"John
Shirley was entirely ignored by his grandfather Gov. Shirley
[ed: this lineage is false], and at a suitable age was bound
out to a shoemaker in Boston named Frazier. He lived with this
family until he entered the army. Toward the close of his term
of service Daniel Frazier son of his employer was drafted in
the Revolutionary War and John Shirley went in his place. He
served some time in the field; was captured by the British; was
sick of yellow fever in the hospital prison. He refused to take
the medicine administered, as he saw that every one that tasted
it died, and bribed his nurse to cook a rat he had seen killed
shortly before and feed him the broth. He began to recover slowly
from this time and when able to be about the house he surprised
and pleased all whom he met by his inexhaustible fund of social
attainments. At last he escaped by stratagem. He feigned considerable
skill as a pugilist – and several times demonstrated his
skill to the great amusement of friends and foes. He finally
proposed to the commander-in-charge that he should fight for
his liberty against any person they should select. This pleased
the garrison and a large burly Negro was selected, who was a
terror to all. If he could vanquish him he was told he might
return to his regiment. A day was appointed for the combat and
just before the hour arrived one of his newly made friends took
him aside and told him the secret of the negro’s success
was in crushing his adversary with his head in a certain headlong
rush which would dash him backward against the stonewall of the
prison and kill him instantly. The combatants took their places.
The signal was given. After a few cuffs and blows were exchanged,
the Negro quickly backed off and started forward at a tremendous
force, with his head down. Shirley was prepared for this and
when the Negro was almost upon him, he quickly stepped aside
and the Negro was thrown by his own tremendous force against
the ragged stone wall and fell back dead. John Shirley was given
his liberty. He returned to his regiment and served until the
close of the war. After he returned from the war, he determined
to educate himself. At his father’s death, he had been left
in charge of his grandfather with property which belonged to
him but the Gov. needing the money fled with and seemed entirely
forget this boy to whom it belonged [Ed: this lineage is not
true]. So now the young man stood alone in the world without
money and without friends; ready to begin life for himself. He
first mastered the elements of primary education supporting himself
meanwhile by shoemaking. He persevered in this undertaking and
became a fine scholar and an excellent musician. He married Submit
Bogle about 1780." (source: an old family account)
1760 May 10 Almshouse. Children
bound out: John Shirley bound to John Fraser. He was freed Jan
1 1776. - 18th C Records of the Boston Overseers of the Poor
(note: the record further says Fraser was a Cordwainer of Eastham,
Barnstable)
Jan 1 1776
John Shirley freed from his indenture to John Fraser - 18th C
Records of the Boston Overseers of the Poor
---------------------------------------
While residing
at Sudbury MA, John Shirley was a Minute-Man in the fall of 1774
in Captain John Nixon's Company and on April 19, 1775 marched
on the alarm and served in Captain John Nixon and Captain David
Moore's Companies. He was in the battle of Concord and served
until May 1775 when he enlisted in Captain Edward Craft's Company
and was in the battle of Bunker Hill. He served until March 1776.
January 1, 1777 he went on board the sloop "Elizabeth",
Captain Uriah Atkins, and in March was captured by the British
and put on the British ship "Phoenix" afterwards transferred
to the prison ship "Withy" in New York Harbor and there
were 370 people detained on this ship. Several weeks later he
with 70 other prisoners was taken off and placed on the British
Frigate "Flora", then to the prison whip in Newport
Harbor. He was held until Aug 1777 when a cartel arrived and
he was exchanged.
John Shirley returned to Sudbury MA where he remained until 1795
when he moved to Fitzwilliam New Hampshire.
----------------------------------
JOHN SHIRLEY, a soldier of
the Revolution, was born on board ship coming from England and
was brought up in Boston. He came to Fitzwilliam about 1780,
Settling in the village, and married Submit Bogle of Sudbury,
Mass. He reared a family of nine children, and died at the age
of ninety-three, in the house where his grandson, William H.
now lives. His son Henry, was born in the town, held the office
of selectman several years, and died at the same place his father
did, at the age of seventy-two. William H., son of Henry, was
born in the house where he now lives, road 46, and is first selectman
of the town. - HISTORY OF FITZWILLIAM, CHESHIRE COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE
------------------------------------
married Submit Mary Bogle on 19 May 1780 at Sudbury MA. She was
born 15 February 1761 She died 23 November 1833 at Fitzwilliam
New Hampshire (parents were Roand and Eliz. Bogle); She died
20 July 1833 and is buried at Fitzwilliam Village Cemeter, Cheshire
Co NH
Children of John Shirley
and Submit Bogle
3(i). Hannah Shirley born 13 July 1781 Watertown, Sudbury
MA; She died 20 May 1823 m. Mr. Matthews of Stoneboro, MA
3(ii). William Shirley born 22 March 1783 MA Watertown, MA;
He died 2 October 1809 Fitzwilliam, NH, age about 26.
