A portrait and biographical record of Delaware and Randolph counties, Ind., containing biographical sketches of many prominent and representative citizens, together with biographies and portraits of all of the presidents of the United States, and biographies of the governors of Indiana, Part 42

Author:
Publication date: 1894
Publisher: Chicago, A. W. Bowen & Co.
Number of Pages: 1474

USA > Indiana > Randolph County > A portrait and biographical record of Delaware and Randolph counties, Ind., containing biographical sketches of many prominent and representative citizens, together with biographies and portraits of all of the presidents of the United States, and biographies of the governors of Indiana > Part 42
USA > Indiana > Delaware County > A portrait and biographical record of Delaware and Randolph counties, Ind., containing biographical sketches of many prominent and representative citizens, together with biographies and portraits of all of the presidents of the United States, and biographies of the governors of Indiana > Part 42

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

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der named. In January, 1887, he retired from the road and became secretary of the Muncie Natural Gas company, organized that year, and has since held that position, dis- charging the duties incident thereto with credit to himself and satisfaction to the corporation. Mr. Shaw is an accomplished business man, fully alive to the interests of the company with which he has so long been identified, and is thorcughly familiar with all details pertain- ing to the natural gas business. Since taking charge of the books of the corporation, he has instituted a number of new and greatly im- proved methods relative to consumers and their accounts, his services in this regard alone being highly valuable to the company in econ- omizing both time and expense, besides being duly appreciated by the public. Politically Mr. Shaw's allegiance is with the republican party; fraternally he is a Mason of high standing, having taken a number of degrees in the order, including that of Sir Knight. In the year 1874 he was united in marriage to Miss Rose Ross, daughter of John H. and Rebecca (Fleming) Ross; two children, Lottie and Amie, are the result of the union.

RANVILLE W. SHEPP, the efficient chief of the fire department of Mun- cie, Ind., was born in Dayton, Mont- gomery county, Ohio, September I, 1857, a son of B. F. and Fily (Cliclince) Shepp, who both were born in Shenandoah county, Va., near Stanton, and when children taken to Ohio, where they were reared. They were married in Washington, Fayette county, Ind., where Mr. Shepp engaged in farming until 1872, when he located in Delaware county, Ind., which was his home until 1892, when he removed to Muncie, of which city he is now a resident. He and his wife are the parents of

fourteen children, thirteen of whom survive. Politically Mr. Shepp, Sr., is a republican, and was a soldier in the late war. Both he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episco- pal church.

Granville W. Shepp was reared in Dayton, Ohio, until the age of seventeen years, receiv- ing only a limited education. He then engaged in teaming, but removed to Delaware county, Ind., in 1872, and in 1882 engaged in teaming in the Cumberland mountains in Kentucky. August 1, 1883, he returned to Delaware county, entering the fire department of the city of Muncie, driving the hose wheel from August to October, at which time he took the posi- tion of driver of the chemical engine and re- tained it until 1891. On June 8, 1891, he was appointed chief of the department, and so faithfully did he perform the duties of the posi- tion that he was elected in 1892. Mr. Shepp was married August 22, 1880, to Miss Emma F. Safer, who was born in Centre township, April 17, 1863, daughter of Martin and Mi- nerva (Wireman) Shafer, natives of Pennsylva- nia and Indiana, of German descent. Mr. and Mrs. Shepp are the parents of three children --- Carl W., Nellie F. and Lone F. Socially Mr. Shepp is a member of the Foresters, be- longs to Preston lodge of Red Men, No. 145, and is a Knight of Pythias. Politically Mr. Shepp is a republican and a stanch supporter of party principles. Mrs. Shepp is a consist- ent member of the the Baptist church.

