The history of the Capshaw family is so intertwined with the history of America that it is impossible to research one without researching the other. Francis Capshaw came to the colonies shortly after the pilgrims. As America grew and spread westward so did the Capshaw family. When new land was opened up, the Capshaws were always on the forefront, sometimes for the free land and sometimes for the adventure. Whatever the reason, it's clear from the records that we have, that the Capshaw Family helped settle America.

Between 1783 and 1848 the boundaries of the United States increased tremendously due to westward expansion. Small towns began to form and some grew into large cities. As areas became more populated, territories were made into states. Eventually, the political boundaries of the United States grew from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean.

 The three main groups of Americans who settled the frontier were, first the hunters and fur trappers, then came the pioneer farmers, and lastly the permanent settlers. As each successive group of settlers moved further west, what was considered the frontier got pushed further west. Reasons for moving west were land, natural resources such as timber and gold, religious freedom and economic considerations. Horace Greely, a New York newspaper editor became famous for his advice to "go west young man".  Like many settlers during that time the Capshaw family moved westward as treaties were made with the Indians to gain new land and new laws, such as the Homestead Act, were enacted by the government to settle those lands.

The last record we have found for James Capshaw, son of Francis, in Rutherford County NC was in 1882. Some records suggest that he left NC for Virginia and Tennessee.
"1793 Captain Nathaniel Evans, from Boyd's Creek, took a large detachment of troops for the protection of Cumberland. 180 mounted men rendezvoused at Knoxville. George Tedford, James Capshaw, and Samuel Martin acted as spies through the wilderness."1
1806 James Capshaw is mentioned on a Berkeley County, Virginia indenture between William Burns Sen. and Henry Whiteneck.
1821- James Capshaw is listed on a land grant for army service in White County, Arkansas.
1824- James Capshaw listed on Pulaski County, Arkansas land sale for taxes list.
We aren't sure that the latter two are the same James Capshaw but for now we are lumping them together.

1799 Thomas Capshaw was enumerated in Lee County, Virginia. He had two horses.
1802 Thomas Capshaw is on a Roane County, Tennessee tax list.
1805 Thomas Capshaw is on a Roane County, Tennessee tax list.
1812-1816 Thomas Capshaw is listed as member of the Forks of the Little Pigeon Baptist Church in Sevierville, Tennessee
1816 Thomas Capshaw was dismissed from the church.
1820 Thomas Capshaw is on the Hickman County, Tennessee census.
1822 Thomas Capshaw married Catherine Sensabaugh, widow of John Sensabaugh in Knox County, Tennessee.
Who is this Thomas? There were several marriages that took place in the northeastern part of Tennessee in the early 1800's.
Jane Capshaw married Isaac Doyal in 1813 in Knox County
Nancy Capshaw married Frederick Cupp in 1815 In Blount County
Peggy Capshaw married Adam Cupp in 1815 in Blount County
Lucinda Capshaw married Moses Hughs in 1825 in Greene County
Records show that James Capshaw, son of Francis II had been in the Knox County in the late 1700's. That suggests the possibility that these children might have been descendents of this James Capshaw.

1790- Essex is listed on the census for Spartanburg SC. Spartanburg was at one time part of Tryon County, N.C.
1800- Essex is on the "Second Census" of Kentucky.
1810- Essex is in Livingstone County, Kentucky.
1821- Essex was listed on tax roll in Independence County Arkansas
1831- Essex is listed on the Lawrence County Arkansas tax list.
On the 1790 census Essex is enumerated with 3 males. We believe these were William, Alexander and Essex, the 3 sons of Essex.
1799 Alexander Capshaw is listed on the Christian County, Kentucky tax list.
1800 William Capshaw is listed on the "Second Census" of Kentucky.
1804 Essex II- Adams County Mississippi
1804 Essex II- New Orleans Louisiana court minutes index
1804 Essex II- New Orleans court minutes.
1807-1829?- Essex II Orleans Territory

After the Revolutionary War, North Carolina began to dispose of land that had been owned by the King and wealthy land owners such as the Earl of Granville. A settler was authorized to claim up to 640 acres and an additional 100 acres for a wife and for each additional minor child. The fees for this granted land were two pounds and ten shillings per hundred acres. He could also purchase lands in excess of the authorized allotment for 5 pound per 100 acres or approximately ten cents per acre. Great numbers of speculators rushed to purchase land in North Carolina.

