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2(iv). James Shirley, born about
1770, Virginia; d. Ohio. On October 24, 1806, in the year following
his father's death, James Shirley and his wife Susanna sold the
land inherited from him. The deed of sale is recorded in
Jefferson County, West Virginia, Deed Book 4, Page 26, and reads
in part: "...by these presents, the said James Shirley and
Susanna his wife have granted, bargained, and sold, and by these
presents doth grant, bargain, and sell unto the said Mangus Tate,
Jr., and his heirs One moiety or equal half part in quality and
quantity in a tract of land lying in the County of Jefferson,
which tract of land was on the eleventh day of April, one Thousand
Eight hundred and four devised by Walter Shirley now decd. to
the said James Shirley and Lawrence Shirley as tenants in common..."
The original acreage devised in his Father Walter's Will to he
and brother Lawrence was "about 90 acres." It
is believed that James and his son David, went to Ohio in 1819
probably in the company of Robert Shirley (son of James, son
of Walter Sr.) and his son James. James and David ended
up in Ross County, cousins James and Robert ended up in Defiance
and Paulding County, Ohio, in 1821. It seems that James Shirley
and his son David fell on difficult times not long after their
arrival in Ross County. The first reference to James' difficulties
include son David (David's earlier difficulties are describe
in his notes). In the September Court of 1823 a one John
McCoy filed suit against James and son David claiming that in
March, 1823, "Defendants David & James jointly and severally
promised to pay sixty days after the promissory note to the said
John McCoy on order one hundred and fifty two dollars, fifty
six cents, and one fourth of a cent." "And that
though often requested...not regarding their said promises"
they "contrivingly and fraudulently intending craftily and
subtly to deceive and defraud said plaintiff." McCoy
claimed $300.00 damages for their failure to pay. James and David's
attorney filed a statement claiming "that they did not assume
and undertake in any manner and form as the said plaintiff.."
charged in his complaint. Unfortunately, a note signed by David,
and "Xed" by James was produced. In this promissory
note the original $152.56 amount was reduced by $1.12 in return
for "1 skillet lid." Having apparently lost in court,
on September 10, 1925, son David and uncle Lawrence (his father's
brother) assumed an obligation to McCoy in the amount of $205.12.
It has been said by a descendant of James' cousin that James
and David were "fond of gaming," so perhaps the above
may have been a gambling debt. In any case, it is unknown
to this writer if anything of value other than one skillet lid
went to Mr. McCoy. Shirleys of Ross
Co Ohio
married Susanna Strodeman on May 12, 1794 in Berkeley
County, (West) Virginia. The marriage of James Shirley and
Susanna Strodeman is found at page 204 of "Marriage
Records of Berkeley County, Virginia. 1781 - 1854," compiled
by Guy L. Keesecker. James' name is there spelled as "James
Shiely."
Children of James Shirley and Susanna Strodeman are:
3(i). Hester Shirley, born about 1795, Frederick County,
Virginia. She married Pierce Taylor on August 03, 1815 in Ross
County, Ohio. He was born Abt. 1791 in Ohio County, Virginia,
and died May 13, 1879 in Casstown, Ohio.
3(ii). David Shirley, born. July 17, 1799, Frederick
County, Virginia; d. October 23, 1858, Antwerp, Paulding County,
Ohio. It appears that David Shirley managed to get into trouble
shortly upon his arrival in Ross County, Ohio. In the April
1820 term in the Ross Court of Common Pleas may be found the
following:
"The Grand Jurors of the state of Ohio, empaneled
and sworn to enquire of crimes and offences, committed within
the body of Ross County aforesaid, in the name and by the authority
of the state of Ohio aforesaid, upon their oath present, That
Andrew Mace, Ephriam Ougheltree, Jesse Mace, Abner Kerny, David
Shirley, Isaac Mace, William Dillon, late of the county of Ross
aforesaid, together with divers other evil disposed persons to
the number of seven and more (to the grand jurors yet unknown)
on the twenty fifth day of November in the year of our Lord one
thousand and nineteen with force and arms at Union township.
in the county of Ross aforesaid, and within the jurisdiction
of this court, did unlawfully, riotously and routously assemble
and gather together to disturb the public peace, and so being
then and there assembled and gathered together in and upon one
James Anderson in the public peace, then and there being unlawfully,
riotously and routously did make an assault, and him the said
Anderson then did beat, wound and ill treat, and other wrongs
to the said Anderson then and there unlawfully, riotously routously
did, to the great damage of the said Anderson contrary to the
statute in such case made and provided and against the peace
and dignity of the state of Ohio."
