Tioga County, Pennsylvania

A Tale of Two Farming Families: The Shaws and the Mabies

Jane Freeman Seaman, daughter of Gardner Seaman and Mercy Howe, was born on 8 December 1811 in Sullivan, Tioga County, Pennsylvania. In 1850, Jane age 38 lived in Sullivan, Tioga County, Pennsylvania with her husband Daniel Merrill Shaw age 42 and their children Charles Milton Shaw age 13, Byron M. Shaw age 12, Flavius J. Shaw age 8, Freeman Shaw age 6, Schuyler G. Shaw age 4, and Martha A. Shaw age 2. 

Jane age 48 still lived in Sullivan, Tioga County, Pennsylvania in 1860 with her husband Daniel Merrill Shaw age 52 as well as their children Byron M Shaw age 22, Flavius J Shaw age 18, Freeman Shaw age 16, Schuyler Shaw age 14, Martha A Shaw age 12, Mary J. Shaw age 10, and Sarah Millard Shaw age 5. Jane's husband Daniel Merrill Shaw worked as a farmer. He died on 30 April 1884. Daniel Merrill Shaw is buried in Mainesburg Cemetery in Tioga County, Pennsylvania. Jane Freeman (Seaman) Shaw died on 11 January 1907. She is buried with her husband in Mainesburg Cemetery. 

 

Find a Grave photo from TSOtime 

Levi J. Mabie, son of Daniel G Mabie and Rachel Booth, moved from New York to Pennsylvania in the 1840s with his second wife and family. In 1850, Levi age 66 lived in Sullivan, Tioga County Pennsylvania with his wife Elizabeth age 51 and her children Andrew G Scouton age 28, Roxie Emeline (Scouten) Smith age 24, Ira Brown Scouton age 22, Melissa Rachel Mabie age 11, and an unknown J A Fletcher age 7. 

Levi Mabie worked as a farmer. He died on 24 March 1860 in Tioga County, Pennsylvania. Levi Mabie is buried in Ames Hill Cemetery in Sullivan, Tioga County, Pennsylvania. Elizabeth (Brown) Scouten Mabie died in 1862 in Tioga County, Pennsylvania. She is also buried in Ames Hill Cemetery. 

 

photo from Find a Grave by David F Coole 

Charles Milton Shaw, son of Daniel Merrill Shaw and Jane Freeman Seaman, was born in Tioga County, Pennsylvania on 24 July 1836. Charles Milton Shaw married Melissa Rachel Mabie, daughter of Levi Mabie and Elizabeth (Brown) Scouten. In 1870, Charles age 34 and Melissa age 30 lived in Sullivan, Tioga County, Pennsylvania with their children Annette R Shaw age 8, Bertha Annabel Shaw age 7, Charles M Shaw Jr [illegible ink blot on age], and Elmer M Shaw a few months old. 

Charles Milton Shaw age 43 and Melissa Rachel Shaw age 40 still lived in Sullivan, Tioga County, Pennsylvania in 1880 with their children Annette R Shaw age 19, Bertha Annabel Shaw age 17, Charles M Shaw Jr age 14, Elmer M Shaw age 10, Archie E Shaw age 7, and Nellie C Shaw age 3. In 1900, Charles Milton Shaw age 64 and Melissa Rachel Shaw age 62 lived in Sulivan, Tioga County, Pennsylvania with their sons Leon G Shaw age 20 and Homer Ripley Shaw age 17. 

Charles like his father before him worked as a farmer. His wife Melissa Rachel (Mabie) Shaw died on 9 July 1904. Charles died on 19 February 1909 around age 72. They are both buried in Mainesburg Cemetery in Mainesburg, Tioga County, Pennsylvania. 

 

photo of Charles Milton Shaw from George Seitz on Find a Grave

 

photo of Melissa Rachel (Mabie) Shaw from George Seitz on Find a Grave

With love, 

Autumn Rose Surratt 

The Ancestor Witch 

Sources 

• "Find a Grave Index", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVL2-HPZ7: 11 August 2025), Jane Freeman Seaman Shaw, death 11 January 1907, memorial ID # 98945787. 
• "United States Census, 1850", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M4Z9-6BN: 11 August 2025), D M Shaw and Jane Shaw, 1850. 
• "United States Census, 1860", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MXT8-1C1: 11 August 2025, D M Shaw and Jane Shaw, 1860. 
• "Find a Grave Index", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVL2-HPZM: 11 August 2025), Daniel Merrill Shaw, death 30 April 1884, memorial ID # 98945784. 
• "United States Census, 1850", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M4Z9-W76: 11 August 2025), Levi Mabie and Elizabeth Mabie, 1850. 
• "Find a Grave Index", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVLQ-QN3L: 11 August 2025), Levi Mabie, death 24 March 1860, memorial ID # 81710076. 
• Find a Grave (https://www.findagrave.com: 14 August 2025), Elizabeth Brown Mabie, death 1862, memorial ID # 273091880. 
• "Find a Grave Index", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVL2-HPC1: 14 August 2025), Charles M Shaw, death 19 February 1909, memorial ID # 98945867. 
• "United States Census, 1870", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MZ2N-QWG: 14 August 2025), Charles Shaw and Melissa Shaw, 1870. 
• "United States Census, 1880", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MWVJ-3CP: 14 August 2025), C.M. Shaw and M.R. Shaw, 1880. 
• "Find a Grave Index", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVL2-HPZW: 14 August 2025), Melissa Rachel Mabie Shaw, death 9 July 1904, memorial ID # 98945857. 
• "United States Census, 1900", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M34N-DWS: 14 August 2025), Milton Shaw and Melissa Shaw, 1900.