Gershom Keyes was born 1 March 1698 in Marlborough, Middlesex, MA, and died Abt. 1784 in Keyes Ferry, Charlestown, Jefferson, VA.
Wife Sarah Eager was born 27 May 1699 in Marlborough, Middlesex, MA, and died Aft. 1730. They were married 1718 in Marlborough, Middlesex, MA.
Their children were:
1- Francis Keyes b: 5 December 1719 in Marlborough, Middlesex, MA
2- Humphrey Keyes b: 29 August 1721 in Marlborough, Middlesex, MA; d: 19 April 1793 in Keyes Ferry, Charlestown, Jefferson, VA
+Marcella Wade b: 1723 in Boston, Suffolk, MA; m: 26 April 1744 in Boston, Suffolk, MA; d: Abt. 1760
*2nd Wife of Captain Humphrey Keyes:
+Sarah Hall b: Abt. 1745; m: Abt. 1761 in Virginia
3- Lucretia Keyes b: 18 August 1723 in Marlborough, Middlesex, MA; d: 24 March 1764 in Chester, NH
+Rev. Ebenezer Flagg b: 18 October 1704 in Woburn, MA; m: 15 November 1739 in Chester, NH [Ebenezer/Elizabeth Carter]; d: 14 November 1796 in Chester, NH
4- Lavina Keyes b: 16 February 1726 in Marlborough, Middlesex, MA; d: 14 March 1813 in Northfield, MA
+William Swan b: Abt. 1716 in Boston, MA; m: 5 January 1743 in Boston, MA; d: 12 April 1774 in Northfield, MA
5- Elizabeth Keyes b: 4 April 1728 in Marlborough, Middlesex, MA
+Bezaleel Maynard b: 23 July 1731; m: 28 February 1754 in Shrewsbury, Worcester, MA
Notes for Gershom Keyes:
From Genealogy of Robert Keyes and Solomon Keyes and Their Descendants (Asa Keyes 1880):
“Gersham Keyes eldest son of Maj. John, and the only one of his sons who survived the fire, married 1718, Sarah ------ and was living in Shrewsbury, on house lot No. 15, in 1729. His wife joined the church there 1727. After the birth of his children, says the record, 'Gersham removed to Boston and became a wealthy merchant.' Gersham afterward removed to Virginia and established a ferry, still called Keyes Ferry, on the Shenandoah River, near Charlestown, Jeff. Co. The ferry was then half a mile below its present site, opposite Sheler's Spring, now Keyes Switch. There are no data to fix the time of Gersham's removal to Virginia, but in 1755, when Braddock with his force crossed the Shenandoah, he was living there, and from him supplies were bought for Braddock's army. The descendants still preserve a letter, relative to the survey of the 'Keyes Ferry tract,' which we here insert, as showing the extent of that tract, and as every item relating to the father of his country must be interesting.
M Vernon 26th March 1762
Mr Keyes.
Your letter of the 18th Feb'y was delivered to me at our last court, by Mr. Ramsay. In regard to the Warrant which you enquire after, I can only repeat what I have often done before that it must have been returned with the others to the Proprietor's office, if I ever had such a one, but since it is not to be found there, I shall at your request declare all I remember concerning it, which is this, that there was a Warrant directed to me for surveying you (I think) four hundred acres of Land, either at or about your Ferry, which then stood lower down the river; but who it was to join on, or what was the reason of not executing it I cannot absolutely recollect; this I perfectly well know, that I did make you a survey at some place near to where your Ferry then stood, but I think it was in consequence of another Warrant, and that I have had such a Warr't as you ask after in my Possession and moreover that it was not executed owing to some dispute between Col. Fairfax and yourself.
I am Sir
Yr. Hble Servt.
Go Washington
Superscription.
To
Mr. Gersham Keyes,
In
Frederick
Recommended to
the care of
Mr. Ramsay
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