Treasure Chest Thursday – Probate Abstract — John Shackford (1725-1764), son of Paul and Rebecca (Hudson) Shackford (Blog 316)

We know that John Shackford, the son of Paul and Rebecca (Hudson) Shackford was born September 16, 1735 in Newbury, Massachusetts and that he married Deborah Seaward on Dec 19, 1758  at the Queens Church in Portsmouth.  We believe she was the daughter of Giles and Mary (Hodgdon) Seaward and was his first cousin once removed.

John’s probate records tell us he was a mariner and we believe but have not yet proven that he was the captain of the:

Brig Tortuga which sailed to Antigua from Piscataway on 24 July 1760

Brig Brotherhood which sailed from Piscataqua to Barbados on 15 Jan 176, arrived there 10 April 1761, and returned to Portsmouth on 3 May 1761

Ship Nevin from Piscataqua to Barbados on 16 Feb 1764 and the

Brig Amherst from Piscataqua to Barbados on 5 Mar 1762, returning on 1 Jul 1762, leaving Portsmouth to Virginia on 10 Dec 1762, leaving Virginia for Piscataqua  on 12 May 1763, and from Picataaqua to the West Indies on 8 Sept 1763

John’s father Paul’s 1787 probate records list’s two of his children and then lists the Heirs of John Shackford which verifies that he died before his father – we have not found any direct sources but have old notes from a Shackford descendant of his line that tell us that he died on Nov 2, 1764 aboard a ship while traveling from London to Boston.  The timing of his probate record (1765) confirms that his death date was probably around this time.

John left Deborah with either two or three very young children who were listed as heirs of his father’s estate:

Mary Shackford (1759-bef 1787) m. Joshua Chase – son Joshua Chase is mentioned in Paul’s probate records

John Shackford (1761-1800) m Amelia Moore – John is mentioned in his father’s estate

poss Deborah Shackford – there is a Deborah listed as a heir in Paul’s estate – just not sure if it is another child or John’s wife.

We do not know when John’s wife Deborah died or if she remarried but believe she was alive in May 1800 as she is mentioned in her son’s obituary as “his venerable, widowed mother, already fainting beneath trials peculiarly fevere, needs every confolation to ftrengthen dying fortitude”  Deborah’s death date is listed as either 8 Jun 1808 or 14 May 1811 in Rosemary Melville’s From Trickey to Thorpe: a History of the Trickey, Shackfords, Sewards, Calalahan’s publication but no source is noted.

PROBATE ABSTRACT FOR

JOHN SHACKFORD 1765 PORTSMOUTH

Probate record abstract John Shackford Hammond Otis S., Editor, Director of the New Hampshire Historical Society, Probate Records of the Province of New Hampshire, Volume 8 (1940), page 181[Administration on the estate of John Shackford of Portsmouth, mariner, granted to his widow Deborah Shackford, June 18, 1765.]
[Probate Records, vol. 23, p. 460]
[Bond of Deborah Shackford, with Giles Seaward and John
Bartlett, mariners, as sureties, all of Portsmouth, in the sum of
L500, June 18, 1765, for the administration of the estate;
witnesses, Samuel Marshall, William Parker.]
[Warrant, June 18, 1765, authorizing Samuel Penhallow and
William Knight, both of Portsmouth, merchants, to appraise
the estate.]
[Inventory, Oct 22, 1765; amount, L229, 9.6; signed by
Samuel Penhallow and William Knight.]

We are thankful that Mr Otis Hammond summarized this probate record and are hoping to find and share the original on a future trip to Portsmouth!

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:

Melville Rosemary, From Trickey to Thorpe: a History of the Trickey, Shackfords, Seawards, Callahans (about 1993), page 77; digital image, FamilySearch.org (http://familysearch.org : accessed 20 January 2016.

Hardon Henry W, Newington, New Hampshire Families in the Eighteenth Century (Bowie, Maryland: Heritage Books, Inc, 1991), page 164

Dolliver Louise Pearsons Historian General, Lineage Book National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution Volume XXIII. 22001-23000 1898 (Washington, D.C.: 1907), page 313; digital images, Google Books (http://books.general.com : accessed 4 July 2014.

