Samuel and Susanna (Hobbs) Shackford of Duxbury, Vermont (1789-1831) (Blog 520)

April 3, 2024April 3, 2024 ~ Joanne Shackford Parkes ~ 8 Comments

We aren’t sure where Samuel Shackford of Duxbury, Vermont was born but according to Samuel Burnham Shackford’s Shackford Genealogy Manuscript, he was the son of John Shackford and most likely John’s second wife, Anna Hatch. The manuscript states he was born on May 25, 1789 and since John Shackford (1743-1827) was living in York County at this time, he was most likely born there. Samuel was living in Duxbury, Vermont at the age of 21 – we’d love to know what brought him to Duxbury.

We do know that Samuel married Susannah Hobbs, the daughter of Caleb and Sarah (Lucas) Hobbs on December. 2, 1810. She was born on December 18, 1792 in Bradford, Vermont so he was 21 and she was 17.

Duxbury Deed, Caleb Hobs to Samuel Shackford, Jan 10, 1811

On January 10, 1811, Samuel purchased land from Caleb Hobs [sic], his father-in-law for $175. The property is described as “fifty acres off the westerly end of Lot Number Twelve in the second division of Duxbury – land drawn to the right of Cora King.”

Three months later, on March 7, 1811, Samuel then sold property with the exact same description to James Hobs [sic], his brother-in-law for $1. We are unsure why someone would sell property they had just purchased for such a loss — perhaps Samuel owed money to his brother-in-law?

Samuel remained in Duxbury – he is listed in the 1820 census on the same page as his brother-in-law working in the field of agriculture. The census record shows that he had one adult and four children under the age of 10 living at the home. Samuel is also listed in the 1830 Duxbury census records. Although the family had six daughters under the age of 14 in 1830, only two are showing in this census, one age 10-14 and 1 under 5 although the family had eight girls at the time. We know from the Shackford Genealogy Manuscript that one daughter – Adaline, who would have been 9, was living with another family – perhaps many of the other Shackford children were also living with other families.

Samuel died at the age of 41 on February 6, 1831 and was buried in the Old Waterbury Center Cemetery in Waterbury, Vermont. A photograph of his gravestone can be seen at Find A Grave. He left a wife and eight daughters ages 19, 17, 16, 11, 11, 9, 6, and 5.

Samuel’s widow, Susannah married Rememberance Nash in Duxbury on July 28, 1833. We have not found much about this relationship other than an index card with the marriage information but believe it ended quickly as he moved alone to New York before 1840. Susannah moved to Waterbury, Vermont and married Ezra French in 1845, definitely before October 16, 1848 as a deed with this date reflecting land she purchased lists her with the last name of French — the land was adjacent to land that Nathaniel had already sold to Ezra. We find Ezra and Susanna living together in the 1850 Waterbury census which lists Ezra age 75 owning property valued at $300 living with Susanah, age 57. Ezra’s son Calvin from a previous marriage was also living in the home..

Ezra died on 18 Mar 1854 and was buried in the Waterbury Center Cemetery. Susanna then went to live with her eldest daughter Orilla who had married Samuel Woodard. She then sold the property that had been owned by Ezra and the property she had purchased for $150. It was described as “the place where myself and my late husband Ezra French formerly lived.”

She lived in Waterbury until her death at age 85 on February 21, 1878 and was buried in the Waterbury Cemetery next to Ezra. The gravestone can be seen at FindAGrave.

CHILDREN:

Orrilla Shackford (1811-1862) – married Ira Jewell, then Samuel Wells Woodward

Sarah D Shackford (1815-1903) – married David Hill, then Charles H Atkins

Rebecca Melissa Shackford (1817-1867) – married William Foster

John C Shackford (1819-1819)

Angeline Shackford (1820-1883) – married Williard Bainbridge Preston

Adaline Shackford (1820-1907) – married John Prentice Wallace Vincent, then Robert King

Lydia Shackford (1822-1840)

Rosana Shackford (1824-1910) – married Alfred York

Susannah Sabrina Shackford (1826-1924) – married Edwin Aldrich Lanfair

Note: The Shackford name ended in Duxbury, Vermont upon the marriage of Adaline in 1845. We never would have pieced this family together without Samuel Burnham Shackford’s Shackford Genealogy Manuscript or the staff at the NEHGS who pulled it from storage and allowed me to review it. Samuel and the other Samuel Shackford of Chicago who compiled Shackford research spent hours in libraries reviewing source material, writing letters to Shackford descendents, and incorporating the new information into their manuscripts. Today we are fortunate to have access to even more materials online and to be able to reach out quickly via phone and e-mail to others who are interested in this same genealogy research. But even then there is more research needed to verify past research.

