January 14, 2008 - Owens

haven't spoken to you in awhile and I hope you had a good Christmas and New Years. I called a few Owens in the Coudersport area. I first got into contact with a Cathy Owens who gave me the contact info for her ex-husband John Owens. John Owens is a volunteer for the Austin, PA Historical Society near Coudersport. I phoned him and we spoke for a little bit but he is not a descendant of Thomas & Nancy Shay Owens. His family didn't arrive in the area till the mid 1900's. from another part of PA. No connection to Missouri.

I then called William Owens who is the grandson of Nancy Shay Owens. He is 88 years old and does not remember too much. He said that he was over in Italy in 1944 when his grandmother passed away. He knew that she came from Missouri but never heard her mention any details about her family or her sister Jane. He also said that he had never heard any details about a Native American Connection. William told me that many of Thomas & Nancy's grandchildren are now deceased. I asked if there might be any other family members who would know anything about the family history but he couldn't think of anyone left alive who could help us.

Unfortunately the Owens line in Coudersport will not be able to help us with the Shay line. I am interested in trying to track down Owens descendants in Bradford County, PA. The family seemed to split in the early 1900's with half the children moving to Bradford County and the other children remaining in Potter County.

Also there might be descendants of Bessie Shay. She was the only daughter of Silas L. Shay and Delila Chase Roberts. I am convinced that Silas L. Shay is the reason that Nancy & Jane came to Sweden Township. I believe Silas L. & James M. Shay were brothers, children of Peter Shay & Satira/Sophronia Sutton.

Bessie Shay, (1885-1958) in Sweden Township, married William Manley in 1902. They had two children, Don Manley (1903-1955) and Roena Daisy Manley. Bessie was divorced from William Manley in the 1910's and made a living as a housekeeper. I have the contact information to Jonathan Snyder who is a 3rd great grandson of Delila Chase Roberts Shay, from her first marriage to Benjamin Roberts. I know its a stretch but he might remember family history about Delila's second marriage to Silas L. Shay or perhaps of Silas having nieces that stayed with the family in the 1880's.

I'll let you know what I come up with.

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Happy New Year to you and your family.

I don't remember the individual that I sent letters to but I sent them to the house where Nancy Shay lived at one time. I think it was the husband of a grand-child but I figured he would have been in his 80s. Perhaps, we can check the county office and check to see who owns the house.

Aunt Georgie's daughter Joan told me to tell both you and Justin that Aunt Georgie really enjoyed talking to Justin on the phone as well as your visit. (I'm positive that we will get to see and/or have any pictures that they find - once things settle down.)

I did go home for the holiday break and had a chance to see my Aunt Edie and Uncle Roy. She brought out boxes of pictures for us to look at. There were some pictures of Albert and his family, and a few others. Her son-in-law has agreed to scan several pictures that we set aside and said we would like copies of. I will send you copies when I get the CD. Her daughter and son seem really interested in all the family stuff.

The family seems to be getting really excited about our heritage. Aunt Edie had done a lot of research on the Seeleys as well as the Wood connection. She mentioned that there was a statue of a Heath in Gettysburg -- do you know anything about this? I put down the name Alonzo Heath with a question mark in my notes ... next time I will take a recorder. My sister said perhaps it was Lorenzo but I told her I didn't think so.

I've been updating some of my tree information from Aunt Edie's research. I've been also trying to find info regarding my maternal grandfather. He was Curtis Wood s/o George and Philena Button Wood. He was born in Academy Corners but George and Philena lived at one time in Canisteo, NY. He was married (I'm assuming) to a Lillian Williams sometime around 1913 and had a son from that relationship Dellis William Wood who was born in Geneva, NY.

My mother use to tell the story that her mother found Dellis on the door step one morning - he was about 6 years of age. Dellis lived from that point on with his dad and my grandmother. I've located a Lillian Williams in Canisteo in 1910 but nothing from that point on. I'm now combing the cemetery listings for Canisteo and Geneva.

We joke that my hobby is looking for dead people.

Hope all is well with your family and will talk later.

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I was glad to have visited Georgie when I had the chance. I figured I would let things settle before I inquired about the pictures.

About 2 years ago, a descendant of Alonzo Heath contacted me asking if there was any connection. As far as I could tell there was no connection. I am sure we probably have ancestors in common with Alonzo Heath. Nehemiah Heath, father of William, had many brother and sisters who settled in upstate New York who might have had descendants come down to PA. William Heath was the only son to fight in the Civil War. Lorenzo was never an officer and Frank Heath was too young to serve.

I am going to send away for William Heath's pension records. There probably won't be as much or as interesting details as James Shay but would still be good to have an account of the Civil War. Since William was still alive when he started receiving the pension, I assume we will have first hand accounts of the war from William himself.