| 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-..
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1807 - 1863 (55 years)
