William M. Shawhan
SOURCE: "Early History and Pioneers of Champaign County, Illinois," by Milton W. Mathews and Lewis A. McLean, editors of the Champaign County Herald, published by the Champaign County Herald, 1886
SURNAMES: BROWN, CARSON, CHURCHILL, CLIFFORD, FRAME, HIGGENBOTHAM, MCCUNE, MYERS, PLATT, REDMOND, SHAWHAN, THOMPSON
WILLIAM M. SHAWHAN. The subject of the following sketch was a native of Kentucky. He was born in Bourbon county, October 2d, 1803. He weas the son of John and Margaret (MCCUNE) SHAWHAN. John Shawhan emigrated from Pennsylvania, to Ohio, and from there to Kentucky, before the Revolutionary war. Both parents died there. William M. was raised upon the farm, and spent the most of his life upon it and in his father’s mill until he was past thirty years of age. He received but a limited education in the subscription schools of his native state, attending one school six weeks and another nineteen days. He remained in Bourbon county, until the fall of 1837, when he emigrated to Rush county, Indiana, and bought a farm in that heavily timbered region. Here he actively engaged in farm work, and soon accumulated sufficient to pay for several hundred acres of valuable land. At the same time he was deeply absorbed in church and school work. He gave largely of both time and money, beside donating land for church, district school, and seminary sites. The accident which resulted in the death of his eldest son in 1846, changed the whole current of his life. He left his farm and removed in 1848 to Falmouth, a little village near his home. Here he remained until the spring of 1856, when he came to Champaign county, and settled on section 19, of what is now known as Raymond township. He had for some years been engaged in the cattle trade and was induced to come to this county by the superior facilities afforded at that time for feeding and grazing large herds. He did not continue in the business long, however, but contented himself with the care of small lots at home. Here he lived until his sudden death on May 2d, 1875, in the church at Sidney. He had had an attack of heart disease about 20 years before. The second attack ended his life painlessly, and aside from his home, in the place he most loved to be, the church.
He was twice married, first in 1825 to Rhoda REDMOND, who was the mother of his four oldest sons. She died in 1833.
The second time in 1837, to Nancy REDMOND. She still survives her husband and at present is a resident with her son James in Urbana. The names of the children in the order of their birth are as follows: John T., eldest born was accidentally killed in 1845; Charles R., is a farmer and a resident near Belvidere, Nebraska. He married Amanda CLIFFORD; Daniel M., married Jane CARSON. They reside in Pike county, Indiana; Joseph H., married Mary THOMPSON, and resides in Cynthiana, Kentucky; Margaret A., married David FRAME; after his death, she married William HIGGINBOTHAM, of Chicago, she is now a resident of Champaign; Mary Helen, married Robert H. MYERS, she died in 1865; George R., married Vista BROWN, and is a resident of Urbana; James R., took to wife Asenath CHURCHILL and is also a resident of Urbana; William T., the youngest of the family married Maud PLATT and is now a resident and postmaster of Castleton, Nebraska.
William M. Shawhan united with the Christian church at Fairview, Indiana, when about forty years of age. He was an active worker, and soon became an elder in the congregation there. When he came to this country he soon found the congregations in Old St. Joseph, Hickory Grove, Sidney and Camargo. As in Indiana, his time and money assisted in building and establishing these churches. Many old residents remember him well. On churches and schools he was an enthusiast, especially during the years immediately preceding the death of his eldest son. His knowledge of the Bible was wonderful. The New Testament he knew nearly by heart.
Politically he was a democrat, though he had not cast a vote for about thirty years before his death. His last ballot was for the adoption of the Indiana Free school law. In Kentucky, he was a Captain of a militia company. In Illinois he served two years as supervisor of Raymond township. This was the only political office he ever held. He was school treasurer of the township, almost continuously, from the organization of the first district until his death. He was physically a strong man, six feet, four inches high, with muscles able to endure almost anything. Cradling wheat was pasttime. From sunrise until the stars came out was a day, when he was in his prime. Few men could swing his scythe, as he always hung the point out so far from the snath. Eight and nine acres was a day’s work. His mind was as vigorous as his body. His memory rarely failed, even to the minutist details. His will was strong and when once he had determined upon a course of action, he rarely changed. His judgment of men was seldom at fault. Few could impose upon him, and when they did, pity usually opened the way. He would do what he believed right, no matter who opposed. He did not build a grand fortune, but he secured a handsome competence, and left a name that his children and friends love to remember and honor.