We found a photograph of Jeremiah's gravestone at Find A Grave which provided us with Jeremiah's death date - July 2, 1887 and let us know he was 83 years and 6 months when he died placing his birth around January 1804. It also listed a wife's name -- Sarah G (1820-1907). Today we'll review the census records for Jeremiah:
1880: Ellsworth, Hancock, Maine: Jeremiah Shackford, age 76, farmer, wife Sarah age 58, with four grandchildren last name Jellison (William, Alwidy, Lena, and Ella)
1870: Ellsworth, Hancock, Maine: Jereh Shackford, age 66, farmer, wife Sarah G, age 49, child Increase Shackford, age 15. Also in home, Dorothy Perfunda, age 28, Ellen A Perenda, age 9, George S Perfunda, age 7, and Levi Garland, a pauper. Jeremiah Shackford is also listed in the 1870 agricultural census which gives us more information about his farm. (At this time, we're not sure if Dorothy is a relation to Jeremiah or Sarah or someone just living with the family).
1860: Cooper, Washington, Maine: Jeremiah Shackford, age 57, farmer, Sarah Shackford, age 39, Eunice Shackford, age 15, Sybil Shackford, age 7, Increase Shackford, age 4, two domestics, and Charles Watson, a farm laborer. A clipping of this census is shown below: Jeremiah Shackford is also listed in the 1870 agricultural census which gives us more information about his farm.
1850: Cooper, Washington, Maine: Jeremiah Shackford, age 46, farmer, Sarah Shackford, age 29, Sarah Shackford, age 12, John Shackford, age 10, Eunice Shackford, age 5.
1840: Cooper, Washington, Maine: Jeremiah Shackford, 1 male under 5 (possibly John), 1 male age 5-9 (unsure who this would be), 1 male 30-39 (most likely Jeremiah), 1 female under 5 (possibly Sarah), 1 female age 10-14 (unsure who this would be), 1 female age 20-29 (most likely wife Sarah)
We do find a Jeremiah Shackford in the 1830 Eastport, Washington, Maine census which lists one male age 20-29 (Jeremiah), 1 female under 5 (possibly child from a first marriage), 1 female age 20-29 (possibly a first wife). Our only reason for assuming this is the same Jeremiah is a bit weak - we have conducted a through review of all Shackford's and this is the only Jeremiah who would be living at this timeframe - his age would be 26 at this time.
We'll be concentrating on this family line in the future trying to learn more about these descendants.
SOURCES:
1840 United States Federal Census, Washington County, Maine, popluation schedule, Cooper, Jeremiah Shackford; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 4 February 2015).
1850 United States Federal Census, Washington County, Maine, population schedule, Cooper, page 447 (penned) 224 (stamped), dwelling 13, family 14, Jeremiah Shackford; digital images, FamilySearch (http://www.familysearch.org : accessed 25 December 2013).
1860 United States Federal Census, Washington County, Maine, population schedule, Cooper, page 235, dwelling 57, family 55, Jeremiah Shackford; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 30 November 2013).
1870 United States Federal Census, Hancock County, Maine, population schedule, Ellsworth, Page No 123, dwelling 927, family 927, Jereh Shackford; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 4 February 2015).
1880 United States Federal Census, Hancock County, Maine, population schedule, Ellsworth, enumeration district (ED) Enumeration District No 143, Page No 42, dwelling 398, family 448, Jeremiah Shackford; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 4 February 2015).
Find A Grave, Find A Grave, digital images (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed 18 July 2014), Jeremiah Shackford, Find A Grave Memorial# 117779496.