MAY 13, 2008 JAMES M. SHAY

I think I found a new possibility on where our James M. Shay came from. I found in the 1850 census a James Shay living in Raccoon, Beaver Co., PA. He was 16 years old at the time and living on the boarder of Ohio & Penn and along the Ohio River. He is the best candidate yet to be our ancestor considering his age, location and access to the river. I bet his family moved between the two counties of Columbiana Co., OH & Beaver Co., PA. Also if he lived close to Ohio and near the Ohio River...it might make sense that he could be listed as being born in Ohio in his children's census. Also he had sisters named Mary & Nancy. There is a Civil War record for James M. Shay that listed his age as 28 in 1864. That means he could have been born bet. 1835-1836. Since census records can be off with ages by a few years...the 1850 census listing him as 16 could not be too far off.

Below is the family info for that James Shay in the 1850 Census for Raccoon, Beaver, Pennsylvania.

James Shay - age 50 - born in NY
Fanny Shay - age 41 - born in PA
James Shay - age 16 - born in PA
Harvey Shay - age 12 - born in PA
Adeline Shay - age 8 - possibly twin - born in PA
Mary Shay - age 8 - possibly twin - born in PA
Alfred Shay - age 6 - born in PA
Nancy J. Shay - age 4 - born in PA
Thomas Shay - age 2 - born in PA

The Ohio River was a major route during the Westward Expansion because the Ohio River flowed westwardly. The river became the convenient means of westward movement by pioneers traveling from western Pennsylvania.

I have attached a map of the area and it gives a good idea of how James might have come down to Kentucky/Missouri area.
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I don't have my notes with me but I remember the town....it sounds familiar -- I might have noticed it before but latched onto the other James Shay because of the birthdate. This looks very good.

I haven't had a chance to scan the documents in but hope to before the week's end.
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