Reuben Shipley

Reuben Shipley was one of the first Black settlers in the Oregon Territory.

Early life Reuben Shipley was born in Kentucky between 1800 and 1807. He was enslaved to Robert Shipley. At some point Robert Shipley moved to Missouri and Reuben was brought along; at the time, he was valued at $1,500. After helping Robert Shipley move and build his home, Reuben was manumitted. ). After marrying, Mary's enslaver demanded payment for her freedom, or he would not let her leave the property. Although two locals, Reverend T.J. Connor and Eldridge Hartless, advised against it, Reuben paid the "ransom" the same day, which was between $400-$800. This was not the case according to the book Breaking Chains: Slavery on Trial in the Oregon Territory. As many enslaved people at the time did, it is believed that Reuben Shipley had used the name of his most recent enslaver, but Shipley had previously been enslaved by a person by the name of Ficklin.

Reuben Shipley's son Edward would take up the last name Ficklin himself despite the majority of the family having gone by the surname Shipley. There is no documentation to verify why or when Shipley's son Edward began using the last name Ficklin.