Nancy Elisabeth Shaw (Ford) O'Brien (1807 - 1898)

Born 18 Jan 1807 in Waverly, Pike, Ohio, United States

Ancestors

Wife of Alfred O'Brien — married [date unknown] in Ross, Ohio

Descendants

Died 1 Nov 1898 at age 91 in Osawatomie, Miami, Kansas, United States

Biography

Nancy was born in 1807. Nancy Ford died in 1898.

Children

Thomas Franklin O'Brien 1827–1904

Pleasant O'Brien 1829–1913

Parion E O'Brien 1833–1922

Leah O'Brien Kindle 1840–1908

Sarah O'Brien Sylva 1841–1911

Abigail Ann Obriant Morse 1842–1908

Burial: Indianapolis Cemetery, Osawatomie, Miami County, Kansas, USA Plot: Row 5, Grave #3

Additional Biographical Information from FAG

Benjamin and Mary Ford were moving from Ohio to Indiana with their 5 children, Richard, Thomas, Edward, Mary and Leah Ford, when they happened upon a small baby Shawnee Indian girl by the side of the wagon trail they were traveling.

There was no sign of the baby's mother or tribe around so the Ford family picked her up and took her with them.

Later an Indian agent told them that the Indians considered twins to be a bad omen and the tribe usually insisted that one of the babies had to go. If the twins were a boy and girl the parents would choose to keep the boy. If one twin was weaker or had a problems the healthier child was chosen.

All bad luck was blamed on the "extra" child, storms, bad hunting, illness, etc. until the baby was abandoned. Usually the mother would take her child and place where where it could be found and taken in by another tribe or pioneers. The mother would hide nearby tending to the babies needs until someone came along, then she waited to see if they would take her baby.

The Fords took the Shawnee Indian girl in and adopted her and raised her as one of their own. They gave her the name of Nancy Elizabeth Shaw Ford. The Shaw was short for Shawnee. The Fords had four more children after they adopted Nancy they were Samual, Levi, Absolum and Benjamin.

Nancy smoked a stone pipe and She was blind in later years.

Nancy married Alfred O'Brien (O'Brient) (Bryant), a half blooded Choctaw Indian.

"Thanks to my cousin, Jonna Johnson, for all the research she did on our GGG Grandmother."

Sources

• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/7372409/nancy-elizabeth_shaw-o_brien
• familytreedna.com

View in Family Tree Review Attachments Nancy Forde mentioned in the record of Alfred Obrien and Nancy Forde Name Alfred Obrien Spouse's Name Nancy Forde Event Date 20 Dec 1823 Event Place Ross,Ohio