About Adam Shipley

Origins of the Shipley Name and Clan- According to the best authorities,

the word Shipley is of Anglo-Saxon origin. It is one of the oldest names of England, is recorded in the Domesday Book of 1068, and goes back in useage prior to the present form of the English language. The spelling varies: Shipleigh, Shipeley, Shaplie, Sheplie, Shepley, Chipley and others, but in most cases it is Shipley. The two syllables constitute the variants of Sheep Lea, Sheep Meadow or Sheep Isle, a place where sheep are grazed or tended. In England, there are many places bearing the name Shipley- hills, valleys, villages, abbeys, glens.

Adam Shipley's English Roots- Research conducted in cooperation with the The City of York & District Family History Society (UK), followed by a fact-finding trip to England in 2019, indicated that the only Adam Shipleigh (Shipley) born in the district within the appropriate timeframe lived in an area of North Yorkshire called Kirkby Fleetham, located about 30 miles from the City of York. Here, the records of St. Mary’s Church in Kirkby Fleetham show that a man named Richard

St. Mary's Church, Kirkby Fleetham, UK

Shipley of Fleetham married a woman named Elizabeth (maiden name unknown). Richard and Elizabeth had five sons: Adam (1648), John (1651), Robert (1652), George (1655), and Thomas (1658). As was so often the case, John and Thomas died in infancy. While the exact cause of their death cannot be determined, both Richard and Elizabeth died within a month of each other, leaving three orphan boys. Elizabeth was buried at St. Mary’s on December 7, 1658 – one month after her youngest newborn son Thomas died. Richard died and was also buried at St. Mary’s on “Januarrie” 8, 1659 – one month later. The tragedy of these deaths meant that Adam, the eldest son, was now in charge of his two younger brothers: Adam was age 10, Robert 6, and George 3. Try as we might, we could find no evidence of what happened to the three boys over the next decade- just that Adam – our Adam¹ – shows up in the Colonies in 1668. This means that he left England at age 19, leaving his brother Robert, then 15, and young George, at 12.

Adam Shipley Comes to the New World- Adam arrived at a port in the area now Annapolis, Anne Arundel County, Maryland. He was one of ten young men solicited by the merchant John Pawson to come to the new world with the promise of free land and a new life. We know that to pay his passage, he, and so many others like him, would willingly serve five to seven years as an indentured servant to a master, who would pay their indebtedness in return for their free labor for an agreed period. We know that Adam was well informed about agriculture and business. Having completed his service, records indicate that he came before Lord Charles Calvert in 1675 to request his first 50 acres, as was promised, for “Service to the Province.” By 1687 he had acquired nearly 1,000 acres of land, with farms in what is now Anne Arundel and

Howard County. He married a woman whose first name was Lois, but unfortunately, we have no documentation as to her maiden name. Adam and Lois had six children:

Richard born about 1677, died before 1725
Adam
Robert born about 1678, died 1761/1763
Peter born about 1687, died 1764
Keturah died after 1730
Lois died before 1746

Adam died before 1698, leaving his six children under legal age, and his eldest son Richard was heir at law by the English custom of primogeniture. After the death of their father, the children of Adam received shares of his land. From these meager records we have a picture of one of the early members of the Shipley family in America, the one whom we know as our ancester, Adam Shipley.

Limited information about Adam Shipley is contained in the Public Resources website area, with extensive additional information provided in the Member Resources areas.

About The Shipleys of Maryland

Officers (Term Thru 12-31-25)

President:	Thom R. Shipley, Ed.D.
1st VP- Programs and Speakers:	Connie N. Sparrow
2nd VP- Membership:	V. Lee Smallwood
3rd VP- Parliamentary & Legal:	Paul Andrew Shipley
Corresponding Secretary:	Joyce L. Herbert
Recording Secretary:	Deborah Cunningham
Treasurer:	Christopher L. Taylor

Committee & Project Leaders

Cemeteries:	Eric Hale Shipley
New Genealogy Book:	Norman Lilley
Newsletter Editor/Publisher:	Matthew W. Shipley
Newsletter Copy Editor:	Peggy Reed Greene
Genealogy Research:	Joyce L. Herbert
Shipley DNA Project:	Bill Wade Shipley
Shipley Room @ HSCC Co-Chair:	Joyce L. Herbert
Shipley Room @ HSCC Co-Chair:	Peggy Reed Greene
Webmaster:	Paul Andrew Shipley

Directors (Thru 12-31-2024)

Director:	Linda J. Barnes
Director:	Greg M. Shipley
Director:	Heather J. Ware

Directors (Thru 12-31-2025)

Director:	Dennis Lee Donegan
Director:	Wanda Barnes Hall
Director:	Norman Lilley

Directors (Thru 12-31-2026)

Director:	Eleanor B. Brundick
Director:	Alec Alexander Shipley
Director:	Hap August Shipley

The Shipleys of Maryland is an organization of the descendants of Adam Shipley who came to Maryland in 1668 and the spouses of such descendants. We were formed October 4, 1925, at Bethesda Methodist Church, Gist, Maryland, which counts many Shipley ancestors among its founders. We are a dues-paying organization governed by elected officers and an executive board whose actions are subject to ratification at the annual business meeting. The organization is a tax-exempt not-for-profit entity under Section 501(c)(7) of the Internal Revenue Code.

