Shirley Association Genealogical Research Website

The Shirley Association has been a member of the Guild of One-Name Studies since 1988
Thomas Shirley
b. 1797. Lived Massachusetts and New York

Misc info for this branch



info from: Paul & Patricia Shirley

I. Thomas Shirley born Sept 17, 1797 New Hampshire; He died Jan 2, 1875, Both Thomas and wife Hannah are buried Pine Grove Cemetery, Messena, New York. (The 1850 census says Thomas was born in NY but the 1860 and 1870 says NH)

"The Shirley`s came from Ware, Mass. They were on their way to Canada when someone told them they were foolish to go to a wilderness and they bought a farm about a mile from Louisville, near where Massena Springs are in New York State. They lived there for awhile and Grandma`s mother (Jane Shirley) died there. Mother thinks Thomas Shirley had the home place. One of Grandma Shirley`s sisters, Polly Shirley (Mary), was married to Thos. Steinburgh who lived on Steacy Island in the St. Lawrence River until there was trouble between great Britain & United States (about 1812). They got afraid and left the place and all improvements & went back on a new farm on the 6th or 4th concession of Township of Matilda, Dundas County, Ontario, & some of their descendants still live there. Aunt Polly died at Bearbrooke, Russell County Ont. (near Leanard, Ont. & about 20 miles from Ottawa) and was buried there. I think at the time of her death she was living with her son Thomas Steinburgh who had a farm at Lenard and died there. Thos. Steinburgh, husband of Polly, died in Matilda & was buried there. In his earlier years he had been a river pilot - lumber. Her grave is located outside of Vars on Force Road. Her birth date appears to be 1785. "

From the Messena Observer, Jan 19, 1940 - Thomas came from Boston MA where his family had lived for several generations. Thomas settled first in Louisville Landing just below the ferry dock. He left two brothers, John and William, in Boston. (website editor: one wonders if this newspaper is sourced from family who are mistakenly connecting their Shirleys to Gov William Shirley of Boston. He had two sons John and William. Many US Shirley families claim connections to Gov Shirley through family lore, but they are all in error )

married Hannah Howe who was born Apr 23, 1804 d. July 30, 1887.

children:

1(i). Myron Shirley born Sept 1, 1831 NY d. Nov 31, 1854 (age about 23)

1(ii). John Shirley born Feb 2, 1837 d. June 19, 1849 Louisville, New York (age about 12)

1(iii). William Shirley born Sept 18, 1839 Messena, NY d. April 3, 1894 Hartford, Vermont,

married Olive Ann Hill. She was born July 15, 1839 Benson, Vermont, d. June 21, 1909 Norwood, Vermont.

children:

2(i). Jane (Jennie) Shirley born Nov 7, 1859 d. Dec 25, 1881 Messena NY, m. Hiram Melvin Chase June 25, 1881 Messena NY

2(ii). Etta Shirley born Oct 24, 1860 m. Mr. A. L. Bradish

2(iii). Addie Shirley born July 7, 1862 m. Mr. F. Minkler

2(iv). Myra Shirley born Sept 17, 1864 d. April 11, 1945 White River Junction, Vermont . Never married, was a nurse.

2(v). Mary Ethel Shirley born July 19, 1866 Messena NY, d. Sept 15, 1928 Hartford, Vermont

2(vi). William E Shirley born Sept 13, 1867 d. Oct 5, 1930

William Shirley 1867-1930

married May Cobane

children:

3(i). Myrtle Shirley b. Aug. 1, 1890, d. Aug. 17, 1961 married Irving Thomas Elger

3(ii). Myron Emery Shirley b. Dec. 29, 1892, d. Jan. 28, 1945

married Eva Flossie Sheets, Aug. 4, 1914 in Massena, N.Y. Later, they moved to Lacona, N.Y. near Sandy Creek, N.Y.

3(iii). Mary Shirley b. ?   d. 1918 in Pittsburgh, Pa. from the Flu. She never married.

3(iv). Clifton H Shirley. b. April 15, 1898 d. Nov. 15, 1948 WWI, married Lena Cuglar

Clifton Shirley

3(v). Max Shirley b. May 5, 1900, d. Dec. 26, 1952 .