Further Research needed regarding Samuel Shackford:

Review the notes that Samuel Burnham Shackford took from the family Bible mentioned by Sabrina Lanfair to see if there are any further sources to substantiate that this John Shackford listed is Samuel’s father. Hopefully there are some notes explaining why he moved to Duxbury Maine at the age of 21.

Look for probate records for Samuel’s father John who lived in Alfred, Maine and review any land records for John and John’s children for any indications as to Samuel’s parents.

Are there any records that show where Samuel and Susanah married? (probably not as records were not kept in 1810)

Are there any records showing where their younger children were in 1830?

Were there guardianship assignments of the children after Samuel’s death in 1831? We’ve reviewed the Washington, Vermont Probate Court Guardian records, 1821-1921 but have not found any records pertaining to this family.

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:

1820 United States Federal Census, Washington County, Vermont, population schedule, Duxbury, Samuel Shackford; digital images, Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com : accessed 22 March 2024).

1830 United States Federal Census, Washington County, Vermont, population schedule, Duxbury, Samuel Shackford; digital images, Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com : accessed 22 March 2024).

1850 US Federal Census, Washington County, population schedule, Waterbury, page 649 (penned), dwelling 2008, family 2018, Ezra French; digital images, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org : accessed 14 January 2015).

1860 US Federal Census, Washington County, population schedule, Waterbury, Page No 168, dwelling 1279, family 1353, Samuel W Woodard; digital images, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org : accessed 10 June 2019).

“Duxbury Land Records, 1770-1876 Grantor and Grantee index to land records, v. 1-19,” digital images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/178010 : accessed 29 March 2024), Book 5, Samuel Shackford Caleb Hobbs; Image 161 of 927.

“Duxbury Vermont Land records, 1770-1876, Land records, v. 5-6 1800-1830,” digital images, FamilySearch (FamilySearch.org : accessed 2 April 2024), Property Sale Caleb Hobbs to Samuel Shackford; Film #008663953, Image 54 of 684.

“Duxbury Vermont Land records, 1770-1876, Land records, v. 5-6 1800-1830,” digital images, FamilySearch (FamilySearch.org : accessed 2 April 2024), Samuel Shackford to James Hobs; Film #008663953, Image 69 of 684.

“Duxbury Vermont Card index to births, T-Z, 1783-1997; bride index to marriages, A-Z, 1783-1997; groom index to marriages, A-Z, 1783-1997,” digital images, FamilySearch (familysearch.org : accessed accessed), Susanna Shackford; Film 007746234, Image 1028 of 2208.

Find a Grave, Find A Grave, digital images (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed 1 August 2014), Samuel Shackford, Find A Grave Memorial# 53220057.

Find a Grave, Find A Grave, digital images (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed 1 August 2014), Susanna Hobbs French, Find A Grave Memorial# 53220011.

“Shackford Genealogy Manuscript,” 13 October 1925; typed manuscript, SG SHA 5; Shackford collection by Samuel Burnham Shackford; New England Historical and Genealogical Society, Boston, Massachusetts. (56) Desc. of William Shackford, #116, Samuel Shackford b 1761; source Family Bible from his daughter Susannah (Shackford) Lanfair.

Vermont, Vermont Vital Records, 1760-2008, , Samuel Shackford, 6 February 1831; digital images, FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org : accessed 5 June 2013).

“Waterbury. Deeds 1862–1872,” digital images, FamilySearch (FamilySearch.org : accessed 12 March 2024), Nathl Woodman’s Deed to Susannah French.

“Waterbury. Deeds 1862–1872,” digital images, FamilySearch (FamilySearch.org : accessed 10 March 2024), Susana Hobbs (Shackford) French sells property; Image 296 of 616.

Rebecca Melissa (Shackford) Foster of Waterbury, Duxbury, Williamstown, and Moretown, Vermont (1817-1867) (Blog 517)

March 22, 2024April 3, 2024 ~ Joanne Shackford Parkes ~ 1 Comment

Rebecca Melissa Shackford, daughter of Samuel and Susanah (Hobb) Shackford was born April 5, 1817 probably in Carlisle, New York. She was the third child in a family that moved to Duxbury, Vermont and raised eight girls to adulthood (one boy died within a few months of his birth). Rebecca was 13 when her father died and most likely worked hard on the farm to support the family.

When Rebecca was 21 she married William Foster in 1839, and moved to Williamstown, Vermont where he worked as a farmer and they raised six children. The family seems to have been missed in the 1850 census but was recorded in Williamstown in the 1860 census where William’s property is valued at $6,000 and his personal property valued at $7500.

