William Wesley SLY

William Wesley SLY

Male 1807 - 1863  (55 years)

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  • Name William Wesley SLY 
    Born 22 Oct 1807  New York, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Male 
    FamilySearch Id K24C-96Q 
    Occupation Blacksmith 
    Reference Number
    _UID 594E9FF12258944695EDD52AD799473CFF93 
    Died 11 Jan 1863  , Isabella, Michigan, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Buried , Isabella, Michigan, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Person ID I24  SteveParker
    Last Modified 14 Feb 2020 

    Father Christopher SLY,   b. 7 Sep 1779, Vermont, United States Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 13 Sep 1845, Commerce, Oakland, Michigan, United States Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 66 years) 
    Mother Lodema MACK,   b. 5 Mar 1787, New York, United States Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 13 Aug 1823, Hopewell, Ontario, New York, United States Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 36 years) 
    Married Abt 1805  New York, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    _UID 4717A4A6722FFA428A522E78DEB285526E86 
    Family ID F18  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 1 Elizabeth MORRIS,   b. Abt 1820, Ireland, Free State Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 7 Feb 1879, Oakland, Michigan, United States Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age ~ 59 years) 
    Married 17 Jul 1842  Commerce, Oakland, Michigan, United States Find all individuals with events at this location  [1
    _UID C665701DE5A95F4B86ED378630AB7A3CB1C0 
    Notes 
    • MI Genweb marriages
      MORRIS,SLY,ELIZABETH - MORRIS,WILLIAM WESLEY SLY,OAKLAND,--,,17 JUL 1842,--,--,--
    Children 
     1. William Wesley SLY,   b. 9 Jul 1848, Walled Lake, Oakland, Michigan, United States Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 10 Dec 1921, Yankton, Yankton, South Dakota, United States Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 73 years)
     2. Lester Alonzo SLY,   b. 28 Aug 1852, Orchard Lake, Oakland, MIchigan, United States Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 5 Nov 1933, Billings, Yellowstone, Montana, United States Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 81 years)
     3. Alvannah Loren SLY,   b. Abt 1854, Michigan, United States Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Aft 1888, United States Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age ~ 35 years)
     4. Daniel SLY,   b. 27 Aug 1856, Grand Ledge, Eaton, Michigan, United States Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 19 Feb 1942, Flint, Genesee, Michigan, United States Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 85 years)
     5. George Albert SLY,   b. 12 Apr 1858, Grand Ledge, Eaton, Michigan, United States Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 16 Mar 1942, Compton, Los Angeles, California, United States Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 83 years)
     6. Hattie SLY,   b. 1860, Of, Grand Ledge, Eaton, Michigan Find all individuals with events at this location
    Last Modified 29 Mar 2021 
    Family ID F19  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 2 Ashsah "Axie" DAVIS,   b. Abt 1811,   d. Bef 1842, , Oakland, Michigan, United States Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age ~ 30 years) 
    Married Abt 1831 
    _UID D36C5812D22399449C7E7F8C4D6BA74E4D0E 
    Children 
     1. Anna LaVerne SLY,   b. Abt 1832
     2. Rhoda Ann SLY,   b. 14 May 1834, , Livingston, Michigan, United States Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 30 Mar 1928, Mulliken, Eaton, Michigan, United States Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 93 years)
    Last Modified 29 Mar 2021 
    Family ID F20  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Notes 
    • Timeline for William Wesley Sly:

      1807 Oct 22, William Wesley born in New York
      1823 William's mother, Lodema died in Hopewell, New York
      1842 Jul 17, William married Elizabeth Morris in Commerce, Oakland, Michigan,
      1848 Jul 9, son, William Wesley born in Walled Lake, Oakland, Michigan
      1852 Aug 1852, son, Lester Alonzo born in Orchard Lake, Oakland, MIchigan
      1854 son, Alvannah Loren born in Michigan
      1856 son, Daniel born in Grand Ledge, Eaton, Michigan,
      1858 son, George Albert born in Grand Ledge, Eaton, Michigan,
      1860 daughter, born in Michigan
      1863 Jan 11, William died in Commerce, Oakland County, Michigan, at the age of 66

      William Sly and Elizabeth Morris were married 17 July 1842 in Commerce, Oakland County, Michigan. William had been married previously to Ashah Davis, and they had 2 children, Anna and Rhoda. William and Elizabeth had 1 child, William when living in Hamburg, Michigan in 1850. By 1860 they lived in Oneida, Michigan and had 4 more boys, Lester, Alvanus, Daniel, and George. They also had a daughter, Hattie, who is not listed in the census but is listed as age 5 in 1863 Isabella County Probate Records for William Sly: "The petition of Elizabeth BROWN widow of William Sly, late of said county (Isabella), deceased, respectfully showeth that on or about the first day of Jan. 1863, The said William Sly died leaving goods and clothing, rights, credits, and real estate in the county, aforesaid, and that to the best of the knowledge and belief of your petitioner no last will and testament was left by the said William Sly, deceased. That the deceased has left a widow, Elizabeth Brown, your petitioner, age 37 years and six children: William, age 18, Lester, age 15, Alvan age 13, Daniel age 12, George, age 9, and Hattie, age 5: and that the deceased was immediately at his death an inhabitant of said county. Your petitioner therefore prays that letters of administration be granted on the estate of the said William Sly and that Philander Harnes may be appointed administration. signed with her X 28 July 1863."
      William Wesley Sly was born 22 October 1807 in New York. He was the1st of 7 children born to Christopher Sly and Lodemia Mack. His mother died in 1823 when William was just short of 16 years of age. They were then living in Hopewell, New York near Palmyra.

