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Subject: [PABEAVER-L] Descendants of John & Mary Dunlap Davidson, Beaver County
Date: Wed, 11 Jul 2001 12:57:36 EDT

Hello:

This message pertains to the Descendants of John and Mary Dunlap Davidson.

The particular entry I am looking at in the Davidson Family history,
submitted by Chuck Davidson,
http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~genea/Dzjohn2.html
is the descendants of John and Mary Dunlap Davidson. They have a son,
Charles, who married Sarah McCreary. I believe that Charles and Sarah are
the parents of James M. Davidson who continued to live in Brighton...and
Sarah resided with them after Charles' death.

My interest in these Davidsons is as follows:

I recently purchased a box of items belonging to one family which apparently
includes the surnames of Davidson and Shaffer. I thought they might be
related to my own Shaffer family but they are not. I am planning to sell the
box and contents but would prefer to keep the items together. Therefore, I
need to find the relationship of the 2 families.

One document, is an ORIGINAL, handwritten DEED, dated 1833. It appears to be
the sale of property to JOHN MUSSER by James W. Hemphill and his wife, Mary.
I am interested in knowing if this Musser family is somehow related to
Davidson and Shaffer.

I find the Davidson (James M.) in the Beaver Co censuses with wife, Margaret,
and children Robert M., Maria, Sarah, Ida.

The William K. Shaffer family lived in Venango Co PA. But all of these
documents are from the same family and I would like to find out how they are
related.

This is what the top of the 1833 deed says:

This Indenture, made the twentieth day of July in the year of our Lord one
thousand eight hundred and thirty-three between James W. Hemphill of the
village of Bridgewater in the county of Beaver and state of Pennsylvania and
Mary M. his wife of the one part, and John Musser of New Sewickley township
in the County and state aforesaid of the other part.
--------------------------------------------------------------
This is the scenario I see from the history posted by Chuck Davidson:

Under Descendants of John Davidson - Second wife, Mary Dunlap Davidson......

"Charles married Sarah McCreary, the daughter of a banker. They lived ///cant
read - bottem page 42/// several miles from the others, and also prospered.
There were four children: Ann (Mrs. Isaac Williams); Mary (Mrs. Jesse
Williams); James *** Margaret Grove; and Elisabeth (Mrs. Milo Groscost). A
grandson of ****, harper McGoffick of Beaver, tole me that several of the
****** "
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the 1820 census (also on the Davidson site) there is ONLY Charles in
Brighton.  
In 1830 I didn't see Charles but may have missed him.

In 1840, Charles is dead and Sarah is alone.  1850-70, Sarah is living with
James M., the one whose papers I have.

This is consistently the only Davidson in Brighton Twp.  

We know that James M. married Margaret.

We know that in the 1850 census, which I have a copy of the page, it says the
son of James & Margaret is Robert McC.  It is likely his middle name was
McCreary, his mother's maiden name.

Also, the genealogy on this page, shows that Charles had a brother named
Robert...and in the one letter I have, James M. (probably son of Charles)
refers to "Uncle Robert."

Robert's wife was Margaret McCord. The letter I have refers to "Aunt Maria"
in relation to Uncle Robert.  But it is in the realm of possibility that she
was called Maria, in light of so many Margarets, including James M.'s wife.

The box I bought is very old.

It has the 1833 deed.

A letter from James M. Davidson to his wife in 1845.

Receipt (1864) with tax stamp for furniture at Allegheny City, Pa. (Now the
Northside, Pittsburgh)

Letter to James M written by daughter Maria but with the names of Robert M,
Mrs. Margaret, Sarah A. among those sending it.

Another receipt (for timber) with tax stamp dated 1867. (Oatman & Co.)

Shipping order of James M. Davidson... The Goods were sent on the steamship,
ROBERT FULTON, 1847.

There is a souvenir booklet of pictures of Blackpool, England.

That is the Davidson part.

Then there are 2 original discharges of William K. Shaffer, Venango, PA, of
the 11th PA Cav, Civil War. His certificate about being made a 1st Sgt is
also there.

There is a bag of GAR buttons.

There is a Bible that says "Oct 16, 1893 - Presented by Cora Ida Shaffer to
Dr. W. S. Shaffer."

William S. was the son of William K., according to census info.

There is a pension certificate of Calvin A. Shaffer for his service in the
Spanish American war. Calvin was another son of William K.

I would like to find the connection of these Davidsons to the Shaffers.

Thanks
Linda

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