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Buch_Shays-LivingstonCoNy_117-4_NYGene-Bio-Coc_566-588

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New York Genealogical & Biographical Society
36 West 44th Street, Suite 711
New York, NY 10036-8105
+1(212)755-8532

SHAYS OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY, NEW YORK
BY MARY ANN NICHOLSON

The Boston Evening Transcript of 26 October 1927 carried a genealogical query
concerning the relationship of Captain Daniel Shays of Rebellion fame to Peter,
Nathaniel, John of Ossian, Betsey Shay and Phebe Carnes, all of Livingston
County. The query was never answered. It seems appropriate that it should
be answered in this bi-centennial year of the Shays’ Rebellion.

Because there were two Revolutionary War veterans named Shay and Shays living in Livingston County at the same time, later historians and genealogists have confused them; attributing the children of Peter to the better known
Daniel.
DANIEL SHAYS was born in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, in 1747. He and Abigail Gilbert declared intentions of marriage on 18 July 1772 (Vital Records of Brookfield, Massachusetts, to the Year Ending 1849 [Worcester, 1909], 316, 406).
Applying for his pension on 19 April 1818, Daniel Shays deposed that he enlisted on “19 April 1775 as ensign in the company of Captain Reuben Dickinson in Colonel Benjamin Ruggles Woodbridge’s Regiment in the Massachusetts Line for eight months, and in 1776 was promoted to Lieutenant in Colonel Varnum’s Regiment, and that in 1777 was promoted to Captain in Colonel Rufus Putnam’s Regiment and honorably discharged after continued terms of service on 14 October 1780.” He declared he was “at battles at Bunker Hill and was at the taking of General Burgoyne, assisted in storming of Stoney Point under General Wayne, served under the Marquis de la Fayette and in
many battles. . . .” He also received a severe wound (National Archives Microfilm 804-2164:Pension #595 [hereafter N.A.M.]).
In late 1786 and early 1787 Captain Daniel Shays of Pelham, Massachusetts, was the leader of the western Massachusetts farmers’ unsuccessful insurrection against oppressive economic conditions and legislation. This insurrection became known as Shays’ Rebellion. After a full pardon was granted by the Massachusetts Legislature, he settled in New York State. For the last ten years of his life, Captain Daniel Shays resided in Sparta, Livingston County, New York. It was here he married his second wife, Rhoda (Coller) Havens, on 1 April 1815; died, and was buried in September 1825 (N. A. M., 804-2 164:#595, frames 0163-0228).
It should be noted that no legal document shows him with a middle name of Ogden and he signed his name: Daniel Shays.
On 25 March 1853 widow Rhoda Shays of Springwater, applied for her widow’s pension, signing with her mark (ibid., Pension #1945).
Children of Daniel and Abigail (Gilbert) Shays, order of birth uncertain:
i. Daniel, b. 31 January 1773, in Shutesbury, Massachusetts; d . April 1823, Preston
Hollow; m. c. 1795 Ruth Patterson; issue.
1986]
201 Shays of Livingston County, New York
ii. Lucy, b.c. 1775, Mass.; d. 20 July 1853, Mich.; m.(l) 13 Oct. 1795 Bezaleel Whitney; issue; m (2) 12 October 1835 John Hodge (N.A.M. 432-350:261).
iii. Hannah, m.(l) Feb. 1793 Seth Foster, d. Cayuga Co., N.Y.: issue.
iv. Susan “Suky,” m.(l) William Woodworth; issue; m.(2) Jonathan Weston; issue.
v. Gilbert, b. 7 July 1780, Mass.; d . 11 July 1854, Otsego Co., N.Y.; m.c. 1802 Elizabeth Humphrey; issue (N.A.M. 432-579:92).
vi. Polly, b. 1783, Mass.; m.(l) William Tracy; issue; m.(2) Carlton Legg; issue

