Jeremiah Michael Shay (1857-1937)

Immigration Code: 2

Lineage: Patrick-1

Jeremiah Michael SHAY was born 13 July 1857 in County Kerry, Ireland. His parents were Patrick SHEA and Ellen DRISCOLL.

A family story says that when he was leaving his mother put her shawl around his shoulders because he had no coat. He arrived in New York City on 21 May 1874 aboard the SS Nevada from Cork, IRELAND. His brother John (age 24) was with him; no other information is known about John.

"Jerry" married Jane A GRADY about March 1880 at Millport, Town of Veteran, Chemung Co, NY. On 18 Oct 1880 he became a naturalized citizen at Havana, Schuyler Co, NY.

Jeremiah & Jane had the following children:

• Patrick Henry SHAY (1881-) was called "Patsy" when young
• Mary Ellen SHAY (1882-) was called "Mayme"
• Katherine M SHAY (1884-) was called "Kate"
• James Jeremiah SHAY (1885-1948)
• Jane Loretta SHAY (1887-1965) was called "Jen"
• Helena Adelaide SHAY (1892-1963) was called "Lena"
• Elizabeth Lucille SHAY (1893-1977) was called "Liz"
• Jeremiah SHAY (1894/6-1899) was called "Jerry"
• Arthur L SHAY (1897-)
• Francis SHAY (c1898-1899)
• Margaret Francis deSalles SHAY (1899-) was called "DeSalles"
• Adrian Cyril SHAY Sr (1902-)
• John Paul SHAY (1904-1973) was generally called "Paul"
• Muriel Louise SHAY (1905-1995)

Both Jerry and Francis died of "summer's complaint" in 1899 while the family was living in Tioga Co, PA.

He worked for several railroads, finishing his career as the Supervisor of the Maintenance of Way for the Susquehanna & New York (S&NY) that ran from Williamsport to Towanda in Pennsyvania. His 1914 journal shows a typical year.

Jeremiah was also the Riverside Cemetery (Towanda, Bradford Co, PA) caretaker at some point because his daugher Elizabeth and her family lived in the caretaker's house for a time while Jerry lived with his daughter Lena.

Jeremiah died 2 Jul 1937 in Towanda, Bradford Co, PA a few weeks after having his appendix out, probably from an infection. His grandson, Phil Daly, remembered that Jerry Shay fell ill while mowing the lawn one day.