Hammond Otis S., Editor, Director of the New Hampshire Historical Society, Probate Records of the Province of New Hampshire, Volume 8 (1940), page 181; digital images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/catalog/search : accessed 24 January 2016.

Hammond Priscilla, Vital records from the Parish register of Queen’s Chapel Portsmouth, New Hampshire (Concord, New Hampshire: n.p., 1943), page unknown

Massachusetts “Massachusetts Births and Christenings, 1639-1915,” database, FamilySearch (http://www.familysearch.org : accessed 29 March 2015), John Shackford b 16 Sep 1735

“New Hampshire Gazette: Newspaper Abstracts, 1756-1769,” database, New England Historical Genealogical Society (http://www.americanancestors.org : accessed 21 January 2016), Capt Shackford; New Hampshire Gazette (Portsmouth, New Hampshire), 10 April 1761, p. 2, col. 1..

“New Hampshire Gazette: Newspaper Abstracts, 1756-1769,” database, New England Historical Genealogical Society (http://www.americanancestors.org : accessed 21 January 2016), Capt John Shackford; New Hampshire Gazette (Portsmouth, New Hampshire), 16 January 1761, p. 2, col. 2..

“New Hampshire Gazette: Newspaper Abstracts, 1756-1769,” database, New England Historical Genealogical Society (http://www.americanancestors.org : accessed 21 January 206), Capt John Shackford; New Hampshire Gazette (Portsmouth, New Hampshire), 25 July 1760, p. 3, col. 2

“New Hampshire Gazette: Newspaper Abstracts, 1756-1769,” database, New England Historical Genealogical Society (http://www.americanancestors.org : accessed 21 January 2016), Capt John Shackford; New Hampshire Gazette (Portsmouth, New Hampshire), 5 March 1762, p. 1, col. 3..

“New Hampshire Gazette: Newspaper Abstracts, 1756-1769,” database, New England Historical Genealogical Society (http://www.americanancestors.org : accessed 21 January 2016), Capt John Shackford; New Hampshire Gazette (Portsmouth, New Hampshire), 8 May 1761, pp. 1, 2, cols. 3, 1..

“New Hampshire Gazette: Newspaper Abstracts, 1756-1769,” database, New England Historical Genealogical Society (http://www.americanancestors.org : accessed 21 January 2016), Capt Shackford; New Hampshire Gazette (Portsmouth, New Hampshire), 17 February 1764, p. 1, col. 3..

“New Hampshire Gazette: Newspaper Abstracts, 1756-1769,” database, New England Historical Genealogical Society (http://www.americanancestors.org : accessed 21 January 2016), Capt John Shackford; New Hampshire Gazette (Portsmouth, New Hampshire), 10 December 1762, p. 2, col. 1..

“New Hampshire Gazette: Newspaper Abstracts, 1756-1769,” database, New England Historical Genealogical Society (http://www.americanancestors.org : accessed 21 January 2016), Capt John Shackford; New Hampshire Gazette (Portsmouth, New Hampshire), 13 May 1763, p. 3, col. 2..

Vital Records of Newbury Massachusetts to the End of the Year 1849 Volume I.-Births (Salem, Mass.: The Essex Institute, 1911), page 472; digital images, Essex County Ma (http://essexcountyma.net/ : accessed 12 July 2014

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

 

Military Monday – Miss Maria Louise Grouard References Paul Shackford’s Service as Basis of Her Daughters of the American Revolution Application (Blog 315)

While researching Paul Shackford, we discovered that one of his descendants, Maria Louise Grouard, the daughter of John Hanson and Amelia Moore (Shackford) Grouard had applied for and been accepted for membership into the National Society of the Daughter’s of the American Revolution based on Paul’s service in the early wars and listed him as a patriot of the Revolution. Our independent research has shown that at the age of 55, Paul was under the Command of Capt Richard Greenleaf’s Fifth Company of the Militia in the Town of Newbury, a unit which was responsible for readiness to respond to service within the limits of the town.  We also believe that he is the Paul appointed from March 22 1771 to March 12, 1779 as the keeper of the powder and ammunition.

