FATHER

Skene Blair

MOTHER

Margaret Kyd

HUSBAND

John Shaw

CHILDREN

1. Mary Ellen Shaw b. 1837

2. Agnes Shaw b. Abt.1841

3. William Shaw b. Aug 1842

4. John Shaw b. 04 Aug 1844 Innisfil, Simcoe, Ontario, Canada

5. David M Shaw b. 02 Mar 1846 Simcoe, Ontario, Canada

6. Elizabeth Shaw b. 1850 Innisfil, Simcoe, Ontario, Canada

Biography of Helen Blair

by Chase and Susan Brooke

Aug 2020

John, Robert and Joseph Shaw were in Innisfil, Ontario before 1837 listed in Concession 8 with John on lot 19 and Robert and Joseph on lot 20. They were probably from Northern Ireland.  Skene Blair came to Ontario in 1834 with his three unmarried children: Helen, Rachel and David. 
Helen Blair was born in Forfar, Angus, Scotland on 6 Jul 1812. (1) She married John Shaw before 1837 probably in Simcoe Co., Canada. (2) The death record for Helen Blair says she was age 18 at her first marriage which would have been 1830, but it is unlikely she and John Shaw were in the same country at that time. The first known child of John Shaw and Helen Blair is Mary Ellen Shaw, who was born 11 Sep 1837 in Ontario and states in her marriage record that her parents are John Shaw and Helen Blair.  However, Helen Blair's death record also states that she was the mother of 8 children, 5 of which were still living in 1897.  Her daughter Agnes had died in 1883 and her son John is not in the records. Helen Blair may have had another living child at the time of her death, possibly her first born, an unknown.
When their daughter, Elizabeth Shaw, married William Kirkland in 1874, she listed her parents as John Shaw and Helen Blair.  This same record also says Elizabeth was born in Innisfil, which places John and Helen Shaw as still living in Innisfil in 1850. John Shaw received a mortgage in 1854 which was paid back to him on 18 Jul 1855.  He is referred to John Shaw, yeoman, of Innisfil.  He died sometime between Jul 1855 and April 1, 1856 when Ellen Shaw as executrix of her husband's estate was reporting that another mortgage has been paid to her. (3)  She was living near her brother and sister in Peel County, Wellington at that time.  In the 1861 census Helen was listed as head of household in Peel, Wellington, Canada West, with all of her children living with her. (4) Agnes had married and was living in the household with her husband, Erastus Bell. 
The three Blair siblings were listed on the same page in the 1861 census.  David Blair had 100 acres worth $2,000 with the value of farming implements worth $50.  Helen Blair Shaw had 150 acres valued at $2,400 with farming implements worth $100.  William Mellis married to Elizabeth Blair had 140 acres forth $2,400 with farming implements worth $150. (5)
By 1871 the widow Helen Blair Shaw was living with her unmarried son, David Shaw, in Bruce, Greenock, Ontario, who was listed as a tavern keeper. (6)  Her unmarried daughter Elizabeth aged 20 was living with her.  There is also an Elinor Shaw, aged 10, living there.  She was born after the death of John Shaw, but may be related in some other manner.  David married in 1875 and sometime after that Helen moved in with her son William Shaw in Drayton, Wellington, Ontario.  She is listed there in the 1881 census. (7)
Helen Shaw died 25 Oct 1897. (8) Her death certificate states she died of apoplexy with complications from a fractured hip.  She was 85 years old and had been living with her daughter-in-law Jenny Wray Shaw, wife of her son David Shaw.  Her grandson, William Shaw, was in Detroit studying to become a doctor and Jenny was living there caring for her son.  The Detroit City Directory for 1896-7 list both Mrs. Jenny Shaw and Wm F Shaw, student, at 307 Bagg. (9)  The death certificate for Helen Blair Shaw lists the same address and the death certificate is signed by Mrs. David Shaw.

Sources

(1) Baptismal record for Helen Blair

"Skene Blair, Merchant in Forfar and Margaret Kyd his spouse had their child's name registered. called Helen. born 6th and baptised this day."

(2) Death certificate says married at age 18.
Helen Blair was married to John Shaw by 1837

(3) Innisfil, Simcoe, Ontario, Canada Land Record # 20683

Refers back to deed #12436 written 23 Jun 1853 in which Thomas and Ann Smith mortgaged 50 acres to John Shaw for £125 to be paid off in installments.

Record # 20683

Discharged by memb No 20683.  Recorded the 17th day of Feby A D 1857 at 12:00 noon singed by James Edwards

To the Registrar of the County of Simcoe, we William Molloy and Ellen Shaw, both of the township of Peel in the County of Wellington and Province of Canada, executor and executrix of the state John Shaw of the township of Innisfil, Yeoman, deceased, do certify that Thomas Smith of the township of Innisfil in the County of Simcoe and Province of Canada, Yeoman: hath satisfied all money due upon a certain mortgage made by the said Thomas Smith to the said John Shaw deceased bearing date the twenty fifth day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty three and registered at 12: of the clock noon in the twenty third day of June 1853: and that such mortgage is therefore discharged as witness our hands this first day of April A D 1856.

Signed William Molloy
             Ellen Shaw

witnesses
             Garret Molloy, township of Peel
             George Allan, township of Peel

(4) 1861 personal census for Wellington, Ontario

         Helen Shaw, 44, born in Scotland,  Wesley Meth, widow
        William Shaw, 18
        John Shaw, 16
        David Shaw, 13
        Elizabeth Shaw, 10
        Erasmus Bell, 26,  born in Upper Canada, Laborer, Church of England
        Agnes Bell, 20
        

(5) Property Census 1861 

(6) 1871 Census Bruce South, Greenock, Ontario, Canada
William had moved out.  Agnes and her husband were living in Teeswater.  Helen Shaw was living with her son, David, in Bruce South, Greenock, Ontario.

David Shaw, 23, Methodist, Irish, Tavern Keeper
Helen Shaw, 57 Scotland
Elizabeth Shaw, 20 Irish
Elinor Shaw, 10, Irish    

(7) Elizabeth married in 1874 and David married in 1875, so Helen probably moved in with her son William about that time. 
1881 census for Drayton, Wellington Centre, Ontario

          William Shaw, 39, born in Ontario, Wesley Methodist, S. Irish, Gentleman 
          Elizabeth Ann Shaw, 23, born in Ontario, Church of England, English
          Edith Shaw, 1, born in Ontario, Church of England, Irish
          Ellen Shaw, 67, born in Scotland, Wesley Methodist, Scotch

(8) Death Certificate of Helen Shaw
Died 25 Oct 1897
father as "Skein Blair" and mother as "Margaret Kidd"  Proposed place of burial "Glenallen, Ontario"
age at first marriage, 18
Address: 307 Bagg

(9) Detroit City Directory 1896-7
Helen Blair Shaw's son David Shaw was married to Jenny Wray. In the 1896-7 City Directory Mrs. Jenny Shaw is living at 307 Bagg. Her son William, who was studying to become a doctor, is listed on the next page as living at 307 Bagg. When Helen Blair Shaw died in Detroit in 1897 her death certificate lists her address as 307 Bagg.

.