William Cole Shafto

  General Notes:

Thomas Shafto, a native of the city Durham, is supposed to have married
a Miss Harrison. He was related or connected to the Tilleys, and an
uncle Anthony Tilley was frequently spoken of in the family.

After my father's death (Robert Shafto), I found among his papers a
letter from Thomas Shafto, dated from Whitby. If I remember correctly,
he was engaged in silk weaving. I presume the records of Thomas will be
found in the city of Durham.

Thomas had three sons (some say four), Anthony, Robert, and John. It
is not known if there were any daughters. Robert entered the Navy, and
died there. John remained in England, information unknown.

Anthony Shafto, son of Thomas, was born 27 Sep 1750, in Yorkshire.

Anthony became offended at his father and left home. He hired with one
William Cole as butler, William had an adopted daughter named Hannah (he
had no children of his own). Hannah's mother's name may have been
Pesser. Anthony and Hannah became acquainted, and finally married. As
William Cole opposed this marriage, he, for a time, discarded Hannah.
Anthony and his wife settled at Whitby about 1779/1780, and probably
lived there until the spring of 1791.

Robert, their first son, was born 27 Sep 1780. Anthony, Jane, Mary,
Hannah, and Anne were also born in Whitby, and their records should be at
the church there. The church was described as standing on a hill, on one
side was a carriage driveway, and on the other side it was reached by
steps, three hundred and sixty five in all, one for each day of the year.

When William Cole heard their plans to emigrate to America, he
regretted his former displeasure, and offered a large sum of money if she
would not go.

They shipped at Newcastle-on-Tyne for America, landing in Philadelphia
8 July 1791, after a passage of eleven weeks.

I find that the Whitworth register contains a large record of the
Shafto family, there is also a family seat called Whitworth Hall. I also
find records at Whitby, and have letters from Vicars of these parishes.
These facts were gathered by William Cole Shafto, son of Robert Shafto,
and named for William Cole by his grandmother, Hannah Cole Shafto.

William married Mary (Margaret?) Anne Morris on 23 Dec 1843. (Mary (Margaret?) Anne Morris was born on 15 Jul 1823.)