Amasa W Shackford, Photographer, of Farmington, NH (1834-1913) (Blog 477)

Photographs and stereocards by Amasa W Shackford, also known as A W Shackford are featured on e-bay, at AbeBooks, in the New York Public Library, at the New Hampshire Historical Society, on Wikimedia, and at many other locations.  His exceptional photographs preserve the history of many people and towns of New Hampshire.

Normally we’ve written about Shackford’s but in this case we’ve chosen to share an exceptional biography and obituary about Amasa’ life.  The biography about Amasa was featured in the 1897 Biographical Review Volume XXI Containing Life Sketches of Leading Citizens of Belknap and Strafford Counties New Hampshire:

Amasa W Shackford Biographical Review Publishing, Biographical Review Volume XXI Containing Life Sketches of Leading Citizens of Strafford and Belknap Counties New Hampshire (Boston- Bi

Amasa W Shackford, a photographer, well versed in his art, and one of the foremost residents of Farmington, was born in Barnstead, this State, November 18, 1834. His grandfather Josiah Shackford, who was born and bred in Portsmouth, removed to Barnstead in the latter part of the past century. The father, Seth Shackford, spent the seventy-seven years of his life in Barnstead. Besides general farming he followed the occupation of cattle drover and general merchant. his reputation was that of a capable business man. A straightforward Democrat in politics, he was influential in local affairs, served in all the town offices and for a time in the respective capacities of County Commissioner and Representative to the General Court. His first wife, whose maiden name was Harriet Hill, died a few years after the marriage, leaving three children. These were: Horatio H., of Barnstead; Amasa W., the subject of this brief sketch; and Lydia A., the wife of Charles H. Dow. His second wife, Roxa A (Nute) Shackford, left no children at her death. He subsequently contracted a third marriage with Mrs. Pamelia Brown, of Barnstead.

Amasa W. Shackford received his education at Pittsfield and at the New London Literary Institute. He went soon after to Concord to learn photography, for a while being employed in the studio of Benjamin Carr. Having acquired a good knowledge of the business, he purchased and fitted up a photographer’s cart, with which he traveled for about six years. In 1886, or thereabouts, Mr. Shackford opened a gallery in Farmington, and has since continued in his chosen occupation in this town. For a score of years he taught school in Farmington, Barnstead, Northwood, and Gilmanton, including classes in penmanship in the public schools.  In 1884 he built the large block on Central Street in which his studio has since been located, his large and constantly increasing patronage having demanded more commodious quarters.  An artist of wide experience, and doing work that compares favorably with that of the leading photographers of the country, he has a large and constantly increasing patronage.  He is now assisted by his son, to whom he has relegated the larger part of the responsible work of the establishment.  In politics he acts with the Democratic party.  He served his fellow townsmen in the capacity of Town Clerk for five years and that of member of the School Board for three years.  He was made a Mason in Fraternal Lodge; is a member of Woodbine Lodge I.O.O.F.; and belongs to the Henry Wilson Colony of Pilgrim Fathers of Farmington.

  Mr. Shackford married Miss Clara A. Lougee, of Barnstead, a daughter of Simeon and Mary (Tibbetts) Lougee.  Mr. and Mrs. Shackford have but one child, John S., who has largely succeeded to the business of his father.  John S. Shackford competed the course of study at the Farmington High School, and was subsequently graduated from the Scientific and Literary Institute at New Hampton, N. H.  He is a man of good mental attainments, is gifted by nature with artistic ability, and has inherited his father’s skill in penmanship.  Mr. Amasa W. Shackford and his family are regular attendants of the Free Will Baptist church, and contribute their full share toward its maintenance.

Amasa’s life was further described in this obituary published in The Farmington News on February 7, 1913:

Obituary Amasa William Shackford In Memoriam. Mr Shackford, The Farmington News (Farmington, New Hampshire), 7 February 2018Amasa W Shackford died last Satur
day night at the home of his daughter-
in-law, Mrs. Adrian Hall of High street,
Rochester, after a long period of failing
heath from a slow form of paralysis
aged 78 years. Mr Shackford was a
native of Barnstead, the second son of
Seth and Harriet (Hill) Shackford of
that town. He received his early educa-
tion in the schools of Pittsfield, later
attending Wolfeboro academy and fin-
ishing at New London Seminary. He
taught school winters for twenty years
at Eliot, Me, Barnstead, Gilmanton,
New Durham and Farmington. He
was married in early life to Miss Clara
A Lougee of Barnstead and to them one
child was born, a son who died June
28, 1900, at the age of 25 years, leaving a
young widow, who, when failing health
made a change necessary, kindly opened
her home to Mr and Mrs Shackford
and with the help of her husband, made
“Pa’s last days pleasant and happy. Mr
Shackford was a photographer of promi-
nance, which profession he faollowed
during his 38 years as a resident of this
town. He was widely known and uni-
versally respected by a large number of
friends and acquaintenances. He had held
several town offices and for a number of
years was town clerk. He was a mem-
berof Woodblue lodge, I. I. O. F., of
this town. He is survived by his wife
and by one sister Mrs. Lydia Dow of
Barnstead. Funeral was held from the
home of Mrs Gall in Rochester last
Tuesday afternoon at on-o’clock, Rev.
T. H. Scammon of this town officiating,
with B. F. Perkins in charge. Singing
was by Rev. Wesley A. Paige. There
was a profusion of exquisite floral offer-
ings. The body was brought to Farm-
ington and internment made in the family
lot at Pine Grove cemetery.

