MISC INFORMATION FOR FERRERS SHIRLEY BRANCH

MISC INFORMATION FOR FERRERS SHIRLEY BRANCH #34

Info from Susan Cummins. If you have questions, you may email her at: shcummins@hotmail.com

Descendents of Ferrers Shirley:

Father of Phares Shirley is Ferrers Shirley, b. ABT 1735 in England, d. 1775

Mother of Phares Shirley is Elizabeth Soper (daughter of Benjamin Soper and Mary Marshall) b. ABT 1728 in Boston, MA, m. Ferrers 28 Mar 1761, d. 22 Mar 1783 in Boston, MA

When Elizabeth Soper Marshall married Ferrers Shirley she was widow Marshall; Ferrers was a widower with 3 children, William, John and Ann Shirley; Elizabeth and Ferrers married in a double wedding with Elizabeth’s sister in Boston, MA. Ferrers died in 1775; on 17 Aug 1776, Elizabeth married Henry Snow. Henry Snow was a cabinet maker and they lived near Concord, MA. Henry died 2 years later and Elizabeth married for the 4^th time to Luke Howell.

1. Phares Shirley ,b. 20 Jun 1765 in Boston MA, d. 20 May 1848, age 82 yrs, 11 mos., sp. Olive Chubbuck, b. 1764, m. 15 Feb 1789, d. 17 Sept 1860, 96 yrs. 3 mos., both buried in Glenwood Cemetery, Homer, NY.

Note:

Shirleys buried with Phares and Olive include: William and Mary Shirley (these are Ezekiel’s son & daughter-in-law); there is a Catherine M. Shirley (b. 1843, d. 1854), Sylvester Shirley (b. July 1846, d. Sept 1846, age 1 mos. 11 days), Fannie Shirley (b. 1863, d. 1865), and Edward G. Shirley (b. 1869, d. 1870);

2. John B. Shirley, b. 1789, d. Nov. 1844

2. Issac A Shirley, b. 1792, 1815, d. 21 Jan 1838

2. Ebenes[z]er F. Shirley, b. 11 Oct 1794, d. 14 Nov 1848 at 54 yrs, 1mo., 34 days,

sp. 1.) Sally K., b. 1794, m. 26 Oct 1820, d. 14 Feb 1844, 50 yrs., 6 mos., 3 days;

sp. 2.) Abigail Northrup, b.1815, d. 9 Oct 1882, age 67 yrs., 6 mos.

3. Clarissa (Clara) Ophelia Shirley, b. 2 (6) Aug 1847; d. 16 Oct 1935, sp. William Allen, m. 2 Oct 1873, d. 1894

4. Alfred Allen

4. Frederick Allen

4. Arthur (d. 1908)

4. Hugh S. Allen

5. Arthur P. Allen

5. Unknown

4. Minnie Allen (d.1914)

2. Cornelius D. Shirley, b. 7 April 1797 in NH, d. 11 July (June?) 1866 at age 69, sp. Sarah Beecher, b. 13 July 1799 in CT, m. 12 Dec 1821 in Broome County, NY, d. 17 April 1879 age 79, [Sarah is daughter of Justus (Isaac) Beecher and Asenath (Sarah) Hotchkiss of New Haven, CT

Oakwood Cemetery Records: Cornelius Shirley (1866), Dudley G. Shirley (1888), Mary A Shirley (1857) Sarah B. Shirley (1879) and Sarah P. Shirley (1850) are all buried in Lot 73, Sec 4.

3. Hattie Shirley, b. ABT 1846 in NY

2. Clarissa Shirley, b. 4 May 1802, d. Nov 1804

2. Ezekiel Shirley, b. Aug 1804 in NH, see below

2. David Atwood Shirley b. 8 Oct 1808, sp. Evaline Brant, m. 16 Feb 1830 in Hartland, Windsor County, VT, [daughter of John Brant and Sarah Smith]; by 1860 David, Eveline, Francis and Ferris are living in Perry, Wyoming County, NY;

3. Dudley Graves Shirley, b. ABT 1832 in NY, d. 1888, sp. Helen (Celia) M. Webb, b. ABT 1835 in NY, Dudley was Civil War Veteran, Co. D 122 Reg. of NY Vol.

