John William Shaver (1739 - 1795)

Born 4 Aug 1739 in Hannover, Heiliges Römisches Reich [uncertain]

Husband of Magdelene (Hone) Shaver — married 1783 in Oxford, Sussex County, New Jersey

Descendants

Died 8 Aug 1795 at age 56 in Ancaster Twp, Wentworth, Upper Canada

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Biography

John was born in 1739 in Germany.^[1]

In 1765, John arrived in Philadelphia from Rotterdam on the schooner 'Betsy' with his family.(http://shaversofancaster.com/?q=node/150) They were escaping the Seven Years War 1755-1764, when Hannover sided with the Prussians and British. This was 10 years before the American Revolutionary War 1775-1783. They settled in Sussex County, New Jersey.

He and his 1st wife Katrinka (or Lehena?) had 4 children:

1. John,
2. Elizabeth,
3. William E. and
4. Margaret

He and his 2nd wife Magdelene children were:

1. Maris Schaeffer bp. 5 Nov 1780 to Johannes Schaeffer and Lehena (Lena is short for Magdalene) in Knowlton Twp., Warren Co., New Jersey.
2. Fredrick 'Fritz' (1783- ),
3. Susanna (1784-1856),
4. Philip (1785- ),
5. Peter (1786- ),
6. Heinrich (aka Henry) (1789-1860), bp.30 Aug 1789 in Knowlton Twp., Warren Co., New Jersey
7. Anna (15 Apr 1791-13 Dec1875), bp 13 Jun 1791 in Knowlton Twp., Warren Co., New Jersey
8. Daniel (1783-1786),
9. Catherine (29 Jun 1795-1859).

John died on 4 August 1795. He was interred in the Bethesda Cemetery, Wentworth Township, Ancaster, Ontario, Canada.^[1][2]

Research Notes

Info by Merilee Scott: (40 years of research went into the following)

John Shaver was a United Empire Loyalist who served with Butler's Rangers during the Revolutionary War. His status was verified in a document discovered in 1986 buried among the "Township Papers" from the Ontario Archives. It concerns the sale of his property to Oliver Tiffany in 1818: "John Shaver original nominee under OC 9 July 1894 privileged as MC (Military Claimant) a Soldier in Butlers Rangers – a patent completed after the demise of the ON (original nominee) and paid for. "

Three baptisms are recorded in Knowlton Twp., Warren Co., New Jersey (formerly Oxford Twp., Sussex Co.) Maria Schaeffer Bap 5 Nov 1780 to Johannes Schaeffer and Lehena Henrich Schaefer Bap 30 August 1789 to Johannes Schaefer and Magdalena Anna Schaefer Bap 13 June 1791 to Johannes Schaefer and Magdalena

John, his wife and 8 of his younger children came to Ancaster Twp, Wentworth Co, Ontario about 1793 (as per his wife's petition 1797). His request for a land grant (200 acres Lot 50, Conc 2) was approved 9 July 1794 and the patent was sealed 10 February 1798. The original application has not been located. John died 9 September 1796 which was verified in his estate administration. It is said he was originally buried on his property and the body was later moved and reburied with wife Magdalene (possibly in 1880). A new stone was erected, and the death date and year inscribed was incorrect. He was born in Germany (High Germany according to his Memorial Stone)

John's will written 24 May 1796 requests that his land be held for his 5 sons Frederick, Philip, Peter, Henry and Daniel. His daughters Mary, Susanna, Ann and Catherine were also to share in the estate. The living children of his first marriage (John, William and Margaret) were each given £5 New York currency. Wife Magdalene was to have support from the property. An inventory of the estate was a modest £377 NYC, which included the land value of £150. The property was sold in 1818 to Oliver Tiffany, who had been renting the land since about 1798. After his death in 1843 it was purchased by Samuel Hammill for £1250.

OTHER INFORMATION circulating about John to be proved or rejected:

Recollections of John Shaver's grandson: "My grandfather Shaver was a German by birth; he came from New Jersey to Canada about the same time that Grandfather Lee came; settled in Ancaster Township and part of the village now stands on this property; and he moved from New Jersey to Canada with an ox team and one horse; he had a daughter that ran in the fire and burnt her feet (Margaret) so that she was a cripple afterwards; and so she rode the horse and carried two or three of the children. The rest all came on foot; there were two girls came with them a foot; one of them wore a hole in her apron carrying cooking pans. Grandfather Shaver did not live long after he came to Canada. He had four sons and four daughters; and the family had to do for themselves."