We wondered what interested Maria in her family history and learned that her father died when she was only 12 so she spent her teen years with with her mother Ameilia Moore (Shackford)  Grouard and possibly heard stories about her ancestry from her uncle William Moore Shackford.  Her interest in history is reflected by her 1904 membership in the the American Historical Association while she was employed at the Briarcliff School.  We appreciate Maria’s application to this organization as we’re confident she must have submitted proof of her lineage and Paul’s service to be accepted. We’d researched how we could obtain a copy of her DAR application but learned that while we could cite the information gathered, we could not share it in our blog so for now we’ll work to independently collaborate Maria’s research.  We’d also love to know if Maria did her genealogy research herself, if she participated in local DAR meetings, what motivated her to apply to be a DAR member, and most importantly if she left copies of her research with any family members or a local library.

Here’s how the Lineage book of members accepted in 1898 which was published in 1915 documented Maria’s ancestry:

DAR Application Miss Maria Louise Grouard Lineage Book National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution Volume XXIII. 22001-23000 1898 (Washington, D.C. 1907), page 313

MISS MISS MARIA LOUISE GROUARD. 22899
Born in Allegheny, Pennslyvania.
Descendent of Paul Shackford, Capt. Ephraim Dennet and
Jonathan Dennett, of New Hampshire.
Daughter of John Hanson Grouard, M. D., and Amelia Moore Shack-
ford, his wife
Granddaughter of Ephraim Grouard and Maria Corson, his wife;
Capt. Samuel Shackford and Sarah Cottle, his wife.
Gr.-granddaughter of Edmund M. Grouard and Susannah Dennet,
his wife; John Shackford and Amelia Moore, his wife.
Gr.-gr.-granddaughter of Jeremiah Dennet and Susanna Peverly,
his wife; John Shackford and Deborah Seaward, his wife.
Gr.-gr.-granddaughter of Ephraim Dennet and Lydia Water-
house, his wife, m. 1751; Paul Shackford and Rebecca Hudson, his
wife, m. 1727.
Paul Shackford, who had served in the early wars, was a
patriot of the Revolution. He was born in Portsmouth, N.
H.; died in 1787 in Newburyport, Mass.. 22899
Born in Allegheny, Pennslyvania.
Descendent of Paul Shackford, Capt. Ephraim Dennet and
Jonathan Dennett, of New Hampshire.
Daughter of John Hanson Grouard, M. D., and Amelia Moore Shack-
ford, his wife
Granddaughter of Ephraim Grouard and Maria Corson, his wife;
Capt. Samuel Shackford and Sarah Cottle, his wife.
Gr.-granddaughter of Edmund M. Grouard and Susannah Dennet,
his wife; John Shackford and Amelia Moore, his wife.
Gr.-gr.-granddaughter of Jeremiah Dennet and Susanna Peverly,
his wife; John Shackford and Deborah Seaward, his wife.
Gr.-gr.-granddaughter of Ephraim Dennet and Lydia Water-
house, his wife, m. 1751; Paul Shackford and Rebecca Hudson, his
wife, m. 1727.
Paul Shackford, who had served in the early wars, was a
patriot of the Revolution. He was born in Portsmouth, N.
H.; died in 1787 in Newburyport, Mass.

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:

American Historical Association Officers Committees Act of Incorporation Constitution List of Members February 1904 (n.d.), page 34; digital image, Google Book (https://books.google.com : accessed 25 January 2016.

Currier John J, History of Newbury, Mass. 1635-1902 (Boston: Damrell & Upham, 1902), page 568-570; digital images, HathiTrust (http://babel.hathitrust.org/ : accessed 6 January 2016

Dolliver Louise Pearsons Historian General, Lineage Book National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution Volume XXIII. 22001-23000 1898 (Washington, D.C.: 1907), page 313; digital images, Google Books (http://books.general.com : accessed 4 July 2014.

