Wedding Wednesday – Abby Shackford marries John Whitton in 1859 (Blog 452)

While cleaning out our hardcopy genealogy files we found a folder titled Abby Shackford 1823- which included one document – a hardcopy printout of the 26 June 1859 marriage record of John Whitton and Abby Shackford. The marriage record tells us that she was born about 1823/4 in Alfred, Maine to Noah and Hannah Shackford, that this was her first marriage but the second marriage for her new husband, John Whitton, a paper-maker.

Marriage Record John Whitton to Abbie Shackford, June 26, 1859

In the 1850 census, we find Noah and his second wife Bethulah and probably siblings Japhet, Abigail, Lydia, William, Bethular, and Stephen.  It’s interesting that none of Noah’s children by his first wife Hannah who now range in age of 19 to 36 have not yet married.

We’d love to know what brought Abby from Alfred, Maine around age 30 to Norfolk, Massachusetts, a distance of 110 miles.  We do see her name on the 1855 census living in John Whitten’s home who is now a widow – she is 31 years old and has no occupation listed.  John’s children John W, age 22, Theodore A, age 21, Albert G, age 20, Sarah, age 18, and Josephine, age 16 are living in the home along with Sarah Taylor from Nova Scotia.

Abby and John’s marriage was announced on June 25, 1859 and they were married the next day on June 26th.  Five years later in Nov 1865 when Abigail was 41 and her husband 60, she had a daughter, Martha Louisa Whitton.  Fortunately John never changed occupations from paper-maker which has helped us verify that this was the family living at Grove near Washington in Newton in 1875, 1877 and in 1878 when John died on May 28, 1878 at the age of 72.  His death record is difficult to read but the cause of death appears to be listed as acute insanity.

Abigail remained in the home until 1887 when she moved to Waltham.  She died on November 23, 1891 in Cambridge of cancer of oventum (possibly ovarian cancer??).  Her sister Lydia (Shackford) Buck who had been an invalid for 20 years died less than two months later in Cambridge.  We’re unsure where Abigail was buried or if she or her husband left a probate record.

CHILDREN:

Martha Louisa Whitton (1865-1931) – married Alton Augustus Reed in 1886 and William Herbert Boutwell in 1900.  She had no children.

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:

1850 United States Federal Census, York County, Maine, population schedule, Alfred, page 392, dwelling 118, page 128, Noah Shackford; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 7 December 2013).

1855 Massachusetts State Census, Middlesex, Massachusetts, population schedule, Newton, dwelling 52, family 71, John Whitton; digital image, FamilySearch (http://www.familysearch.org : accessed 27 August 2017).

1860 United States Federal Census, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, population schedule, Newton, Page 265, dwelling 1702, family 1969, John Whitten; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 27 August 2017).

1865 Massachusetts State Census, Middlesex County, population schedule, Newton, John Whitton; digital images, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org : accessed 27 August 2017).

1870 United States Federal Census, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, population schedule, Newton, Page No 266, dwelling 1840, family 1938, John Whitton; digital images, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org : accessed 27 August 2017).

“Massachusetts Deaths and Burials, 1795-1910,” database, FamilySearch (http://www.familysearch.org : accessed 27 August 2017), John Whitton.

Massachusetts, Massachusetts, Marriage Records, 1840-1915, , John Whitton m Abbie Shackford, 26 June 1859; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 27 August 2017).

Massachusetts, Massachusetts, Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988, , Mr John Whitton marriage intention Abbe Shackford, 25 June 1859; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 27 August 2017); Town and City Clerks of Massachusetts. Massachusetts Vital and Town Records..

The Newton Directory, Containing a General Directory of the Citizens, Business Directory, and the City Record, No. VI (Worcester: Drew, Allis & Co, 1879), page 222, John Whitton; digital image, Newton Massachusetts The Offical City Website (http://www.newtonma.gov : accessed 28 August 2017).