David and the others named above were ordered arrested on
July 16, 1820. They pled not guilty at their trial in August,
1820. In the course of their trial it was discovered that
a one David Anderson (probably a relative of the abused James)
was found to have sold whiskey without a licence (no doubt to
the accused rioters), which apparently was enough of an extenuating
circumstance for the Jury to find David and fellow defendants
not guilty. On September 29, 1823, David Shirley sued a one John
Hall for $66.12. As witnesses in his action he called "Nathan
Shirley [his 2nd cousin], James Shirley [his father], Ira Davenport,
Ozwell Thompson, Edward Gardner, Lawrence Shirley [his uncle]
and Benjamin Jones." David won his suit, but only
in the amount of $22.25 and the cost of the suit. David
assigned his judgement to father James. David is last found in
the 1850 Census of Defiance County, Ohio, as family No. 742.
His wife Mary (Clifton) and daughter Susan (who later married
Rufus Peck) reside with him. Living next to him (family
No. 741) are his son John J. Shirley and family. Burial: Antwerp,
Ohio Shirleys of Defiance Co Ohio
married Mary Clifton on July 29, 1824 in Union Township,
Ross County, Ohio23, daughter of John Clifton and _____ Chester.
She was born July 04, 1797 in Kent County, Delaware, and died
June 14, 1855 in Antwerp, Paulding County, Ohio. Burial: Antwerp,
Paulding County, Ohio
Children of David Shirley and Mary Clifton are:
4(i). John James Shirley born September 21, 1825, Defiance
County, Ohio; d. March 04, 1872, Antwerp, Paulding County, Ohio.
In "Paulding County Fair Centennial Book, 1872 - 1972,"
the following may be found under the heading of Antwerp: "For
a long period John J. Shirley was one of the merchants of the
place, and erected the first brick business room. The first
factory to be established was the Antwerp Stave Company, about
1860. It manufactured staves and heading."
The 1860 Census of Caryall Township of Paulding County, Ohio
(page 128, dwelling 516, family 498) show him residing with Lucinda,
daughters Mary E. and Levina, sons Franklin P. and John H. Shirley.
Also in the household were Frances Peck, age 11, a day laborer
named Henry Leighty, age 22, a Mark Miller, age 19, and Robert
Shirley, age 18 "att[ending] school". The Robert
Shirley living with the family is John's 3rd cousin (Robert was
the son of James and Elizabeth (Gilbert) Shirley, who was the
son Robert and Rachel (Gilbert) Shirley, who was the son of James
Shirley, who was the son of the Founder Walter Shirley, Sr.)
According to "A Century of Progress, Antwerp, Ohio, Souvenir
Edition 1841 - 1941," John J. Shirley was a signatory of
a December 30, 1863, petition to the County Commissioners of
Paulding County, Ohio, requesting that the village of Antwerp
be incorporated. John J. Shirley served as a Captain in Company
A, 132nd Regiment, of the Ohio Volunteer Infantry (National Guard).
He enrolled on May 2, 1864 and was mustered in at Camp Chase,
Ohio, on May 14, 1864, for a period of 100 days. When mustered
in he was said to be 38 years old; occupation merchant; had grey
eyes, light hair and complexion, and stood 5 feet 8 inches in
height. There appears in his Civil War Service file a letter
which reads as follows:
"Toledo, Ohio, August 8th, 1864 Hon. E.M. Stanton
Sec. of War - Hon.Sir - Doctor A. McDaniels and Mrs. J.J. Shirley
wife of Captain J.J. Shirely of Company A. 132 Regiment Ohio
National Guard unit writes Washington to obtain a pass to go
to Fortress Monroe to bring her husband home. The Capt. is sick
at Che__ake [?] Hospital Fort Monroe. I need not say that
they are loyal and entitled to the confidence of the Government.
I trust you will give them the pass they ask. - Respectfully
__ Ashley"
John was mustered out with the Company on September 10, 1864.
An advertisement in the "Paulding Co. Press" of April
23, 1868, reads: "New Grocery Store - John J. Shirley has
just open a New Grocery Store near his old stand at Antwerp,
Ohio...." The lengthy ad goes on to list a myriad
of products for sale. John J. Shirley's obituary notice appeared
on page 2 of the March 7, 1872, edition of the Antwerp Gazette
as follows: "J.J. Shirley. Died--At Antwerp, March 4, 1872,
after a prolonged illness, John J, Shirley, aged 46 years, 5
months and 13 days. The deceased has been a resident of
Antwerp about fifteen years, during which time he has been actively
engaged in business, and indeed for eight or ten years he has
done the leading business in Antwerp. At the time of his
death he owned a half of the Stave Factory of Shirley and Harris,
was also in the mercantile business. He has ever been liberal
in forwarding all matters of public interest in Antwerp, and
the people will feel his loss very severely. He was a generous,
active, enterprising business man, and we feel his place will
be hard to fill. His funeral, which took place under the auspices
of the Masons, at the B. _ Church on Wednesday afternoon at 3
o'clock, was probably the largest ever known in Antwerp.