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

Treasure Chest Thursday – Deborah (Shackford) (Libbey) Currier’s Will (Blog 314)

We know that Paul and Rebecca (Hudson) Shackford had a daughter Deborah who was born on May 24, 1731 in Newbury and was listed as Paul’s heir as Deborah Currier in his January 1787 probate record.

We can’t find a marriage record for Deborah Shackford but with the help of Bonnie, another Shackford researcher, we’ve both come to the belief that the Deborah Currier whose will dated 7 Sep 1799 and is found in probate records dated 23 April 1801 is most likely the same person.   We believe she first married Theodore Libbey who died in 1759, then married Caleb Currier in 1768.  She outlived her second husband and left this will leaving her estate to children of both husbands. 

Deborah is listed in her father’s estate as Deborah Currier and this death notification was published in the United States Oracle of the Day on April 18, 1801: In this town, … Mrs. Deborah Currier, widow, aged 68. 

Also this theory aligns with Samuel Burnham Shackford’s Shackford Genealogy.

From Deborah’s will we learn, that :

  1. Deborah was married to Caleb Currier who is deceased (probably the same Caleb wrote a will dated March 22, 1784 and died on April 3, 1784 leaving his estate to his wife Deborah and mentions three sons William, Caleb, and Thomas, from a previous marriage).
  2. Deborah’s husband Caleb Currier had a son named William and a grandson named Caleb.
  3. Deborah was first married to a Mr Libbey and had a son named John Libbey who moved to Newburyport and a daughter Mary who married a John Mushaway.  [he was her second husband as she had married Samuel Lamson in 1774]
  4. Deborah had four grandchildren living at the time the will was written: Catherine [Lamson] Currier and Rebecca Mushaway daughters of her daughter Mary and  Hannah Libbey, and Rebecca Libbey, daughters of John Libbey.
  5. Deborah knew Nathaniel Folsom to whom she loaned money and Jeremiah Libbey, Margery, Ward, and William Walker who signed her will.

We’ll keep looking for source information that helps support this theory that Deborah Shackford first married Mr Libbey then Caleb Currier.

  Deborah (Shackford) (Libbey) Currier’s Will

Probate Record Deborah Shackford Libbey Currier Image 789 Will page 1 - for blog

I Deborah Currier of Portsmouth in the County of Rockingham and State of New Hampshire, Widow Do make this my last Will & Testament viz
I give unto William Currier (son of my late husband William Currier deceased) one feather bed – I also give unto Caleb Currier grandson of my said husband Caleb one
Desk. The said bed & desk being formerly my said husband Caleb Currier’s Property.
I give devise & bequeath unto my son Jno Libbey now of Newburyport two thirds of the Money due or which may be due to me from Mr Nathaniel Folsom on his note of hand or of any other money due to me or which may be due at the time of my decease. I also give unto my said son John Libbey one feather bed being the
one I purchased anew tick or covering for; & also six birch Chairs
I give devise & bequeath unto my Daughter Mary Massurey (wife of Mr John Massurey) [believe this is actually Mushaway based on a review of the rest of the probate records, jsp] of Portsmouth the other third part of the money due or which will be due me from Mr Nathl Folsom for the note aforesaid at the time of my decease
I also give unto my said Daughter Mary one feather bed – I give devise & bequeath unto Hannah Libbey Daughter of my son John Libbey my silk gown – I also give devise & bequeath unto Deborah Libbey Daughter to my said John my gold necklace I also will & direct that all my wearing apparel not before disposed of be equally divided among or between or between my four granddaughtes viz Catherine Currier & Rebecca Massurey children of my before named daughter Mary Massurey and Hannah Libbey & Deborah Libbey children of my said son John Libbey & my said Daughter Mary Massurey & to their heirs & assigns they equally paying my funeral charges & expenses of setting the business of my estate And I hereby appoint my said son John Libbey sole Executor of this my last will & testament. I witness whereof I hereunto after my mark & seal the seventh day of September 1799 Deborah her mark Currier seal
The Mark made & sealed & declared by
Deborah Currier to be her will in presence of us who signed in each others presence
Jeremiah Libbey Margery G Ward Wm Walker Recorded truly WW

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:

“DIED,” The United States Oracle of the Day (Portsmouth, New Hampshire), 18 April 1801, Deborah Currier; digital images, America’s Historical Newspapers (infoweb.newsbank.com : accessed 6 April 2024), America’s Historical Newspapers.

