DIED. At Havana Aug 24, ABBY M. SHACKFORD, daughter of Capt J. S. Shackford, of the brig John French. (New-York daily tribune., September 21, 1850, Page 8, Image 8)
I did find an Abby in the 1850 census in Eastport, Maine who is most likely the person mentioned in the above article. Her Shackford ancestry is John L Shackford, John Shackford, John Shackford, SAMUEL Shackford, JOSHUA SHACKFORD, WILLIAM SHACKFORD. Note: John L is sometimes listed as John L and at other times John S.
1850 - John Shackford, age 68, ship master, real estate valued at $6,000, [believe this was her grandfather], Elizabeth Shackford, age 60, [believe this was her grandmother], Joshua Shackford, age 10, [believe this was her brother], Maria Batson, age 19 [unsure of relationship but grandmother's last name was Batson], John L Shackford, age 31, ship master, [believe this was her father], Elizabeth L Shackford, age 32, [believe this was her mother], Abby Shackford, age 7, Esther Shackford, age 2, [believe this was her sister] other Shackford families on same page include Charles Shackford, age 36[believe this is her uncle].[i]
I believe the same family may have moved to Brooklyn, New York in 1855 and then back to Eastport by 1860 even though the ages seem to be a bit different.
1855 - Brooklyn, Kings, New York: Mr Shackford, age 40, seafaring, resident of Brooklyn for 3/12 year, Mrs Shackford, age 36, wife, Joshua Shackford, age 15, child, Esther, age 12, child, Regina, age 4, child[ii]
1860 - Eastport, Washington, Maine: John Clark, age 75, ship master, Abagail Clark, age 75, Caroline Hooper, age 22, Ellen Maria Clark, age 10, John Shackford, age 38, ship master, born in Maine, Elizabeth Shackford, age 39, Esther Shackford, age 17, Jennie Shackford, age 9[iii]
Thanks to Ed Elizondo from the [email protected] listserve who did some extensive research, I was able to learn that the Brigantine John French, a 193 ton American Brigantine[iv], arrived in Habana after an 11 day trip from New Orleans on August 21, 1850[v][vi] bringing food supplies for the Drake, H & Company with "Capitan Shankford" [sic]. There were also two passengers aboard, D Juan Green and D. Pedro Glou.[vii] The Cuban newspaper dated September 5, 1850 stated that the John French was dispatched to New York.[viii] and the newspaper dated September 8th stated that the John French, Cap. Shackford, left for New York. Unfortunately no newspapers in Havana can be found mentioning the death of Abby M Shackford but this additional research shows she died after the ship arrived in Havana.
Jean from the [email protected] listserve also helped me with her comment that it was common for Maine families to travel with their families aboard ship.
I can only imagine what it may have been like for a seven year old to live aboard a ship as it traveled from the New England coast to New Orleans and then onto Havana. Sad that she died at such a young age.
[i] Year: 1850; Census Place: Eastport, Washington, Maine; Roll: M432_273; Page: 244A; Image: 466, family 360, enumerated on Aug 10, 1850
[ii] New York, State Census, 1855," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/K6W9-KP1 : accessed 02 Feb 2013), Esther Shackford in entry for Shackford, 1855
[iii] Year: 1860; Census Place: Eastport, Washington, Maine; Roll: M653_455; Page: 766; Image: 544; Family History Library Film: 803455
[iv] Entradas de Travesia, Diaro De La Marina Periodico Oficial Del Apostadero de la Havana, Jueves 21 de Agosto de 1850, p. 5 scanned at FIU by Ed Elizondo on Feb 9, 2013
[v] http://www/cubagenweb.org, accessed Feb 2, 2013
[vi] Entradas de Travesia, Diaro De La Marina Periodico Oficial Del Apostadero de la Havana, Jueves 21 de Agosto de 1850, p. 5, scanned at FIU by Ed Elizondo on Feb 9, 2013
[vii] Entradas de Travesia, Diaro De La Marina Periodico Oficial Del Apostadero de la Havana, Jueves 22 de Agosto de 1850, p. 2, scanned at FIU by Ed Elizondo on Feb 9, 2013
[viii] Entradas de Travesia, Diaro De La Marina Periodico Oficial Del Apostadero de la Havana, Jueves 8 de Septembre de 1850, p. 2, scanned at FIU by Ed Elizondo on Feb 9, 2013