Only a small portion of the crowd could get into the church.
The bereaved family have our deepest sympathy in their affliction."
The March 28th, 1872, edition of the Antwerp Gazette published
on page 2 a resolution of mourning adopted by the Antwerp Lodge
No. 335, F.&A.M., and the October 16, 1873, edition of the
paper carried an item on page 3 remarking on the stone
monument being erected at the cemetery in memory of John J. Shirley.
John J. Shirley did not leave a Will. As a result, the
disposition of his Estate fell to appointed Administrators Marshal
Wilson and Frederick Chapin, and the Probate Court. The
Court records show that John had considerable land and business
holdings. His personal assets were shown to be $26,537.34.
Unfortunately, at his death his personal assets were "...wholly
insufficient to pay his debts and charges of administering said
estate." Lucinda was assigned a Dower Right of $2,000.00.
It is believed that Lavina may well have ended up with more than
just her Dower, for in her Will she leaves her "Antwerp
property" and the rents and profits from the same to daughter
Lavina.
married Lucinda Catherine Pefley on January 20, 1848
in Defiance County, Ohio, daughter of Jacob Pefley and Mary Myers.
She was born August 16, 1828 in Virginia, and died November 20,
1893 in Toledo, Ohio. Lucinda Catherine Pefley was born in Viginia
(probably in Botetourt County) on August 16, 1828, to Jacob and
Mary (Myers) Pefley. Lucinda was 4 years old when she,
her parents and 2 brothers removed to Ohio. The January 20, 1848,
marriage of Lucinda Catherine Pefly to John J. Shirley is recorded
in the Defiance County, Ohio, Record of Marriages Vol. Small
1, page 21. Following the death of John, Lucinda married
2nd to the Rev. Charles Hoag (the brother of her son-in-law Myron
Chester Hoag). This marriage took place on October 14, 1873.
The October 23, 1873, edition of the Antwerp Gazette carried
the following item on page 2 concerning her marriage to Charles
Hoag: "Married On Tuesday, Oct. 14th. 1873, at Toledo, Ohio,
by Bro. S.S. Barter, Rev. Charles Hoag, of Central Ohio Conference,
to Mrs. Lucinda C. Shirley, of Antwerp, Ohio. Lucinda's
obituary appears in the November 23, 1893, edition of the Antwerp
Argus. It reads: "On Monday, Nov. 20, Mrs. Lucinda
C. Hoag died at her home in Toledo, O., aged 65 years, 3 months
and 6 days. Her remains were brought to Antwerp, Wednesday, and
funeral services were held in the M.E. church, Rev. John E. Wean,
officiating. Interment took place in the Antwerp Cemetery.
Mrs. Hoag was formerly a resident of Antwerp, being among the
early residents of the village. Her late husband, Mr. John
Shirley, who died some years ago, being one of the first business
men in the town, and many conspicuous marks of his enterprise
are yet seen in the village." The Lucas County, Ohio, Probate
Court held a hearing on December 30, 1893, in the matter of Lucinda's
Will (Adm. Docket No. 770, Vol.2, p. 770). In court Lucinda's
Will was produced, but her signature and those of the witnesses
to her signature "had been, by some person unknown, removed
by cutting the same from said paper-writing." The
witnesses were produced, and the Will accepted. Lucinda
bequeathed to daughter Lavina her "homestead consisting
of a house and barn in North Toledo, Ohio," together with
14 lots where the house and barn stood. Lavina also was to receive
the rents and profits from her property until such time as her
daughter Mary reached age 21. Her grand-Daughters L. Clark
was to receive $1,000.00 when aged 21. After Lavina's death,
grand-daughter Mary Hoag was to receive the property givin to
Lavina. Burial: Antwerp, Paulding County, Ohio
Children of John Shirley and Lucinda Pefley are:
5(i). Mary Emily Shirley, born 1849, Ohio.
5(ii). Lavinia Elizabeth Shirley, born November 10,
1851, Ohio; d. March 22, 1931, Albany, Alameda County, CA.
5(iii). Franklin P Shirley, born December 25, 1852,
Ohio; d. April 13, 1874, Antwerp, Paulding County, Ohio
5(iv). John H. Shirley born about 1859, Ohio; d. Abt.
1882, Toledo, Lucas County, Ohio.
4(ii). Susan Shirley born September 18, 1829, Defiance
County, Ohio; d. December 27, 1853, Antwerp, Paulding County,
Ohio. She married Rufus Peck on May 18, 1851 in Defiance County,
Ohio.
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Walter Shirley (cont.)