William and Rebecca’s eldest son registered for the draft on July 1, 1863, mustered in the military on June 10, 1863 where he served with the 1st Regiment, Vermont Heavy Artillery as a Corporal. Sadly he was captured at Weldon Road in Virginia, imprisoned on 23 June 1864 at Andersonville Prison and died there on Sept 8, 1864. He was 24 years old.

In 1866, William purchased land in Moretown, Vermont where we believe they moved as this was where Rebecca died at the age of 50 on October 16, 1867.

Rebecca was buried in the Williamstown Town Cemetery in Williamstown, Vermont. Her gravestone has the following inscription: REBECCA M. wife of Wm Foster DIED Oct 16, 1867 AE 50 Yrs. (Photograph from Find A Grave shared with permission of photographer kwhitco.)

William who was left with younger children, married Orilla (Peck) Nelson, a widow with five children — together they had two more children. He died on April 17, 1890 at his daughter Adeline’s home and was buried next to his first wife, Rebecca in Williamstown.

CHILDREN:

Horace B Foster (1839-1864) – served in the Civil War, captured and held prisoner at Andersonville, Georgia where he died. Image of gravestone credit to Kevin Frye, Andersonville historian.

Samuel Shackford Foster (1841-1927) – married Annie D Nesbitt. Cooresponded with Samuel Burnham Shackford who compiled the Shackford Genealogy Manuscript

Olive Maud Foster (1843-1893) – married Josiah Holden Warren

Vienna Malinda Foster (1849-1935) – married William M Deavitt and Jerome Hart

Adeline Foster (1852-1893) – married Lorenzo H Warren

Tina A Foster (1855-1883) – married George Warren Kibby

Note: Some individuals on Ancestry have Rebecca Shackford’s last name listed as Stafford. We weren’t sure why until a fellow researcher of this family pointed out that Rebecca’s daughter Olive’s marriage record has Rebecca with the last name Stafford. We’ve looked at these written records and perhaps this was the best spelling they had of a grandfather who was deceased before Olive was born. We do know that the source for the Samuel Burnham Shackford’s Shackford Genealogy Manuscript for Rebecca Melissa was Samuel S Foster, one of Rebecca’s children and are hoping someday to see what he sent to Samuel Burnham Shackford regarding this family line. Samuel Shackford’s 1927 death record shows his mother’s name as unknown and she is not mentioned in his obituary. Neither Vienna Malinda’s marriage or death record record her mother’s name. Adeline’s death record does not record her mother’s name. The youngest child Tina’s marriage record shows her mother as Melissa Shackford and her death record lists Rebecca Shackford. I will write to those using Stafford to see if they might agree to update the spelling to Shackford so that any descendents can discover their ancestors.

SOURCES:

1860 United States Federal Census, Orange County, Vermont, population schedule, Williamston, Page No 1, Dwelling 3, Household 3, Wm Foster; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 18 March 2024).

“Hardwick. William Foster,” Orleans County Monitor (Barton, Vermont), 19 March 2024; digital images, Newspaper Archives (NewspaperArchive.com : accessed 19 March 2024).

“Our Boys in Prison–Deaths, &c,” Independent Standard (Irasburgh, Vermont), 6 January 1865, Horace B Foster; digital images, Chronicling America (ChroniclingAmerica.loc.gov : accessed 23 March 2024).

“Shackford Genealogy Manuscript,” 13 October 1925, reviewed summer 2016; typed manuscript, SG SHA, Folder (56) William Shackford; Shackford collection by Samuel Burnham Shackford; New England Historical and Genealogical Society, Boston, Massachusetts. # 247 Rebecca Melissa Shackford, source Samuel S Foster.

“U.S., Civil War Draft Registrations Records, 1863-1865,” digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 22 March 2024), Horace B Foster;

Vermont, Vermont Vital Records, 1760-1954, , Rebecca M Foster, 16 October 1867; digital images, FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org : accessed 7 October 2018).

“Waterbury. Deeds 1864–1884,” digital images, FamilySearch (FamilySearch.org : accessed 20 March 2024), John Hunter and wife sell land to William Foster of Moretown.

Where is Susannah Sabrina (Shackford) Lanfair’s Family Bible? (Blog 479)

October 8, 2018April 3, 2024 ~ Joanne Shackford Parkes ~ 5 Comments

This past week I had a very small DNA match on Ancestry to someone whose tree showed that they descend from Susanna Sabrina (Shackford) Lanfair. There is no guarantee that the match is from my Shackford line (it’s small and could just be noise or could be a match from a different line). However finding this match gave me the incentive to review Susanna Sabrina Shackford and find more information about her ancestors in case I find other shared DNA matches with this person.