PETER SHAY of Ossian, Allegany County [now Livingston] on 30 October 1832 made application for his Revolutionary War pension. Peter Shay’s long statement concerning his terms of service and the kind of duty the foot soldier
was assigned, presents an interesting picture of life as a private in the Revolutionary Army. Peter Shay gave his age as seventy-five years on the seventeenth day of October. He declared before the Judge of Common Pleas Court of Allegany County that he had entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated.
(N.A.M. 432-618:190).
“During the War of the Revolution he was an indented [sic] servant of Richard Porter Esquire of Readingtown, Huntingden [Hunterdon] County and State of New Jersey; drafts were made upon that part of the State for militia men to serve for alternate months, and he served not only for himself, but for the said Richard Porter and his sons; he was first drafted in the month of April 1776 and served one month on his own account in a company of militia commanded by Capt. Stillwell, in the regiment of Col. Freelinghuysen [Frelinghuysen], the names of the other officers he cannot recollect; they marched to the lines and were stationed at Elizabethtown Point. He next served as a substitute for Richard Porter for one month commencing about the first of June following in a company under the command of Capt. Skomp in the same regiment. They were marched to Elizabethtown Point, and were employed between that place and Amboy during the month. He next served as a substitute for James Porter for one month commencing about the first of August following, under Capt. John Taylor; they were placed under the command of Gen. Mercer; they had no battles. He next served on his own account for two months commencing about the first of October following, in the company of Capt. Stillwell; they marched to Amboy. During this term arrangements were made by Gen. Mercer, who commanded the “Flying Camp” for crossing over to Staten Island, to surprize and cut off a detached post of the British near the Blazing Star; the project failed in consequence of a storm. He continued immediately on as a substitute for Richard Porter for one month, under the command of Major Pettit; their battalion was sent up the Delaware to Easton and secured and brought down all the boats to Sherrad’s Ferry, for our army to cross over to Pennsylvania. He next served on his own account for one month commencing in January 1777, a few days after the battle of Princeton, under Capt. Berry; their employment, as well as that of numerous other companies of militia, was scouring the country around New Brunswick, on the Raritan and Amboy, and arresting stragglers and suspicious persons. He next served two months, the first on his own account, the second as substitute for Richard Porter, commencing near the first of March following, under Lieut. Vandeventer; their business was watching the tories; at one time they took fifty or sixty of them on their way to join the British. He next served one month commencing some time in May as a substitute for James Porter under Capt. Force; they were employed between Elizabethtown and Amboy. He next served on his own account for one month commencing in July under Capt. Stillwell; they were em-NYG&B Online Collections. This material is for personal use only and may be subject to copyright laws and restrictions 202 Shays of Livingston County, New York [October ployed at and around Elizabethtown. He next served for one month commencing in September as a substitute for John Porter, under Capt. Keerhart [Carhart], at and about Elizabethtown; they constantly kept up patrolling parties. H e next served as a substitute for James Porter, one month commencing near the first of November, under Capt. Ollegar; they were employed between Elizabethtown and the Point; their charge was to protect the inhabitants from being plundered by the tories. He next served as a substitute for James Porter for one month commencing the early part of March under Capt. Keerhart; they were stationed in the house of one Widow Mills in Elizabethtown; their duty was the same as during the two preceding terms. He next served as a substitute for John Porter one month commencing in May, under Capt. Peter Perine; they were stationed in Elizabethtown Church to prevent its being burnt by the tories. He next served on his own account for one month commencing in June, under Capt. Stillwell; he was at the battle of Monmouth which was fought on June 28th; Gen. Washington commanded all the forces; Gen. Maxwell had command of the continental troops and Maj. Gen. Dickinson of the Jersey militia. As soon as he arrived at the age of twenty one years, he removed from Richard Porter’s to Roxbury, Morris County in this same state; he served on his own account one month commencing in May 1779, under Capt. Abraham Vantile; they were stationed at Fort Carvers.
He next served on his own account one month commencing in July under Capt. Hull, at a place called Bergen near Passaic Falls; their duty was guarding military stores. He next served on his own account one month commencing in October 1780, under Capt. Hull; they were stationed at Elizabethtown and did camp duty. About the first of June 1781, he enlisted as a volunteer for six months under Capt. Bunnell of Sussex County to serve on the frontiers; they were stationed at Capt. James Chambers, near the Pennsylvania line; he frequently crossed the Delaware into Pennsylvania with scouting parties; he was discharged in the latter part of November. I n the summer of 1782, he served for a short term (he cannot recollect how long) under Capt. Hull, and was in the battle of Springfield. The foregoing, which he believes to be correct, is all that his recollection can supply of his military services, as his memory of late years almost entirely deserted him. He never had a discharge or other documentary evidence of his services and the only proof which he can procure is the affidavit of Catharine Faulkner and William Perine. Samuel Chapin, Richard W . Porter, Joel J. Knapp and Jacob Clendenin are persons to whom he is known in his present neighborhood, who can testify to his character for veracity, and their belief of his services as a soldier of the Revolution. He was born October 1 7 , 1757 at Second River, Bergen County, New Jersey. There was a record of his age in his mother’s bible; he does not know where it now is.” ( N . A . M . 804-2164: Book D, vol. 5:207,#6652).
Peter Shay included in his statement the fact that he resided in his native town until he was eight or nine years old, then in Readingtown, Hunterdon County, New Jersey, until 1778 when he removed to Roxbury, Morris County, New Jersey. He married Catharine in Morris County, New Jersey, and they lived there until about 1808 or 1809 when they removed to Ossian, New York, where they were then residing. He signed his statement: Peter Shay. Also included was a deposition from Catharine Faulkner of Steuben County, New York, daughter of Richard Porter, who declared on 25 September 1832 that Peter Shay had worked for her father in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, and served in the American Army.
William Perrine of Sparta, Livingston County, deposed on 6 October 1832 that he was formerly of New Jersey and a dragoon in the American Army. He explained that the militia served as Minute Men and were called to serveNYG&B Online Collections. This material is for personal use only and may be subject to copyright laws and restrictions.
1986] Shays of Livingston County, New York 203 for one or two months at a tour in the Service . , . “during the Sommer campains.”
The Reverend Amos Benton of Sparta also was a witness for Peter Shay’s veracity. After the death of Peter Shay on 7 March 1840, his widow Catharine, age 87 years, applied for her widow’s pension 2 7 May 1845. Her statement declared that she had married Peter Shay “in the forepart of the summer of 1781.” She signed with her mark.
Richard W. Porter and James W. Porter supplied depositions for her. Also deposing were her sons John and Lewis. O n 1 November 1845, Anny Shippey of Deerfield, Warren County, Pennsylvania, deposed that she had known Catharine Shay, Richard, John, Elizabeth and Lewis Shay of Morris County, New Jersey, and had gone to school with Richard Shay who was “a little more than two years younger than this deponent.” She gave her age as sixty-three years.
Among the pension applications and depositions on file was the title page of a bible printed in Edinburgh in 1793 and a page from it inscribed with the names and birth dates of their children. Catharine attested to this bible record’s
having been in the family for more than forty years. (N.A.M. 804-2164:frames Historian Doty states that the first settlers of Ossian were two brothers, Judge Richard W. Porter and James Porter, who arrived in 1804 from New Jersey.
He also states that John Shay was on the list of first members when the Presbyterian Church was established in 1816, and that the first marriage in Ossian was that of John Gelson and Betsey Shay in 1816 (Lockwood R . Doty, ed.,
History of Livingston County, New York [Jackson Mich., 1905], Part 2: 781, 783).
0085-0113).
Children of Peter and Catharine Shay:
i. Anna, b. 5 October 1782.
ii. Richard, b. 2 2 December 1784.
iii. John, b. 4 September 1788.
iv. Elizabeth, b. 30 October 1791.
v. Luis [sic], b. 4 September 1794
vi. Mary, b. 5 July 1797.

