LEONARD SHEW, a son of John P. and Sarah (York) Shew, was born on the homestead of his parents in Clinton Township, Vermillion County, May 24, 1834. The parents came here from Wilkes County, North Carolina, as early as 1826., Of the children born to them in North Carolina three are yet living--Mrs. Hila Funkhouser, a widow, residing in Vigo County, Indiana; Mrs. Zilpha Freeman, also a widow, residing in Arkansas, and Mrs. Dorothea Hay, living in Jones County, Iowa. The children born to the parents of our subject after settling in Vermillion County, are --Daniel, now a resident of Pawnee County, Nebraska; Mrs. Elizabeth Starks, living in Edgar County, Illinois; Mrs. Emeline Knight, living in Clinton Township, this county; Mrs. Mary Byerly, living in Jones County, Iowa, and Leonard, our subject, the youngest of the family. Boston, their eldest son, was a soldier in the Eighteenth Indiana Infantry in the war of the Rebellion, and died from wounds
received in battle. A daughter , Lucy, became the wife of Sylvester Seeds, and after marriage they moved to Kansas, where she died. Leonard Shew was but seven weeks old when his mother died. His father survived her many years, dying October 15, 1873, when over eighty years of age. He was always a hard-working man, but he never became rich. He was a consistent Christian, and one of the earliest and most active workers in the United Brethren church, of which he was a member at the time of his death. He was kind-hearted and generous, always giving to the poor and needy. Leonard Shew, whose name heads this sketch, is a man who attends strictly to his own affairs, and is | much respected throughout the community where he has made his home for SO many years. He commenced life for' himself without capital, and by his own efforts he has acquired a comfortable home. Before and after his marriage he worked at the carpenter's trade, which he followed until
1875, and is now devoting his entire attention to his farm. His homestead consists of eighty-nine acres of choice land, and is a part of the property once owned by William Hedges, one of the earliest settlers of Clinton Township. Mr. Shew was united in marriage in 1860, to Miss Alma C. Hedges, a daughter of William Hedges, and they are the parents of four children--Mrs. Arletta E. Kehoe, of Clinton; Mrs. Ida Etta Bumgardner of Clinton Township and Elza Eschol and Everett C., still at home with their parents. In politics Mr. Shew votes the Democratic ticket at general elections, but in local elections he votes independent of party ties.
Biographical & Historical Record of Vermillion County, Indiana, Published by: The Lewis Publishing Company, 113 Adams Street, Chicago, IL, 1883.
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Data Entry Volunteer: Carol Stultz, Danville, IN
ELI SHEW, deceased, late of Clinton Township, was born in Wilkes County, North Carolina, July 11, 1819, and died October 24, 1887. He was a son of Daniel and Eve D. (York) Shew, honored pioneers of Vermillion County, they having settled in the forest on section 31, Clinton Township, as early as 1826. Our subject had but a faint remembrance of the long wagon journey from North Carolina, but he distinctly remembered his early life in Clinton Township, the abundance of game, and the old log school-house where he received his limited education. Like the youth of his early day, he was inured to hard toil when quite young. His father built a small mill, operated in connection with his farm. And this furnished plenty of work for his boys. He died after the close of the war at the advanced age of eighty years. His wife died some six years before. Of their family, Eli was the fourth child. Two of their sons, named Henry and Joel, still residents of
Clinton Township. With the exception of a short residence, from the Spring of 1856 until the fall of that year, in Richland County, Wisconsin, and from that time to the spring of 1857 spent in Jones County, Iowa, Eli Shew lived in Clinton Township from the time of his coming here with his parents, and always in the neighborhood of his father's pioneer home. April 4, 1857, he was united in marriage to Miss Mary Adaline Hedges, a daughter of William and Permelia Hedges. She was born on their homestead in Clinton Township, near her present home, August 23, 1825. Mr. and Mrs. Shew commenced housekeeping in limited circumstances, but by their industrious and frugal habits, they succeeded in making a good home for their family. The homestead contains 110 acres of choice land, of which sixty acres are well improved, and under good cultivation. Mr. and Mrs. Shew had eight children born to them. The eldest, Mrs. Permelia A. Tennis, lives in Clinton Township.
Two children, named Clarinda and Leonard M., died in childhood. Lurena, deceased, wife of William P. Atkins, left at her death a family of seven children. William D. is living with his parents. Milton P., the sixth child, died young. John E. married Margaret E. Bright and lives in Clinton Township. Edwin N. married Betty L. Foltz, and they are living with Mrs. Shew. In politics, Mr. Shew was a member of the Greenback party, but of Wing and Republican antecedents. Mrs. Shew is a member of the Missionary Baptist church.
Biographical & Historical Record of Vermillion County, Indiana, Published by: The Lewis Publishing Company, 113 Adams Street, Chicago, IL, 1883.
