David Shanely

DAVID SHANELY.

In an enumeration of the prominent and successful farmers of Champaign county a place of due relative priority must be given to the gentleman whose name appears above and who is one of the sterling citizens of the county, where he has passed his long and useful life, being a representative of one of the It mk.reel pioneer families of the county. 1 le has a well improved and valuable farm, which is located on section 2, Adams township, and he has here devoted his attention to the great art of husbandry from his childhood days, when he began to assist in the work of clearing and cultivating the paternal homestead.

Mr. Shanely was born in Adams township on the 20th of June, 1830, being a son of John and Catherine (HaisCh) Shanely. to whom more specific reference is made in the sketch of our subject- eldest brother. Jacob Shanelv, on another page of this work, so that a recapitulation is not demanded at this point. Our subject was reared on the old homestead and there continued to devote his attention to its work until his marriage, in 1860, when he began operations in the same line on his own responsibility. When the integrity of the nation was menaced by armed rebellion Mr. Shanely abandoned the plow for the sword, and in 18(4 enlisted as a private in Company II, One Hundred and Thirtyfourth ( >hio Volunteer Infantry, with which he was in active service for a period of about four months. At the expiration of his term he returned to his home and resumed farming, and to this industry he has ever since continued to give his attention, also raising a high grade of live stock, and lias been very successful in his efforts, his landed estate now comprising two hundred and twenty-seven acres, the greater portion being under a high state of cultivation, while the permanent improvements are of the best order, including a commodious and attractive brick residence, which was erected by Mr. Shanely in [876. He has practice'lly retired from the active duties pertaining to the farm, but still maintains a general supervision of his rine estate. He has taken a lively interest in all that concerns the progress and material and civic welfare of his native county, and is one of the honored pioneer citizens, the family having been one of prominence in the county from an early epoch in it> history. Mr. Shanely's first presidential vote was casl for Pierce in 1852; iiis next for Buchanan and the third for Lincoln in tSdo. since which time he has remained a stalwart supporter of the Republican part. having voted for every one of its presidential candidates from the time of its organization. His religious faith is that of the United Brethren church, and he has been an active worker in the same, as ha-- also Ins wife. Mr. Shanely s first marriage was solemnized in the year 1860, when he was united to Miss Sarah J. Henry, and they became the parents of lour children, namely: John a farmer of Adams township, married Cora Scob)..-Mice is the wife of William Long: Charles, who is a prominent physician and surgeon at Sedgwood, North Dakota, and where he is abo largely engaged in agricultural pursuits, stock-raising and mining, married Capsola Shopsher: and Lydia A. is the wife of \V. E. Pan!- ington, ' i Shelby county, and a member of the 1 )hio legislature. Mrs. Shanely was summoned into eternal rest in [872, and our subject subsequently married Miss Lydia A. W right, who was born in Henry county, Indiana They have two children,— Trina, who is the wife of John Domire; and Barbara C, who remains at the parental home. Mr. Shanely has many times been offered official positions, but he has steadily decline!, as the emoluments of office have had little attraction lor him.

Tin subject of this review is an honored hero of the Civil war and a man who for many years has held a leading place among the agriculturists of Champaign county. He was born on the farm on which he now lives, October 20, 1832, the youngest child of John and Catherine (Haisch) Shanely, whose history will be found in the sketch of Jacob Shanley in this volume. When the country became involved in civil war Isaac Shanely left his home and went to the front as a defender of the Union cause, enlisting November 21. [861, as a member of Company 1, Forty-second Ohio Volunteer Infantry. Entering the ranks as a private, he was soon promoted to the position of quartermaster, and in that capacity participated in many of the hard-fought battles of the wav. In the engagement at Port Gibson he received a Rebel bulletin the neck and shoulder, and for a time thereafter was confined in the hospital at Grand Gulf, but on the 21st of June following he rejoined his company and was present at the siege of Vicksburg. On the 2d of December, 1864. he received an honorable discharge and returned to his home. He now receives a pension of six dollars in compensation for his services.

Throughout his entire life he has resided on the old Shanely homestead, which was entered by his father in 1820. and he still has in his possession the original patent from the government. In 1874 he erected one of the finest residences in the county, at a cost of five thousand dollars. His farm contains three hundred and twenty acres of rich and fertile land. He has always followed advanced and progressive methods of agriculture, and his place is neat and thrifty in appearance, owing to his consecutive labors and careful supervision. In 1868 he was united in marriage to Barbara A. Shaffer, a daughter of John and Catherine (Howard) Shaffer, natives of Germany. Mrs. Shanely was also born in that country, but when four years of age was brought by her parents to America, the family locating first in Logan county, Ohio, and, afterward came to Champaign county. She is the eldest child of her mother's first marriage, and she was reared and educated in this county. By her marriage to Mr. Shanely she has become the mother of five children, namely: L. Grant, who married Josephine C. Staley; Callie C., deceased; Elizabeth Jane, also deceased; George C, who was born in 1875 and is still at home; and Isaac N.,also at home. The family are members of the United Brethren church, in which Mr. Shanely has served as a trustee for forty years and is an active worker for the cause of Christianity. Since returning from the war he has given a stand support to the Republican party, and in his social relations he is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic. In the growth and upbuilding of Champaign county he has evei borne his part, has been honorable in business, loyal in friendship, faithful in citizenship, and now in his declining years he can look back over the past with little occasion for regret.

As printed in A centennial biographical history of Champaign county, Ohio .. (1902). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.