G. R. Shawhan

 

SOURCE: "Portrait and Biographical Album of Champaign County, Illinois," Chapman Brothers, Chicago, 1887
SURNAMES: BROWN, GAGE, HIGGENBOTHAM, MCCUNE, POTTER, REDMOND, SHAWHAN, WARREN

G. R. SHAWHAN, County Superintendent of Schools, is located at Urbana, of which city he became a resident in 1882. He is a graduate of the Illinois University, and has been a teacher of long experience and more than ordinary ability. He was called to the duties of his present position in 1881, and has acquitted himself with credit and satisfaction to all concerned. He was born in Rush County, Ind., March 20, 1844, and is the son of William and Nancy (REDMOND) SHAWHAN, who were both natives of Harrison County, Ky. The grandfather of our subject, John SHAWHAN, married Miss McCUNE, of Kentucky, of which State he was also a native, and afterward engaged in milling on the Licking River. Their son, William M., was born in 1803, received a practical education, and was associated with his father in the mill until 1836. He then removed to Indiana, purchasing 300 acres of land in Rush County, which he occupied for twenty years, and then sold, to become a resident of this county. Here he purchased 320 acres of land in Raymond Township, together with 160 acres for his sons. He remained on this farm until his death, which took place while he was attending divine service at the Christian Church at Sidney, on the 2nd of May, 1875. At the close of the service he dropped dead, of heart disease as it is supposed. He had been a member of this religious organization since a young man, and later was elected an Elder, in which capacity he served for many years. He was a man of large benevolence, and besides contributing money to the erection of the church building near his Indiana home, donated the land upon which it stood and also the sites for the academy and district school-houses. He always took an active interest in the establishment of schools and churches throughout the county, and was School Treasurer of Raymond Township for a period of twelve years. Prior to the election of 1846, he was Democratic in politics, and cast his last vote that year, for which purpose he rode on horseback twelve miles to deposit his ballot in favor of the Free School Law of Indiana. He assisted in the establishment of Butler University at Irvington, near Indianapolis, and kept up a scholarship for many years. During his residence in Kentucky he was a Captain in the State Militia. His family included ten children, of whom seven are now living, and the record is as follows; Charles is farming in Nebraska, and Daniel in Indiana; Joseph, a resident of Kentucky, is employed as a traveling salesman; Margaret, Mrs. HIGGINBOTHAM, is a resident of Champaign; G. R. of our sketch, is the next eldest; James is farming in Champaign County, and William is Postmaster in Nebraska.

The subject of this biography spent his childhood and youth on the farm, receiving a good common school education, and when seventeen years of age , commenced teaching. He was thus occupied mostly during the winter season for ten years following. He entered upon a course of study in the Illinois State University in 1871, and after graduating, resumed his labors as a teacher in Mansfield, Piatt County, having charge of a graded school which he conducted for two years. He then came to this county, and was made Principal of the Homer graded school, which included five departments, and of which he had charge for a period of four and one-half years. In December, 1881, he was appointed County Superintendent to fill a vacancy, elected in 1882 and re-elected in 1886, Prof. Shawhan was united in marriage with Miss Vista BROWN in the spring of 1867. Mrs. Shawhan is a native of Roscoe, Ohio, and the daughter of Samuel W. and Catherine (POTTER) BROWN, natives respectively of Marblehead, Mass., and Pennsylvania. The early representives of the Potter family in this country were descendants of a brother of Gen. Joseph WARREN, of Bunker Hill fame, and by intermarriage, from Gov. George GAGE, of Boston. Of this marriage there have been born four children; two are living-- Gertrude and William W. Prof. Shawhan is Republican in politics, and with his excellent wife, a member in good standing of the Christian Church. Socially he belongs to the Masonic fraternity, and is a Good Templar. The family residence is pleasantly located, and is the resort of the cultured and intelligent people of Urbana.