Silas Sheeder

As printed in 1907

SILAS SHEEDER.

Silas Sheeder is a general farmer and stock-raiser and is one of the most extensive landowners of the county, his possessions aggregating eight hundred and sixty-five acres in Bear Grove town-ship. In the management and conduct of his property interests he displays excellent business discernment, combined with sound judgment that prevents him from making mistakes in investment or in the purchases and sales incident to farm life. He was born in Chester county, Pennsylvania, on the 13th of February, 1853, his parents being William and Mar\' (Keeley) Sheeder.

The father, also a native of Chester county, first opened his eyes to the light of day on the 1 2th of September, 1825, and after his parents' death, which occurred when he was a lad of nine years, he went to live with his grandfather, with whom he remained for four years or until he had attained the age of thirteen. During that period he attended the district schools and then started out to earn his own Hving, being employed as a teamster and making a full hand in driving a six-horse team. When in his seventeenth year he began work at the blacksmith's trade under Jesse Orr, of Chester county, Pennsylvania, entering upon a four year's apprenticeship. For three and a half years he worked for Mr. Orr for his board and clothing and during the last six months he received wages. After this he opened a shop of his own, which he conducted for a year and then, thinking his success and his prospects were sufficient to justify the establishment of a home of his own, he was married on the 23d of March, 1848, to Miss Mary Keeley, who was born in the Keystone state, August 28, 1830. On the 17th of April, 1855, the father started with his family, consisting of his wife and four children, for Iowa. They traveled over the Pennsylvania Central Railroad as far as Rock Island, Illinois, and proceeded thence by steamer to Muscatine, Iowa, where the father secured a team and thus continued his journey to Guthrie county, arriving here on the ist of May. He found a district largely unsettled, much of the land being still in possession of the government and he entered a claim to four hundred acres on section 5, Baker township. The family lived in a tent for about three months, sleeping on the ground, but during that time a log cabin was built, twelve by sixteen feet, in which the family were soon comfortably established. They lived in that pioneer home until after six more children were added to the family and as the years passed Mr. Sheeder made extensive investments in property, becoming one of the largest landowners and wealthiest men of Guthrie county. He seemed to recognize intuitively the value of a piece of property and thus made very judicious investments, the land rising continually in value by reason of the rapid settlement of the county and of the improvements made upon it. Thus although he came to the county empty-handed he gained a place among its most substantial citizens, his life record proving conclusively that success may be gained through honorable and persistent effort and that it is not a matter of genius or of fortunate circumstances, as held by some. Unto him and his wife were born ten children, of whom nine are yet living as follows: Silas,. John, Eli, James, George, Anna, Domicilla, Joseph and Wilmer. All are now married and are living in this county, the Sheeder family being a very prominent one in this part of the state.

Silas Sheeder was only six years old when his parents started for Iowa and here he was reared on the frontier, early experiencing the hardships and privations which are incident to the settlement of a new district. As his strength increased he aided more and more large)' in the work of the fields, making in early life a full hand on the farm. In 1888 he was married to Miss Louisa Her-' ron, who was born in Ohio in 1865, and they became the parents of five children: Harry, born September 22, 1889; Dora, May 6,. 1891; Xora, April 15, 1895, deceased; Maud, July 11, 1898; Ellis, January 27,.

The family home is a fine farm of eight hundred and sixty-five acres in Bear Grove township. Mr. Sheeder has always been engaged in agricultural pursuits and is now well known not only by reason of the excellent crops which he annually cultivates and harvests but also by reason of his extensive interests. as a stock-raiser and feeder. He takes special pride in keeping high grade stock and he has every reason to be proud of the fine horses, cattle and hogs which are found upon his place. In this way he has done much to advance the farming interests of the community by raising the price of stock. He finds a ready sale for all that he produces on the farm and his business has been ably managed, resulting in gratifyingsuccess. He and his wife attend the

Methodist Episcopal church and his political owned and edited the paper, but for about allegiance is given to the democracy. They five years prior to his demise he was ably are most highly esteemed people, well meriting favorable mention in this volume because of the high regard in which they are uniformly held throughout the county. The name of Sheeder has figured in connection with pioneer history in Iowa from a very early day and from his boyhood to the present time Silas Sheeder has been a factor in the county's development and upbuilding, withholding his support from no progressive public movement.

As printed in Past and present of Guthrie County, Iowa : together with biographical sketches of many of its prominent and leading citizens and illustrious dead (1907). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.