1. JAMES I. SHELDON was born on 11 Apr 1743 in South Kings Towne, Washington, RI. He died on 10 Aug 1828 in Greenes Settlement, Town of Adams, Jefferson County. He was left 50 pounds in the will of his grandfather Isaac SHELDON. He lived in South Kingstown, RI; Richmond, RI; and Adams, NY. He was elected a Justice of the Peace for South Kingstown in May 1779, 1780, 1781, 1782, and 1783. As a Justice of the Peace he was required to take an oath under the "Rhode Island Independence Act."
A number of women have joined the D.A.R. based on the above-mentioned civil service performed by James SHELDON during the Revolutionary War. A ceremony marking the grave of James SHELDON was held at the Greenes Settlement Cemetery in May, 1980.
He married first on 24 Oct 1762
HANNAH BEARD who died before 1781 in South Kingstown [?], RI. Her name is
seen as HANNAH RECORD in some sources.
Children, SHELDON:
2 i AUGUSTUS SHELDON married SALLY IRISH
3 ii HENRY SHELDON married JOANNA PECKHAM
4 iii SARAH SHELDON married Rev. BENJAMIN BARBER
5 iv HANNAH SHELDON married GARDNER KENYON
6 v DORCAS SHELDON married JONATHAN WEBSTER
7 vi WILLIAM J. SHELDON married SARAH TILLINGHAST
8 vii an infant SHELDON born in 1781.
9 viii an infant SHELDON born in 1781.
JAMES I. SHELDON married second on 14 Oct 1781 in S. Kingstown, RI
ELIZABETH MOORE. According to information in Sheldon Family Association
files, the marriage was performed by Elder Solomon Sprague. Elizabeth MOORE
was born in 1756; she may have been the daughter of David MOORE and
Mrs. Mary (BARBER) JAMES. Elizabeth MOORE died on 8 Aug 1828 in Adams, NY
and is buried in Greenes Settlement Cemetery.
They had the following children:
10 i WAITE SHELDON married JOSHUA LOCKE
11 ii ELIZABETH SHELDON married SAMUEL CLARKE
12 iii MARY SHELDON married Rev. NATHAN MOORE
13 iv AMY SHELDON married CHARLES GREENE
14 v MARTHA SHELDON married EDWARD GREENE
15 vi MERCY SHELDON married Rev. WILLIAM H. GREENE
16 vii VIRTUE SHELDON married LORENZO RHODES
17 viii ISAAC SHELDON married MARY RHODES
18 ix SUSANNAH SHELDON married JAMES MAIN
3. HENRY SHELDON, (son of JAMES I. and HANNAH (BEARD/RECORD) SHELDON) was born on 30 Mar 1765 in Richmond, Washington County, Rhode Island. He died 2 Jan 1835 in Otego, NY.
He married about 1788
JOANNA PECKHAM, who was born 25 Oct 1766. She died 20 Mar 1849 in Otego, NY.
Children, SHELDON:
19 i BENJAMIN B. SHELDON
20 ii JOHN B. SHELDON
7. WILLIAM J. SHELDON, (son of JAMES I. and HANNAH (BEARD/RECORD) SHELDON) was born 15 Jul 1776.
He married 5 Sep 1799
SARAH TILLINGHAST
Children, SHELDON:
21 i PHEBE SHELDON
13. AMY SHELDON, (daughter of JAMES I. and ELIZABETH (MOORE) SHELDON) was born 2 Sep 1788 in Berlin, Rensselaer County, NY. She died 10 Dec 1874 in Adams Center, Jefferson County. She was apparently a twin sister of Martha Sheldon, unless birthdates have been confused.
She married 5 Nov 1803
CHARLES GREENE, Jr, the son of (CHARLES and WAITE (BAILEY) GREENE) was born 10
Oct 1788 either West Greenwich, RI or Berlin, Rensselaer County, NY. He
removed from Berlin in 1805 and settled in the Town of Adams at Greene
Settlement, Jefferson County, where he spent the rest of his life. In
1878 a writer estimated that there were over 300 Greenes living in the
Town of Adams. CHARLES GREENE died 9 May 1878 aged 99 years 7 months at
the home of his son LEANDER GREENE at Adams Center. (See Greene family there).
Children, GREENE:
22 i ANNA "Annie" GREENE
23 ii THOMAS H. GREENE
24 iii ELIZA GREENE
25 iv CHARLES GREENE
26 v RILEY W. GREENE
27 vi LUCRETIA GREENE
28 vii CELIA AMY GREENE
29 viii ROSANNAH GREENE
30 ix KEZIAH "Kate" GREENE
31 x MAXSON S. GREENE
32 xi MONROE ASA GREENE
33 xii LEANDER R. GREENE
34 xiii CINDERELLA B. GREENE
14. MARTHA SHELDON (daughter of JAMES I. and ELIZABETH (MOORE) SHELDON) was born 2 Sep 1788 in Berlin, Rensselaer County, NY. She died on 27 Mar 1846 in Adams, Jefferson, NY. Again, she was apparently a twin sister of Amy SHELDON, if birthdates are correct. She had ten children.
She married about 1808 in Berlin, Rensselaer County NY
EDWARD GREENE, who was born in 1779 in prob. Berlin, Rensselaer, NY. He died
in 1848 in Adams, Jefferson, NY. He was a farmer in Adams, New York having
moved from Berlin in Rensselaer County to Pinckney, Lewis Co., about 1808, and
from there to Adams a few years later. By his first wife LYDIA GREENE (daughter
of CALEB and WELTHAN ELLIS) he had a son who died young and a daughter.
See Greene Family.
