My Genealogy Hound

WILLIAM O. SHIPMAN was born January 4, 1840, in Northumberland county, Pa., and is a son of James and Susanna (Thomas) Shipman, who were also natives of Pennsylvania, the father being of German extraction and the mother of French. Mr. Shipman’s parents moved to Ogle county, Ill., in 1861, where the mother died in 1873, and the father in 1880. They were pious christian people, and their lives blossomed with the best fruits of the faith they possessed. The subject of this sketch was reared on the farm, leaving home, however, when a young lad and living out as a common laborer, turning his wages over to his father in order to enable him to support the large family of which he was the head. The son preceded the parents to Illinois, settling there in 1859. He was there when the great war of the rebellion broke out, and, with an alacrity born of the patriotism within his breast, he offered his services to the Union soon after the first call was made for volunteers. He enlisted in August, 1861, entering the Fourth Illinois cavalry. He was first under fire at Fort Henry, participating in the capture of that place, and also in the taking of Fort Donelson. He was in the battle of Shiloh, and then at Corinth, after which his regiment was assigned to duty as a body-guard to General Sherman, on his march to Memphis. Later he was in the battle of Pea Ridge, Ark., and Holly Springs, Miss. His regiment was then ordered to Trenton, Tenn., where he was engaged for some time in hunting guerrillas. He was in an engagement at Coffeyville, Tenn., about that time, but was shortly ordered back, and joined Grant’s army; was in the advance guard in the Vicksburg campaign, and after the surrender of the city did scouting duty in that locality during the spring and summer of 1863. Having enlisted for three years, his time was out in November, 1864, and he was mustered out of the service the third of that month at Springfield, Ill. Returning to Ogle county, he remained with his father a short time and then went to St. Louis, Mo., where he secured work as a common laborer and followed it for a few months. He next turned his face towards the East, returning to his native State of Pennsylvania, stopping successively at Pittsburgh and Northumberland county, and in the pine regions of Center and Clearfield counties. In January, 1867, he went again to the State of Illinois and engaged in farming until the spring of 1872, when he came to Nebraska and settled in Harlan county. He thus became one of the pioneer settlers of that county, and as such he underwent all the hardships and privations common to the lot of the pioneer, passing through the grasshopper seasons, the dry years and all the times of trial incident to those years. But by industry and courageous self-denial he pulled through the periods of distress into which he was so frequently thrown, and he has been rewarded by becoming one of the solid, substantial men of his community. His affairs are in a prosperous condition, and he is one of the most highly esteemed men of his community. He owns four hundred and eighty acres of land, all of which is well improved, furnished with all needful buildings for man and beast, ornamented with groves, stocked with good strains of cattle, horses and hogs, and in every respect is a most desirable place.

Mr. Shipman married on the twenty second day of January, 1867, taking to share his fortunes Miss Laville Snyder, a daughter of Adam and Martha Snyder, the father of Mrs. Shipman being a native of Pennsylvania, and the mother a native of New Jersey. Mrs. Shipman herself was born on January 22, 1841. Mr. and Mrs. Shipman have had born to them three children, as follows — Martha Bella, born October 18, 1867 (now deceased); James B., born March 23, 1870, and Dolly M., born May 19, 1876. Mr. Shipman is a member of the Farmers’ Alliance, and in politics is a republican. He also belongs to the local post of the G. A. R.