(17-4) THE SHAPBELL'S

Brevard Genealogy Society Members Receive Florida State Genealogy Society Pioneer Awards

Two members of the Brevard Genealogy Society received awards at the 28th Annual Conference of the Florida State Genealogy Society (FSGS) held November 12-13 in Melbourne, Florida.

Betty Shapbell obtained two Florida Pioneer Descendant Certificate (State) which is given to any person, who provides documentary proof satisfactory to the committee, establishing a solid chain of evidence that they have an ancestor who settled in Florida (present boundaries) before the state was admitted to the Union on 3 March 1845. One of Betty’s certificates was awarded for her great, great grandfather, Henry DECAUSEY, son of Vard DECAUSEY and Catherine BILES who was born on 8 April 1823 in Thomas County, Georgia. The other certificate was for Henry’s wife, Elizabeth CONE.

She found first evidence of Henry being in Florida when he married Elizabeth CONE, daughter of Arnold CONE and Elizabeth TANNER, on 31 October 1844 in Jefferson County, Florida. All of Henry and Elizabeth’s children were born in Florida. Henry, age 27, is listed in the 1850 U.S. Federal Census as living in Jefferson County, with wife Elizabeth, age 23; daughter Elizabeth, age 5; daughter Sarah, age 4; daughter Mary, age 2; and twin daughters, Amanda and Martha, ages 6 months. Henry obtained a land grant on February 3, 1854 in Jefferson County, FL.

Henry and his wife, Elizabeth, are both buried in the Oakland Cemetery, west of Perry, Florida. Henry died on 21 September 1900 and Elizabeth died on 25 September 1900. Most of the DECAUSEY descendants are also buried in this cemetery.

An unusual aspect of the evidence submitted was that all the ancestral lines used for proof was through the female sides of the families.

Bill Shapbell received two Florida Pioneer Researcher Certificates, given to anyone who has successfully completed the research on behalf of a Descendant, to establish a new, previously undocumented Pioneer. Bill was awarded his certificates for the research done on Betty’s ancestors, Henry DECAUSEY and his wife, Elizabeth CONE.