I have the following information on the family of George W. Shirey. Does anyone have dates
of birth and death for George W. and his first wife, Hester Ann? His second wife's
obit mentions a stepson named "Morris Shirey" I haven't been able to find
any information about Morris. Could he be Robert M. Shirey? Does anyone have any photos of
George W. Shirey' dry goods store?
Hester Ann MOBERLY, b. 1838/39 TN m. George W. Shirey 09 Dec 1855, Martin Co., IN
Children:
Edward E. Shirey b.ca. 1860
William O. Shirey b. ca. 1863
Wray (Ray) Shirey b. ca. 1866 ("idiotic" according to the 1880 census)
George H. Shirey b. ca. 1867
Robert M. Shirey b. ca. 1869
Ida M. Shirey b. ca. 1872
Thomas Newton Shirey b. ca.1875
Harry Shirey b. ca. 1880
Emma F. Moberly (niece of George's first wife) m. George W. Shirey 27 Aug 1896. Emma
F. Moberly was born 9 Oct 1861 and died 1 Feb 1945.
When Sarah Moberly, widow of Erwin Moberly, died in 1876, George W. and Hester Ann took in
their two orphaned nieces, Emma F. and Hester Ann Moberly. It's possible that they
also kept the youngest child Charles for a little over a year, and then decided they
couldn't handle him in addition to his two sisters and their own flock of children
(one apparently mentally handicapped), and put him in St. Vincent's Asylum in
Vincennes. If any of George W. Shirey's descendants has information about Charles,
please get in touch.
Charles Joseph Moberly, whose name was later changed to Mobley, grew up in the orphanage,
and had no recollection of his family. Both he and his son, William Theodore (my
grandfather), always wanted to find their family but never succeeded. According to my
grandmother, she received a phone call once, while my grandfather was at work. It was from
someone who said she was Williams "Aunt Emma". My grandmother informed the lady
that he didn't have an Aunt Emma, and hung up (Just like her!). Ever since I solved
the problem of my grandfather's ancestry, I've wondered if that was Emma Shirey
calling, trying to contact her nephew.
Carol