ILLIAM P. SHERRY is the son of David and Cynthia A. (Kirkpatrick) Sherry, and was born on the Missin- nawa river, near the town of Eaton, Union township, Delaware county, Ind., Janu- ary 28, 1841. His early life was principally spent in Union and Niles townships in clearing

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up the wild waste of woods of that section, and in other labor, with all the attending joys and privations incident to the early settlement of the county. In consequence of this, and in common with other boys of that time, he had only the benefits of the common schools about three months in the year, hence received only the elementary branches of education. He had just started for himself by working on a farm by the month when the late war began. He enlisted in the spring of 1862, in company K, Thirty-sixth Indiana volunteer infantry, under Capt. Milton Peden, for a term of three years. His regiment was attached to the army of the Cumberland at Camp Wickliffe, near Bowling Green, Ky., and participated in nearly all of the great battles of the south and west, his first battle of note being that of Shiloh, where for two memorable days he was constantly under fire, the next being the battle of Cornith, Miss., whence'he followed the rebel army, under Gen. Braxton Bragg, through the states of Ala- bama, Tennessee and Kentucky, and sharing in all the skirmishes and various engagements in the record of the marches and countermarches of this famous organization at different points on the great map of its bloody field of opera- tion, notable amongst them being the battle of Perryville and Wild Cat Mountains, Ky., also Nashville and Stone River, Tenn. On the his- toric field of Stone River Mr. Sherry was wound- ed December 31, 1862, by a minie ball, which passed through the right leg below the knee. He was then sent to the hospital at Nashville, Tenn. After being wounded he was for three hours within the rebel lines and was not taken from the field until the foe was driven back by the Union forces. He returned to his command at Camp Cripple Creek, Tenn., and afterward par- ticipated in the battles at Chattanooga, Chicka- mauga, Lookout Mountain, Missionary Ridge, and later on in the famous Atlanta campaign, which lasted one hundred days and nights, in

which some portion of the army was engaged at different points, some of which were Tunnel Hill, Resaca, Rocky Face Ridge, Kenesaw Moun- tain, Atlanta, Jonesboro and Lovejoy's Station. At this latter point the time of service of the Thirty-sixth Indiana regiment expired and Mr. Sherry was transferred to company A, Thirty- first Indiana volunteer infantry, to serve out his unexpired term, and went with it, in the com- mand of Gen. Geo. H. Thomas, in pursuit of the rebel army under Gen. Hood. He took part in the decisive battle of Franklin, Tenn., after which the army fell back to Nashville, where Hood's army was defeated by Gen. Thomas. The Thirty-first Indiana was then sent to Knoxville, Tenn., where, in the spring of 1865, our subject's term of enlistment expired, and on his return home he had the pleasure of hearing the big guns firing a salute in glorifica- tion of the fall of Richmond. After his arrival he engaged to work in a saw mill for Henry and Jacob Stiffler, in Monroe township, Delaware county. Here he married, December 13, 1867, Miss Susan Ross, daughter of William Perry Ross, of Monroe township, and engaged in farming in that township until 1873, when his wife died and was buried in Rees graveyard, on White river. Four children were born to them; three died in infancy and rest beside their mother.

In the year 1874 Mr. Sherry removed to Mount Pleasant township, where he also en- gaged in farming for six years, and afterward he farmed with John Cassell in the west part of Centre township for four years, and still later on with Jacob Keesling, and then purchased a farm at or near the "Six-mile house," in Ham- ilton township. He continued in this voca- tion more or less until his election as sheriff of Delaware county, in November, 1892. In politics Mr. Sherry has always been a republi- can, and cast his first vote for Gen. Grant, having been in the army when he first became

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of voting age. He received the next highest number of votes when O. H. Swain was nomi- nated for sheriff, and at the subsequent contest he was nominated over all competitors by a large plurality, and ran ahead of his party ticket at the general election. He assumed charge of his office on August 28, 1893, with his son, Milton Sherry, as his efficient and courteous deputy. Mr. Sherry has well earned all hon- ors thus bestowed by a life of good and con- scientious citizenship, and a faithful and honorable service as a soldier for the perpetu- ation of the Union, and is now a member in good standing in Williams post, No. 78, de- partment of Indiana, G. A. R. and the I. O. R. M. at Muncie, Ind.

