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Person Info

• Name: Thomas SHANNON
• Sex: M
• Birth: 1676 in Londonderry, Ireland ^b
• Death: Apr 1737 in Sadsbury Twp, Lancaster Co, Pennsylvania ^d
• Burial: Sadsbury Twp, Lancaster Co, Pennsylvania ^u


Parents:

• Father:
  
• Robert SHANNON Birth: 1630 in Munster, Ireland Death: 1724 in Ireland
Mother:

• Annal (SHANNON)

Family:
Marriage:

• Agnes (SHANNON) on Abt 1712 .^m1
  
• Agnes (SHANNON) Birth: 1686 in Ireland Death: Lancaster Co, Pennsylvania

Children:

1. John SHANNON Birth: Abt 1715 in Lancaster Co, Pennsylvania Death: 1766 in Sadsbury Twp, Lancaster Co, Pennsylvania
2. Samuel SHANNON Birth: Abt 1716 in Lancaster Co, Pennsylvania Death: 4 Oct 1811 in Nashville, Davidson Co, Tennessee
3. Margaret SHANNON Birth: Abt 1718 in Lancaster Co, Pennsylvania Death: 1774 in Cumberland Twp, York Co, Pennsylvania
4. Anna SHANNON Birth: Abt 1724 in Lancaster Co, Pennsylvania Death: 1765
5. Thomas SHANNON Birth: Abt 1732 Death: 17 Jul 1772 in Amherst Co, Virginia

Bibliography

Sources for birth and parent Information

date:

[Ref: Carolyn Genzel 2/6/2003]

abt 1687 [Ref: Bell SHANNON, Craig AmAncestrySupp3 p85],

place:

[Ref: Carolyn Genzel 2/6/2003]

Ireland [Ref: BrackenHB BRACKEN p86, Craig AmAncestrySupp3 p119]

Ulster District, Ireland [Ref: Dedman SHANNON p1]

Ulster, Ireland [Ref: John Peeling 8/6/1998, Melinda Freels 4/2002],

parents:

Robert SHANNON & Annal ___ [Ref: John Peeling 8/6/1998],

father:

[Ref: BrackenHB BRACKEN p86]

Sources with Inaccurate birth and parent Information

date:

1686 [Ref: Heidi Slettemoen 10/1/2002, John Peeling 8/6/1998, Melinda Freels 4/2002],

place:

Munster, Ireland [Ref: Heidi Slettemoen 10/1/2002]

Sources for death Information

date:

1737 [Ref: Bell SHANNON, Craig AmAncestrySupp4 #35, Craig BYERS p17, GenSocPA SHANNON-LancPA p2]

27 Apr 1737 [Ref: John Peeling 8/6/1998]

will dated 4 Apr 1737 [Ref: Eagleson BYERS p64, LancasterCoPA Wills A-26]

will dated 4 Apr probated 27 Apr 1737 [Ref: Dedman SHANNON p13],

place:

[Ref: Bell SHANNON, Craig AmAncestrySupp3 p85, Craig AmAncestrySupp4 #35, Craig BYERS p17, LancasterCoPA Wills A-26]

Lancaster Co, Pennsylvania [Ref: Eagleson BYERS p64, GenSocPA SHANNON-LancPA p2]

Sources for burial Information

place:

[Ref: John Peeling 8/6/1998]

Sources with Information about marriage to Agnes (SHANNON)

date:

abt 1712 [Ref: Bell SHANNON, Craig AmAncestrySupp3 p85],

names:

Thomas SHANNON & Agnes ___ [Ref: Bell 101Fam p67, Bell SHANNON, Craig AmAncestrySupp3 p77, Craig AmAncestrySupp3 p85, Craig AmAncestrySupp4 #35, Dedman SHANNON p1, Eagleson BYERS p64, ShannonD SHANNON p11, ShannonD SHANNON p39, ShannonD SHANNON p3, ShannonD SHANNON p41]

Thomas SHANNON & Eignes ___ [Ref: LancasterCoPA Wills A-26, Riggs THOM p36]

Thomas SHANNON & Eigness REID? [Ref: John Peeling 8/6/1998]

Thomas SHANNON & Eigness ___ [Ref: Craig BYERS p17, Craig BYERS p66, Riggs THOM p37]

Thomas SHANNON & Eigness aka Agnes REID [Ref: Melinda Freels 4/2002],

child:

