Elijah Shoultes

The extent of Elijah's education is not known. There is no record of his attending school and the United States Census Report of 1850 does not state that he could read and write. A further mystery is that the census of 1850 shows Elijah as a resident of his brother Peter's (1821-1856) home with his twin brother Elias (1835-1862) a resident with their parents.

It is speculated that Elijah took over the original homestead of his father located near the Broome-Tioga County line following the death of his father in 1856. It is noted that his mother, Elizabeth (1798-1872) made her home with Elijah's brother Ira (1827-1905). Elijah is listed as a resident of Broome County in the United States Census Reports of 1870 and 1880. New evidence indicates that his twin brother Elias (1835-1862) moved to Wisconsin in the 1850s and was consumed from disease as a soldier in the Union Army in 1862. It is also interesting to note that Elijah's youngest brother Seymour (1841-1915) also moved to Wisconsin and returned to establish a farm near his own in the 1870s.

Probably near the year 1860, Elijah Shoultes united in marriage with the former Mary A. Kenyon (1840-26Jul1905). Mary A. Kenyon was born at Oneonta, New York in 1840, the daughter of Harland Kenyon (15Sep1800-3Dec1877) and Lydia Brightman (3Mar1805-15Dec1893). It appears that the Kenyon family moved to Newark Valley when Mary was a young girl.

According to the census records of Cattaragus County, Town of Hinsdale, taken on 31July1860, Elijah and Mary Shoultes were living in this area along with Elijah's brother Seymour (1841-1915) and a few of Mary's brothers and sisters. It is not known how long they lived there but it is noted that the United States Census Report for 1870 shows the family as returned to Tioga County, New York. Elijah's brother Seymour moved to Maxville, Wisconsin where he joined Company G, 25th Wisconsin Infantry and served as a soldier in the Union Army during the Civil War.

Another recently found record from the book, MAINE, NEW YORK - 125TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION, MAY, 1973 states that "another plank house that is known of was the old Elijah Shoultes house up 38B in Broughamtown (or Dutchtown area). It has since been covered with siding and still live in today."

Mary A. Kenyon Shoultes died of a heart attack suddenly on July 26, 1905. It appears that health became a problem for Elijah and he suffered a crippling stroke in 1907. He became a resident of the Alms House (County Home) in 1907 and lived the remainder of his life at this institution.

Elijah Shoultes died from stroke complications on March 20, 1912 at the age of 77 years. He is buried with his wife in the old East Newark Cemetery, located near the village of Newark Valley (Tioga County), New York.