Tench Coxe was one of those. He purchased almost a half million acres in North Carolina with plans to sell it at inflated prices and use that money to buy more. He imagined building a model city in Rutherford County, a land of milk and honey. Due to a series of setbacks he was unable to pay the debt and faced bankruptcy and prison. Through the intervention of his family he was able to avoid prison but lawsuits relating to contested land, recovery of money and non payment followed him for years. After his father refused any further financial help, the land was placed in a trust. This trusteeship kept him from bankruptcy and allowed him to retain the North Carolina land for nearly twenty years. 2

James, Josiah, William Washington, and David are listed on deeds and surveys of the lands that Tench Coxe purchased and then sold. These records help us to determine where they were in the early 1800's. David and Josiah served as chain bearers during the surveying of part of this land.

1802 William Washington Capshaw 40 acres on the forks of White Oak Creek. David and Josiah Capshaw served as chain bearers.

1802 James Capshaw, 200 acres on the Turkey Cock Branch.
1802 James Capshaw survey

David Capshaw married Ruth Luallen in 1800 in Rutherford County N.C. By 1810 he had moved out of North Carolina and into Indian territory.
1810-David Capshaw signed the Intruders Petition
1815 David was on the Madison County, Alabama tax list
1816 Madison County, Alabama Territory Resident's list
1816 Mississippi Territory census
1830 David Capshaw enumerated in Alabama

William Washington Capshaw married Mary McKinney in 1813 in Madison County, Alabama. He was listed on the 1816 Monroe County Alabama Territory Resident's list.
1830 Yazoo, Mississippi census
1850 Yazoo County Mississippi census

Daniel Capshaw was possibly enumerated with William, his father, in 1810. We have no record of him in 1820 Preston Capshaw stated that William, Daniel's father, traveled through Alabama with his daughter Elinor and her husband William Rhodes on their way to Mississippi. It's possible that Daniel and his family traveled with them as far as Alabama and settled there.
1830- Daniel Capshaw was in Pickens County, Alabama.
1835- Daniel Capshaw listed on land record in Pickens County, Alabama
1837- Daniel Capshaw listed on land document in Pickens County, Alabama.
1839- Daniel Capshaw listed on land documents in Pickens County, Alabama.
In the 1840's several of his children married in Carroll County, Mississippi and in 1850 his widow and children were settled in Ouachita County, Arkansas.
Note that none of these documents list Daniel as Daniel C. Capshaw even though that is how he is commonly known. The capital C in Capshaw on the 1830 census record could be misread as a middle initial. Although he had a son named Daniel C. Capshaw we have no proof that his middle initial was C.

By 1820 the last of the Capshaw family had moved out of Rutherford County.

1820 James in Warren County Tennessee
1830 James in Warren County Tennessee
1850 James had obviously died and his widow was enumerated in Warren County with William Pickney

1820 Josiah is enumerated in Warren County Tennessee
1821- 1822 Josiah served as prosecutor in White County Tennessee
1830 Josiah in Warren County Tennessee
1840 Josiah in Dekalb County Tennessee
1850 Josiah is listed as Joseph, an Anglicized form of Josiah, in Dekalb County Tennessee

Although Josiah was enumerated in Warren County in 1820 and 1830 and then in Dekalb County in 1840, he apparently did not move but the county line moved with the formation of Dekalb County. This animated Tennessee county formation map helps us to see that, even though some appeared to move from one county to another, that was not always the case.

1. The Annals of Tennessee to the End of The Eighteenth Century by James Ramsey
2. University of North Carolina at Asheville D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections/University Archives