Esther was born in Eastport Maine on June 14, 1843 to John L Shackford. The record only lists the name of her father but we presume her mother was Elizabeth Clark who John had married in 1838. In 1850 we find her living in Eastport in the home of her grandparents, John and Elizabeth Shackford, an aunt, her parents John and Elizabeth Shackford, her brother Joshua, age 10, and her sister Abby who we believe had actually died in the West Indies before this census was recorded.
In 1855 we find her living in Kings County New York where they have lived for three months. She is recorded there with her parents Mr and Mrs Shackfodr, her brother Joshua, and a younger sister Regina. The family is back in Eastport Maine in 1860 living with Elizabeth's parents John and Abagail Clark. Ester is now age 17. Her brother Joshua is out of the home and sister Regina is listed as Jenny.
We know from multiple records that Ester died on August 8, 1864 and that the funeral was held the following Tuesday at 3 o'clock at the residence of her parents at Putnam and Franklin Avenue.
The obituary reads:
SHACKFORD, - In Brooklyn, on Monday, August 8, ESTHER
E. SHACKFORD, Aged 21 years and 2 months, daughter of
Capt. John L Shackford. [words very faded]
Esther's probate was recorded on March 9, 1865. Because she died intestate (without a will), the court appointed her father John L. Shackford, her father the administration of her estate.
Unfortunately these facts are all all we know of Esther but because she lived the mid 1800s, it is pretty difficult to learn if she ever had a boyfriend, what she liked about school or what foods or colors she might have liked.
SOURCES:
1850 US Federal Census, Washington County, Maine, population schedule, Eastport, page 48? (penned), 244 (stamped), dwelling 272, family 360, John Shackford https: familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/M6V8-HRV; digital images, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org : accessed 23 December 2013).
"DIED.," Brooklyn Daily Eagle (Brooklyn, New York), 8 August 1864; digital images, Fulton History (http://fultonhistory.com/Fulton.html : accessed 18 September 2015).
"Died.," New York Herald (New York, New York), 9 August 1864; digital images, Fulton History (http://fultonhistory.com : accessed 20 September 2015).
Maine State of Maine, "Maine Births and Christenings, 1739-1900," index," database, FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org : accessed 29 August 2013), John L Shackford b. 20 Apr 1819
"New York City Death Notices, 1835-1880," transcription, FindMyPast (FindMyPast.com : accessed 20 September 2015), Esther E Shackford; New York Herald
"New York, New York, Death Index, 1862-1948," index, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 28 June 2014), Esther E Shackford d 8 Aug 1864.
New York, Probate Records, Esther E Shackford; "New York, Probate Records, 1629-1971," digital images, FamilySearch, FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org: accessed 28 June 2014); Kings, General card index 1789-1971 Service-Shelkoff, Image 954.