Ferrers Shirley
b. ca1720-30's England. Lived in MA and New York 

New DNA results: Haplotype I

MISC INFORMATION FOR THIS BRANCH

   
 

Research on the English Origins of this Family

What we know.

1. Ferrers Shirley was born in England about 1720, Died December 21, 1773, age 53 according to Boston almshouse records

2. He migrated to America about 1756, thus about 26 years old. He says in a 1756 Boston advertisment "Ferrers Shirley from London" which implies he came from there recently

3. He had a first wife named Anne who he apparently married in England and a 2nd wife named Elizabeth who he married in Massachusetts USA.

4. Had two sons John and William possibly born England and a daughter Ann/Nancy (born in Massachusetts), all by 1st wife Ann.

Ferrers is an unusual name for Shirleys - Here are the ones we can find so far in England

1. Ferrers Shirley chr Nov 30, 1693 St. Micheals Parish, Rochester, Kent Co. England, born to Edward and Rachel Shirley Too early

2. Ferrers Shirley chr July 17, 1696 Stow, Stafford Co. England, born to Robert and Anna Shirley Too early

3. Hon. Ferrers Shirley b Apr 23 1689 died June 20 1707, age 18. Son of 1st Earl Ferrers Robert Shirley and wife Elizabeth Washington. Too early

4. The 1783 PCC will of Thomas Shirley of Water Lane London mentions his wife Mary, sister Mary Wiggins, wife of Mathew. Thomas also mentions a minor son named Ferrers Thomas Shirley. Too late, but he may be the son of Ferrers Shirley of Berkshire (shown next). A Mary Shirley married Mathew Wiggins possibly the same as named in the PCC will, are married in 1773 in the same parish as the baptisms of Ferrers and Elizabeth's children (again, see next)

Here is a good candidate - But is he the right one?

1737 Apprentice: Shirley, Ferrers son of Lucy of Reading Berks widow, to Edward Cole of Reading upholsterer. Ferrers of Boston would be 17 years old in 1737. Is that too old to be apprenticed? Cole is not a brewer which is Ferrers' occupation in 1756.

Let's find the Ferrers Shirley family in Reading Berkshire

1742 SETTLEMENTS- Hurst, Sept 24, 1742 Ferrers Shirley and wife Elizabeth from St. Lawrence Reading (also mentions son Thomas). This is interesting, Ferrers of Boston would be 22 years old and also had a wife Elizabeth. BUT...Elizabeth was his 2nd wife and they married in USA. We need to find Ferrers with a wife Anne in England

Here are Baptisms for the Ferrers Shirley family of Berkshire

21 Jan 1744 Lucy Shirley to Ferrers and Elizabeth Shirley at Hurst Berkshire see the 1742 Settlement record, The family moved to Hurst from Reading

Aug 5, 1747 Elizabeth Shirley d/o Ferrers and Elizabeth Shirley at Sonning Berkshire

June 7, 1749 Henry Shirley s/o Ferrers and Anne Shirley at Sonning Berkshire Why Anne this time, and not Elizabeth? Are there two Ferrers Shirleys in Sonning Berkshire?

Feb 8, 1751 Jane Shirley d/o Ferrers and Elizabeth Shirley at Sonning Berkshire

Jul 7 1752 William Shirley s/o Ferrers and Ann Shirley of Reading St Lawrence at Heston, St Leonard parish Middlesex

Jan 1, 1753 Mary Shirley d/o Ferrers and Elizabeth Shirley at Sonning Berkshire

Again, are there TWO Ferrers families in Berkshire at the same time?

Remember: Ferrers Shirley, Branch #34, appears in Boston in 1756 soon after this date or is this the wrong Ferrers Shirley family?`

Check out the lineage we constructed for this family - Lineage

OK, maybe we have something. Let's try to find out more about him, his parents, etc

1. According to Berkshire apprentice records, Ferrers' mother is Lucy, they lived in Reading, and she was widowed by 1737. Here are two Berkshire marriages that seem to fit

22 Dec 1715 Mr Thomas Shirley of Purley parish married Mrs Lucy Simson of Purley parish, both of St Lawrence, Reading (The Purley St Mary parish marriage mention is found in Philmore. Purley-on-Thames is just outside Reading)

May 3, 1747 Lucy Shirley married William Kippens of Hungerford at St. Mary's Parish Is she remarrying after death of Thomas Shirley? They had a dau Lucy Kippens baptized in 1755 St Mary Reading

2. These Berkshire burials seem to fit also

May 21, 1736 Thomas Shirley burial at Reading BerkshireThis fits the apprentice record perfectly

May 1, 1763 Lucy Shirley Kippens burial at Reading Berkshire (husband buried May 28, 1762) OK, so the mother of Ferrers is dead at this time.

Can we find a Berkshire archdeconry will for William Kippens or Lucy Shirley Kippens (maybe Kippings?) that mentions Lucy's children, Ferrers Shirley?

   


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