My Genealogy Hound

KIMMEY SHANAHAN, a prosperous general agriculturist and enterprising citizen of Ontwa Township, Cass County, Mich., is a native of Milton Township, and a well-known and lifetime resident of the State. He was born February 20, 1854, and is the son of Edward and Rebecca Moore (Kimmey) Shanahan. His paternal grandfather, Clifford Shanahan, was a farmer of Delaware, the State of his nativity and his abiding-place throughout his life. He was born February 8, 1764, and was a man of upright character, energetic and capable. His wife, Eleanor (Colburn) Shanahan, born February 4, 1773, bore him eleven children, six of whom she reared to maturity. Frances, the eldest daughter, married Mr. Smith first, and afterward wedded a second husband, Capt. Henry Lee Massey, a Revolutionary soldier, through whose death she became a pensioner of the War of 1776. Peter, the second-born, died in Niles. Elizabeth was twice married, first to A. Smith, and the second time was united in marriage with Gabriel Odell. Clifford was Judge Shanahan, of Cassopolis. Edward passed away in Wisconsin, but was buried in Edwardsburgh; and Eleanor became Mrs. Hirons. Mrs. Clifford Shanahan married a Mr. Allen for her second husband, and bore him one child, Nancy W. She was a worthy member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

Edward Shanahan, the father of our subject, was born in Sussex County, Del., March 5, 1806. He was a successful tiller of the soil, and in 1832 joined the tide of early emigration to the then far West, with his wife and three children traveling to Michigan in a two- wheeled cart drawn by two horses. The family were six weeks on the way, and, tired and worn, settled in Milton Township. Here the father, entering forty acres of land, began to carve his upward way, and long before his death had accumulated nine hundred acres of valuable land. He finely improved a farm of one hundred and twenty acres and also brought up to a high state of cultivation a three hundred and twenty acre tract. He later sold all his real estate in Michigan, and, removing to Adams County, Wis., there purchased twelve hundred acres of land. He died October 24, 1891, and was buried at Edwardsburgh. His wife preceded him to the better world October 24, 1889. The father was a Whig in early years and later a Republican. He received political office, being sent from the southern part of the State in 1861 as Representative. In religious affiliation he was from 1843 a member of the Close-Communion Baptists. He was the father of fifteen children, eleven of whom survived to adult age.

Joseph K. was the eldest, William L. died at twenty years of age. Sarah E. was twice married, her first husband being Mr. Tittle, her second Charles Kimmey. Alexander entered the Eleventh United States Infantry and died in the hospital in Richmond, Va., October 20, 1865. Julia A. Raymond resides in Centerville. Henry M. entered Company M, Fourth Michigan Cavalry, as Corporal. He survived the war and is a citizen of Adams County, Wis. Clifford, the seventh child, lives in Adams County, Wis. Judson D. is also located in Wisconsin. Louise Taylor died in Wisconsin, and was buried in Michigan. Edward makes his home in Wisconsin. Kimmey is our subject. The mother of our subject was born in Kent County, Del., July 13, 1810. She was the daughter of James and Sarah (Moore) Kimmey. Her father was the son of Joseph and Elizabeth (Shields) Kimmey, who lived in Delaware and died December 22, 1802, aged forty-nine years. James Kimmey was born July 17, 1779, in Delaware, where he served with brave fidelity in the War of 1812, and afterward passed away, May 5, 1851. He was a planter and a slave-owner, but would never sell and at maturity set his slaves free. He twice entered the bonds of wedlock. His first wife bore him Joseph and Alex, both of whom died unmarried; Elizabeth Wallace; Susan, who died young; Rebecca M.; and Mary A. Raymond. The second wife, Juliann A. Laws, was the mother of James, Sarah Jackson, Deborah Roberts, Louisa Postles and Juliann Davis. The grandparents of Mr. Shanahan were English.

Our subject, Kimmey Shanahan, received his education in the district schools and began to make his way in life on a farm when only twenty years of age. His first farm of eighty acres was bought in 1883, and in 1884 he bought his father’s homestead of one hundred and sixty acres, which he afterward disposed of, then purchasing one hundred acres of land where he now resides. His wife also owns ninety-six acres of valuable land. Mr. Shanahan was married December 5, 1874, to Miss Alice E. Jacks, who was born where she now lives, September 14, 1851. Mrs. Shanahan is the daughter of Joseph L. and Alvira J. (Penwell) Jacks, Her grandfather, Robert Jacks, son of Allen and Isabell (Caruthers) Jacks, married Ann Robinson. The grandfather was born in March, 1766, and died in Pennsylvania November 15, 1833. He was a farmer by occupation, and served with courage in the War of 1812. His good wife, born January 4, 1782, died April 3, 1868. She was the mother of ten children: Allen, who was killed at nineteen years of age by a falling tree; Christian, who died at the age of eighty-two; Joseph; Eliza; Robert C., who died in Wisconsin; James M., who also died in Wisconsin; Isabelle; Eleanor Sturgeon; John; and Alex A., who died at Niles. Grandmother Jacks was a stanch Presbyterian. The father of Mrs. Shanahan, Joseph L. Jacks, was born May 18, 1804, in Erie County, Pa., and was reared on a farm. He served for about five days in the Black Hawk War and was a Corporal.

In 1827 Joseph Jacks went to Chautauqua County, N. Y., and was married. In 1829 he went to Detroit, and journeyed thence by wagon to Edwardsburgh, reaching his destination on the 4th of July and arriving in the midst of a celebration. He was appointed the first Clerk of the County by Gov. Cass, and held the position two years. In 1831, he was elected the first Assessor of Ontwa Township, when it comprised half of the county. It took him five days to make the assessment. He was a leading man, a Democrat, and also served as Supervisor, ably aiding in the development and rapid progress of Cass County. He pursued agriculture on various farms until 1846, when he located permanently on two hundred and sixteen acres on section 4, Ontwa Township, which he highly improved. He died on the homestead, January 7, 1885. He was first married to Susannah Silsbee, who bore him two children: Jane A., who was Mrs. Cheney and afterward became Mrs. Jordan; and John S., of Erie County, Pa. The second wife of Joseph Jacks was the mother of three children: Mary A. Harwood; Alice E. Shanahan; and Belle, who died at nineteen years of age. The Jacks are of Scotch-Irish descent. The second wife, born in Hancock County, Ind., October 17, 1824, was the daughter of George and Anna (Tyner) Penwell, farming people of English origin. Alvira J. (Penwell) Jacks passed to her rest January 23, 1872. She was in religious belief a Presbyterian, and was a most excellent woman. Our subject is liberal in religion, and his estimable wife and son are valued members of the Presbyterian Church. They have one son, Lisle, born September 28, 1875. An intelligent and ambitious young man, he has a bright future before him.