[Ref: Bell 101Fam p67, Bell SHANNON, Craig AmAncestrySupp3 p77, Craig AmAncestrySupp3 p85, Craig AmAncestrySupp4 #35, Craig BYERS p17, Craig BYERS p66, Dedman SHANNON p1, John Peeling 8/6/1998, Melinda Freels 4/2002, Riggs THOM p37, ShannonD SHANNON p11, ShannonD SHANNON p39, ShannonD SHANNON p3, ShannonD SHANNON p41]

Research Notes:
one of four brothers (William, Robert, Andrew) to migrated to America and settled in Pennsylvania [Ref: BrackenHB BRACKEN p86]

This legend (of "four brothers") was perpetuated by an early Shannon researcher who first found the four Shannon "brothers", and who sent his info to the LDS library, even though he wasn't satisfied with the results and conclusions. He was getting old, and was afraid he'd die and his research would be lost if he didn't submit it. Louise Dedmon and Dexal Shannon were later researchers who built on that original work, and pretty much accepted the 4 brothers story. However, if one examines the facts as known, Thomas was from Ulster, in the south, and Robert, supposedly the father, was a merchant in Muenster, in the North. The four are supposed to be brothers, and supposed to be sons of Robert, who was son of John who was son of John elder; the two Johns were born in Scotland and went to Ireland, where Robert was born and married and fathered his family. All four Shannons in Pennsylvania used the old Scots/Irish naming conventions. First born sons are named after the father's father, second born after the mother's father, third born after their own father, etc. Neither William nor Thomas has any Roberts in their family. The four Shannons were of an age to be brothers, and in a fairly limited geographic region. They may have been related. Often in those days relationships were named more loosely. Especially among the Celts, who fostered as a way of life, i.e., a man would send his son off to live and work with a distant relative: a brother, cousin or uncle - who would care for them as their own. A "cousin" might have actually been an uncle, inlay, or other relationship. There is a chance Robert and maybe Andrew were brothers and at least Robert's father was named Robert. However, if Thomas and William are related, it was probably as uncle, nephew, or as cousins. [Ref: Melinda Freels 4/2002]

believed to have come to America in late 1600s or early 1700s, from Munster, Ireland [Ref: ShannonD SHANNON p1]

emigrated to America around 1717, on ship "Friend's Goodwill", which left Larne for Boston in 1717 [Ref: Melinda Freels 4/2002]

emigrant from Ulster District Ireland to Lancaster Co Penna by or before 1729, in that part of Chester County which became Lancaster Co in 1729 [Ref: Dedman SHANNON p1]

eventually settled in an area referred to as West Conestoga Township, whch later became Lancaster County [Ref: ShannonD SHANNON p1]

year of settlement not known, but no SHANNONs listed in 1717, while tax records of 1725 show Thomas SHANNON [Ref: ShannonD SHANNON p1]

Earliest record of the Shannon family is the land grant of 200 acres June 4 1734 to Thomas Shannon of Sadsbury Township, Lancaster County. A "farmer" he died 3 years later. His will, written Apr 4 1737, names wife, Agnes, older sons, Samuel and John, who divided the farm, and three minor children, Margaret, Thomas, and Anna. Their guardian was Rev. Alexander Craighead of Middle Octorara. Thomas Jr had a loom mentioned. [Ref: Bell SHANNON, Craig AmAncestrySupp3 p85]

Thomas Shannon's son, John Shannon, had 50 acres adjoining his father's land in the western part of the township according to the Co land records, dated Mar 23 1737. Thomas also had land on the eastern side along the Octorera Creek, of 200 acres that was listed on Jun 4 1734. According to the land grant of his 200 acre tract, Thomas agreed to pay "the sum of fifteen pounds, ten shillings, current Money of this Province for each hundred acres, and the yearly Quit Rent of one half-penny Sterling for every acre thereof." [Ref: ShannonD SHANNON p3]

Data from the Historical Register of Pennsylvania, published in June 1884, under section entitled "First Settlers on Manor of Maske", on page 153, lists THOMAS SHANNON as one of the persons who settled or made improvements in the "Manor of the Maske", before the 18th of June 1741. This area embraced territory now occupied by Borough of Gettysburg, Township of Cumberland and parts of adjacent districts in Adams Co, PA [Ref: Craig AmAncestrySupp3 p121, ShannonD SHANNON p3]

Will dated Apr 4 1737, recorded on p 26, Will Book A1, Lancaster Co, PA [Ref: BrackenHB BRACKEN p86, Craig BYERS p17, Eagleson BYERS p64, Riggs THOM p36]

