Rachel E. Shipley

Rachel E. Shipley was born August 1862, in Van Buren County, Arkansas, the daughter of Christopher C. Shipley and Sarah McClure.

The 1870 Van Buren County census, Cadron Township, shows Rachel, age 4, with her parents and siblings Mary Ann, 3; and Jesse M., 1 year old.

The 1880 Van Buren County census, Cadron Township, shows Rachel, 19, living at home with her parents and siblings, Margaret, 18; Jesse M., 11; and Eugenia A., 2 years old.

Rachel married Jessie King on January 3, 1881, in Van Buren County. The marriage is recorded in Van Buren County Marriage Book 3, page 64.

Either the marriage ended in divorce or Jessie King died prior to about 1885. At some point during that time the Shipley family moved to Texas. Rachel moved to Texas with her family.

Rachel married Henry Helbert about 1885.  Henry Helbert was born April 1847, in Texas, according to census.

The 1900 Bell County, Texas census, Precinct #4, shows Henry Helbert, born April 1847, 53, married 15 years, born in Texas, a farmer who owned his farm; Rachel, wife, born August 1862, 37, married 15 years, had given birth to 5 children, all 5 still living; William H., son, born August 1873, 26, a farm laborer; Ernest C., son, born July 1877, 22, a farm laborer; James C., son, born May 1879, 21, a farm laborer; Myrtle H., daughter, born September 1886, 13; Peter Co, son, born February 1889, 11; Walter L., son, born February 1890, 10; Jesse P., son, born December 1892, 7; Bertie, daughter, born January 1897, 3; Christopher Shipley, father-in-law, born December 1835, 64, widowed; and Jennie Shipley, sister-in-law, born July 1877, 22 years old. The three oldest children, William, Ernest and James, are Henry's sons from a prior marriage. They were all three born in Arkansas according to the census. The five children born to Henry and Rachel were born in Texas.

Henry Helbert died between 1900 and 1910. The 1910 Bell County, Texas census, Precinct 4, District 10 shows Rachel, 48, widowed, had given birth to 6 children, 5 children were still living. With her on the census were her children, Myrtle, 22; Jessie, 17 and Birtie, 13. Living with them was her father Christopher C. Shipley, 72. Boarding with the family was Albert Glover, 22, a farm laborer, born in Arkansas.

The 1920 Bell County, Texas census, shows the familly in Joe Lee Precinct of Precinct 4. The census shows Rachel E., 57, widowed; Jesse P., son, 26 and Daisy E., daughter, 15.

We believe Rachel died between 1920 and 1920, probably in Bell County, Texas

Children of Henry Helbert and Rachel Shipley