► Our Objectives-

To stimulate and foster interest in the perpetuation of the heritages of the Shipley family.
To promote acquaintances among the descendents of Adam Shipley, and to enjoy relationships with our kinfolk.
To research and study all facts relating to the history, ancestry, and genealogy of Adam Shipley and his descendents, and maintain records that may be valuable to future historians and which may be of interest to state and county historical societies.
To cooperate with other branches of the Shipley family in any efforts they make to develop information on the origins and genealogy of the family.
To provide means of inspiring younger members of the family to emulate the sterling qualities of their ancestors and to contribute to the well-being of their community and their country.

► Our Membership- We currently have over 400 member family units, representing well over 1,000 individuals in total. We offer both Annual and Life Membership options. Membership is open to:

Persons descended from Adam Shipley (who settled near Annapolis, Maryland in 1668).
Persons of Shipley ancestry whose descent from Adam Shipley has not been established .
Husbands and wives of the foregoing.
Persons adopted or otherwise raised by a descendent of Adam Shipley.
Note: An Associate Membership is also available for individuals and organizations who have an interest in Shipley genealogy, but no direct connection to Adam.

You can find out more about our membership options and apply for membership online at the Become a Member menu section.

► Our Meetings and Events- We host two regularly scheduled events each year, plus occasional special events to mark significant occasions:

We hold an annual reunion/picnic the last Saturday of June each year. Our recent picnics have been held at Piney Run Park in Carroll County, Maryland. We provide hamburgers, hot dogs, and watermelon, and attendees bring covered dishes, drinks, and desserts. This is a terrific opportunity to connect with cousins. Please see our Events section for more details.
Our Annual Luncheon/Business Meeting is held the last Saturday of October each year. Please see our Events section for more details.
Planning has started for the Centenial Celebration of the founding of The Shipleys of Maryland as an organization. If you enjoyed our 350th Anniversary Celebration of Adam's 1668 arrival, which we held in 2018, you will enjoy this, too. It is planned for October 2025. Please see our Events section for more details.

► Our Research Resources- We provide a wide variety of Shipley research resources to both the general public as well as our members. This website is an on-going project, and we have considerable more material on hand that we plan to post. Please check back often to see what's new- you will find it listed in the New Postings- Index page.

Please understand that some information is only accessable to members of The Shipleys of Maryland, and not to the public at large. Two considerations guide our accessability approach- first, much of our information represents the culmination of almost a century of work by members of the clan. The underlying past and our ongoing research have taken much time, effort and money. This information is central to our mission and the family’s most valuable asset. Second, we are cognizant of the risk of identity theft and other misuse of our data, and limiting access helps counteract this risk.

Genealogy Resources-
- Books- Our first genealogical book was published in 1938, and the information has been steadly expanded over the years. Updated editions were published in 1968, 2002, and 2010. Copies of the latter two editions are still available, and can be purchased online (please see For Sale section). A new edition is currently being prepared by our Book Committee, with a projected publication date of 2025.
- Online Database- Our online genealogical database contains all individuals listed in our 2002 Book and 2010 Supplement. It currently contains 42,535 individuals, 15,572 families, 7,025 unique surnames, 4,960 places, 2,499 notes, and 1,038 sources. The database is hosted on a separate, specialized website and is available to all members. (please see the Member Resources and Links sections for more details)
- Y-DNA Project- We support a Family Tree DNA project which is open to all who are interested in working together to find their common heritage through sharing of information and DNA testing. All variant spellings are welcome. This project can be accessed through the Links section.
Facebook Page- We host a Facebook page for Shipleys to connect and share family information with one another (please see Links section).
Shipley Organization Archives-
- The Shipleys of Maryland room at the Historical Society of Carroll County (HSCC)- The room is dedicated in memory of Dorothy Shipley Granger, past President, first Dean of the Shipleys, and a key leader of the Shipleys for many years. Upon her death in 1998, Dorothy's genealogical files were donated to the HSCC. In 2012, The Shipleys of Maryland raised a substantial contribution to the Historical Society to fund a dedicated room as the permanent home of Shipley records, both those in the Dorothy Granger collection and additional records owned by Shipleys. In the intervening years, several dedicated members have spent considerable time cataloging the records, a task which is still in process. Some information is available only in the room, while some has been converted to electronic format and is available here on this website. (see the Public and Member Resources areas for additional details)
- Shipley Family Collection at the Maryland Center for History & Culture- This collection contains information on the genealogy of the Shipleys and related families. It includes handwritten copies of land grants, wills, inventories, birth records, obituaries, wedding announcements, family histories, bible records, news articles on the family, and newspaper pictures. The information is available upon request directly to the Center, but is not available online. (see Links section to contact them)
- Meeting Minutes- The handwritten minutes of each annual meeting, from the first one in October 1925, extending through 1950, are provided in the Member Resources section.
- Newsletters- Our first Newsletter was published in 1960. Copies of nearly all newsletters are provided in the Member Resources website area.
- Pamphlets- We have issued a number of pamphlets on a variety of topics- these may be found in the Public Resources section.
Shipley History Archives
- Adam Shipley- Our organization's quest for Adam Shipley's roots in England extends back to at least 1977, when a group of members journeyed to the United Kingdom for a combined research and sightseeing trip. While much Shipley information was obtained, Adam's roots remained a mystery. In 1993, Dr. Neal Shipley, of the Department of History at the University of Massachusetts (Amherst) published the findings of his extensive research in the UK. His information greatly expanded our understanding of the Shipley family's English roots, but again, was not able to pinpoint Adam's birthplace. Fast forward to 2018, when Board member Connie Sparrow posed our problem to Pam Elliott, Research Room Manager & Archivist for The City of York & District Family History Society (UK). Pam made a breakthru for us, and uncovered Adam's family records at Kirby Fleetham. In 2019, Thom Shipley and Chris Taylor traveled to the UK, visiting Pam, Kirby Fleetham, and other areas connected to the Shipleys. They published an extensive report on their findings. All of this information can be found in our Member Resources section.
- Biographies & Family Stories- We provide biographies of many notable Shipleys as well as family stories in our Public Resources section.
- Homesteads and Properties- In 1949, a series of eight Shipley Homestead china plates was issued. These were accompanied by a short description of each property and their significance to the Shipley family. This information is provided in the Public Resources section.
Cemeteries and Obituaries- Shipley internments have ranged from large public cemeteries to small family plots. There are numerous online resources available for researching cemetery information, so our organization has instead focused on the documentation and preservation of small Shipley family plots. Our most recent project was the resoration of the family graveyard at "Adam's Garden" in Sykesville, Maryland, which was rededicated in a special ceremony in 2021. We also have over 600 obituaries from the Dorothy Shipley Granger collection. Please see the Public Resources, and Member Resources sections.

