SHIPLEY, Frank
Frank SHIPLEY, who is interested in the
Toluca Bottling works, of Toluca, Illinois, is a native of Marshall county, born on section 1, Evans
township, November 4, 1855, and is a son of Benjamin and Rebecca
(HUNT) SHIPLEY. The father’s birth occurred in
Kentucky, but when only two years old he was taken
by his parents to Indiana,
locating near
Bloomington
on a farm, where he remained until seventeen years of age. He
then accompanied a brother-in-law to Putnam county,
Illinois, and later returned and brought
his parents to the same place. It is believed hat the mother of
our subject was the first white child born in what is now Marshall county, but was
then a part of Putnam county, and that her birth occurred in the
old fort there. Her father was one of its earliest pioneers, and
took a prominent part in the Indian wars, during which time his
family lived in the fort. For many years Benjamin SHIPLEY
engaged in farming, but he and his estimable wife are now living
retired in Wenona. Our subject is the oldest of their seven
children, all of whom are still living and are married.
Politically, the father is a republican, and has filled various
township offices to the general satisfaction of all concerned,
while religiously he was formerly a Presbyterian, but now holds
membership in the Methodist Episcopal church.
Upon the old home farm in Evans township,
Frank SHIPLEY grew to manhood, and in the public schools of the
neighborhood obtained his education. His father giving him his
time, he started out in life for himself at the age of nineteen
years, working by the month at farm labor. He also purchased a
threshing machine, which he operated very successfully for four
years, thus securing a small capital.
On the 24th of February, 1876, he was
married, the lady of his choice being Miss Mattie CURTIS, of
Hope township, La Salle county, Illinois, who was born in
Indiana, and is a daughter of Edward and Mary (MATHEWS) CURTIS.
They had two children: Alice
May, born in Evans township, in September, 1880, and Emma
Florence, who was born in Bennington
township, Marshall county, January 22, 1885, and died
June 25, 1895.
Mr. and Mrs. SHIPLEY began their domestic
life upon the old home farm in Evans township, where they
remained until 1883, when he purchased one hundred and twenty
acres on section 10, Bennington township, to the cultivation and improvement of
which he devoted his time and attention until his removal to Toluca in March, 1896. Soon afterward he
purchased an interest in the bottling works, with which he has
since been connected. He is a charter member of the Knights of
Pythias lodge of Toluca, and in politics has
been an ardent republican since voting for R. B. Hayes in 1876.
For six years he most acceptably served as commissioner of
highways, and was the first republican elected in the township
for a period of fifteen years, which fact plainly indicates his
popularity and the high regard in which he is universally held.
Extracted May 2011 by Norma Hass from
The Biographical Record of Bureau, Marshall and Putnam Counties, Illinois, 1896.
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