My Genealogy Hound

ANTHONY SHOVEL, one of the old and respected citizens of Center township, was born September 21, 1830, in Montreal, Canada. He is a son of Mitchel and Catherine (Palmer) Shovel, both of whom were born in Canada, January 8, 1800, and were of French descent. His paternal grandfather, Mitchel Shovel, was a native of France, but he died in Canada in 1840. His maternal grandfather was Anthony Palmer, and was a native of France also. He died in Canada in 1848. Anthony Shovel’s parents died when he was quite young, and he was left to look out for himself at ten years of age. He worked on a farm until he was fourteen, and then served an apprenticeship at the blacksmithing. He crossed over to the United States in 1849, and visited many of the large cities in this country, going as far south as New Orleans, and worked at his trade a quarter of a century. He came from Ohio to Nebraska in September, 1871, took up a homestead in Center township, Buffalo county, immediately, and determined to make this his home. The country was very wild, but he had great confidence in its future, and believed he would live to see the time when it would be regarded with great promise. He had many interesting experiences with the Indians, and received many calls from them at his house. September 13, 1855, he married Susan Culpeper, a daughter of William and Susan (Lockhart) Culpeper, and born July 2, 1834. Her father was born in Culpeper county, Va., and died in 1835. Her mother was born in the same county and died in 1834. They have no children of their own, but adopted James A. McMannis, when eight years of age. He has since gone by the name of James Shovel. They also adopted Maud May Reed, when five months old. She was born May 6, 1881, and is now a bright little girl.