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Surnames: Shull Williams Petz Hows
Classification: Biography
Message Board URL:
http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/gh.2ADI/5916
Message Board Post:
John Shull, one of the oldest pioneers of Jefferson Township, is a native of Augusta
County, Va., where he was born, in 1811. He was reared on a farm in the mountains of
Virginia, and his education was limited. At the age of twenty-one he emigrated to Preble
County, Ohio, where he resided until the fall of 1836, when he came to Huntington County
and entered eighty acres in Section 26, Jefferson Township. He then returned to Ohio, and
remained until the fall of 1839, when he moved upon his land. He built a cabin 18X20,
which, at that time, was counted the best house in the township, and began to clean up his
farm. He landed here the latter part of October, and by the next Easter had seven acres
of land cleared, with the logs all rolled, and during that year raised enough corn to do
him, besides having four bushels for sale. He assisted in clearing up all of his fine
farm of 120 acres. The country has changed wonderfully since he came, and what was a
wilderness fifty ye!
ars ago has been transformed into fine, beautiful farms. He was one among the first
settlers and has aided in developing Jefferson Township as much as any other man in it.
He was married to Lydia Williams on November 25, 1834. She was a native of Preble County,
Ohio, where she was born February 23, 1814. This union was blessed with nine children:
Mary C., George H., Samuel P., Clarissa T., William Y., and Sarah E., all of whom,
included three infant sons, unnamed, are deceased. William Y. died while in defense of
his country at Bowling Green, Kentucky. Mrs. Shull was called away January 30, 1878. She
was a member of the Methodist Church, and esteemed by all who knew here. Mr. Shull is now
married to Mrs. Sydney Petz. This marriage occurred July 25, 1882. Mr. and Mrs. Shull
are both members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, the former having been a member over
fifty years. He began life a poor boy, and worked for fifty cents a day to get the money
to enter his l!
and. By sickness he has lost all of his family but one child, who is
now the wife of Edward H. Hows, a prominent farmer of Salamonie Township. Mr. Shull is a
staunch Republican and has always voted this ticket. He is one of the substantial farmers
of Jefferson Township, and attended the first election in the township.
History of Huntington County, Indiana. (Brant & Fuller: Chicago, IL) 1887.
Biographical Sketches of Jefferson Township, p. 688 and 689.