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Note: REFN5714 Peter is said to be from Oil City, Venango Co. Pa. I once thought that was where he was born. There is no evidence on Peter in this area. His family was from a farm in Red Bank Twp, Armstrong Co. Oil City at the time probably only had 25 residents and wasn't called Oil City yet. The oil boom only started in 1860. Peter may also have been born in Red Bank and worked in Oil City after the oil boom before he moved to Michigan. According to Emmerson Leroy Shelly, Peter and Mary first lived in Edmore, MI. Peter and his in-laws probably engaged in pine harvesting. Then Peter moved to the farm in Six Lakes MI. Mary and kids ran the farm, built a house and barn. The log house became a chicken house. Peter died at 36 of TB according to Emerson. Hillcrest Cemetery has the dates for Peter J. as 1857-1986 suggesting that he was about 39. The 1860 Census has Peter J. at 4 years and the 1870 has him at 14 years suggesting that he was born late 1855 to early 1856. The Six Lakes Centennial says "Peter James Shelly of Oil City, Pa and Mary Elizabeth Fetter of Oak Ridge, Pa., with brothers and friends, left Pa in a covered wagon, traveling west. They were caught in a snow storm in Nebraska. Changing their minds, they came to Michigan in 1882. David, Al, Jacob, Joseph, Sade, and Lillian settled in Ionia, Ithica, Mt Pleasant, and Belding. Three of the brothers were preachers. Peter, Mary and her brothers John and Albert Fetter, settled at Six Lakes. Mary carried the money in her shoe, that they used to buy the farm on Miles Rd. Argie thought it was $20. Al was crossed off and Will and Ace were added in Argie's copy. She was not sure which names were of friends or wives or who moved where. She said that some of the people continued on to California. The Shelly's had to burn the wagon to keep warm. The farm probably was purchased in 1887. Peter probably spent some time in the logging business in PA around Oil City.
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