James Shearer (1815)

Born 4 Sep 1815 in Scotland, United Kingdom

Ancestors

Descendants

Died [date unknown] in West Virginia, United States

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Biography

James Shearer, Senior, born 4 September 1815 in Scotland, United Kingdom, is thought to be the son of James Shearer and Agnes Cauford, also of Scotland. He was christened 10 Sep 1815 at Stevenston, Ayrshire, Scotland, United Kingdom.

James immigrated to the United States, and eventually settled in Boone County, Virginia.

He is thought to have married Rachael McKinney, of Pennsylvania, but the source for her maiden name is unknown.

Census

James Shearer appears on the 1850 U. S. Census at Zihlman, Allegany County, Maryland with his wife and childen.^[1]

James Shearer, age 35, (probably a miner), born in Scotland

Rachael Shearer, age 35, born in PA

Elizabeth Shearer, age 14, born in PA

James Shearer, age 12, born in PA

Agnes Shearer, age 9, born in PA

John Shearer, age 7, born in PA

Samuel Shearer, age 5, born in PA

William Shearer, age 1, born in Maryland

James appears on the 1860 U. S. Census at Peytona, Boone County, Virginia, with his wife and children.^[2] He is living next door to James Shearer, Junior, his presumed son. As one can tell by the places their children were born, James was well-traveled. It appears that he arrived in the U. S., probably through the port of Philadelphia, met his wife in Pennsylvania, had two children there, then moved to Maryland before coming to western Virginia and settling in Boone.

James Shearer, Sen., age 48, mining coal, value of estate $100, born in Scotland

Rachael Shearer, age 48, wife, born in Pennsylvania

John Shearer, age 15, born in Mayland

Samuel C. Shearer, age 13, borrn in Maryland

Crafford O. Shearer, age 8, born in Maryland

Theodore F. H. M. Shearer, age 6, born in Kanawha

Brice C. Shearer, age 3, born in Boone

James Shearer, Senior appears on the 1870 U. S. Census at Peytona, Boone County, WV.^[3] His wife and many of the children are gone from the 1860 household. Whether or not they are somewhere else is currently unknown. Research requested.

James Shearer, Sr., age 56, miner, both parents foreign born, assets $100

Bryell (sic) Shearer, age 11 (possibly Brice Shearer from 1860 Census), father of foreign birth

Rosetta Hays, age 10, no parents foreign born

Johanna Shearer, age 28, both parents foreign born

Peter Twentyman, age 29, miner, both parents foreign born, assets $125

Sources

1. ↑ "United States Census, 1850", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MD4S-HPJ : Mon Jul 17 23:42:39 UTC 2023), Entry for James Shearer and Rachel Shearer, 1850.
2. ↑ "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M4B1-JR2 : Mon Jul 17 23:07:54 UTC 2023), Entry for James Shearer and Sarah W Shearer, 1860.
3. ↑ "United States Census, 1870," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-67FS-6GJ?cc=1438024&wc=KL29-7M9%3A518656501%2C518771201%2C519225001 : 12 June 2019), West Virginia > Boone > Peytona > image 26 of 32; citing NARA microfilm publication M593 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).

Acknowledgements

Bio and Census data by Gregory S. Morris July 2023

WikiTree profile Shearer-417 created through the import of 2010-09-14.ged on Jul 28, 2011 by Bob Carson. See the Changes page for the details of edits by Bob and others.