      This story was told by a grand daughter in law of William: " The Indians around Walled Lake (Michigan) called William Sly the `strong man' because every time the Indians went through Walled Lake, they had to shake hands all around. He got so tired of shaking hands that he started to squeeze their hands real tight so that it would hurt and they wouldn't ask to shake hands anymore. Hence he earned the name `the strong man'. William was a big, powerful man. He was a blacksmith, thus his strength. He died 11 Jan 1863 in Commerce, Oakland County, Michigan, at the age of 66.

      Elizabeth Morris was born about 1820 in Ireland. She was the last of 6 children of William Morris and Jane Crawford. She immigrated to America with her parents and 2 sisters in 1830 possibly from Antrim, Ireland. A sister and 2 brothers had preceded them that year. About 1835 the family moved to Oakland County, Michigan. In January 1863 Elizabeth's husband died and in August of the same year she lost her 2 brothers, becoming their heir. The next year 4 October 1864 at Detroit, Michigan Elizabeth Sly married Sylvester C. Brown. They were both of Royal Oak, Michigan. He was 39 and she was 33.
      The children were all in Isabella County in 1865. Sylvester Brown and wife, Rosannah, took care of Hattie, Daniel, and George. Mr. Brown submitted a bill for food and clothing 7 June 1869. (Could this be the parents of Elizabeth Sly's 2nd Husband, Sylvester C Brown?)
      Elizabeth died about 1879 in Michigan.

      Oakland Co, MI and Isabella Co. vital and probate records.
      pg 141, family 114 Call # 0803542

      1850 United States Federal Census Record
      Name: Wm Sly
      Age: 33 Blacksmith
      Estimated birth year: abt 1817
      Birth place: New York
      Gender: Male wife Elizabeth age 38 born Ireland, son William age 1 born Michigan
      Home in 1850 (City,County,State): Hamburg, Livingston, Michigan

      1860 United States Federal Census Record about William Sly
      Name: William Sly
      Age in 1860: 52
      Birth Year: abt 1808
      Birthplace: New York
      Home in 1860: Oneida, Eaton, Michigan
      Gender: Male
      Post Office: Grand Ledge
      Value of real estate: real $500 personal $200
      Household Members: Name Age
      William Sly 52 Blacksmith
      Elizabeth Sly 33 bn Ireland could not read or write
      Wm W Sly 12 MI
      Lester Sly 8 MI
      Alvanus Sly 7 MI (Alvanuh)
      Daniel Sly 6 MI
      George Sly 3 MI
      (no Hattie in 1860 census, but William's estate in Eaton Co. say she was 5 years old when her father died.)

      U.S. General Land Office Records, 1796-1907 about William Sly
      Name: William Sly
      Issue Date: 10 Feb 1852
      Acres: 40
      Meridian: Michigan-Toledo Strip
      State: Michigan
      County: Oakland
      Township: 3-N
      Range: 9-E
      Section: 12
      Accession Number: MI0910__.233
      Metes and Bounds: No
      Land Office: Detroit
      Canceled: No
      US Reservations: No
      Mineral Reservations: No
      Authority: April 24, 1820: Sale-Cash Entry (3 Stat. 566)
      Document Number: 30034

      Grace Torrence, daughter in law of Rhoda Ann Sly who is the oldest daughter of William Wesley Sly, told this story to Gladys Porritt, grand daughter of Rhoda: " The Indians around Walled Lake called William Sly the `strong man' because every time the Indians went through Walled Lake, they had to shake hands all around. He got so tired of shaking hands that he started to squeeze their hands real tight so that it would hurt and they wouldn't ask to shake hands anymore. Hence he earned the name `the strong man'. Grace Torrence said William was a big, powerful man.

      Isabella County Probate Records The petition of Elizabeth BROWN widow of William Sly, late of said county (Isabella), deceased, respectfully showeth that on or about the first day of Jan. 1863, The said William Sly died leaving goods and clothing, rights, credits, and real estate in the county, aforesaid, and that to the best of the knowledge and belief of your petitioner no last will and testament was left by the said William Sly, deceased. That the deceased has left a widow, Elizabeth Brown, your petitioner, age 37 years and six children: William, age 18, Lester, age 15, Alvan age 13, Daniel age 12, George, age 9, and Hattie, age 5: and that the deceased was immediately at his death an inhabitant of said county. Your petitioner therefore prays that letters of administration be granted on the estate of the said William Sly and that Philander Harnes may be appointed administration. signed with her X 28 July 1863

      Name: William Wesley Sly
      [Y Sly]
      Birth Date: 22 Oct 1807
      Birth Place: Ontario County, New York, USA
      Death Date: 1 Jan 1863
      Death Place: Isabella County, Michigan, USA
      Has Bio?: Y
      URL: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-..

  • Sources 
    1. [S33] marriages, Oakland County, Michigan.