► Our History- Ulysses Hayes Shipley often told the story of two travelers whose car was stuck in a muddy detour from the main road in Carroll County and his coming to their rescue with his team of sturdy horses. The strangers were delighted to share his hospitality at the noonday dinner prepared by his amiable spouse Bertha, and in the course of conversation discovered they were distant cousins.

He could hardly wait to tell his neighbors Robert H.H. Shipley and Larkin Amos Shipley, whose love of family lore matched his, and thus was born the idea of calling together those of Shipley ancestry from Baltimore City and the nearby counties. Sunday October 4, 1925 was set as the date, and the location chosen was old Bethesda Methodist Church, near Gist, where generations of Shipleys and related families had been members since its founding in 1810.

The meeting began with a devotional service followed by lunch, talks about family origins, and a musical program with a twenty-voice choir led and accompanied by Mrs. Ulysses Shipley at the organ. Heavy rain curtailed attendance to about 125, but everything was so enjoyable and informative that it was decided to have yearly gatherings. Objectives were outlined, "Excelsior" was adopted as a motto, green and gold were chosen as colors, and the four-leaf clover was chosen the official flower. (This was later changed to the marigold.) Shipleys outnumbered others in attendance, but related families included Barnes, Bennett, Conaway, Creswell, Davis, Dorsey, Dudderer, Easton, Farver, Flater, Fleming, Gallion, Gorrell, Haines, Myerly, Niner, Parrish, Pool, Shreve, Thompson, Warehime, and Zepp.

The purpose of the first meeting was to promote acquaintance among those of Shipley ancestry and to compare family records. Reunions were held annually with attendance ranging from fewer than fifty to nearly a thousand, and while all found it enjoyable to share lunch and swap stories and information, it soon became evident that broader objectives to stimulate and foster the perpetuation of the family heritage and to inspire the interest and participation of younger members needed to be addressed.

As interest in family grew, research was undertaken in the field of genealogy and many historical records and family legends came to light. Land grants, census reports, church and cemetery records, wills, marriage licenses, Bible records, birth certificates, death and social security records have all been utilized, but many early records were destroyed by church or court house fires, or were never kept. In order to preserve a record of the descendants of Adam Shipley, a committee was appointed in 1937 to research material and publish the results. A Research Committee was established, and after much work, the book was published in 1938. Subsequent editions were published in 1968, 2002, and 2010. An substantial update is currently in progress, and is projected to be published in late 2023.

Programs over the years have varied from picnics, luncheons, dinners, a wine and cheese party, boat rides around the Baltimore harbor, visits to historical sites, celebrations at the placing of historical markers, recognition of individuals, memorial services. Tercentennial celebrations, and celebrations of other momentous occasions. No matter what the cause, the friendliness, goodwill, courtesy, and delight with being among relatives and kindred spirits has always prevailed, and this spirit of peace and goodwill has been noted and extolled by numerous speakers.

Efforts to achieve our goals have continued over a span of nearly a century. Dedication to tasks and diligence in research have accomplished much, but the enjoyment of association with relatives at the many and diversified gatherings has been the most obvious and outstanding achievement.