My Genealogy Hound

Below is a family biography included in The History of Lawrence County, Missouri published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1888.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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James W. Shipman, collector of Lawrence County, Mo., is a son of David N. and Louisa (Jones) Shipman, and grandson of Daniel Shipman, who was a Tennessean and moved to Missouri prior to 1835, but died in Texas. The great-grandfather was born in Germany and came to the United States at an early day. David N. Shipman was born in Tennessee, and came to Missouri with his parents when he was a young man. He was a farmer, and died in 1877 at the age of fifty-six years. He was a Republican and a Union man during the War, and both he and wife were members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. James W. was born in Lawrence County, Mo., in 1843, and while attending the common schools also assisted his father on the farm. At the age of seventeen he enlisted in Company H, Fourth Regiment Missouri Volunteer Cavalry, and was in Price’s raid. He was shot through the jaw, neck and shoulder at the Battle of Blue, and was given up for dead, but recovered and was back in the service in one month. He was at Neosho and in several severe skirmishes. After serving three years he was honorably discharged at St. Louis in 1865. Two years later he was united in marriage to Sarah M. Smith, a daughter of Alexander and Elizabeth (Harper) Smith, and by her became the father of four children: David A., Mary L. E., Robert K. and Pleasant J. The mother of these children died in 1876, and in 1877 Mr. Shipman wedded Mrs. Julia (Frakes) Marshall, widow of Mr. Marshall, by whom she had one son living at the time of her marriage with Mr. Shipman. This child was named Edward N. Marshall, and died January 12, 1881. Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Shipman have become the parents of eight children: Maudie, Alice, James W., Elra M. Frederick L., Elsie Virga, Lida and an infant unnamed. Elsie Virga died August 27, 1883. In 1886 Mr. Shipman was elected county collector, which office he still holds. He moved to Mount Vernon in 1877. He is a stanch Republican in his political views, and has taken great interest in both public and private enterprises. He was county judge for four years, and has held numerous minor offices. He has fine farm of 300 acres.

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This family biography is one of 272 biographies included in The History of Lawrence County, Missouri published in 1888.  For the complete description, click here: Lawrence County, Missouri History, Genealogy, and Maps

To view additional Lawrence County, Missouri family biographies, click here

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