Daniel SHERIFF born 1658 in Little Compton, Rhode Island was the sixth child and fourth son born to Thomas and Martha SHERIFF. Daniel married Jane SUTTON born after 1658. They were married in 1688 in the Rhode Island Colony where their eight children were born.

Daniel died June 8, 1737 ; however, his will was proven December 20, 1737. Executor was the oldest living son, Daniel. To wife Jane, a third of real and personal estate in Little Compton. To sons, Thomas, William, and Caleb, and daughters, Martha Linckin and Elizabeth Dyer, 10 shillings each. To grandson, Benjamin Sheriff, 10 shillings. Inventory, 78 pounds, 17 shillings, 6 d., viz : Wearing apparel , 4 cows, swine, woolen wheel, linen wheel, old mare, 2 old guns, pewter, &c.

Daughter Elizabeth SHERIFF and son William SHERIFF married brother and sister, Charles and Freelove DYER all of Little Compton, Rhode Island. William SHERIFF born March 26, 1701 married Freelove DYER after 1718 in the Rhode Island Colony. Freelove DYER born June 21, 1699 was the great granddaughter of William DYER, who was the first attorney general for Rhode Island in 1650, Commander-in-chief upon the sea, and one of the original settlers of the colony. He was sent to England in 1653 to revise the charter and was one of the most prominent men in Rhode Island in its early colonal history. His wife Mary Dyer was hung on Boston common in 1660, for preaching the Quaker doctrine in that city.

Charles Dyer, sixth son of Mary and William DYER was the father of James Dyer. James married in 1696, became the father of Charles and Freelove. Charles, born March 22, 1697, married to Elizabeth SHREVE. James Dyer moved with his family to Bucks Co., Pennsylvania, and died there about 1735. Letters of administration were granted on his estate January 29, 1735-6, to William Shreve, his son-in-law. The sureties were William Shreve and Henry Van Horn.

Approximately 1720, William and Freelove DYER SHREVE were living in Fairfax County, Virginia. William died there about 1750. His widow, Freelove, appears upon the court records of Fairfax and Loudon Counties, petitioning for her dower, and her sons, Benjamin and William, are acting for her.

William SHREVE, II, the oldest of three sons and one daughter, was born after 1720 in Fairfax Co., VA and died 1763 in Loudon Co., VA. William Shreve married 1st, 1747, to Anne Smalley by whom he had several children. He married 2nd, November 10, 1755, Catharine MARTIN born about 1735 in Piscataway, New Jersey ; their marriage was performed by the Reverend Jonathan DUNHAM. William and Catharine came from Piscataway, NJ to Loudon Co., VA. William SHREVE’S will was signed April 13, 1758. Catherine married 2nd, Rev David Thomas, 1769 in Kentucky. Catherine died about 1830 at “Domestic Retreat” Nicholasville, Kentucky, the home of their fourth child and first son William MARTIN SHREVE born August 26, 1761 in Maryland and died January 1837 in Nicholasville, Jessamine Co., Kentucky.

Judge Luther MARTIN SHREVE of Chicago, wrote: “My grandmother married a second time, and when I knew her, her name was Catharine THOMAS. She was a remarkable woman--tall, dignified and reserved even with my father, Judge William SHREVE. She lived alone (except with her two servants) for a number of years on her own little farm, consenting in her last years, at my father's request, to come and live near him at his farm, known as "Domestic Retreat" near Nicholasville, and ten miles from Lexington, Kentucky. My earliest education was from her. She gave me a pony and taught me to ride. She died about 1830.”

Catharine MARTIN was the daughter of Jonathan MARTIN and 3rd wife Dinah PYATT married abt. 1722. One of eight children; James, Peter, Elizabeth, Rachel, Catharine, Sarah, Jacob, and William MARTIN. Seven children by the 1st and 2nd wives, Elizabeth DUNHAM and Martha RUNYAN. Dinah PYATT was the daughter of Jacob and Mary HULL PYATT. Dinah was born February 2, 1703/4 and died 1789. Jonathan MARTIN was born June 12, 1687-8 and died August 1768. Jonathan was the son of Benjamin MARTIN born 1656 in the Dover Colony (New Hampshire) and married 1st Margaret REYNOLDS, daughter of Nicholas REYNOLDS, on October 24, 1680. Margaret died June 12, 1687-8. Benjamin married 2nd to Margaret Alston on November 10, 1688.

John MARTIN b.1620 and Esther ROBERTS b. 1628 in Dover Colony (New Hampshire) married in 1648 and settled in Piscataway Colony 1666. John Martin lineage back (four generations) to Richard Martin of Poulehurst in Kent England. Esther’s parents were Thomas ROBERTS, born abt. 1600 in Worcester, England to Thomas ROBERTS and Rebecca Hilton, born aft. 1607 in London, England. Edward and William Hilton, brothers and wealthy London Fishmongers came and settled the Dover Colony at the same time the MARTINS and ROBERTS, around 1618.

