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Lineage of Thomas Sheffield of Bedfordshire (1790-1860)
Updated December 7, 2011

About Our Family Research


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************************** SHEFFIELD *********************************
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************* "The open space by the River Sheaf" ******************
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In May of 1841, Thomas Sheffield accompanied by his new wife Ann and their three children, Elisha, Elijah & Ruth (it seems a 4th child, Benjamin did not make the journey) made their way from Bedfordshire bound for the United States. Upon reaching London they boarded a small sailing vessel saying goodbye to their native England and family for what seems the very last time.

The family manage to dock safely in New York on June 22nd 1841 as the Ship Ontario's 151 passenger manifest records. Though no history of her travel has been located, transatlantic crossings in the day show the journey to be both arduous and long typically taking some 30 days or more. From here, either by train and/or by wagon, the family make their way into the uppermost reaches of what was then Michigan territory meeting up with Thomas' elder son John where they would spend the next several years together before heading southwards.

The family would ultimately settle in a Norwegian settlement known as Koshkonong located in the south central Wisconsin territory. As farmers, it seems likely Thomas chose Koshkonong because of the thriving wheat industry and abundance of wild game. Although major Indian conflicts (see Bad Axe massacre) had largely ended by the early 1830's, it seems there were still lingering problems in subsequent years as recounted by Franklin Southwick. It would not be long before Thomas' younger children come of age, marry and move on perhaps driven by the cold or the lure of better soil and a better way of life.

1860 was a particularly bitter year. Father Thomas dies along with Elijah's wife Ann and their young daughter Martha. John's wife Margaret dies as well. Cornelia, Elijah's only surviving issue, is sent to live with the Brown family nearby and Thomas' wife Ann unlikely able to manage the farm alone, moves to their neighbor Milton Southwick's farm where she remained until her death in 1869.

From Thomas' four children who made their way to the US, we've thus far identified some 2700+ descendent's, their histories and other interesting artifacts along the way and we'll keep looking for more. Enjoy your visit.

George Field (Michael Sheffield)
email: george500@yahoo.com

Erin Proctor
email: proctor37@charter.net

"It's not about what came before, but what comes after" -- Frank Field (1921-2007)

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Family Trees (viewing trees requires 4.0 or later browser)
  • TREE - Milton Southwick (1800 - 1896) (634 KB)
  • TREE - Benjamin Youngs (~1815) (29 KB)
  • TREE - Thomas Sheffield (~1790) (1 KB)
    Tree begins in 1765 with Joseph Sheffield and Susan Lilly as Thomas' parent's (unconfirmed)
  • TREE - John Whitney (1621-1692) (204 KB)
    Those of you who are the descendents of Addison Youngs & Addie Blood might be interested to see who some of your famous ancestors were. One of them was born in 0006! (partial chart)
  • TREE - Jeremiah Lee (1790-) (765 KB)
  • TREE - Jonathon S. Sheffield (1812-1900) (56 KB)
    John Sheffield, born of Thomas's first marriage, does not appear on any US immigration index before or after 1841. We find him and his family per the 1850 census living in northernmost Houghton Michigan several miles from the Canadian border. As immigrants who came by way of Canada were granted unrestricted passage into the US, it may be that he chose this route as we weren't able to find him listed on any manifest around this time. Sometime after 1860 (after wife Margaret's death) and before 1870, John and family relocate to Jefferson WI living in close proximity to Milton Southwick and Ruth Sheffield. Here we find John remarried to his second wife Adelaide Lee producing in all a total of 8 children. Son Andrew served as a Private during the Civil War and was discharged in 1865 while his brother George served as a Corporal. John & Adelaide relocate to Woodbury, IA around 1890-1895 where they remain until their deaths.
  • TREE - Elisha Sheffield (1824-1907) (235 KB)
  • TREE - Elijah Sheffield (1821-1901) (12 KB)
    Sometime after 1864 (before 1880), Elijah Sheffield, new wife Rebecca & baby Emily head west for Santa Barbara. Cornelia remains behind to live with Aunt Ruth, perhaps to finish school to become a teacher. Once settled, Elijah takes a job as a Waterman temporarily before returning to farming. In 1897 tragedy strikes again when Elijah and Rebecca lose their daughter Emily, leaving Cornelia as the sole heir. In later years, Cornelia, husband Franklin Southwick & children relocate to Santa Barbara to rejoin Elijah & family. The town of Busseyville and cemetery are located adjacent to Rebecca's farmland in Jefferson as visible on the 1872 property map.
  • TREE - Ruth Sheffield (1832-1907) (12 KB)
    In 1858, Ruth Sheffield marries the brother of Franklin Southwick, Merit Zelotes Southwick. As it seems Ruth is unable to bear children, she and Merit adopt a girl Isabelle and also raise Cornelia (Elijah's daughter). Unfortunately their obituaries did not provide any indication how they came upon Isabelle. Merit worked as a farmer, living in Jefferson with Ruth until later years when they relocated to Milton Junction. Ruth dies in 1907 due to heart complications, the very same year her brother Elisha dies. Isabelle marries into the Crandall family in 1882 and has five children of her own, many of which relocated to California (San Luis Obispo).
  • TREE - James Robinson (1718 - ?) (9 KB)
  • TREE - John Davison (1779-1862) (287 KB)
 
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