Nicholas Shaver, Jr.

See [1] for a detailed study of Nicholas and his family.

Nicholas ("Neibalas") Shaver, Jr.
Born	1736 or c. 1749 Valley, Botetourt, Virginia
Died	Feb 27, 1810 Shirley, Huntingdon, Pennsylvania
Occupation	Tobacco farmer; botanist
Spouse	Elizabeth _________
Children	Phoebe Shaver
Parents	Nicholas Shaver Stephanie Maria Von Auersperg

Notes:

• 1795 Huntingdon Co., Shirley Twp., PA Tax List: Nicholas Shaver, 160 acres; 3 horses; 6 cows
• Will of Nicholas Shaver, Huntingdon County, PA Wills, book 2, pg 53
• History of the Juniata Valley pg 1027
• Nicholas moved from his native colony of Germany to Shenandoah, Virginia via James River to Cumberland in 1750 to Aughwick, PA in 1770, as he purchased May 24, 1785, a farm in Shirley Twp, Huntingdon Co,. where he died. He was the earliest settler in the township and had no neighbors except those miles distant. He bought part of his land from the original owners, the Indians, giving them a fair price for their holdings. Nicholas was a botanist and tobacco farmer. His sons Peter and John were appointed administrators of his estate. Nicholas participated in the Revolutionary War from 1781-1782 out of Providence Twp, Bedford Co., PA
• Wife Elizabeth died 29 Aug 1756 and is buried on Stitt Farm Mt. Union, PA

Excerpt from Genealogy of Johannes Baer, 1749-1910

Major John Shaver was born in Shenandoah Valley, Va., September nth, 1762, and died October i6th, 1829. He came to Pennsylvania from Virginia at an early day and settled near Aughwick Mills, Shirley Township. He moved to what is now Mount Union in 1802. He was a prominent farmer and owner of much land. He built the large stone house near where Mount Union now stands and is buried in the cemetery near the house. He raised a large family, who married and made new homes of their own, most all of them adjoining his home or within a radius of three miles. His children :

Samuel, 1795-1870. Married Catherine Vandevander, lived adjoining his father.

Jacob, 1796-1878, Married Jane Morrison. Lived about 3 miles away; near Newton Hamilton. Second wife, Julia Mor- rison (sisters).

Henry, 1797- 1870. Married Hannah Morrison. Lived at mill adjoining his father.

John, 1 798- 1 863. Married Jane Hanawalt. Lived near Aughwick Mills (Sheriff, Huntingdon County). Married sec- ond, Sarah King.

Nicholas, 1801-1884. Married Keziah Etnier. Lived at mill adjoining his father.

Ann, 1803-1878. Married John Morrison (1803-1859). Lived along Shirley Road about 3 miles away,

William, 1804-1855. Married Catherine Wallace. Lived adjoining his father.

Catherine, 1808-1863. Married Joseph Lankton. Lived and died on a farm near Lewistown.

George, 181 0-1880. ]\Iarried Margaret Mcllhenny. Lived near Ipavia, Fulton County, 111.

Peter, 1813-1894. Married Margaret Morrow, 1816-1890. Lived adjoining his father.

Major John Shaver was a son of Nicholas Shaver, Jr., who came from the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia, and purchased a farm May 24th, 1785, near what is now Aughwick Mills, Shir- ley Township, where he lived the balance of his life. He died about 1810. His sons, Peter and John, were appointed admin- istrators of his estate in that year. He owned considerable prop- erty. His wife's name was Elizabeth. They had the following children: Peter, name of wife, Catherine; John (Major), mar- ried Mary Glass. Jacob, married, (lived in Westmoreland County). Leonard, lived in Mercer County, married Rachel Ricketts, daughter Hezekiah, Sr. Phebe, married Casper Booher. Catherine, married Joseph Cochenour. Susannah, married

Peter Snyder. A daughter, name unknown, married

Ripple. Most all of whom lived in the vicinity of the old home- stead.

At one time the Shavers (about 70 in number, counting chil- dren), and their relatives, through marriage with the families of Casper Booher, Peter Snyder and Hezekiah Ricketts, Sr., owned one continuous line of adjoining farms about five miles long, ex- tending from the Juniata River at the bend where the Creosoting plant is located, up through Hill Valley, almost to where the Brewster Tannery stood.

The father of Nicholas Shaver, Jr., was Nicholas, Sr. It is said he came from Germany, when Nicholas, Jr., was a small boy, and settled in the Shenandoah Valley, in Virginia, with the early settlers and had two sons and one daughter.

