My Genealogy Hound

Elder John Shanks, Sr., was born in Lincoln County, Ky., in 1808, the son of John and Sarah (Gaines) Shanks, the former of Irish origin, and the latter a native of Virginia, both deceased in about 1811 and 1814, respectively. They were pioneers of Lincoln County, and our subject is their only living child. He was but three years old at the death of his father, and when his mother died he lived with an uncle, William Whitey, three years, and was nine years old when he went to live with his uncle, David Shanks. May 1, 1828, he married Elizabeth Farris, who was born in Lincoln County in 1811. Their children are William, Eliza (the wife of John Risk), Jane (the wife of B. Roberts), John, Susan (the wife of W. Oldham), Sarah (the wife of J. H. Johnson), James H., Issachar, Cyrus and Joseph. Our subject left his native county in 1834, when he came to this township, and bought his present estate of 800 acres, for which he paid $1,000. Our subject was one among the first white settlers in Lyon Township, and has seen the country transformed from a wild prairie to its present condition. He and his wife celebrated their golden wedding May 1, 1878, and all their descendants, down to their great-grandchildren, were present. The company formed a group of sixty-three, and had a picture taken. They have thirty-five grandchildren, and seventeen great grandchildren, forming the largest family in this county. Our subject has been an expert hunter and fisher, having killed, the first year of his arrival, 200 deer, and, for the first fifteen years, he averaged 100 per year. About 1839 he, J. Lillard, D. Lillard, N. Nichols and H. Black were out on a bear hunt, and during the day secured a bear, a panther, and several wild cats. Our subject now owns an estate of 530 acres, besides having aided his children. In 1837 he became a member of the Church of Christ, and in 1839 was ordained as their minister, and for forty years was actively engaged in that work. He traveled over a radius of seventy miles in organizing churches, and in doing the other duties of a minister. He and his wife have both been devoted members since 1837, and have lived to see all their children members. In politics he was formerly a Whig, but is now a Democrat.