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Data Entry Volunteer: Carol Stultz, Danville, IN
HENRY SHEW, residing on section 36, Clinton Township, is one of active and prominent citizen of Vermillion County, and a worthy representative of one of the early pioneer families of the county. He was born in Wilkes County, North Carolina, November 14, 1815, his parents, Daniel and Eve D. (York) Shew, being natives of the same State, the former of German and the latter of English ancestry. They, with their family, then consisting of six children, left their native State and with teams made the journey to Vermillion County, Indiana, in 1826, and settled in the forest on section 31, Clinton Township. Here the father bought a tract of sixty-two acres, which he improved, and resided upon until his death, which occurred not long after the close of the war, in his eighty-first year. He erected a saw-mill on Jennings Creek; which he operated about thirty rears. His wife's death occurred about six years before he died, in her sixty-sixth year. Both
were members of the United Brethren church. The children born to them are as follows--Philip was a member of an Indiana regiment and died in the late war at Knoxville, Tennessee: Henry, the subject of this sketch; Joel, living in Clinton; Eli, of Clinton Township; Mrs. Mary M. Moulton, residing in Tennessee; Sarah died aged about twelve years; Leonard M., living in San Francisco, California; Washington living in Clinton Township, and Mrs. Matilda Vergen, deceased. Henry Shew, whose name heads this sketch, was reared to a farm life, but after reaching manhood he learned the cooper's trade, which he followed some fifteen years, since which he has devoted his time almost exclusively to agricultureal pursuits. He was united in marriage July 2, 1840, to Miss Irene Hedges, a daughter of William Hedges, one of the early settlers of the county. She was born in Clinton Township, at the pioneer home of her parents, December 3, 1823. To Mr. and Mrs. Shew
have been born five children as follows--Lyman, residing in Clinton Township, near his parents; Lura Ann, widow of John Hay, resides in Kansas, when her husband died; Levi L., living near the parental home, served three years in the war of the Rebellion, in the Seventy-first Indiana Infantry, and Sixth Indiana Cavalry; Direxa, is the wife of Thomas P. Pinson, of Clinton Township; Alma C. is the wife of James Boatman, of Clinton Township. Mr. Shew commenced life with no capital but strong hands, and a determination to make life a success, and his energy combined with integrity and good business habits, has enabled him to obtain a competence for his declining years. When he settled on his homestead in Clinton Township it was covered with a heavy growth of timber. He now owns over 400 acres, the greater part of which is well improved. In politics Mr. Shew is a Republican of Whig antecedents. He served almost three terms as magistrate of Clinton
Township, being appointed to the office during the war to fill a vacancy, and elected the two succeeding terms. He is liberal in his religious views, believing the goodness of God toward all children. Mr. Shew is widely known throughout the township where he resides and few local men possess the confidence and respect of the public to a greater extent than he, being trusted by all who know him.
Biographical & Historical Record of Vermillion County, Indiana, Published by: The Lewis Publishing Company, 113 Adams Street, Chicago, IL, 1883.
Data Entry Volunteer: Carol Stultz, Danville, IN
Noah Hedges biographical, same publication. Son of William and Pamelia (Alden) Hedges. William & Pamelia married in 1823, both were born in Otsego County, New York. After his marriage they come to Vermillion Co, IN. William Hedges died on the seventy-second anniversary of his birth, Oct 24, 1873 in the city of Clinton. In 1885, the widow, Pamelia (Alden) Hedges was living and resided with her daughter, Alma Shew, near her pioneer home, then she was eighty-four years old. Eleven children born to William & Pamelia: 1) Mrs. Irene Shew of Clinton Mrs. Mary A Shew; Township; 3) Samuel who died Jan 1, 1873; 4) Milton, a resident of Terre Haute; 5) Noah, whose name appears within this history; 6) Columbus C. of Clinton Twp; 7) Mrs. Alma Shew; 8) William was a member of the 14th Indiana Infantry and was killed at the battle of Chancellorsville, Virginia in 1863; 9) Mrs. Catherine Hall resides on part of the old homestead in Clinton Twp; and 10 & 11) two children that died in early life.
Biographical & Historical Record of Vermillion County, Indiana, Published by: The Lewis Publishing Company, 113 Adams Street, Chicago, IL, 1883.
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Data Entry Volunteer: Carol Stultz, Danville, IN
This is a history of Columbus C. Hedges, another son of William and Pamelia (Alden) Hedges. This Columbus married Miss Sarah E. Funkhouser in 1858, "a native of Vigo County, Indiana, and a daughter of Isaac E. Funkhouser.
Items different than above, he states that William and Pamelia were probably married about 1824. If further states that his father, William Hedges, "at the age of 18, was in Vermillion Co, IN on a Government Survey in the year 1819. After his marriage, probably in the year 1824, he became a resident of the county and not long afterward, settled on section 25, Clinton Twp."
Biographical & Historical Record of Vermillion County, Indiana, Published by: The Lewis Publishing Company, 113 Adams Street, Chicago, IL, 1883.
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Data Entry Volunteer: Carol Stultz, Danville, IN