His father, David Sherry, was born in southern Ohio in 1813, and died in June, 1893, lacking but twenty days of being eighty years of age. He moved with his father, Daniel Boone Sherry, the grandfather of William P. Sherry to southern Indiana when a small boy, and settled first in Ripley county, and later moved to Rush county, Ind., followed farm- ing, and there the father of our subject was married to Cynthia Ann Kirkpatrick, as afore- said, and soon thereafter moved to Union township, Delaware county, Ind., where he entered eighty acres of land-this was about the year 1835. The grandfather, Daniel Boone Sherry, came with his family at about the same time and passed the balance of his life there, leaving four sons and one daughter: Absalom, Nicholas, John, Sarah, and David, who have all died. The old man and all his sons were honest, hardworking men, good citizens and were especially noted as hunters.

Sheriff Sherry is the youngest of three children-a sister, Melissa, who married John- son Hazelbaker and who died soon after her marriage, leaving no children, and John W. Sherry, who is now a farmer in Ness county, Kan. His father married for his second wife

La Rue Battrell, who bore him a son and daughter: Daniel B. Sherry is a well educated man and is engaged in farming and school teaching, also in Ness county, Kan .; Sarah is the wife of David Snider, a prosperous farmer of Blackford county. His father was a mem- ber of the Dunkard church, and, like those of that persuasion, was an honest man and good citizen.

0 AVID HENRY HARRISON SHEW- MAKER was born November 16, 1840, in Harrison county, Ind. His father, Tandy Shewmaker, was a native of Kentucky, and his mother a native of Virginia. His father was a soldier in the war of 1812 and belonged to the famous cavalry of Col. Dick Johnson, taking part in the battle of the Thames, in which the noted chief Tecum- seh was killed. In 1820 he came to Indiana and settled in the wilderness of Harrison coun- ty, where he cleared and improved a farm. There he was engaged in agricultural pursuits until 1872, when he died at the advanced age of ninety-four years. D. H. H. Shewmaker worked on the farm with his father until the outbreak of the rebellion, when he was enrolled a member of the Third Indiana cavalry-a part of the army of the Potomac. He was mustered into service with his regiment June 22, 1861, and took part in the battles around Richmond, under Gen. McClellan; also the battles of South Mountain, Antietam, Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville. During the Gettysburg cam- paign he received a severe gunshot wound, from which he never recovered. He did not permit this injury to interfere with his service to the Union, however, and followed Grant in his victorious campaign against Petersburg and Richmond, taking part in all general en- gagements, beside numerous skirmishes. His

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regiment, which was a part of Gen. Phil. Sheridan's famous cavalry, was commanded by Col. Geo. H. Chapman, of Indianapolis, who was afterward elevated to the rank of briga- dier general. At the close of the war Mr. Shewmaker returned to his home, and, in 1865, married Miss Nancy Abigail McRea, daughter of Franklin and Rachel (Sands) McRea. They are the parents of three chil- dren, named, respectively, Della, Emma and Walter, all now living to bless the home circle.

At the age of sixteen years Mr. Shewmaker taught his first school, and, with the exception of the time spent in the army, has since de- voted his time and talents to that profession. Beginning in the district schools of the county, he has steadily advanced to the front as a teacher. He was principal of the graded schools at Elizabeth, Harrison county, Ind., for four years and taught one term at York- town, in Delaware county, where he organized the graded schools. In 1874 he was appointed principal of the Jefferson school at Muncie, a position he filled with eminent ability for a period of eight years. For one year he held the position of principal of the Muncie high school, and afterward became principal of the Washington schools, which position, by suc- cessive reappointments, he has held for ten consecutive years. He has displayed great tact in school government, studying carefully the dispositions of his pupils and endeavoring to control them by kindness rather than by hard measures. It is a fact worthy of note that only two suspensions have occurred in the Washington building during the period of his incumbency as principal. He is enthusiastic in the cause of public education, and devotes a great deal of his time to the encouragement and assistance of teachers' institutes throughout the county. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and unites the virtues of a christian gentleman with his ability as a teacher.