John and wife Magdalene have often been confused with the John Shaver and wife Mary (Hone) who resided in Matilda, Ontario. See Magdalene's memorial for more information.

Some state he immigrated to the USA on the ship Betsey which landed in Philadelphia on 19 September 1765, although only the names Wilhelm Schafer and Jacob Friederich Shaffer appear on the passenger list available to me. Shaver/Shafer is a common German name and there are many passenger lists missing from that time period. Before 1820 passenger lists were not required for ships arriving in the US. It is to be noted that a Johannes Wilhelm Schäffer appears on the passenger list for the Ship Chance, Rotterdam landing in Philadelphia 9 September 1765.

It's generally believed John settled in New Jersey, married shortly after his arrival and had 4 children. Name of his first wife is unknown. Some say Charity or Katerinka Colborn (but no proof has been submitted that I am aware of.)

There has also been speculation about his place of birth, parentage and siblings but to date no proof has been offered.

Some of the information about John was based on a book "Frederick Shaver, 1747 Germany-Sussex County, New Jersey" written by Frederick Howell Shaver. The author suggested that John was the brother of Frederick b 1747 and William b 1753 and offers a good argument, but was unable to find proof. He was influenced by the proximity of their residences in New Jersey. It should be considered that there were other seemingly unrelated Shaver families in that area. The 3 men were close in ages (1739, 1747 and 1753). He noted that the 2 families both used the anglicized "Shaver" instead of Shafer. (Although our family was known as Shaver, both John and Magdalene signed their names "Shafer".) The fourth item was the similiarity in their children's names. (Unfortunately they were all common names found in most German families at that time.) The author also believed that John and Magdalene moved to Pennsylvania before emigrating to Canada.

Frederick and William were confirmed as brothers in Frederick's will. William made a note in the family bible of his mother's death 5 May 1776.

In support of the 3 brothers theory: John, Frederick and William all baptized children at the same location.

Frederick Howell Shaver's book is available at: https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=wu.89066308313&view=1up&seq=43&skin=2021

Please note: there are some inaccuracies about John and his family when compared to the known facts.

We, of course, all want to know who John's first wife was, and the surname of his second wife Magdalene (she is not likely a Hone – see her memorial). New Jersey records currently available to me (marriage, probate, death, land) have not be revealing, but maybe someone has access to further records that would solve the mystery.

As for his parentage…… considering the common name and general area of birth, we may never know.

For Paywall Ancestry Users Only: (links lead to paywalls)

Pennsylvania German Pioneers: A Publication of the Original Lists of Arrivals in the Port of Philadelphia from 1727-1808, Vol I. Ancestry.com (19 Sep 1765: Wilhelm Schäfer aboard 'Betsy', page 706)

Family Trees for Hints: Shavers of Ancaster http://shaversofancaster.com/?q=node/14 and http://shaversofancaster.com/?q=node/150

Olive Tree Genealogy <http://www.olivetreegenealogy.com/ships/palship_list.shtml>

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Headstone information, photo attached. Bethesda Cemetery, Wentworth, Canada. Also Find a Grave Memorial 75752261 http://findagrave.org/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Shaver&GSfn=John&GSiman=1&GScid=2353994&GRid=75752261&
2. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/75752261/john-shaver: accessed 16 April 2023), memorial page for John Shaver (1739–9 Sep 1796), Find a Grave Memorial ID 75752261, citing Bethesda United Church Cemetery, Ancaster, Hamilton Municipality, Ontario, Canada; Maintained by Merilee Scott (contributor 51047253).

See Also:

• Interment.net Cemetery Records Online (Bethesda Cemetery) http://www.interment.net/data/canada/ontario/wentworth/ancast/bethesda/bethesda.htm

• Ancestry http://search.ancestry.ca/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=70668&h=380926&ssrc=pt&tid=5654265&pid=48579403778&usePUB=true

Acknowledgements

• This person was created through the import of Ancestry Wiki.ged on 14 March 2011.

• This person was created through the import of MildredMcEwan.ged on 02 April 2011.