“U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995,” database, Ancestry.com (www/ancestry.com : accessed 27 August 2017), Abigail S. removed to Waltham.

Copyright 2017 Joanne Shackford Parkes  (sharing a link to this post is appreciated but please do not copy this material and paste it elsewhere)

Mariner Monday – John L Shackford, Mariner, Leaves Family, Settles in St Thomas and May Have Remarried There (Blog 393)

John L Shackford, the son of John and Elizabeth (Batson) Shackford was born on April 20, 1819 in Eastport, Maine.  In Dec 1838 he married Elizabeth S Clark, the daughter of John and Abigail (Batson) Shackford.  John followed the occupation of his father and siblings, that of mariner and in 1847 we find him advertising freight and passage aboard the Brig Carryl which was traveling for St Marks & Newport, from Pennsylvania to the Isle of Lobos, and to Havana.  He also was reported as rescuing members of the crew of the Bark Cambria and bringing them back to New York.

In 1850 we find John listed in the Eastport census living with his parents, his wife Elizabeth, and three children Joshua C, Abby and Esther and in 1860 we find the family in Eastport living with Esther’s parents, John and Abagail Clark with children Esther and Jenny (Regina).

Sometime thereafter the family moved to New York as we find John living in Brooklyn at 111 Adelphi.  In 1863 John’s name is listed on the Brooklyn, New York civil war draft registration and in 1864 he is listed in Brooklyn living at Hamilton north of Fulton avenue.

Shortly before February 1871, John’s wife Elizabeth traveled to Eastport, Maine where she filed for divorce, dower and alimony asking for all right title & interest in any and all real estate John had in the County of Washington, Maine.

                             State of Maine
To the Honorable the Justices of the Supreme Judicial Court next to be Holden at Calais, within and for the County of Washington in said state on the fourth Tuesday of April A D 1871

Elizabeth S. Shackford of Eastport in said County, respectfully represents that she was married to John L.Shackford now of St Thomas, at Eastport in said County on the tenth day of December A D 1838 and had by him two children now living to wit; Joshua C Shackford & Regina T Shackford. That after her said marriage she cohabits with said Shackford in said State of Maine, and always conducted herself as a true and faithful wife.

That the said John L Shackford unmindful of his marriage vows and covenants, and the duty affection and respect he owed her, deserted her more than three years ago, and has not supported her for the last three years.
That he has been living with another woman to your Libelland Unknown in St Thomas.
That he has been married to

said woman as he has declared in letters to others.
That he has a daughter by said woman and committed adultery with said woman.  Wherefore because a divorce from her said bonds of matrimony would be reasonable and proper, conducive to domestic harmony and consistent with the peace and morality of society she humbly prays your Honors such divorce accordingly – that your Honors will decree and give to her Dower and Alimonies and make such other decree as may be necessary in the exercise of a sound discretion Eastport February 13, 1871. Elizabeth S Shackford

Additional documents lists John L Shackford’s estate value at either five thousand dollars (the number is crossed out and rewritten).  The court ordered payment to Elizabeth and ensured that the United States Consul to St Thomas delivered a copy of the document to John L Shackford (misspelled Schackford on the document).  The court then allowed Elizabeth to sell land to include property at the corner of Water and Key Street (formerly Greenwich Street), land on the northerly side of Shackford’s Cove, along with other property valued at $1471.02.  We’ll transcribe more of Elizabeth’s divorce paperwork in the future.

It must have been very difficult for Elizabeth to make this statement about her husband’s relationships to the court – we think she may have had some support from her husband’s family as her brother in law, Benjamin B Batson did not complete the administration of her father in law’s estate until after  John L Shackford’s death -perhaps they knew he was ill.  John died in St Thomas on Dec 20th 1871.  This enabled Elizabeth to receive some of the land that was to have gone to her husband.