Politically Prof. Shewmaker has ever been an earnest supporter of the republican party and cast his first vote for Abraham Lincoln for the presidency. He was nominated and elected a member of the common council of Muncie in the spring of 1888, re-elected in 1890, and retired from the position in 1892, and to his untiring efforts is largely due the credit of the successful prosecution and com- pletion of the first street railway in Muncie. In the spring of 1889, in partnership with his son-in-law, H. Marsh Jackson, Prof. Shew- maker embarked in the retail drug trade, which he carried on until the fall of 1889. In 1880 he had charge of the United States cen- sus enumeration in the city of Muncie and did the entire work in the gathering of the statis- tics, but in 1890, owing to the increased popu- lation, was assisted in the work by several enumerators. In Masonic circles Prof. Shew- maker has filled official positions in the local lodge. His name also appears as one of the organizers upon the charter of Williams post, No. 78, G. A. R.

EONARD SHICK was born in Mus- kingum county, Ohio, April 27, 1827, a son of Jacob and Barbara (Kline) Shick, the former having been born in Bucks county, Pa., in 1796, and the latter in Virginia, in 1816. Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Shick were married in Muskingum county, where they engaged in farming and remained until 1851, when they removed to Blackford county, Ind., where Mr. Shick engaged in the mercantile business, following it for two years. At that time they returned to their old home, but three years later removed to Knightstown, Henry county, Ind., where for the following three years Mr. Shick was engaged as keeper of the toll gate. The family then moved to

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Cambridge, where, again, Mr. Shick engaged in keeping the gate, remaining one year, at which time he located at Muncie and remained one year. His next removal was to Mont- pelier, Ind., where he started a general mer- chandise store, but finally removed to Hart- ford City, where he and his wife spent their last days, the former dying in January, 1885, and the latter in 1887. They had been mem- bers of the Lutheran church. Politically Mr. Shick was a democrat, and a straightforward, careful, business man. Nine children were born to the union of Mr. and Mrs. Shick, as follows: John, a resident of Hartford City, Ind .; Elizabeth J., of Hartford City; Cathe- rine, of Red Key, Jay county; Leonard, whose name opens this sketch; Maria and Henry, deceased; Nancy, wife of S. Brough; Jacob K., of Hartford City; and William, a retail mer- chant of Muncie.

Leonard Shick was reared on the home farm until he had arrived at his majority, at which time he engaged in the tinning business in Hartford City, continuing there two years. Not being altogether satisfied, he took a course of two months under John Davis, of Wabash, where he learned the finer points of his trade. From there he went to Winchester, where he worked for three months under instruction, by which time he had become a thoroughly com- petent workman, and in 1853 came to Muncie, where he engaged in journey work for George Divon. Here he remained for a year and a half, when he bought the business from his employer and carried it on for the two follow- ing years. Selling the shop, he then engaged in work on a farm in this county for one season, but subsequently went back to journey work, engaging with Patterson & Sample for six months, at the end of which time he bought the tinning portion of the trade of his employ- ers, worked it four months alone, and then took in Job Swain as a partner, with whom he car-

ried on business for the six succeeding months, and then sold and went to Lafayette. At the latter place Mr. Shick followed his trade for three months, when he went to Annapolis, where he remained two months, and then, re- turning to Muncie, entered the stove and tin- ware trade with his brother, William Shick. This firm continued for some time, but was finally bought out by John Burt, and Mr. Shick went into a general tinning business, remain- ing in the same for a few months. He then bought a half interest in the same trade and engaged in it for one year, when he and his partner combined queensware and hardware, selling these two commodities for two years, at which time the queensware department was closed out, and a more complete stock of hard- ware was added. After ten years Mr. Shick bought out his brother's interest and took his son as a partner, the latter carrying on the business for five years, when he sold it to Martin, Young & Kessler. Mr. Shick then bought a farm of 190 acres, to which he has since devoted his entire attention, moving into his farmhouse Novem- ber 28, 1890.

