Daniel Sheffey (1770–1830), attorney and public official, was born in Fredericktown (later Frederick), Maryland, and trained under his father as a shoemaker. Sheffey practiced this trade first in Winchester and then in Wythe County. In the latter place he studied law under Alexander Smyth and began his own practice as an attorney. Sheffey became a prominent local Freemason, represented Wythe County in the Virginia House of Delegates, 1800–04 and 1808–09, was a member of the Senate of Virginia, 1804–08, and served in the United States House of Representatives, 1809–17, where he was among the most prominent and outspoken Virginia Federalists. As a congressman, Sheffey opposed the War of 1812 and supported rechartering the Bank of the United States. He relocated to Staunton around 1817, and he was likely the author, in his role as legal counsel, of the Answer of the President and Directors of the Rivanna Company to TJ’s Bill of Complaint, 7 Apr. 1818. Sheffey returned to the House of Delegates, 1822–23, this time representing Augusta County. He owned ten slaves in 1810 and eight in 1830. Sheffey died suddenly at McClung’s Tavern in Bath County while on his way home from court (Harry K. Smith, “Daniel Sheffey,” John P. Branch Historical Papers of Randolph-Macon College 4 [1916]: 364–71; DNA: RG 29, CS, Wythe Co., 1810, Staunton, 1820, 1830; Leonard, General Assembly description begins Cynthia Miller Leonard, comp., The General Assembly of Virginia, July 30, 1619–January 11, 1978: A Bicentennial Register of Members, 1978 description ends ; Noble E. Cunningham Jr., ed., Circular Letters of Congressmen to Their Constituents, 1789–1829 [1978], 2:769–76, 816–28; Augusta Co. Will Book, 19:459–64; Staunton City Will Book, 1:252–7, 257–9, 2:2–3; Lynchburg Virginian, 13, 16 Dec. 1830; Lexington Intelligencer, 18 Dec. 1830; Southern Literary Messenger 4 [1838]: 346–7; gravestone inscription in Trinity Episcopal Churchyard, Staunton).