Massachusetts “Massachusetts Births and Christenings, 1639-1915,” database, FamilySearch(http://www.familysearch.org : accessed 8 July 2014), Deborah Shackford

New Hampshire, County Probate Estate Files, Deborah Currier Case 6812; “New Hampshire, County Probate Estate Files, 1769-1936,” digital images, Family Search(http://www.familysearch.org: accessed 20 January 2016); >Rockingham>Case no 6749-6845 1800-1801>Image 779-790 of 1230

“New Hampshire, Wills and Probate Records, 1643-1982,” digital images, Ancestry.com(http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 15 January 2016), Deborah Currier.

“Shackford Genealogy Manuscript,” 13 October 1925; SG SGA 5; Shackford collection by Samuel Burnham Shackford; New England Historical and Genealogical Society, Boston, Massachusetts. (56) William Shackford, Shackford Genealogy Manuscript #44 Deborah Shackford.

Copyright 2024 Joanne Shackford Parkes  (sharing a link to this post is appreciated but please do not just copy this material and paste it elsewhere)

Wednesday Wedding – Who did Sarah Shackford Pearson (1728-1814) Marry – We Only Know his last Name was Pearson. (Blog 312)

In an effort to learn who Sarah (Shackford) Pearson, daughter of Paul and Rebecca (Hudson) Shackford married, we are listing the information that we do know about Sarah and a list of possible next steps in our search for information about Mr Pearson.

  1. Sarah Shackford was born in Newbury, Massachusetts February 1st, 1728.  Her parents were Paul Shackford and his wife Rebecca.

Birth Record Sarah Shackford

Anno 1728
Sarah Shackford ye daughter of Paul Shackford and
Rebecca his wife was born February 1st.

2. Sarah is listed as Sarah Pearson in her father’s Jan 29, 1787 probate records. This indicates that she married a Mr Pearson before 1787.  Mr Pearson may or may not have been her first husband.

3. Sarah would have most likely been married around the age of 20-30 i.e. 1748-1758. We’ve reviewed every record of a Sarah Shackford FamilySearch and Ancestry can not find any marriages of a Sarah Shackford in that timeframe that do not connect to another Shackford.

4. Sarah’s will and codicil tell us:

a) She was a widow living in Haverhill when she wrote her will on March 6, 1811 but died in Newburyport.  The probate record expenses show she was cared for through Aug 15, 1814 which is most likely her death date.

b.) She had a grandchild William Smith to whom she left $100 but because her estate was less than her legacies, he may have received $28.89.  She might not have been close to him – her codicil stated that if he had died before his legacy was received, she left this $100 to Mary Jane Brown.

c. She left $100 to Amelia (Moore) Shackford, wife of her deceased nephew John Shackford but but because her estate was less than her legacies, Amelia may have received $28.89 She also left Amelia her gold necklace.

d. She left Mary Richards of Boston her gold ring.

e. She left $50 to James Prince who was also appointed administrator.  He received $14 because the estate was less than her legacies.  She also appointed him as guardian of Mary Jane Brown the daughter of Else Smith of Boston to whom she left the remainder of her estate. Mary would have received nothing as there was no remainder to the estate.

5. Sarah is buried in the Old Hill Burying Ground, Newburyport, Massachusetts.

NEXT STEPS IN OUR SEARCH FOR SARAH’S HUSBAND

Review the other Pearson’s and Smith’s buried in the Old Hill Burying Ground to see if her husband and/or children are buried there. (thanks to Bonnie, a descendant of one of Paul’s other daughters for this idea!)