Mr. Shick was married in this county, February 13, 1853, to Psyche Jewel, a native of this county, daughter of Zeigle and Rachel (Hobaugh) Jewel, and five children were born of this marriage, as follows: Charles, of Mun- cie, Ind .; Eldora, who married Eli Hoover, a wholesale and retail dealer in cigars and tobacco in Muncie; Kate, died August 2, 1876; Carrie, died September 19, 1864, and Ger- trude, wife of Quince Walling, superintendent of the water works of Muncie. Mrs. Shick died March 10, 1886, and her remains rest in Beech Grove cemetery. Mr. Shick again married, April 1, 1889, in Muncie, his second wife being Louisa Turner, born in this county, and daughter of Ephraim and Martha (Bal- bridge) Turner, natives of Tennessee and Henry county, Ind., the former born in 1828,

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the latter, May 30, 1832. Mr. and Mrs. Tur-, ner were married in Delaware county in 1849 and became the parents of nine children, four of whom survive. Two children have been born of the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Shick- Lylah Arminell, born December 29, 1889, and Leonard Turner, born May 18, 1891. Mr. Shick and wife are prominent members of the Methodist Episcopal church, of which Mr. Shick is a trustee. Politically Mr. Shick is a republican, a prominent and well known man in his neighborhood. He is proprietor of the Shick book store, his son Charles being the efficient manager of the same.

a HARLES A. SHICK .- The business interests of Muncie, Ind., are well looked after, and among the success- ful and judicious men who manage the affairs of the pleasant little city may be mentioned Charles A. Shick, who was born in Delaware county, Ind., January 20, 1854, a son of Leonard Shick, whose biography ap- pears above. Mr. Shick was educated in the city schools of Muncie, and this instruction was supplemented, in 1875, by a course in the Miami Commercial college, which he attended for six months. Following this he engaged in the hardware business with his father, in this county, until the retirement of the elder Mr. Shick from business, when Charles went on the farm for a period of four years, and then engaged in the book business. He now han- dles all grades of books, stationery, art mate- rials, wall papers, etc., and is carrying on a very successful trade. Mr. Shick was married in this city, January 2, 1881, to Miss Mary E. Brundage, who was born in Mercer, Ohio, No- vember 26, 1857, a daughter of W. S. and Sarah J. (Dickerson) Brundage, natives of Ohio, of German descent. Two children, Leonard

and Cornelia, have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Shick. In politics he is a republican, ready to uphold the principles of his party on all occa- sions, and is a member of the fraternal orders of I. O. O. F. and Junior Order of American Mechanics.

A RTHUR L. SHIDELER, a rising attorney and prominent young busi- ness man of Muncie, Ind., was born in Grant county, Ind., February 25, 1860, a son of John W. and Caroline M. (Dol- man) Shideler, natives of Grant county, where the mother died. Mr. Shideler, Sr., came to Muncie, Ind., in October, 1873, and engaged in business, but died in Indianapolis in the year 1888. Arthur L. Shideler came to Mun- cie with his father. He received his education in the Jonesboro Normal school, and in the Muncie high school, after which he engaged as clerk in George W. Stephenson's dry goods house, of which, in 1882, he was admitted as a partner. In the fall of 1883 Mr. Benjamin F. Bratton bought the interest of Mr. Stephen- son, and the firm of Bratton & Shideler con- tinued the business until March, 1889, when they disposed of the stock. At this time Mr. Shideler took up the study of law, and after becoming proficient in the profession was ad- mitted to the Delaware county bar in Novem- ber, 1890, and at once entered upon the active practice in Muncie, which he continued until 1893, when he became bookkeeper of the Merchants' National bank of Muncie, or- ganized in March of that year. Politically, Mr. Shideler is a democrat, and as such was elected city clerk in 1890, overcoming a de- cided republican majority. He served in this capacity until the fall of 1892, and was then the democratic candidate for prosecuting at- torney, but failed of an election owing to the

