Thank you for the photos and the certificates. I showed my mother the photos on Sunday and she recognized some of the people in them. She hadn't seen a few of them in 30 years. Some of the photos with George Heath must have been taken only months before he passed away. The date on the photos appeared to be 1978 and he passed away in September of that year.
I am still patiently waiting on more ancestor photos from my mother's cousin Tonie.
I went through and looked at the possible connection of our James Shay being the son of David Shay of Ohio. That seems to be the only fit of a James Shay born in Ohio for us. I will try and contact the historical society in Crawford County, Ohio to see what information they have on David Shay's family. I find it interesting that in the 1860 census that David Shay's family has a Nancy Shay age 83 born in PA. This may be a mother, stepmother, or aunt to David. James would have grown up and known this Nancy and could explain his 2nd daughter's name. James also had an aunt and sister with the name Mary. Also this could be where is oldest daughter received her name. James had an aunt named Jane also. Not sure if he would name his youngest daughter after his aunt. Also Margaret Mayberry may have had sisters or a mother with the name of Jane so that might be where our Jane got her name. Of course this is all speculated on the assumption that our ancestor James Shay is indeed the same James Shay, son of David & Sarah. If we can find some record of that James Shay of Crawford has having a middle intial or name that starts with M then we can really narrow it down. Our ancestor is James M. Shay.
The James Shay of Crawford Co., OH appears in a census for the last time dated July 24, 1860. Our James Shay purchased land in Missouri Feb 1, 1861. He also had his oldest daughter born about 1861-1862. Therfore, he must have left shortly after July 1860 to head West and somewhere along the way meet and married Margaret Mayberry who would have been 16 years old and shortly afterwards started a family.
If James Shay of Crawford Co, OH did indeed make his way to Missouri, he would have traveled through Indiana and Kentucky to get to Scott Co, MO. That is how he probably meet Margaret Mayberry. He could have stayed in Kentucky for several months or ended up in Scott County early where the Mayberrys may have already settled to from Kentucky. Back then courtships between couples especially frontier couples were much faster. Logically, James could have meet and married Margaret in only a few months time.
I think our answers may lie with the historical societies of Crawford Co., Ohio and Scott County, MO. I will dig around both and let you know what I find.
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I think I may have a lead on Margaret Mayberry - it's a long shot the same as James Shay--
I came across a William Mayberry that married a Sarah Tennessee Lee - born in Ballard Co. KY. What interests me -- at least 2 of their children married individuals (Tippy and Potts) -- AND lived in Sandywoods, Scott County, Missouri. (Tippy 1st wife was also a Mayberry - not sure how she fits in the family.) I will send you this documentation when I get home tonight. Tippy and his wife are buried in Scott County.
William's parents were: Fredrick Mayberry b. abt 1788/98 in VA according to the 1850 census of Ballard C./McCracken. He married an Elizabeth ? - she died in 1870s in Ballard Co. KY. The 1860 census shows her age 60 with Delphia a daughter.
Fredrick's children: Pleasant (?) b 1833, Nancy b 1840, Delphia b 1842 and Margaret b 1845, & William 1821 d 1879.
Will provide you with a list of William's children later. Another interesting point with his children -- if I remember correctly, one may have relocated to Ohio.
I really think this may lead to something as the Tippy/Potts - wives being Mayberrys - may have been Margaret's nieces -- our Jane Shay's first cousins.
Fredrick may have received land grants West of Tennessee River - not sure if this is the same Frederick.
Tax records show a David and Fredrick Mayberry.
PS - I've "roped" in a couple of my nieces to help out with getting some pictures from my Aunts and Uncles in the Campbell/Corning area.
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I think your Mayberry lead is the best lead yet. Ballard Co, KY & McCracken Co., KY are located within 50 miles Southeast from Scott County, MO. This has the closest connection of a Margaret Mayberry born 1844/1845 then any other I have come across in the area.
Frederick & Elizabeth (Betsey) ? Mayberry had at least 2 sons and 3 daughters born between 1815-1830 according to the 1830 McCracken Co. census. Obviously they probably had several more children between 1830-1845 as indicated by the 1840 & 1850 census. Frederick's oldest child was a female born bet. 1815-1820. Elizabeth must have been a teenager when she married Frederick and gave birth to their first child. Back then in Frontier life it probably would not have been uncommon to marry off daughters at the age of 15.
Maybe Elizabeth is a Christian name given to her and she may be the Native American in our ancestry. Elizabeth is listed as being born in Kentucky (note: Pocohontas was given the name Rebecca when she converted in the 1600's so the name Elizabeth does not rule out that she is a Cherokee Indian). If she is Cherokee then the Ballard or McCracken historical societies may have something written on her. Also one of Elizabeth's decendants may have info about that also. If she is indeed the mother of 10 children and probably 30+ grandchildren then hopefully we won't have too much trouble finding info from other decendants.
I noticed in the 1850 & 1860 census that there are little children with the last name Allen living with the Mayberrys. Perhaps these are grandchildren born to Frederick & Elizabeth's oldest daughter. The age range would be plausible and they may have been orphaned and went to live with their grandparents. I estimate based on census that there could have been 10 children born bet 1815-1844 to Frederick & Elizabeth. Some of the later ones could be grandchildren based on Elizabeth's age. I have seen Elizabeth listed in age anywhere between (1789-1800) Thats 11 year range the various census puts her in. Although she is probably closer to an 1799/1800 birthdate and is the mother to all the children bearing the last name Mayberry.
List of children of Frederick & Elizabeth Mayberry. The first 5 are not listed by names in the 1830 & 1840 census.
1. Dau (1815-1820), 2. Son (1820-1825), 3. Son (1820-1825), 4. Dau (1820-1825), 5. Son (1825-1830), 6. William (1831), 7. Pleasant (1833), 8. Nancy (1840), 9. Delphia (1842), 10. Margaret (1844)
I guess I will need to email these historical societies and see what I come up with. We may just have unlocked the key puzzles to both the Shay & Mayberry branches if James Shay is the son of David & Sarah and Margaret is the daughter of Frederick & Elizabeth.
I will let you know what I find later.
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I think I may have seen on ancestry.com or another gen. site - that he may have had 2 wives - both being named Elizabeth. Although, I haven't seen any census records to indicate this.
Also, there was a referenced on a Mayberry website that the "women of the family" had to wear sun hats so their skin would not darken" due to the Native American bloodlines.
Still trying to convince my sister to making a trip to Missouri.
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Wow, there is actually a reference to a Native American bloodline on a Mayberry website? I would love to take a look at that. I find it interesting that Margaret does not appear with her mother Elizabeth and sister Delphia in the 1860 census. She may be with living with an older unknown sibling at this time since Elizabeth is widowed. Perhaps after Frederick died, his wife went back to her roots and was the medicine woman that our family has heard of. This of course is speculating but could be interesting if these Mayberrys fit in with us.
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