Upshur, John Custis, 1792-1818

Dr. John Custis Upshur was born in 1792 at Vaucluse in Northampton County, Virginia to Littleton Upshur, Sr. and Ann “Nancy” Parker. During the War of 1812, he served as Private in the 27th Regiment of Virginia Militia under the leadership of Capt. Littleton Upshur, his brother. He was a cousin of Elizabeth Upshur Teackle, Ann Upshur Eyre, and Arthur Upshur. He married Lucy Parker April 8, 1818, and she died just three weeks later. Overcome with grief, he shot himself on May 15, 1818 and died. He had been attached to her since he was 13. He's buried at the Parker Plot in Pungoteague, Accomack County.

Mentioned in these documents

[Letter from Andrew D. Campbell to Elizabeth Upshur Teackle, c. 1819]

Letter from Andrew D. Campbell to Elizabeth Upshur Teackle, written during a journey from Scotland to Jamaica. In this letter, Campbell writes about his wife's family and recent financial troubles. He also confesses a long-held secret - he has four illegitimate sons, Thomas Hamilton, John Hamilton, James Hamilton Campbell, and Andrew Donaldson Campbell, all born in the Eden region of Cumbria.