Recently the Civil War Widow's pension file for Melissa Wright Shively, widow of John W. Shively, was added to the information on Fold-3. This is an important find for those working on families who descend from John W. Shively and Melissa Shively because there are two different John W. Shively's who married Melissa's and have Civil War pension information. With the new pension information the two families are easier to identify.
This article pertains to John W. Shively who enlisted in 1861 in either Stephenson County or Jo Davis County, IL. He was mustered into service on 20-Nov-1861 in St. Louis and served in Company I, 3 Regiment, Missouri Cavalry. John died of typhoid fever in the Union hospital at Palmyra, MO on 4-Jan-1862. This John W. Shively married Melissa Wright, daughter of Washington Wright and wife Jane, located on the 1850 Tioga County, PA census.
The other John W. Shively served in Company E, 155th Indiana Infantry Regiment. This John W. Shively married first Hannah Peatt and second Melissa Strader. John Shively died on 27-Feb-1915 in Madison County, IN.
Collecting the information regarding John W. Shively and Melissa Wright who were in Illinois was difficult because the families associated with this lineage were very mobile. There is still a good deal of research that needs to be done on this family but the following information can be used as a guide.
In the pension information there is one form which mentions that the age of John W. Shively at death was 23. If he died in January of 1862 this would probably mean he was born about 1838. John was not located on an 1850 or 1860 census. There were three sons of Christian Shively (1751-1842) and Catherine Smith (1752-1821) who came to the Stephenson County, IL area; Samuel Shively, Christian Shively and Jacob Shively. It may be that John W. Shively descends from one of the sons of Christian Shively and Catherine Smith but this article does not have this proof and further research is needed. John W. Shively and Melissa Wright were married on 29-Sep-1860 in Loran, Stephenson County, IL. One son was born to this union. Their son, John Shively, was born 11-Oct-1861. John W. Shively is buried in Yellow Creek Cemetery in Stephenson County, IL and his tombstone identifies Jno. Shively, Co I, 3rd MO Cavalry.
On the 24-Feb-1864, Melissa Wright Shively appeared before a clerk of the Circuit Court in Carroll County, IL to give her testament and information for the Civil War widow's pension.
On 1-Apr-1866 Melissa Wright Shively married George Porter in Greenfield, Wabasha County, MN. The family of George Porter was located on the 1870 Pontoosuc Township, Hancock County, IL census. Listed in the family are George Porter age 25 a farm laborer born in Michigan, wife Melissa age 23 born in Pennsylvania, son Albert age 3 born in Minnesota, daughter Rosella age 5 born in Minnesota, son Francis age 2 months born in March in Illinois, and stepson John Shively age 8 born in Illinois. More research is needed to locate any of these family members in census records after 1870.
There is a Samuel Shively and wife Hettie who were located on the 1850 thru 1870 Stephenson County, IL census records. Samuel and Hettie are buried in the Babbs Grove Cemetery in Stephenson County, IL. The tombstone for Samuel lists date of death as 30-Apr-1877 at age 67 years, 7 months, 1 day. The tombstone for Hettie lists date of death as 15-Mar-1900 age 86 years, 4 months, 2 days.
Melissa Wright is found with her parents, R W Wright and Jane, on the 1850 Tioga County, PA census. Washington Wright and Jane Wright are on the 1860 Stephenson County, IL census. They are located on the 1880 Sioux City, Woodbury County, Iowa census. A brother to Melissa Wright, Alonzo Wright, is listed on the 1865 Minnesota census in Wabasha County.
There is a George Porter listed with parents A. Porter and wife Harriett, on the 1860 Hancock County, IL census. This family is listed on the 1865 Minnesota census in Wabasha County.
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