The SHREVE Family was associated with the MARTIN’s in Fayette Co. PA. John F. MARTIN purchased land in Fayette Co. in 1731. John and Esther MARTIN, both born in the Dover Colony (New Hampshire) were original grantees in 1666 in Piscataway Colony (New Jersey). They established the first land grant 1673. Son Benjamin MARTIN, the father of Jonathan, Peter and Esther MARTIN, was a prominent settler at Piscataway, near the Baptist church. Colonel ISRAEL SHREVE, who maintained lands for George WASHINGTON, sold land to BENJAMIN MARTIN in 1738.

The ancestry of Thomas SHERIFF, born 1629 in Derby, England and settled in the Rhode Island Colony, may be traditional, but the early records of that province show conclusively that he had eight children and was a property-owner when he died. As late as 1737 the members of the family that remained in the vicinity retained the name "SHERIFF" while Caleb, who had married and emigrated to New Jersey, adopted the form "SHREVE" Caleb permanently settled in New Jersey on his marriage about 1680. He lived after 1699 in Burlington County, seven miles east of the present site of Mount Holly. Caleb changed the family name from SHERIFF to SHREVE after moving to New Jersey. Caleb was one of the earliest colonist of Western New Jersey. This immigrant ancestor of the Shreve family was a thrifty and sagacious English Quaker, who purchased a farm in the Quaker colony established by John Fenwick, one of the purchasers of a large tract of land from Lord John Berkley. In 1664, after acquiring possession of the new Netherlands, the Duke of York executed "deeds of lease and release" for the Province of New Jersey to Lord John Berkeley, Baron of Stratton and Sir George Cateret, of Saltrum in Devon. In 1673, Lord Berkeley sold his half interest in the province to John Fenwick and Edward Byllinge, two English Quakers. In 1675, Fenwick sailed from England in the ship "Griffith" with his family and a small company of Quakers and thus came the first English immigrants to New Jersey. About the year 1688 or soon afterward, Caleb SHREVE built on this farm a brick house which is still pointed to with pride by his descendants as a cherished family possession and from what is known of his history it can be said that he had many sterling traits of characater, which have come down to posterity.

From Memorial History of Louisville, 1st settlement to 1896 by J. Johnston. "The old Shreve family lived on a New Jersey farm which ancestors settled 200 years ago, 1696."

William MARTIN SHREVE 1761-1837 son of William Shreve and Catherine Martin was born in Frederick Co., Maryland. During the American Revolution, soon after the Battle of Monmouth, which crippled the little American army, recruits were much needed and it was at that time when Cornwallis was pushing his forces to the South that William SHREVE, though but a youth at a country school, where the recruiting American army was passing, volunteered and remained in the service until the surrender at Yorktown. He was wounded in some engagement, probably the battle of Cowpens, and received a pension from the Government until his death. He enlisted from Maryland. married 1790 in Frederick Co. Maryland to Mary Elizabeth Lawrence. In 1796 he moved from Maryland to Kentucky, settling in Jessamine Co., where he purchased a large tract of land and built a mill and established a store.

William MARTIN SHREVE was politically an old line Whig, and entertained Henry Clay, of whom he was a personal and political friend, whenever he came to the village at Nicholasville to attend court. William was a prominent judge for some years of the Jessamine County and Probate Courts, and manifested his friendship when pecuniary disaster came to Mr. Clay. There was frequent communication with Capt. Shreve during the progress of the work undertaken by him in removing the obstructions in the Red River. For thirty-one years he was Judge of the County Court of Jessamine County.

Nicholasville Christian Church was erected in 1830 at which time he was chosen elder. William SHREVE was one of the first trustees of the town of Nicholasville. One of the earliest brick houses erected in Jessamine county was that of William Shreve, which was built in 1793 and was owned in the 1900's by Mrs. John Simms. The house was a short distance west of the Cincinnati Southern depot. At this place he lived a long time,and his wife died and was buried there, after which he traded for land near the present site of Nicholasville, and a second marriage to Anne BARNETT WAKE.

First son and second child of William MARTIN and Anne BARNETT SHREVE, JOHN MILTON SHREVE ventured to Texas where he was appointed Assistant Quartermaster, with rank of Captain at the start of the Texan War ; he was present and participated in the battle of San Jacinta, serving in Captain William Fisher’s Company. Thirty years prior to his death he lived in or near Louisville, Kentucky serving many years as Elder of the Christian Church, much beloved and esteemed by all that knew him.
Submitted by Janelle Morrow Walker Warden of Satellite Beach, Florida

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