My Genealogy Hound

LEVI HENRY SHENK. Among the settlers who at an early date came from Lancaster into Cumberland county were members of the Shenk family. The exact date of their coming cannot now be definitely ascertained, but it is certain that it was more than one hundred and ten years ago. Henry Shenk appears upon the tax list of West Pennsboro in 1793, but the record of a certurn real-estate transaction shows that he was already a citizen of that township in 1791. He first located within the present limits of West Pennsboro, where he continued to reside until about 1823, when he removed into Dickinson township, and resided there until his death, which occurred in December, 1837, at the age of almost seventy-five years. His wife Elizabeth died April 2, 1834, aged seventy-one years, and the remains of both are buried in the graveyard of the German Baptist Church near Huntsdale.

Henry and Elizabeth Shenk, among other children, had a son Henry (2), who was born Jan. 17, 1791. As it is not definitely known when the parents came from Lancaster to Cumberland county, it cannot be definitely ascertained in which of the two counties this son was born. He grew to manhood in West Pennsboro and Dickinson townships, and, like his ancestors before him, engaged at farming. He married Catherine Kendig, who was born June 27, 1799. The Kendigs also were among the early settlers of Cumberland county. Henry and Catherine (Kendig) Shenk had issue as follows: Martin, Daniel, Elias, Henry, John and Catherine. Henry Shenk (2) died Oct. 31, 1861; Catherine Kendig, his wife, died Feb. 4, 1845, and both are buried in the graveyard of the German Baptist Church near Huntsdale.

Martin Shenk, son of Henry and Catherine (Kendig) Shenk, was born Sept. 7, 1819, near Mooredale, Dickinson township, was reared on the farm, and followed farming all the days of his life in the vicinity of is birthplace. In the course of time he there acquired four contiguous tracts of farm land aggregating 244 acres, which he re-arranged into three different tracts and distributed to three of his children, two of whom still own and live upon the farms received from his hands. He married Susanna, daughter of Joseph and Mary (Mohler) Sollenberger, a member of a family who came from Lancaster to Cumberland county about the same time that the Shenks came. She was born in Monroe township, Feb. 16, 1825, but while she was yet a young girl her parents moved to Dickinson township. Martin Shenk died Feb. 25, 1898; his wife, Susanna Sollenberger, died Aug. 18, 1896, and their remains rest in the graveyard of the German Baptist Church at Huntsdale. Martin and Susanna (Sollenberger) Shenk had the following children: Daniel Martin, Samuel Eby, Mary Catherine and Levi Henry. Daniel M. married Sarah Hollinger, and lives near Wilson, Kans.; Samuel E. married Jennie Frehn, and lives at Newville; and Mary C. married J. Edward Hollinger, and lives in Dickinson township, on the “Mansion farm.”

Levi H. Shenk, the youngest child of Martin and Susanna (Sollenberger) Shenk, and subject of this sketch, was born Jan. 23, 1858, near Mooredale, in Dickinson township. He grew to maturity on the farm and received his education in the country district school and at the Huntingdon and Shippensburg Normal Schools. Early in his young manhood, and before he was married, he began farming for himself on the place of his birth, where he has continued to live and farm ever since. Along with his farming he has bought and sold stock, as the stock market offered inducements, and for a period of nine years engaged extensively at hay packing. He owned and operated the first steam hay press that was operated in Cumberland county, and with it did business over a wide range of country. Although devoted to his business enterprises Mr. Shenk has always considered it a part of his duty as a citizen to give some attention to public affairs. He is a Republican in politics, and his liberal and progressive views have found favor with his party and the people in general. In 1899 he was nominated for county treasurer, and notwithstanding the fact that the odds in the county were strongly against his party he came very near being elected. Acting upon the prestige that this demonstration of confidence gave him his party in 1902 nominated him for county commissioner, and he was elected. In this office he is at present serving with general acceptability.

On Jan. 13, 1881, Levi H. Shenk was married to Mary Emma Zollinger, Rev. David Swope, pastor of the Lutheran Church at Centerville, performing the ceremony. Mary Emma Zollinger was born Jan. 19, 1863, a daughter of David and Maria (Forney) Zollinger. At the time of her marriage her parents lived at Mooredale, Dickinson township, but they formerly were of Franklin county, Pa., where the Zollinger family located at an early date, and where they long have been prominent and influential. Since her marriage her parents have returned to Franklin county. To Levi H. and Mary Emma (Zollinger) Shenk have come the following children: Charles Warren, born Nov. 17, 1881; Floyd Zollinger, Nov. 3, 1883; Martin Luther, May 7, 1886; David Paul, Aug. 5, 1888; Marie Catherine, Aug. 14, 1890; Walter Frederick, March 4, 1893; and Earl Zollinger, Feb. 6, 1895. The second born of these children died at the age of three years, but all the others are living and at home under the parental roof. The family are members of the Lutheran Church, and attend the services of that denomination at Centerville.