Children

(with Elizabeth S Clark)

Joshua C Shackford (1840-1917) – served in the Navy, married Sadie Bartlett

Abby M Shackford (1843-1850) – died in Cuba age 7

Esther E Shackford (1843-1865) – died age 21 in Brooklyn

Fanny S Shackford (1845-1845)

Regina L Shackford (1851-????) – also went by Jenny, last record of is found in Brooklyn in 1875

(with unknown person in St Thomas)

Daughter???  (before 1871) – mentioned in Elizabeth’s divorce records — St Thomas was under Danish rule at this time and we’re hoping some record can be found of John in the 1870 St Thomas census records — perhaps this child is listed in the 1880 census.

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!

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:

1850 US Federal Census, Washington County, Maine, population schedule, Eastport, page 48? (penned), 244 (stamped), dwelling 272, family 360, John Shackford https: familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/M6V8-HRV; digital images, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org : accessed 23 December 2013).

1860 United States Federal Census, Washington County, Maine, population schedule, Eastport, Page No 72, dwelling 430, family 535, John Clark; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 28 June 2014).

“DISASTERS,” Boston Post (Boston, Massachusetts), 29 April 1847; digital images, Access Newspaper Archive (http://access.newspaperarchive.com : accessed 22 September 2015).

“FOR St. MARKS & NEWPORT, DIRECT,” Morning Courier and New York Enquirer (New York, New York), ; digital images, Fulton History (http://fultonhistory.com/ : accessed 9 September 2015).

Lain J., compiler, The Brooklyn City Directory for the Year Ending May 1st, 1862 (New York: J. Lain and Company, 1862), page 393; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 28 June 2014.

Lain J., compiler, The Brooklyn City Directory for the Year Ending May 1st, 1864 (New York: J. Lain and Company, 1864), page 417; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 9 September 2015.

Maine “Maine Marriages, 1771-1907,” database index, FamilySearch (http://www.familysearch.org : accessed 26 November 2014), John L Shackford m Elizabeth S Clark.

Maine State of Maine, “Maine Births and Christenings, 1739-1900,” index,” database, FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org : accessed 29 August 2013), John L Shackford b. 20 Apr 1819

Maine, Maine, State Archives Collections, 1718-1917, >Maine, Washington County>Court Records>Court of Common Pleas case files no 240-429 1871 Oct>Image 282-301, Elizabeth S Shackford vs John L Shackford 22-305, ; digital images, FamilySearch (http://www.familysearch.org : accessed 11 September 2015).

“MARINE JOURNAL. Arrived,” New York Tribune (New York, New York), 29 November 1847; digital images, Fulton History (http://fultonhistory.org : accessed 25 June 2014).

“MARINE JOURNAL. PORT OF NEW YORK,” New York Tribune (New York, New York), about March 1847; digital images, Fulton History (http://fultonhistory.org : accessed 25 June 2014).

Names of persons, enrolled as liable to military duty (under the act of Congress, approved March 3, 1863,) in the Third congressional district, New York. Eleventh ward (New York: Provost Marshal General’s Bureau. Board of Enrollment (New York, 3d district), 1863), page 124; digital images, My Heritage Library Edition (http://myheritagelibraryedition.com : accessed 28 January 2015

Nobel Thomas H. House of Representatives, : LETTER From the THIRD AUDITOR OF THE TREASURY (14 December 1847), page 33; digital images, HathiTrust (http://babel.hathitrust.org/ : accessed 21 September 2015.

“Virgin Islands US, Church Records, 1765-2010,” digital image, Ancestry.com (Ancestry.co.Uk : accessed 14 September 2015), Image 112, Capt John L Shackford.

Wiley Kenneth L., editor, Vital Records from the Eastport Sentinel of Eastport, Maine 1818-1900: Note: Cover and title page of my hard copy edition are misspelled as “Eastport Sentinal” (Camden, Maine: Picton, Press, 1996), page 260.

Copyright 2017 Joanne Shackford Parkes  (sharing a link to this post is appreciated but please do not copy this material and paste it elsewhere)