Of Topsfield, Mass. born 1735, is authority for the assertion that the family originated in France; the name was probably Chamois or Charmois. In the records of Essex County for the name is often spelled "Shamway". {It is well known that in several other instances in Oxford, names, the French termination of"osi" has been changed to "way". A letter of William H. Shumway, Esq. lawyer at Syracuse, NY May 1871, says: "I understand from an attache of Joseph Bonaparte that our name Shamway is a corruption of "Chamois" a person bearing it was Compte De Chamois, a member of the court of Louis XIV} Dr. Baird says, "a Protestant family name Chamois is mentioned in a list of fugitives from the neighborhood of St. Maixent in the old Province of Pointou, France, at the time of the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes." Peter came to America among the emigrants who landed before the founding of the Oxford Colony, as will be seen by the following, in the handwriting of Rev. John Campbell:--
"TO THE HONORABLE SPENCER PHIPS ESQ LIEUT GOVERNOR AND COMMANDER IN CHIEF IN AND OVER HIS MAJESTIE'S PROVINCE OF THE MASSACHUSETTS BAY IN NEW ENGLAND; THE HONORABLE COUNCIL AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES IN GENERAL COURT ASSEMBLED:
"The Memorial of Peter Shumway of Oxford most humbly sheweth that whereas your humble memorialist did many years ago prefer a petition to the Honorable General Court of this Province praying that as he is the legal heir and representative of Peter Shumway of Topsfiedl who was a long time in the service of this Country and particularly in the Narragansett war, and taking the Indian fort there which he is said petition proved by living testimonies and which he believes the Honorable John Chandler and others worthy members of this Honorable Court do yet remember.
"And whereas your aged, decrepid and poor memorialist
hath never yet received any gratuity, or reward in land or otherwise for
his father's services and sufferings as many others have done, your most
humble memorialist again most humbly prayeth this Honorable Court in their
wonted goodness and compassion would make him a grant of some piece of Country
land for said services, or otherwise as in their great wisdom they {see}
fit: which will oblige your most humble memorialist--as in duty bound will
every pray.
Signed Marcy 23, 1749-50. Peter Shumway
Mass Arch XLVI., 212
We find no record of action on this memorial.
Peter of Topsfield was progenitor of all of the name
in the country, so far as known. His son, Peter, born June 6, 1678, at Topsfield
married Feb 11, 1701, Mariah Smith of Boxford; was not an original proprietor
at Oxford, but voted in on the rights of Joshua Chandler, Sept. 13, 1713.
The home lot embraced the Josiah Russell place, H.185.
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