See if we can find find out more information about William Smith, Mary Richards, Else Smith, or Mary Jane Brown who are mentioned in Sarah’s will (not as easy as looking for information about Shackfords!)

Research Haverhill records to see if we find any land records for Sarah Pearson.

Continue to follow land records from Paul Shackford’s probate to learn what happened to the portion left to Sarah.

Search for newspaper articles that mention Sarah Pearson.

Continue to search for a marriage record for Sarah and for a Mr Hudson who married a Sarah – perhaps she had a middle name which was used as her primary name when she was married?

Look for the administration portion of Sarah’s probate record, the details of the disbursements of her estate may help us find her grandchild, his parents, and thus her husband.

Search for records of her siblings which may have additional information about Sarah’s family.

Review probate records of male Pearsons in Essex County born abt 1728 who died before 1814 (this presumes Sarah married someone who died in Essex County)

Does anyone else have any additional ideas?

SOURCES:

“Essex County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1638-1881,” digital images, American Ancestors (http://www.americanancestors.org/databases/essex-county-ma-probate-file-papers-1638-1881 : accessed 8 January 2016), Sarah Pearson, Case No 21033

“Find A Grave Index,” Index, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org : accessed 13 January 2016), Mrs Sarah Pearson, Find A Grave Memorial# 86522518

Massachusetts, Massachusetts, Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988, , Sarah Shackford, birth, 1 February 1728; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 25 August 2013); Town and City Clerks of Massachusetts. Massachusetts Vital and Town Records.

 

Sunday’s Obituary – Paul Shackford (abt 1702-1786) (Blog 310)

Paul Shackford, the son of John and Sarah (Hudson) Shackford was born about 1702. In 1726 he owned land in Newbury on Fish Street next to the ten rods of land that Samuel Greenleaf was purchasing from Jonathan Dole.

The next year, on Dec 9th, 1727 he married Rebecca Hudson.

In 1732 Paul purchased land in Newbury from John Dole for the sum of 78 pounds and 5 shillings.  He attended Newbury’s Third Parish where he and three other gentlemen would council some “Youes that Play at meeting.”  In 1757 when he was 55 years old he was on the Larrum List of the Fifth Company which was under the command of Capt Richard Greenleaf and according to Currier, was most likely the  keeper of the powder and ammunition from April 4, 1771 through the end March 1779.

Paul’s death announcement was published in multiple newspapers – we know of The Essex Journal, the Salem Mercury, the Centurion, and the Massachusetts Gazette. This is the announcement from The Essex Journal.

Died Paul Shackford The Essex Journal and New Hampshire Packet, 20 December 1786

‘Died’ on the 4th inftant, Mr. Paul
Shackford, of this town, in the 84th
year of his age.  He was buried in the Old Hill Burying Ground and his probate file which listed his heirs was started on Jan 29, 1787.

CHILDREN:

Sarah Shackford (1728-1814) married ?????? Pearson

Deborah Shackford (1731-????) married Caleb Currier

John Shackford (1735-1764) – married Deborah Seward

Sumner Shackford (1737-????) – served in Second Regiment of Militia in the County of Essex and Capt Beniah Young’s Company on Crown Point Expedition

Rebecca Shackford (1743-????)

We’re hoping that when we learn more about Paul’s children, we may learn more about Paul.

Updated 1/12/2016 – Thanks to input from one of Paul’s descendants, have corrected name of Sarah’s husband to Pearson.

SOURCES:

“At Newburyport,” Salem Mercury (Salem, Massachusetts), 23 December 1786, Paul Shackford; digital images, Newsbank.com (http://www.newsbank.com : accessed 10 January 2016).

“At Newburyport,” Massachusetts Gazette, 22 December 1786, Paul Shackford; digital images, Newsbank.com (http://newsbank.com : accessed 10 January 2016); Date 1786-12-22; Vol VI; Iss: 289; Page 3.