Will dated 4 Apr 1737. Mentions wife Eigness; sons John and Samuel; minor children Margaret, Thomas, and Anna. Executors: John Shannon and Samuel Irwin [Ref: LancasterCoPA Wills A-26]

Will probated Apr 27 1737. Executor John Shannon & Samuel Irwin. Sadsbury Twp. Wife Agnes Shannon. Children: John, Samuel, Margaret, Thomas, and Anna. [Ref: LancasterCoPA WillAbs1 v1p889]

Will dated Apr 4 1737 - to son John Shannon "one half of the place where I now live"; to son Samuel Shannon the other half; wife Eigness Shannon "shall be maintained out of that half that I give to Samuel while she lives; other three children Margaret, Thomas, and Anna are to be maintained out of the same until they come of age." to each daughter fifteen pounds to be raised out of my moveable estate and paid unto the eldest at the expiration of two years and to be paid unto the other when she comes of age. to son Thomas fifteen pounds to be raised likewise and to be paid when he comes of age together with his loom and Tacklin. Exeutors son John Shannon and friend Samuel Irwin. Guardian Rev. Mr. Alexander Creighead. [Ref: ShannonD SHANNON p2]

Inventory of estate dated Apr 26 1737. This is a just and true account of ye Effects of ye Late Decesed Thomas Shannon.
2 ___ bed and bed close, _____ pots and tongs, 5 chars [chairs], wooden veshals [vessels], mall rings & wagon & Mattock and axe, plow & plow opens, 3 cous & 4 ____ [cows], 2 mars & one horse, one mar and colt, 12 sheep, wheat in ye ground that is 5 akers, 3 bells, Rolls & bonds due to ye Estate, 3 calfs & hogs & a swarm [bees]. There was a warrant for 2 hundred ackers of land and it is surveid but ye ____ is not made as yet there four we put it as value of 129 pounds, 3 shillings. [Ref: ShannonD SHANNON p3]

---------- Lancaster Co PA Wills A-26, dated 4 Apr 1737:
April ye fourth In the Name of God Amen, Anno Domini one Thousand Seven Hundred and Thirty Seven I Thomas Shannon of Sadsbury Township and County of Lancaster Farmer being Sick and Weak of Body but of Perfect mind and Memory thanks be given unto God therefore Calling into mind the Mortality of my Body and that it is appoitned for all Men once to Die I do Make and Ordain this my last Will and Testament that is to say, I Recommend by Soul unto the hands of God that gave it and my Body to the Earth to be Buried at Discretion of my Executor, And as for Such Worldly Good as it hath Pleased God to Bless me with I now Dispose and Bequeath in manner and form following, I First of all I order that all my Just and Lawful Debts be paid and my Funeral Charges. Item I give and Bequeath iunto my Son John Shannon one half of the Place where I now Live and the other half I give and Bequeath unto my Son Samuel Shannon to be Equally Divided between them and I order my well Beloved Wife Eigness Shannon shall be maintained out of that half that I give to my Son Samuel while She Lives any my Other Three Children viz Margaret Thomas and Anna Shannon are to be maintained out of the Same until they come of Age. Item I give and Bequeath unto each of my two Daughters Fifteen Pounds to be reased(?) or of my Moveable Estate and Paid unto the Eldest at the Expiration of two Years and to pay unto the Other when She comes of Age. Item I give and Bequeath unto my Son Thomas Shannon Fifteen Pounds to be Raised Likewise out of my Moveable Estate to be paid when he comes of Age together with his Loom and Taklin and I do Constitute and Appoint my Well Beloved Son John Shannon and Trusty Friend Samuel Irwin to my Sole Executors of this my Last Will and Testament and the Reverend Mr Alexand Creighead I Empower as a Guardian to teach Care and See that all things are done according to this my Last Will and Testament, And I do Revoke Disallow and Disavvow all Other Wills and Testaments Made by me before the Date hereof Pronouncing and Declaring this and no Other to be my last Will and Testament As Witness my hand this dat and Year abovesaid. Thomas (X) Shannon.
Signed Sealed Delivered in the Presence of us, William (X) McClure, Samuel Irvin, James (X) Eger, Margaret (X) Carnachan. [Ref: LancasterCoPA Wills A-26, Riggs THOM p37]



Pedigree of Thomas SHANNON
                   /-----John SHANNON
          /-----John SHANNON
 /-----Robert SHANNON
Thomas SHANNON
 \-----Annal (SHANNON)



Descendants of Thomas SHANNON

2nd generation


3rd generation


4th generation


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