When Francis Esmay was born on 2 April 1782, in Schoharie, New York, United States, his father, Lieut. Thomas Ismay, was 39 and his mother, Elizabeth Parmentier, was 30. He married Mary Vanderwerken on 25 February 1803. They were the parents of at least 5 sons and 3 daughters. He lived in Marathon, Cortland, New York, United States in 1850. He died on 7 January 1867, in Sabula, Jackson, Iowa, United States, at the age of 84.