Currier John J, Ould Newbury, Historical and Biographical Sketches (Boston: Damrell and Upham, 1896), pages 105-6, 437 and 492; digital images, Hathi Trust (http://hathitrust.org : accessed 12 July 2014.

“Died.,” The Essex Journal and New Hampshire Packet, 20 December 1786; digital images, Godfred Memorial Library (http://godfred.org : accessed 25 September 2013). Died, on the 4th instant, Mr. Paul Shackford, of this town, in the 84th year of his age.

Find A Grave, Find A Grave, digital images (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed 1 August 2014), Paul Shackford, Find A Grave Memorial # 86619212.

“U.S., Newspaper Extractions from the Northeast, 1704-1930,” Images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 17 January 2015), Paul Shackford.

Wednesday Wedding – Mr Paul Shackford and (Mrs or Miss?) Rebecca Hudson joyned in marriage Feb 27, 1727/8 (Blog 308)

This week we were contacted by a probable descendant of Paul Shackford (1702-1786) who was interested in learning more about the details of this family line!  We love collaborating with other researchers of Shackford Family History so we’ll try to focus on this line for a while!

We’ve previously shared the probate records of Paul’s father, John Shackford (1678-1738) which lists his son Paul who had inherited his father’s dwelling house and the land it stood on.  Based on Paul’s death announcement on Dec 4, 1786, we know he was 84 years old in Dec 1786 so we believe he was born in 1702.

There are multiple sources for Paul’s marriage stating that Paul Shackford married “Mrs” Rebecca Hudson on Feb 9, 1727-28 but all seem to be transcriptions of the hand written marriage record shown below which states:  “So far are returned to ye Cler of ye county – Marriages returned by ye Reverend Mr John Lowell

Mr Paul Shackford m Mrs Rebecca Hudson (handwritten version) Massachusetts, Massachusetts, Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988, , Paul Shackford m. Mrs Rebecca Hudson

Mr Paul Shackford & M??? Rebecca Hudson both of Newbury were joyned togather in marriage February ye 29th 1727-8″

There are many transcriptions of this document which state “Mrs Rebecca Hudson”, many of which are possibly copied from the first listing of the first transcription.  When we look closely at the handwritten version, the words could be Mrs or Miss. And when we look at the entire page we notice that this same word – either Mrs or Miss is written before the name of each of the woman listed on this page which indicates that the word is most likely Miss, not Mrs.

Also page 16 of The Descendants of Andrew Ford of Weymouth, Massachusetts, Part I The First Six Generations states that Rebecca Hudson, the daughter of Eleazer Hudson and Deborah Ford born 14 Feb 1709 married Paul Shackford. The author Elizabeth Cobb Stewart does not provide any sources for her statement but if correct, Rebecca would have been 18 when she married Paul so if she was a Mrs when she married, she would have had to marry another Mr Hudson to become Mrs Hudson.  However if the written marriage record is stating “Miss”, the book may be correct.

Since Eleazer died on May 15, 1736, we reviewed Eleazer’s will to see if it helped verify that Rebecca was Paul’s husband but discovered that his will was written on 11 May 1727 before Rebecca’s marriage and lists Rebecca as one of his unmarried children who was to receive 150 pounds.

We’ll keep looking for source information to help verify Rebecca’s parentage but will assume for now that they are Eleazer Hudson and his wife Deborah Ford.

[Updated 1/7/2016 multiple times after reviewing the original marriage record]

SOURCES:

“Died, on the 4th instant,” Essex, Journal (Newburyport, Massachusetts), 20 December 1786; digital images, News Bank (http://newsbank.com : accessed 24 September 2013).

Massachusetts, Massachusetts, Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988, , Paul Shackford m. Mrs Rebecca Hudson, ; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 6 January 2016); Town and City Clerks of Massachusetts. Massachusetts Vital and Town Records.

Stewart Elizabeth Cobb, The Descendants of Andrew Ford of Weymouth, Massachusetts, Part I The First Six Generations (Montpelier, Vermont: Capital City Press, 1968), page 16-17; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 6 January 2016