Richard2 Shay, son of Peter, gave his birthplace as New Jersey in the Federal Census of 1850 and 1860 and his occupation as farming (N.A.M. 432- 825:97; 653-1177:277). He married Elizabeth Roberts, born in Pennsylvania, and they were living in Ulysses Township, Potter County, Pennsylvania, by 1840. Several of their children settled in Livingston County, New York, but Richard died and was buried in Potter County in April 1861.
Children of Richard and Elizabeth Shay:
i. Phoebe³, adopted, b. 1811; d . 1883; m. (1) William Carnes; issue; m. (2) Silas Acker; issue; m. (3) Frederick Keller; no issue; remained in Livingston Co., N.Y.
ii. Silas, b.c. 1812-14; d . 1898; m. Abigail (-); issue (N.A.M. 432-825:91)

204 Shays / Society Notes [October
...iii. Mary Ann, b. 1815; d . 1883; m. Daniel Snyder; issue.
IV. Catherine, b. 1816; d. 1879; m. Michael Snyder; issue (N.A.M. T9-1166:547).
V. Elizabeth, b. 1819; d . 1910; m. Abraham Kiehle, Jr.; in Livingston Co. in 1850 Census.
vi, Henrietta, b. 1820; m . William Clark.
vii. Rebecca, b. 1823; d . 1879; unmarried in 1850 Census.
viii. Mary, b. 1826; d. 1887; m. Harrison Koons; in Livingston Co.
ix. Richard, b. 1828; d . 1898; m . Hannah Glase; issue.
xi, Daniel, b. 1831; d. 1867; m. Sarah J-; issue; in Livingston Co.
X . Sarah “Sally”Ann, b. 1833; m. Edwin M . Carpenter; issue; in Livingston Co. in 1850 Census.

Today in Livingston County, New York, many residents can trace their lineage back to the two Revolutionary War pensioners, Daniel Shays and Peter Shay.

