First child of Daniel Shawhan Jr. and Margaret Bell — sibling of John Shawhan (direct line, Gen 4), not himself part of the traced direct line to Spencer. Stayed behind in Pennsylvania when the rest of the family moved to Kentucky, and was directly caught up in the Whiskey Rebellion — almost certainly the "Robert Strawhan (Shawhan), a complying distiller" whose barn was burned in January 1794.
Life events
- 5 Mar 1764Born, Hampshire County, VA/WVA
- 1788Family (except Robert) moved to Bourbon County, Kentucky; Robert and Mary Williams stayed behind on the old Pennsylvania homestead
- 1790Census lists him in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
- Mar 1791Federal excise tax on distilled spirits enacted (Hamilton)
- Jan 1794"Whiskey Insurrection": per a direct quote cited to "Pennsylvania Historical Collections," pub. 1843: "In January 1794, further violence commenced. Robert Strawhan (Shawhan), a complying distiller, had his barn burnt." Same place (Allegheny Co., PA), same era, same occupation, and a name-spelling match to a separately-found 1794 primary Treasury document — this is almost certainly the same man.
Sources
- History and Genealogy of the Shawhan and Related Families
- The Shawhans by Ron T Shawhan 1983 (fuller 79-page FS9 copy) — the Whiskey Rebellion identification and biographical detail
- 1794-1875 Bourbon Origin Legend Documents — the 1794 primary Treasury document naming "Robert Shawhan, a distiller" in Allegheny Co., PA