4. Evaline Shirley, b. ABT 1855

4. Mary E. Shirley, b. ABT 1857

4. Frederich J. Shirley, b. ABT 1861

4. Alice L. Shirley, b. ABT 1863

4. Cornelius Shirley, b. ABT 1868

4. Wiley Shirley, b. ABT 1870

3. Phares Shirley, Civil War Veteran 24^th Ind. Battery, NY Light Artillery; died a prisoner in Andersonville Prison, NC

3. Francis Shirley, b. ABT 1837

3. Ferris Shirley, b. ABT 1840

2. Clarissa Shirley, b. 7 Sept 1811, d. 1886 in Woodhull, NY sp. Ichabod Leach, m. 22 Sept 1932

2. Ezekiel Shirley, b. Aug 1804 in NH, d. after 1880 in Michigan, sp. Susan Johnson, b. ABT 1811 in Washington County, NY, m. 30 Aug 1827 in Homer, NY, d. 21 Nov 1873, age 64, buried in Glenwood Cemetery, Homer, NY, they reportedly had 12 children,

3. Olive Shirley, b. ABT 1829

3. Sarah Shirley, b. ABT 1832, sp. John Cawes

4. Eddie Cawes, b. ABT 1853

4. Bird Cawes, b. ABT 1860, son

4. John Cawes, b. ABT 1863

3. William Aggit Shirley, b. 1 Apr 1836 in Perry, NY, d. 15 Dec 1904 in Homer, NY, sp. Mary A. Naylor of Tully, NY b. 1839, m. 25 Dec 1860, d. 1924;

4. Henry F. Shirley, b. ABT 1862

4. Child (possibly Fannie or Edward)

3. Henry F. Shirley, b. 12 Apr 1838, d. 13 Dec 1909 of pneumonia in Cortland, NY, sp. Kate (?), b. 11 Dec 1842, d. 10 Jan 1890, both buried in Cortland Rural Cemetery, Cortland, NY; Henry was Civil War Veteran, 12^th Infantry “Onondaga Regiment”, NY, Company D

4. Kittie Shirley, b. ABT 1866 in NY, d. 19 Aug 1899, sp. Bruce Bidwell, m. 21 Apr 1886;

4. C. Eugene Shirley, b. ABT 1871 in NY, d. ? , sp. Alice S. Lavelle, b. 1875, m. 14 Oct 1896, d. 1924

3. Catherine M. Shirley, b. 1843, d. 27 Jun 1854, age 11 yrs.,

3. Frances Shirley, b. ABT 1844

3. Ella S. Shirley, b. ABT1848

3. Hattie (Harriet R.) Shirley, b. ABT 1852

3. Child, (possibly Sylvester Shirley b. Aug 1846, d. 5 Sept 1846 at age 1 mo., 18 days)

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4/28/05 Today I am posting the following traditional story. I cannot verify every detail to be correct, but, it is a very old traditional story. I think you will find it interesting.... Thank you to Ward White for sharing this with us.

Benjamin Thompson Holbrook youngest son of Micah Holbrook was born in Smithfield, Rhode Island Aug. 18, 1786. Betsey Shirley daughter of John Shirley was born in Swansey, New Hampshire Feb. 16, 1786. They were married Mar. 17, 1805.

John Shirley was the grandson Gov. Wm. Shirley of Mass. Gov. Shirley was born in Sussex England in 1693; Settled in Boston in 1734; Was Gov. of Mass. From 1741 to 1745; Was Captain-in-Chief of the British forces during the French and Indian War; Was Governor of Bahama Islands; returned to Roxbury, Mass, where he died in 1771. Just here is a family trouble which has been remembered through the generations and which explains the indigence of some of his family.

The story goes that he became enamored of a beautiful French lady and forgetting family, friends, duty and principles fled with her to the Bahama Is., where he was made Gov. for a time. After the death of his wife, he returned with his beautiful young wife to his New England friends where he died. Gov. Shirley’s oldest son Ferrers, father of John Shirley was an officer in the French and Indian War with Washington under Braddock and fell in Braddock’s defeat at Ft. DuQuesne. He married an English lady and their son John was born on ship-board when they were returning to America. The mother died soon after and Ferrers Shirley fell in battle the same year 1755 as has been related.

John Shirley was entirely ignored by his grandfather Gov. Shirley, 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. 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.

PLEASE NOTE: WE HAVE NO EVIDENCE THAT GOV SHIRLEY HAD A SON FERRERS SHIRLEY. HE IS NOT LISTED IN THE GENEALOGY OF GOV SHIRLEY AND NO CONNECTION LINKING HIM TO GOV SHIRLEY HAS EVER BEEN FOUND. IF ANYONE HAS INFO TO SHED LIGHT ON THIS, PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE TO CONTACT US. THANK YOU! _________________________________________________________________________________________

Special recognition goes to Shirley Garvin who has been working on the New York Shirleys for us. I sent her what I had on N.Y. Shirleys, census records and etc. She has done a great job helping us. _________________________________________________________________________________________

From Editor:

There are 2 names in England that this Ferrers could be...???

Ferrers Shirley Nov 30, 1693 St. Micheals Parish, Rochester, Kent Co. England, born to Edward and Rachel Shirley

Ferrers Shirley July 17, 1696 Stow, Stafford Co. England, born to Robert and Anna Shirley