New York Genealogical & Biographical Society
36 West 44th Street, Suite 711
New York, NY 10036-8105
+1(212)755-8532

SOCIETY NOTES
T h e Society announces with deep regret the retirement of Kenn Stryker-
Rodda at the end of this year. As Associate Editor since 1965 D r . Stryker-
Rodda has chosen, edited, proofread and indexed the Record and written the
great majority of the book reviews. H e has been able to maintain uniformly
high standards of scholarship without pedantry.
With the former President and Chairman of the Education and Publication
Committee, Mrs. William R . White, D r . Stryker-Rodda initiated, helped to
plan, and has participated in the Society’s October lecture series and other
educational programs.
H e is a Fellow of the American Society of Genealogists, of the National
Genealogical Society, and of the Genealogical Society of New Jersey, and has
served as President of all three.
Dr. Stryker-Rodda is also a Fellow of the Holland Society, of the New Jersey
Historical Society, and of the New York Genealogical and Biographical So-
ciety. H e was a charter trustee and officer of the Board for Certification of
Genealogists, a founder of the League of Historical Societies of New Jersey
and a charter commissioner of the Union County Heritage Commission.
With the late Ralph DeGroff and D r . Kenneth Scott, Dr. Stryker-Rodda
launched the New York Historical Manuscripts: Dutch publication project.
H e is the author of many major works, including the four-volume annotated
index to the Genealogical Magazine of N e w Jersey.
Kenn’s dry wit and droll sense of humor make him a delightful source of
inspiration and education. H e has shared his vast knowledge of New York and
New Jersey through his lectures and courses in many parts of the country.
This organization, as well as the entire field of genealogy, has benefitted
immeasurably from Dr. Stryker-Rodda’s leadership and contributions, and we
shall continue to rely on his guidance in the years ahead.
Henry B. Hoff
Editor, Chairman, Education and Publication Committee
____________
Ossian history gilbertsonc1added this on 12 Nov 2012
j9bonfigoriginally submitted this to Janine Bonfiglio family tree on 14 May 2012
from History & Genealogy of the Shay Family of Ossian
by Marian F Graves

THE SHAYS OF OSSIAN Among the early settlers in the Town of Ossian was the Peter Shay family, who started out in New Jersey and arrived in Ossian Center in about 1812. In the year 1804, Richard and James Porter arrived from New Jersey and settled near what is now Ossian Center. They were followed by the Clendenins, Burrills, Coverts, Haynes, Gregorys, Lemens, Boylans, and others, many of whom also came from New Jersey. The land had originally been a part of the Phelps-Gorham Purchase and had been bought by Jeremiah Wadsworth who in turn sold it to Robert Troup. For a few years the area was known as Troupton or Trouptown. By 1810 some records were re- ferring to the area as Ossian. The 1820 census spells the name as Orcean. In 1808 it was a part of Allegany County. In 1857 it was "set-off" from Allegany and be- came a part of Livingston County. Life for the first settlers was very difficult. The land was rough and rugged, covered with a thick forest of mostly white pine. By 1806 Nathaniel Porter had established a sawmill. Shingle-making became the chief industry. Bundles of shingles were bartered to obtain the few necessities, such as meal and molasses, which were available. They soon became known as Ossian Bank Notes. For many years the homes were made of roughly cut logs and hand-hewn shingles. In the beginning, cattle were fed on the branches of basswood trees. About 1810 Mr. Wadsworth ran ads in New England papers offering to exchange lands in Troupton for improved farms in New England. He advertised as follows: "The township is situated on the Canaseraga about 12 miles above its confluence with the Genesee River--10 miles from Arkport. There is excellent wagon road from Geneseo, through Sparta to Troupton--Dansville, a flourishing village, where there is a merchant mill, two stores and a number of tradesmen is a mile from Troupton. A road has been made from the village through Troupton to Angelica." It was to such a land that Peter Shay brought his wife and eight children. It has not been determined when the Shay Family came to America. Family tradition says they came from Ireland. It is believed they were of Scotch-Irish descent since historians agree that most Irish who were in America at the time of the Revolution were of Scottish descent. They had left Scotland because of perse- cution for being followers of John Knox, the founder of the Presbyterian Church. In Ireland they soon discovered that they were not welcome. As soon as the op- portunity opened for resettlement in America, they left. Many who came into New York Harbor went into New Jersey and gradually moved westward into western New York or western Pennsylvania. It is possible that the early settlers of Ossian were part of this migration. An effort has been made by some branches of the Shay Family to connect Peter Shay with Daniel Shays of Shays' Rebellion, claiming that Peter and Daniel were brothers. Neither Walter Shay or the present researchers have been able to sub- stantiate this claim. According to data found, Daniel Shays was born in Hopkin- son, Massachusetts, in 1744, son of Patrick Shays and Margaret Dempsey, fought during the Revolutionary War in western Massachusetts, fled to Vermont after the rebellion. He was pardoned in 1788, moved to Schoharie County, New York, and finally to Sparta in 1814 where he died in 1825. There is no indication that he was ever in New Jersey or that there was any connection between his family when they lived in Sparta and the Shay family of Ossian. His descendants have lived in the Lima-Conesus area, and there seems to have been no communi- cation between them and the Ossian Shays.

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