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great majority of the opposition. He is a member of the I. O O. F. and of the order of Red Men, also being secretary of the Gray club and a member of the Citizens' Enter- prise company. Mr. Shideler was married, in 1879, to Miss Flora E. Jones, daughter of William W. Jones of Centre township, Dela- ware county, and is the father of three inter- esting children, Fred W., Helen R. and Caroline M. The family is one which is highly regarded in the city of Muncie. In his busi- ness and professional life Mr. Shideler has shown commendable zeal, and owing to his determination to adhere to his chosen calling the future is fraught with much that is encour- aging and promising. He is progressive in all that the term implies, takes a lively interest in the growth and development of his adopted city, and is justly entitled to prominent men- tion among its enterprising and intelligent professional men.

R. EDGAR A. SHIELDS is the old- est son of Matthew R. and Martha A. (Lyon) Shields, and was born in But- ler county, Ohio, July 9, 1853. His parents moved across the state line into Frank- lin county, Ind., while Edgar A. was a boy, and he attended the common schools of that county until he was nineteen years of age. He entered the State university at Blooming- ton, Ind., in 1872, and in four years completed a classical course therein, graduating with the scholastic degree of A. B. in 1876. In the same year he entered the Ohio Medical college at Cincinnati, where he pursued a comprehen- sive course of three years' study; however, he did not apply for graduation, but in 1879 en- tered Jefferson Medical college at Philadelphia, Pa., and graduated from that institution in March, 1880. In graceful recognition of Dr.

Shields' scholarly attainments and devotion to- science, his old alma mater, the State univer- sity, fittingly conferred pon him the degree of A. M. in 1883. The doctor entered upon the practice of his profession for a brief period near Cincinnati, Ohio, but came to Muncie in the fall of 1881, where he located permanently, and has since enjoyed a lucrative general prac- tice. In co-ordinate lines of professional work, Dr. Shields was chosen pension examiner and served as secretary of the pension board during President Cleveland's first term, and is now president of the board of pension examiners, having received the endorsement of Williams post, G. A. R., of Muncie. for the place. He also holds the position of examiner for the fol- lowing life insurance companies: New York Life, Equitable, Mutual Life, Connecticut Mu- tual, Ætna, Northwestern Mutual, Manhattan, National and Travellers.

Dr. Shields was married, in 1880, to Miss Fannie May Barbour, daughter of Samuel W. and Ada (Hinckley) Barbour, of Oxford, Ohio. In politics the doctor, like his ancestors for two generations, is a democrat, and is frater- nally a Mason and a Knight Templar in Mun- cie commandery. The paternal grandfather of the doctor was James Shields, a native of the north of Ireland, and received a liberal educa- tion in the Glasgow university of Scotland. He came to Ohio shortly after it became a state, and settled in Butler county. He served twenty-one years in the Ohio legis- lature, was elected to congress and died during his term of service in that body. He was one of the principal promoters in securing the location of Miami university, and served on its board of trustees for years.

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A portrait and biographical record of Delaware and Randolph counties, Ind., containing biographical sketches of many prominent and representative citizens, together with biographies and portraits of all of the presidents of the United States, and biographies of the governors of Indiana, Part 42

Author: Publication date: 1894 Publisher: Chicago, A. W. Bowen & Co. Number of Pages: 1474

Author:
Publication date: 1894
Publisher: Chicago, A. W. Bowen & Co.
Number of Pages: 1474