Amasa Shackford Gravestone FindaGrave permission granted from Pittynh photographer
Photo of Amasa W Shackford’s gravestone taken by Pittnh who graciously gave permission for us to post it with this blog

The photographer of Amasa’s gravestone, Pittnh has graciously given permission to share a copy of the photograph of Amasa’s gravestone that he posted at FindAGrave here:

A reader of this blog informed me that a photo of Amasa can be found at the Farmington Historical Society’s WEB site which is from their February 1986 Mixed Photo Collection.

Note:  We had Amasa originally listed as Amasa William Shackford in the title of this blog after reviewing all the sources we have, we can’t find any reference to his middle name so have changed all references to his middle name to W.

All posts on this website are a work in progress.  We’d love to learn of any corrections or additions to the information shared.  Also we’d love it if  you’d like the post here or at http://www.facebook.com/shackfordgenealogy) as that helps share the post with others. Thanks!

SOURCES:

Biographical Review Publishing, Biographical Review Volume XXI Containing Life Sketches of Leading Citizens of Belknap and Strafford Counties New Hampshire(Boston: Biographical Review Publishing Company, 1897), page 79-80; digital images, Google Books(http://books.google.com : accessed 7 October 2013.

Find A Grave, Find A Grave, digital images (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed 17 July 2014), Amasa W Shackford, Find A Grave Memorial# 130232058.

“In Memoriam. Mr Shackford,” The Farmington News (Farmington, New Hampshire), 7 February 2018; digital images, Farmington Preservation(http://farmington.advantage-preservation.com : accessed 14 July 2018).

Copyright 2018 Joanne Shackford Parkes  (sharing a link to this post is appreciated but please do not copy this material and paste it elsewhere).  Amasa is my fifth cousin three times removed.

Franklin P Shackford, of Chester, NH, One of Dr Rufus Shackford’s 13 Heirs (Blog 476)

Franklin P Shackford heir of Rufus Shackford CHESTER, The Derry Enterprise (Derry, New Hampshire), 16 February 1906
The Derry Enterprise, 16 February 1906

Franklin P. Shackford is one of the
13 heirs to the property of his uncle,
Dr. Rufus Shackford, of Portland, Me.
Mrs George Currier and sister are
two of the other heirs living in Chester.

Dr Rufus F Shackford was born December 17, 1816 in Chester, New Hampshire to Samuel and Harriet (Currier) Shackford.  He married twice – Louisa Cummings and Mary Ann Bateman, both of whom who died before Rufus.  He died at the age of 85 on September 24, 1902. Based on the above newspaper article, we believe the probate occurred four years after his death in 1906.   We can’t find copy of his probate records online at this time as these years are not yet available digitally.

We believe that George Currier mentioned in the article was the son of Rufus’s sister Abigail and John Currier but are not sure which sister is referred in the article.  Here’s a list of the other possible heirs:

Children of John Currier & Abigail Shackford: Eliza J Currier, Charles R Currier, Helen Abbie Currier Coates, and George Washington Currier

Children of John Shackford: Georgiana Shackford Allard, Samuel Shackford, and George Franklin Shackford

Children of Jonathan Shackford:  Franklin Pierce Shackford and Olive A Shackford Symmes (died in 1903)

Children of William Adams Rice and Sarah Shackford: Albert William Rice and Charlotte Adelaide Rice Holbrook (unsure when she died)

Children of George Shackford:  George Alonzo Shackford and Hannah Elizabeth Shackford

Children of Luther Calvin Shackford:  Luther L Shackford

All posts on this website are a work in progress.  We’d love to learn of any corrections or additions to the information shared.  Also we’d love it if  you’d like the post here or at http://www.facebook.com/shackfordgenealogy) as that helps share the post with others. Thanks!

SOURCES:

“CHESTER,” The Derry Enterprise (Derry, New Hampshire), 16 February 1906; digital images, (http://derry.advantage-preservation.com : accessed 16 July 2018).

Maine “Maine Deaths and Burials, 1841-1910,” index, FamilySearch(http://www.familysearch.org : accessed 5 April 2015), Rufus Shackford MD d 24 Sep 1902.

Copyright 2018 Joanne Shackford Parkes  (sharing a link to this post is appreciated but please do not copy this material and paste it elsewhere)

Samuel Shackford (1761-1844) of Wells, Maine, Revolutionary War Pensioner (Blog 475)

Samuel Shackford, the son of Paul and Eunice (Day) Shackford was born on July 24, 1761 in Wells, Maine.  He was only 18 on June 6, 1780 when he served for eight months with the men mustered by Nathaniel Wells to defend the eastern part of Massachusetts. After the completion of his enlistment, he returned to Wells where he married Sarah Whittum on March 4, 1784.  He later moved to Sanford, Maine where he worked as a farmer.  Samuel remained in Sanford where he married Eunice Day on November 15, 1787 and Charity Cousins on November 18, 1805.

