Re: Thomas SHAFF, Jefferson & Oswego Co, NY 1820-1835
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In reply to:
Re: Thomas SHAFF, Jefferson & Oswego Co, NY 1820-1835
LORRAINE KAPPHAHN 6/22/04
Hi Lorraine,
Thanks for your response. I'm not able to give you much of a lead on your Nancy,... just to agree with you on your clue you gave to me in an e-mail last August that Nancy may have been a daughter of Jonathan P. Shaff. It makes sense that Nancy might be a Shaff, listed just after Thomas Shaff in the 1850 census and just before Geo. W. Shaff in the 1860 census. The way I read the 1850 census, though, her husband looks like Calvin "Barnes", while in the 1860 its definitely Calvin "Warren"... one born in Mass while the other in NY... but same younger children in the household!
Anyway, the Thomas Shaff in the Hannibal 1850 census might be Nancy's younger brother. Thomas was born in 1818, and actually appears with the same family in the 1850 census in Spring Grove, Green Co WI! Pretty good trick to be two places at once. So he probably moved to WI shortly after the census, or his parents (probably Jonathan P. Shaff), or parents-in-law (Mr. Sidman) listed him in absentia. Below is a bio on Thomas Shaff published in"History of Green County, WI", Union Publishing Co, 1884:
"Thomas Shaff owns and occupies 120 acres of land on the northeast quarter of section 10, town of Spring Grove, also 96 acres on section 11. His residence stands on the line between the two sections, and he has a fine well improved farm. Mr. Shaff was born in Wayne county, town of Williamson, NY, Mar 13, 1818. When he was 7, his parents moved to Oswego Co., NY, where Thomas lived until he came to Green County WI in 1850. Mr Shaff was married in Jan 1842 to Eveline Lake. She died in August 1846 leaving two children - William H., now living in Turner Co., Dak., and Lydia Ann, now the wife of Larson Olds, and living in Avon, Rock Co., Wis. Mr. Shaff was again married, Aug. 15, 1847, to Mrs. Mary J. Sidman, a native of Syracuse, NY. By this marriage two children have been born - Margaret A., born Aug 30, 1850, wife of Leonard Beeman, of Turner Co., Dak., and Albertus L., born in January 1859, who lives with his parents. Mr. Shaff is among the highly esteemed citizens of the town of Spring Grove."
Turns out this Thomas Shaff is not my direct ancestor Thomas Shaff, but may have been a first cousin or nephew to my Thomas. Would have been the right age to be a son, except I think my Thomas Shaff was in Hounsfield, Jefferson, NY,.. I think he's the one in 1820 census with new wife and no child. (and later moved to Oswego Co and had 4 children there between 1822 and 1832.)
The Geo. W. Shaff in the 1860 Hannibal census was a brother of the Thomas Shaff (b. 1818), so also may have been your Nancy's brother. Only info I have on him is e-mail from David Shaff pasted below:
"George Washington Shaff was born Jan. 28, 1830 in Hannibal and died Feb.7, 1916.He enrolled at Buffalo.Suffered Diarrehea at Camp Swoard in Auburn, NY.He was 5 '7 1/2 ", 153 lbs, light complexion, blue eyes, grey hair (in original claim, black hair and eyes) and no occupation. When he was 49, he lived in Fair Dale, Oswego Co., NY.Wife was Mary Jane Haws, m. Sept. 1851 in Episcopal church, Oswego.Dead as of June 1898.Children: Leroy L. b. June 25, 1853; Emila Adelaide Hallows. b.Aug. 18, 1856; Clinton W. b. Sept. 18 or 20, 1858, adopted (uncle was a Hawes); Seymour b. Aug. 14, 1860."
Hope this helps.
Wayne Olsen