrew Shook, a Rev War soldier. SUMMARY OF MILITARY SERVICE Jacob Shook volunteered in early 1776 in William Beekman's Co of Col Chris Beekman's Rowan Regiment.

He participated in the Cross Creek Expedition of teh spring of 1776. They marched to the Cross Creek section in order to suppress Tory activity. (This was the latter portion of the Moor's Creek Bridge action). In the summer and fall of 1776 he was in the Cherokee Expedition of Gen Griffith Rutherford, serving in Capt Rudolph Conrad's co of Col Chris Beekman's regiment. He was discharged in Oct-1776, following their return from the Cherokee Towns. He was drafted in May 1781 for a 3-month tour of duty. He served in the frontier forts on the Catawba Frontier under Capt Daniel Smith. He servd mainly at Davidson's Fort.

SUMMARY OF LATER LIFE Jacob Shook lived in Burke Co during and after the Rev War, but then moved to Haywood Co NC. Married Isabella Weiszell. Children: John; Abraham; Daniel; Jacob; Peggy m Hicks; Betsy m John Hyde; David; Peter b 29-Oct-1790 m Mahala Evans; Polly m. John Haynes (Hines); Susannah m Ephrus Goodwin; Catherine m Cooper. Jacob Shook applied for Rev War pension in Haywood Co NC in 1833 at age 84. He was awarded $20/annum. There were supporting statements of his pension by Andrew Shook and Jacob Fulbright. Jacob Shook died 1-Sep-1839. He is buried in the Pleasant Hill Cem near Clyde, Haywood Co NC. LAND HOLDINGS AND TRANSACTIONS Jacob Shook entered land in Haywood Co on the east side of the Pigeon Riv (grants issued 1814 and 1819), 245 a total (2plots). CENSUS LOCATIONS: 1790 Burke Co NC 1st co; 1800 Buncombe Co NC;1810 Haywood Co NC; 1820 Haywood Co NC; 1830 Haywood Co NC. REFERENCES: US National Archives, Pension Statements #27486 "Roster and Soldiers",TN DAR, Whitley, p 1427, 1961 Greenlee Chapter DAR. "NC Land Grants". Grant Nos 45, 95 issued 1814, 1819. File no 49,100 book no 128, 133 page no 469, 378 entered 24-Oct-1812, 18-Mar-1817. End of extract 1794-1795. "Abstracts of the Minutes of the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions, Burke Co NC Jul-1791 (part):Jul-1795 (part)", Daniel D. Swink ed. Shows Jacob Shuck on juries in 1794 and 1795. Appears as defendant in 1795. 1798. "Abstracts of the Minutes of the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions, Burke Co NC Jul-1791 (part): Jul-1795 (part)", Daniel D. Swinked. Appears as defendant in 1798 with sons Jacob Jr and John. 1796."Abstracts of Land Entries: Buncombe Co NC 1794-1796" by Dr. A.B. Pruitt (1986). Jacob Shoop is mentioned with 400a in a 15-Jul-1796 survey. 1799. "Buncombe Co NC Index to Deeds, 1783-1850" by James E. Wooley. 20-Aug-1799 (rec ??) book 4 p 483 to Jacob Shook Sr from John Strother 120a, Pigeon River. 22-Oct-1799 (rec ??) book 4 p 484 to Jacob Shook from John Strother 330a, Pigeon River. 1801. "Buncombe Co NC Index to Deeds, 1783-1850" by James E. Wooley. 18-Jun-1801 (rec 13-Jan-1804) book 3 p 270 to Jacob Shook from John McFarland 265a (2 tracts), Pigeon River. According to Betsy Pittman, Jacob doesn't appear in Burke Cocourt minutes after Jul-1798. This date is interestingly close to the date of the Pigeon River land grants in 1799. According to "Old Buncombe Heritage" (no ed or date), Jacob married Isabella Weitzell in1770, prior to the Revolution. Extract from a family history written by Mary SHOOK. Jacob grew to manhood in Burke Co. He enlisted in the Continental Army and fought in the Rev War. He married Isabella Weitzell in Burke Co and moved to what is now Haywood Co, NC

They settled on the Pigeon Riv near what became the town of Clyde. Like his father, Jacob produced a large family. Legend has it that Jacob was a man with a very violent temper, which caused him on many occasions to be very destructive. The story is told that he had become disgusted with the growth of his apple trees, and grabbing his ax, threatened to cut down every tree in the orchard. One of his sons, knowing well of his temper, grabbed his ax, and said, "All right Pa, I will help you", and headed for a pet tree in front of the house that his father was extremely proud of. To stop him Jacob cooled off and the orchard was saved. Another story is that he once started building a large house with the help of family and friends. Because it did not progress fast enough to suit him, he flew into a rage and burned it down. End of extract. According to Betsy Pittman, there are no early Rowan Co deeds involving Shook/Shukeor Wetsel/Wetseal Pe»125, born in North Hampton Co Philadelphia PA,19-Mar-1749 (9 years after his father George arrived in America). Later the family moved to Burke Co NC where he grew to manhood then moved to Haywood Co where he bought Pigeon or the valley now known as Clyde for 14¢ an acre. His was one of the first of eight families to settle west of the French Broad River in Buncombe Co NC. After serving in the Revolutionary War he married Weitzell or Isabella Wyzell from PA. He came to Haywood in 1786 at age of 37.

He was the builder of "the Shook House" located in West Clyde on Morgan Street where Bishop Ashbury preached in the upstairs division now owned by Mary Smathers Morgan(wife of John Morgan and daughter of D.I.L Smathers)> He died 30-Sep-1839 at age 90y 6m 11d, and was buried in Pleasant Hill Cem, South Clyde.

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