married Rebecca Moore on 10 February 1806 in Sudbury MA; She
was the daughter of John Moore and Anna Maynard. Rebecca was
born 28 Apr 1780 in Sudbury and died 24 Apr 1867 in Meadville,
Crawford Co., PA and buried at Greenville Cemetery (2014:
thanks to David for info about this family)
children:
4(i). Eliza Shirley born 27 October 1806 in Sudbury MA; She
married Willard Cutter on 30 July 1830 and moved to Meadville
Crawford Co PA. She died 27 June 1876
3(iii). Elizabeth "Betsy"
Shirley born 16 February
1786 Watertown, MA; She died 8 December 1869 Harmony New York,
She married Benjamin Thompson Holbrook Mar 5, 1806 (descendants
lived Chautauqua Co. NY) (ancestor of Ruth Hedden)
3(iv). Nancy Shirley born 29 May 1788 MA; She died 20 September
1874, She married Wm. Shove/Shore of Boston MA in 1806. They
has a daughter Georgiana who married Mr. Dudley of Winchendon,
MA
3(v). Mary B. Shirley born 30 November 1790 MA d. Dec 28,
1836 m. Peter Brigham of Roxbury, MA Oct 26, 1808 Boston
MA
3(vi). Sophia "Selma"
Shirley born 31 October
1793; She died 15 November 1829 Boston MA, She married Ebenezer
Fobes
3(vii). Henry Shirley born 22 March 1796; He died 21 April
1869 Fitzwilliam NH; Buried Fitzwilliam Village Cemetery, Cheshire
Co NH
married
Betsey Bent on 20
February 1823
children:
4(i). Mary Submit Shirley born 20 August 1824 Fitzwilliam NH;
She died in Manchester, Vt., on 19 September 1876; She married
first, George Bissell, who d. Dec. 28, 1852, age 36; She married
second, Levi Phillips (1814-1865).
4(ii). John Warren Shirley born 2 December 1825 Fitzwilliam NH;
He was a trunk maker; Age 35 in 1860 Cheshire NH census Enumerated
at Worcester, Worcester Co MA in 1880 census, age 52. He died
25 December 1899 in Worcester Co MA at age 74.
married Ellen Maria Allen
on 3 November 1850, dau. of John J. Allen;
children:
5(i). George E. Shirley born about 1858, age 2 in 1860 census;
He died 11 June 1870 at Worcester MA, age 15, son of John
W and Ellen M Shirley (Death record)
4(iii). William Henry Shirley
born 1 October 1827 at
Fitzwilliam NH lived on the old homestead at Fitzwilliam NH.
He died in Winchendon, Mass., 3 February 1892; Buried in the
Fitzwilliam Village Cemetery, Cheshire Co NH
married Caroline C. Williams on 15 December 1853 of Keeseville, N.
Y. at Rockingham Vermont. She lived with son Harry Shirley in
Salem North Carolina in 1900 census, no doubt to help take care
of his infant child. She was 63 years old at the time. Age 82
in 1920 census, living with son Harry Shirley
children:
5(i). Florence F. Shirley born about 1855; She died 1856.
5(ii). Flora A. Shirley born 31 January 1858; She died 12 March
1876 at Fitzwilliam, Cheshire Co NH, age 18
5(iii). Harry A. Shirley born 15 September 1865; moved immediately
after marriage to Salem, N. C.. Enumerated in the 1900 census
for Salem Forsyth Co NC. He was widowed. Age 44 in 1910 Forsyth
Co NC census. He was a music professor at "Saloon Academy".
Age 54 in 1920 Forsyth Co NC census
married Anna Robinson of Worcestery NY on 30 July 1896; She
was born 3 February 1863 and died 14 November 1899. Buried at
Salem Moravian God's Acre Cemetery/
children:
6(i). William R Shirley born about 1898 in Salem Forsyth Co NC,
age 2 in 1900 census, age 12 in 1910, age 22 in 1920 census household
of his father.
6(ii). Caroline Shirley born 14 April 1899. She died 28 April
1899 infant. Buried Salem Moravian God's Acre Cemetery
6(iii). Lucy Shirley born 14 April 899. She died 10 August
1899 infant. Buried Salem Moravian God's Acre Cemetery
4(iv). Betsey Ann Shirley born 11 October 1829 Fitzwilliam NH.
She married J.M. Gregory
4(v). Nancy Shirley born about 1832 NH d. 1837 died young
4(vi). Catherine Shirley born about 1835 NH d. 1837 died
young
4(vii). Sarah J. Shirley born about 1837 NH d. 1837 died
young
3(viii). Benjamin Franklin
Shirley born 18 August
1798 said to have run away.
3(ix). Warren Shirley born 14 August 1801 Fitzwilliam NH,
said to have died on his way to California.
Email from Richard, a historian,
in January 2020 - On April 25, 1849, William Z. Walker was traveling
overland while en route to California. That day he was in or
near Independence, Missouri and wrote in his diary "Shirley
taken with the Cholera." On April 26 he noted "Mr.
Shirley died in the afternoon at 4 oclk. appointed a committee
to look after his effects." April 27– "Went to
Kansas [City] & attended the funeral of Mr. Shirley."
The May 1, 1910 issue of the
Boston Sunday Globe, p. 76, c. 1-5 has an autobiography of Brigadier
General Nathan A. M. Dudley. In 1849, he also was en route overland
to California and was in the Independence/Kansas City, Missouri
area and wrote that "Shirley is dead. Cholera had taken
him... conduct his funeral... coffin of rough black walnut...
bier for carrying the body to the grave... pallbearers... deep
grave... chaplain reading the 25th chapter of Corinthians..."
On May 21, 1849, the Boston
Courier published an article by Robert C. Nichols which states
that "Warren Shirley of Boston died on the 26th, after 15
hours illness."
One other 1849 newspaper account
from Louisiana agrees with the forgoing facts.
From the above material and
information from numerous other sources about deaths in that
area in 1849, Shirley probably died near what is now Westport,
Missouri (presently located in Kansas City, Missouri). Walker's
words "Went to Kansas [City] & attended the funeral"
are not clear if he went to Kansas City and *also* went to the
funeral or the funeral was *in* KC.
Ferrers Shirley (cont)