Graveston Susannah Sabrina Shackford Lanfair FindAGrave photo by psc, notes state can use the photograph as needed — Photo from FindAGrave thanks to psc who gives permission for use of this photo

Susanna Sabrina Shackford was the daughter of Samuel Shackford and Susanna (Hobbs) Shackford). Her birth and death dates (Nov. 28, 1826-Feb 29, 1924) are clearly shown on her gravestone. Her Dec 14, 1843 marriage to Edwin Lanfair was recorded in the Vermont Phoenix on Dec 22, 1843 and documented in Vermont Vital Records. There was also a notice in The Franklin Democrat on Jan 23, 1844 stating she had left Edwin but she returned as she had six children with him and they are recorded in the 1850, 1855, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, and the 1920 census. We have not obtained a copy of her death record.

Susanna’s father died in 1831 when she was 5 and two years later her mother took a second husband, Rememberance Nash followed soon by a third husband, Ezra French. We’ve learned about Sabrina Shackford’s ancestors, from Samuel Burnham Shackford’s, Shackford Genealogy Manuscript which I had reviewed in 2016. Susanna Sabrina is listed on a page with ID #253 which lists the details of her children and lists her parents as Samuel Shackford and Susannah Hobbs. This page of the manuscript includes two sources: Sabrina S. Lanfair and History of Deerfield 2-229. This means that Samuel Burnham Shackford either spoke to or corresponded with Susanna Sabrina and there may be additional source information from the conversations or correspondence in the many boxes of materials at the New England Historical and Genealogical Society!!! Yes, this means a road trip back to Boston is in the future – well not the near future but someday in the future…

Samuel Shackford Shackford Genealogy Manuscript, 13 October 1925; typed manuscript, SG SHA 5; Shackford collection by Samuel Burnham Shackford; NEHGS, Boston, Massachusetts. (56)

Samuel Burnham Shackford’s manuscript describing Susannah Sabrina’s father #116 lists her siblings and Samual’s ancestors and includes a source: Family Bible per Sabrina Lanfair. This has us wondering what is included in the Bible – did it include these ancestors or just list her parents? Was the Bible passed down to Susanna Sabrina’s descendents or donated to an archive? And was it transcribed by anyone? Also if it was transcribed, was a transcription left with the documents kept with Samuel Burnham Shackford’s manuscript???

If you’re a descendent of Susanna Sabrina Shackford Lanfair, perhaps you can help with these questions!

Samuel Burnham Shackford’s manuscript does take Sabrina’s ancestry back to William Shackford & Deborah Trickey and if correct, links me to the person with a small DNA match via Joshua Shackford & Elizabeth Barnes as a seventh cousin twice removed which aligns with this small match. The manuscript if correct also connects many Shackfords who I have not been able to connect to William & Deborah and had just left with no ancestors. However there is very little documentation for #62 John Shackford who according to the manuscript lived to age 103 (1743-1846) which seems unlikely. Also am a bit uncertain regarding the #26 Paul Shackford listed as the son of Joshua Shackford and Elizabeth Barnes — just difficult to sort out the many Paul’s. I plan to continue to look for more sources for this new information and review each new piece of information over the next few months.

SOURCES:

Find A Grave, Find A Grave, digital images (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed 8 October 2018), Find A Grave Memorial, Susanna Sabrina Shackford Lanfair,# 96753875.

Massachusetts “Massachusetts, Death Index, 1901-1980,” index book, Ancestry.com(http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 8 October 2018), anfair Susanna S (Shackford) Hardwick, Year 1924, Vol 29, Page 259.

Sheldon George, A History of Deerfield, Massachusetts: The Times When and the People by Whom it was Settled, Unsettled and Resettled with a Special Study of the Indian Wars in the Connecticut Valley with Genealogies. Vol II(Deerfield, Mass.: 1896), page 229; digital images, Archive.org(http://archive.org : accessed 8 October 2018.

Vermont Phoenix, Brattleboro, Vermont (online archive), Married, Dec 22, 1843, Image 3, accessed Jan 9, 2013.

Vermont, Vermont Vital Records, 1760-2008, https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/V8MY-ZSB, Edwin Lanfair/Sabrina Shackford, 14 December 1843; digital images, FamilySearch(www.familysearch.org : accessed 5 June 2013).

SHACKFORD Family History

Sharing Our Discoveries of the Descendants of William Shackford (abt 1640-1720)

Rebecca Melissa Shackford

Samuel and Susanna (Hobbs) Shackford of Duxbury, Vermont (1789-1831) (Blog 520)

Rebecca Melissa (Shackford) Foster of Waterbury, Duxbury, Williamstown, and Moretown, Vermont (1817-1867) (Blog 517)

Where is Susannah Sabrina (Shackford) Lanfair’s Family Bible? (Blog 479)