Max Shirley

married Clara Cryderman in 1924

children:

4(i). Paul Shirley

Paul and Patricia Shirley (son of Max)

3(vi). Beatrice Shirley b. June 27, 1904, d. July 8, 1970. married Charles Wuth and they lived in Massachusetts.

Beatrice Shirley Wuth

3(vii). Verna Virginia Shirley b Aug 30, 1907 d. Nov 27, 1970 m. Elmer Niles 1931 New Hartford, NY

3(viii). Donovan Shirley b. July 5, 1914 at Pittsburgh Pa. d. ?

3(ix). Addie Shirley b. Oct. 24, 1918 at Pittsburgh, Pa. d. Aug 1969 Houston TX

Addie Shirley

2(vii). Orville H. Shirley born Mar 7, 1870 Messena NY, d. Oct 15, 1954. He held a position with S.S. Pierce Importers of Boston.

2(viii). May Anna Shirley born Oct 8, 1871 d. April 1, 1931

2(ix). Burton Shirley born April 29, 1872 d. Dec 10, 1877 Messena NY

2(x). Allen Shirley born March 18, 1874

2(xi). Melvin J. Shirley born July 18, 1877 Messena NY d. Mar 8, 1949 Hanover, Vermont,

married Fanny Louise King Oct 7, 1908 White River Junction, Vermont

2(xii). Burdette Shirley born June 9, 1879 Messena NY d. Jan 8, 1905 Providence, Rhode Island. He was ill but a few days with diphtheria and nature of the disease prevented a public funeral.

He a member of the Royal Methodist Church of Providence, instructor of singing at the YMCA and active worker of the same. He was studying for the ministry and would have entered Dartmouth College in the fall.

2(xiii) Lulu Shirley born Dec 1, 1881 Messena NY d. Aug 27, 1887 Messena NY buried Pine Grove Cemetery Messena NY

II. John Shirley (listed as a brother of Thomas Shirley in the 1940 Messena Observer newspaper, but this claim is not proven)

III. William Shirley (listed as a brother of Thomas Shirley in the 1940 Messena Observer newspaper, but this claim is not proven)

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The Shirley Association has been a member of the Guild of One-Name Studies since 1988		Thomas Shirley b. 1797. Lived Massachusetts and New York Misc info for this branch

