EIGHTH GENERATION

132. James SELKIRK III ⁽³³⁾⁽⁵³⁾⁽⁵⁴⁾ was born on 12 Nov 1756 in Whitefauld, Girthon, Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland. He emigrated in Jun 1774 from to New York City.⁽⁵⁵⁾ He died on 2 Dec 1821 in Selkirk, NY. He was buried on 5 Dec 1821 in Nicoll-Sill Burial Ground, Cedar Hill, NY.⁽⁵⁶⁾ A memorial to the eight Revolutionary War soldiers buried in the
Nicoll-Sill burial ground is located just outside the fence
surrounding
the cemetery. Many members of the Nicoll-Sill family are buried
there, as
well as some Henrys and the 115 year old Caesar, the last person to
die
enslaved north of the Mason-Dixon line. James Selkirk was born in Kirkcudbright (pronounced "Kircoobree"),
Scotland , November 1, 1757 and emigrated to America aboard the Gale
in
early March, 1775. After a stormy passage of one hundred and six days,
he
landed in the city of New York the day after the Battle of Bunker
Hill,
June 19, 1775. He remained in New York a few days, then went to
Argyle,
in what was then Albany County (but now within the limits of Saratoga
County). After living in Argyle for a few months, he enlisted in the
provisional army, (forces of the struggling colony of New York) served
out
his term of enlistment. He returned to Albany for a few days, and
then
re-enlisted on December 20, 1776. He served for the remainder of the
Revolutionary War. He served under General Benedict Arnold in the
fierce
northern campaign of the Adirondack region, and fought in that
greatest of
American revolutionary struggles, the battle of Saratoga, which, known
as
the battle of Bemis Heights, resulted in the surrender of General
Burgoyne, October 17, 1777.

Under General Sullivan, he was at the battle of Newport, and endured
the
hardships of the winter quarters at Morristown, New Jersey. He was
serving near West Point when Benedict Arnold betrayed the cause, and
watched Arnold's boat go by on its way to the British sloop Vulture.
Later
with his regiment he was at Yorktown when Cornwallis surrendered. He
received his certificate of service and discharge duly signed by
General
George Washington, dated June 7, 1783, and he likewise received with
it a
paper setting forth "Reward of Merit". His service was in batallion of
force, commanded by Colonel James Livingston, Company Two, Kirk
Hansen,
captain, and was quartermaster- sergeant in that company.

At the close of the war, he settled in what is now Selkirk, NY (1786).
He
then married Elizabeth Henry (daughter of William Henry) in February,
1787
at the First Presbyterian Church of Albany, NY. They were the second
couple ever married in that church. She was born April 12, 1766, and
was a
sister of William Henry, Jr., who was the father of Professor Joseph
Henry, the inventor of the electro-magnet, an instructor at the Albany
Academy, and the first Secretary of the Smithsonian Institute.
Professor
Henry taught school at Selkirk for two years when he was a young man.

He wrote an unpublished history of the Revolution, which included a
recounting of his personal experiences in the war. James Selkirk died
at
Selkirk, Albany County on December 2, 1820. Elizabeth, his wife, died
May
9, 1844. Both are buried in the family burial ground of Colonel
Francis
Nicoll Selkirk at Cedar Hill.

--culled from the Selkirk Family Notes

The Selkirks and the Henrys had come from Scotland on the same ship. .
.The Selkirk homestead is now owned by Mrs. Louis Altieri, who is very
proud of having lived in the house for 45 years. It is located on
Thatcher Street in Selkirk, directly behind the La Casa Restaurant.

--from a local Bethlehem newspaper, April 15, 1976

"SELKIRK, James, aged 22. From Gatehouse, Kirkcudbrightshire. To New
York on Gale, 7 May 1774. Tailor.

SELKIRK, James, born ca. 1752. From Gatehouse, Kirkcudbrightshire.
Son
of James S., 1720-1759. To New York on Gale, 7 May, 1774. Tailor,
army
quartermaster. Son Charles, 1799 - 1868."

--from "Scottish Emigrants to the U.S.A." He was married to Elizabeth HENRY on 12 Jan 1786 in First Presbyterian Church of Albany, NY.

133. Elizabeth HENRY⁽³³⁾⁽⁵⁷⁾ was born on 12 Apr 1766. She was buried in May 1844 in Col. Francis Nicoll, Cedar Hill. She died on 7 May 1844 in Selkirk, NY. Children were:

66 i. James SELKIRK IV.
ii. Nancy SELKIRK was born about May 1791. She was christened on 17 May 1791 in Schodack Reformed Church, Schodack, NY. She died INFANT.
iii. William SELKIRK was born on 24 Jul 1792 in Albany County, NY. He died in 1828 in Matagorda, TX. William went to Texas about 1822 with Austin's Old Three Hundred
colonists
as surveyor.

Was a silversmith in Albany.
iv. John SELKIRK was born on 1 Nov 1794. He died on 16 Jun 1840 in Nicoll-Sill Burial Ground, Cedar Hill, NY. Harness maker. Served in War of 1812 with honorable discharge.
v. Robert SELKIRK was buried in Dec in Elmwood Cemetery, Bethlehem, NY. He was born on 18 Mar 1797. He died on 16 Dec 1872. He remained on farm after death of his father. Assessor at Selkirk,
NY
for 20 years.
vi. Charles SELKIRK was born on 13 Apr 1799. He died on 26 Jul 1866.
vii. Joseph SELKIRK was born in Oct 1801. He died in 1833.
viii. Elizabeth SELKIRK was born on 7 Apr 1804.
ix. Francis Nicoll SELKIRK was born on 8 Oct 1806. He died in 1850.
x. Alexander SELKIRK was born on 16 Apr 1809. He died in 1867.

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