Excerpts from HISTORY OF THE JUNIATA VALLEY

Narcissa (Shaver) SheafTer descends from a long line of splendid colonial ancestry on both the paternal and distaff sides. The immi- grant ancestor of the Shaver family came from Germany to the Prov- ince of Virginia while that colony was yet in its swaddling clothes. He settled on the James River, some distance from the colonial capital, Jamestown, became a tobacco planter, and accumulated a large amount of this world's goods. He was a highly edvicated man and used his knowledge for the benefit of his neighbors as well as himself in turn- ing to account the natural resources of the country, especially his botanical lore. Among his descendants was Nicholas, of whom fur- ther.

(I) Nicholas Shaver, a descendant of the immigrant of the name, was born in the Shenandoah Valley, Virginia, and here lived and died. Among his children was Nicholas Jr., of whom further.

(II) Nicholas Shaver Jr., son of Nicholas Shaver, was born in the Shenandoah Valley, Virginia. He moved from his native colony to Pennsylvania, before 1785, as he purchased. May 24, 1785, a farm in Shirley township, Huntingdon county, Pennsylvania, where he located, '~|n lived and died. He was the earliest settler in the township and had no neighbors except those miles distant. He bought part of his land from the original owners, the Indians, giving them a fair price for their lioldings. He died in 18 10, and his sons Peter and John were appointed administrators of his estate. He married EHzabeth , in Virginia, and she came with him and their children to Pennsylvania. Children: i. Peter. 2. John, of whom further. 3. Jacob, lived in Westmoreland count)', Pennsylvania. 4. Leonard, married Rachel Ricketts; lived in Mercer county, Pennsylvania. 5. Phoebe, married Caspar Booher. 6. Catherine, married Joseph Cochenour. 7. Susan- nah, married Peter Snyder. 8. A daughter, name unknown, married Mr. Ripple.

(Ill) John, son of Nicholas and Elizabeth Shaver, was born Sep- tember II, 1762, in the Shenandoah Valley, Virginia, and died Octo- ber 16, 1829, in Shirley township, Huntingdon county, Pennsylvania, and is buried in the family cemetery at Mt. Union. He was reared on his father's tobacco plantation, in the chivalrous atmosphere of his native colony, and was there educated. It is said of him that he was a most perfect type of a southern gentleman. He moved to Pennsyl- vania about 1784 and located at Oughwick Mills, Shirley township, Huntingdon county. In 1802 he changed his place of abode to what is now known as Mt. Union, the same county. He was one of the larg- est land owners in the county and one of its most progressive men. He erected a large store house on the present site of Mt. Union. At one time the Shavers and their relatives, about seventy in number, counting the children, and their connections through marriages with IMessrs. Booher, Snyder and Ricketts, owned one continuous line of farms about five miles in length, extending from the Juniata river at the bend, where the creosoting plant is now located, up through Hill Valley, very near where the Brewster tannery stood. He married Mary Glass, also of Virginia. Children: i. Samuel, born 1795, died 1870; married Catherine Vandewater, and lived on farm adjoining his father's. 2. Jacob, born 1796, died 1878: married (first) Jane Morri- son; (second) Julia Morrison, sister of first wife; lived near Newton Hamilton, Pennsylvania. 3. Henry, born 1797, died 1870; married Hannah Morrison; lived at mill near father. 4. John, born 1798, died 1863; married (first) Jane Hanawalt; (second) Sarah King; he was once sherifif of Huntingdon county. 5. Nicholas, born 1801, died 1884; married Keziah Etnier; lived in what is now Mt. L'nion. 6. Ann, born 1803, died 1878: married John Morrison; lived on Shirley Road. 7. AVilliam, of whom further. 8. Catherine, born 1808, died 1863; married Joseph Lankton; lived and died on farm near Lewis- town, Pennsylvania. 9. George, born 18 10, died 1880; married Mar- garet Mcllhenney, lived near Ipavia, Fulton county, Illinois. 10. Peter, born 1813, died 1894; married Margaret Morrow; lived on farm adjoining his father.

Historical Notes

• Nicolas may be the one listed as living in Huntingdon county (2 horses, 2 cattle, 140 acres) in 1788
• Nicholas is living in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania in the 1790 Federal Census along with:
  • Number of Free White Males 16 and Over: 4
  • Number of Free White Females: 1
  • Number of Household Members: 5
• Nicholas is living in Shirley, Huntingdon, Pennsylvania in the 1800 Federal Census, along with:
  • Free White Males Under 10: 1
  • Free White Males 26 to 44: 1
  • Free White Males 45 and Over : 1
  • Free White Females Under 10 : 1
  • Free White Females 45 and Over : 1
  • Number of Household Members Under 16 : 2
  • Number of Household Members Over 25 : 3
  • Number of Household Members: 5