		info from: Paul & Patricia Shirley I. Thomas Shirley born Sept 17, 1797 New Hampshire; He died Jan 2, 1875, Both Thomas and wife Hannah are buried Pine Grove Cemetery, Messena, New York. (The 1850 census says Thomas was born in NY but the 1860 and 1870 says NH) "The Shirley`s came from Ware, Mass. They were on their way to Canada when someone told them they were foolish to go to a wilderness and they bought a farm about a mile from Louisville, near where Massena Springs are in New York State. They lived there for awhile and Grandma`s mother (Jane Shirley) died there. Mother thinks Thomas Shirley had the home place. One of Grandma Shirley`s sisters, Polly Shirley (Mary), was married to Thos. Steinburgh who lived on Steacy Island in the St. Lawrence River until there was trouble between great Britain & United States (about 1812). They got afraid and left the place and all improvements & went back on a new farm on the 6th or 4th concession of Township of Matilda, Dundas County, Ontario, & some of their descendants still live there. Aunt Polly died at Bearbrooke, Russell County Ont. (near Leanard, Ont. & about 20 miles from Ottawa) and was buried there. I think at the time of her death she was living with her son Thomas Steinburgh who had a farm at Lenard and died there. Thos. Steinburgh, husband of Polly, died in Matilda & was buried there. In his earlier years he had been a river pilot - lumber. Her grave is located outside of Vars on Force Road. Her birth date appears to be 1785. " From the Messena Observer, Jan 19, 1940 - Thomas came from Boston MA where his family had lived for several generations. Thomas settled first in Louisville Landing just below the ferry dock. He left two brothers, John and William, in Boston. (website editor: one wonders if this newspaper is sourced from family who are mistakenly connecting their Shirleys to Gov William Shirley of Boston. He had two sons John and William. Many US Shirley families claim connections to Gov Shirley through family lore, but they are all in error ) married Hannah Howe who was born Apr 23, 1804 d. July 30, 1887. children: 1(i). Myron Shirley born Sept 1, 1831 NY d. Nov 31, 1854 (age about 23) 1(ii). John Shirley born Feb 2, 1837 d. June 19, 1849 Louisville, New York (age about 12) 1(iii). William Shirley born Sept 18, 1839 Messena, NY d. April 3, 1894 Hartford, Vermont, married Olive Ann Hill. She was born July 15, 1839 Benson, Vermont, d. June 21, 1909 Norwood, Vermont. children: 2(i). Jane (Jennie) Shirley born Nov 7, 1859 d. Dec 25, 1881 Messena NY, m. Hiram Melvin Chase June 25, 1881 Messena NY 2(ii). Etta Shirley born Oct 24, 1860 m. Mr. A. L. Bradish 2(iii). Addie Shirley born July 7, 1862 m. Mr. F. Minkler 2(iv). Myra Shirley born Sept 17, 1864 d. April 11, 1945 White River Junction, Vermont . Never married, was a nurse. 2(v). Mary Ethel Shirley born July 19, 1866 Messena NY, d. Sept 15, 1928 Hartford, Vermont 2(vi). William E Shirley born Sept 13, 1867 d. Oct 5, 1930 William Shirley 1867-1930 married May Cobane children: 3(i). Myrtle Shirley b. Aug. 1, 1890, d. Aug. 17, 1961 married Irving Thomas Elger 3(ii). Myron Emery Shirley b. Dec. 29, 1892, d. Jan. 28, 1945 married Eva Flossie Sheets, Aug. 4, 1914 in Massena, N.Y. Later, they moved to Lacona, N.Y. near Sandy Creek, N.Y. 3(iii). Mary Shirley b. ? d. 1918 in Pittsburgh, Pa. from the Flu. She never married. 3(iv). Clifton H Shirley. b. April 15, 1898 d. Nov. 15, 1948 WWI, married Lena Cuglar Clifton Shirley 3(v). Max Shirley b. May 5, 1900, d. Dec. 26, 1952 . Max Shirley married Clara Cryderman in 1924 children: 4(i). Paul Shirley Paul and Patricia Shirley (son of Max) 3(vi). Beatrice Shirley b. June 27, 1904, d. July 8, 1970. married Charles Wuth and they lived in Massachusetts. Beatrice Shirley Wuth 3(vii). Verna Virginia Shirley b Aug 30, 1907 d. Nov 27, 1970 m. Elmer Niles 1931 New Hartford, NY 3(viii). Donovan Shirley b. July 5, 1914 at Pittsburgh Pa. d. ? 3(ix). Addie Shirley b. Oct. 24, 1918 at Pittsburgh, Pa. d. Aug 1969 Houston TX Addie Shirley 2(vii). Orville H. Shirley born Mar 7, 1870 Messena NY, d. Oct 15, 1954. He held a position with S.S. Pierce Importers of Boston. 2(viii). May Anna Shirley born Oct 8, 1871 d. April 1, 1931 2(ix). Burton Shirley born April 29, 1872 d. Dec 10, 1877 Messena NY 2(x). Allen Shirley born March 18, 1874 2(xi). Melvin J. Shirley born July 18, 1877 Messena NY d. Mar 8, 1949 Hanover, Vermont, married Fanny Louise King Oct 7, 1908 White River Junction, Vermont 2(xii). Burdette Shirley born June 9, 1879 Messena NY d. Jan 8, 1905 Providence, Rhode Island. He was ill but a few days with diphtheria and nature of the disease prevented a public funeral. He a member of the Royal Methodist Church of Providence, instructor of singing at the YMCA and active worker of the same. He was studying for the ministry and would have entered Dartmouth College in the fall. 2(xiii) Lulu Shirley born Dec 1, 1881 Messena NY d. Aug 27, 1887 Messena NY buried Pine Grove Cemetery Messena NY II. John Shirley (listed as a brother of Thomas Shirley in the 1940 Messena Observer newspaper, but this claim is not proven) III. William Shirley (listed as a brother of Thomas Shirley in the 1940 Messena Observer newspaper, but this claim is not proven)
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