15. MERCY SHELDON (daughter of JAMES I. and ELIZABETH (MOORE) SHELDON) was born 4 May 1791. She died on 16 Jun 1862 in Hounsfield, Jefferson County and was buried in Sulphur Springs Cemetery, Hounsfield. Her given name is also seen as Marcy.
She married on 12 Feb 1809 in Berlin, Rensselaer County, NY
Rev. WILLIAM H. GREENE, who was was born on 13 Aug 1791. He died on
12 Jun 1866 in Hounsfield, Jefferson County. He was also buried in
Sulphur Springs Cemetery, Hounsfield.
Children, GREENE:
35 i ANN MERCY GREEN
James and Elizabeth (MOORE) SHELDON died within two days of each other in August, 1828. (Their gravestone can still be seen in the Greenes Settlement Cemetery, Town of Adams, NY). The letter which follows was written by Charles GREENE, Jr., husband of their daughter Amy SHELDON, to Samuel and Elizabeth (SHELDON) CLARKE, another daughter, informing them of the sad news. Samuel CLARKE and his wife Elizabeth lived in Greece, Monroe County, NY at the time:
Adams, August 12, 1828 Jefferson Co. N.Y.
"Respected brother and Sister:
I take this Time to inform you of our healths,
which is not good. wee have had a verry wet Season. our Corn is very light;
other grain is tolerable good; wheet is one dollar per Bush.
I have one thing in particular to wright: that is to inform you that Mother Shelden Deseased 8th of august, funeral 10th; father Shelden Died the 10th of august, Jus as they had Caried Mother out of the house. fathers funeral 11th of august, atended--Both of their funerals was--By grate many People. Mother--they Cauled it the tipeus feaver, But I dont now. She was well of a Tuesday, and in ten days after, She paid the debt which wee all owe, and gone to rest. Mother was Sick but a few days before father was taken ill. he was not So Sick as to lie abed all the time, -- Continued along through Mothers sickness. a week before he Deseased, he Came out to My house. the Day before he died, he walked the house an went into the back room, when Suposed Struck with death. he Deseased Sunday Morning about 10. on friday before, he Stropt his Rasor to Shave, and was a going to Shave, and Edward Says to him, "father, you hadent better Shave,--Your hand Trembles So." Says father, "Bring me my InkStand And I will Convince you that I Can wright as well as I Could when I was Eighteen years old." he went and got the InkStand and Roat a noat For value Recd, and Roat as Strate as any Boddy and Carryed a Stedy hand. wee Concluded that father had no Disorder than old age, and over Come with Mothers Death, and trouble Carried the old Man off.
Isaac is verry Sick, and Rather doubtful of recovering. his Eyes is no better. his wife is in a weekley way,--has ben for two or three years. Isaac is rather better to day. Edward Greens wife is Rather weekley. James Mains wife is a good deal on well at this time. Lonzo Rhodes family is well at presant. Wm Greens family is very well, Excepting their Youngest Child, it is very Sickley in these parts at this time. I and My family are all well at Presant, Excepting Thomas has Ben Sick about Six weeks with the ague and feaver. he is geting Bitter, So he begins to work. I have talked of Cuming out their this fall. But I dont know Whether I Shall Come or not. I want you to wright as Soon as you get this letter whether you are Coming out here this faul or not, for wee Should Be happy to see you out here this faul. Frute is not Verry plenty: Plumes are all Blasted.
I Recved your letter Dated April 15th AD 1828. father planted onions in my Garding,--a good many of them. he has got a garding to holme--as fine a garding as Can befoun in the Town or County for the age of it. Aples trees that father Sat out in his garding that Bares apples hangs full, So the old Man proped them up. he has a grate number of plums Trees In his Garding, and Evry other Vegitapes what Ever; a grate Deal of tobaco, and french Turnips, onions, Curants, goos Berries; and gates to go any whare in the garding. the week Before he deceased, he Caried to gather Between fore and five acres of rye, and Shocked it up for me,--I hired him. he would Carry togather And Shock it up as fas as the other man Cradel it. I hired a nother Man to bind after the Cradler.
Mother went to a picking Bee to pick wool the week Before She Deseased, and it was noticed By most Evry one how Smart the old wooman was. She walked as Spri as any of the Girls. Seamingly, the Day She was taken Sick She Renst yarn and Sized out a piece redy to put in the Loom, and went over to James Main and Came holme and Says "I am Sick," and Lay Down on the Bead and never got up a gain. the week before this She wove 12 yds Carsey Double work. She wove this Sumer Betwee 70 and 80 yds of Cloth. She was 72 years old Last July. Father was 85 the 22 of April.
I Can Stand in My Door and See their graves. They was Both Enturd in one grave Side by Side. Mother Did not apear to have hir Senses Much of hir time after She was taken Sick, or Did not Say anything about hir things while Sick. She Left Some things,--two beds, goldneclafs, Cow, 8 sheep, and Clothing. one Bed she gave to Isaac Before She Died; and father Said nothing a Bout his things, altho he Seemed to have his Senses till he Died. he walked the house the Day before he Died, and talked as Regualr as Ever, and that night Before he Died he Could not Speak a loud word, But failed all night and Died next Morning about 10 oclk. Elder freeman Preached their funeral Sermon.
Elizabeth Shelden 72
James I. Shelden 85
Charles Green [the writer - ds]
Samuel Clark [the recipient - ds]
fathers Text: Jobe the 14 Chapt 14 virse;
Mothers Text: Jobe the 17 Chapt 13 virse and 14.
[On the address side (folded, without envelope):] Adams Aug 18 NY Mr. Samuel Clark In the Town of Greece Monro County State of New York."
BPC: What an incredible letter to have.
For further information, contact:
David Simonds
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