In response to the Revolutionary War Act of June 7, 1832, Samuel gave the following testimony documenting his service:

Samuel Shackford Page_4_Revolutionary_War_Pension_and_BountyLand_Warrant_Application_Files

Maine District of
Special District Court of the U States
Kennebunk August 7 1832

On this seventh day of August aforesaid personally appeared
in open Court before the District Judge

Samuel Shackford a resident of Sanford in the
county of York, and state of Maine aged seventy one
years, who being first duly sworn according to law doth
on his oath make the following declaration in order
to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed-
June 7th 1832.
That he served as herein stated.
I enlisted at Wells (now Kennebunk) in the state
Maine, in April 1780 in Capt Daniel Clarks company
for the term of eight months – we marched to Portland
in the same state, where we were principally employed
in erecting works of defense during the full period of
my enlistment or until some time in December of
that year, when we were dismissed and returned home
There were five companies in the corps to which I
belonged and were commanded by Col Prime of York –
Nathan Lord of Berwick, I think was Adjutant, and
Gen Wardsmoth commanded at Portland during said
time. I was born in Wells in the year 1761 and have
resided now about forty years in Sanford, in this state
adjoining to Wells. I enlisted and served voluntarily
as above stated. I have no other record of my age except
that which my father kept in the great Bible I now have.
All my neighbors can state my general character for that
Mr David Day resides near me, and also Mr Samuel Cole
and Mr David Clark, and others who are respectable.

He hereby relinquishes every claim to a pension or annuity
except the present, and declares that his name is note on the
pension role of the agency of any state Samuel Shackford (signed)
sworn to and subscribed this day and your aforesaid.
Before
Arthur Wise U.S. Judge for the
District of Maine
Know the said Court do hereby declare their opinion that
the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier and
served in the states.

Samuel’s testimony did not mention the name of his father but does refer to his father’s Bible which he now has in his possession.  We assume it’s the same Bible which was referred to as “Bible per Granville Shackford” (his grandson) in Samuel Burnham Shackford’s Shackford Genealogy manuscript which is the only source we’ve found for Samuel’s parents, Samuel’s birth date, and a list of his children.  Hoping the Bible is saved somewhere or at least a transcription of those pages are within the Samuel Collection. (There were boxes and boxes of material and I only had 6 hours to review the materials — hoping to be back someday.)

Samuel is listed in the 1840 census as a pensioner and received his final pension payment in the third quarter of 1844.  He died on 9 Sept 1844 and is buried on Mouse Lane in Sanford, Maine. In 2009 I corresponded with a wonderful gentleman who described how to find the gravestone, shared that Samuel’s gravestone was worn and damaged to the point that it was unreadable but he was making sure a flag was placed on Samuel’s grave.

CHILDREN:

Andrew Shackford  (1795-1858) – married his cousin Hannah Shackford

Sarah Shackford (1789-????)

Robert Shackford  (1793-????)

Eunice Shackford (1806-1822)

Christopher Shackford (1809-1870) – married Mehitable Maddox and Louisa Hill

Susan Shackford (1811-1883) – married John Thompson

Bethia Shackford (1813-1815)

Lusanna Shackford (1821-1870) – married Freeman Goodwin

[Samuel is my first cousin six times removed with a shared relative Joshua Shackford and Elizabeth Barnes]

All posts on this website are a work in progress.  We’d love to learn of any corrections or additions to the information shared.  Also we’d love it if  you’d like the post here or at http://www.facebook.com/shackfordgenealogy) as that helps share the post with others. Thanks!

SOURCES:

Emery Edwin, William Morell Emery, The History of Sanford, Maine. 1661-1900.(Fall River, Mass: William Morell Emery, 1901), page 83; digital images, Google eBook(http://www.books.google : accessed 21 October 2013.

“Index to Final Pension Payment Vouchers, compiled 1818 – 1864,” digital images, Fold3(https://www.fold3.com : accessed 8 July 2017), Samuel Shackford

Maine Society Sons of the American Revolution MESSAR(http://www.messar.org/patriots.html : accessed 5 January 2014), .

“Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files,” digital images, Fold3(http://www.fold3.com : accessed 2 July 2018), Samuel Shackford.

Secretary of the Commonwealth, Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors of the Revolutionary War. A Compilation From the Archives(Boston: Wright & Potter Printing Co, 1906), page 2; digital images, Mocavo(www.mocavo.com : accessed 15 February 2014.

“Shackford Genealogy Manuscript,” 13 October 1925; typed manuscript, SG SHA 5; Shackford collection. [manuscript] by Samuel Burnham Shackford, Shackford collection. [manuscript] SG SHA 5; New England Historical and Genealogical Society, Boston, Massachusetts.

Copyright 2019 Joanne Shackford Parkes  (sharing a link to this post is appreciated but please do not copy this material and paste it elsewhere)