This site was created by Larry Shively who is researching the history of the Shively families. The goal is to have a site where all Shively researchers can share and ask questions in regards to their Shively lines. The largest majority of the Shively family records are located in Pennsylvania, Ohio and Indiana. There are early records of Shively's also in Virginia and Kentucky. There are not many established Shively lineages back to Europe. There are documented lineages to Switzerland and Germany. Through the sharing of information from all of our research it is desired that all can learn about our Shively families.

Friday, September 19, 2014

Amos Jacob Shively And Wife Udora "Dora" Pettit Who Lived In Black Hawk County, Iowa And Marshall County, Iowa



















The following news article was extracted from The Waterloo Evening Courier, Waterloo, Iowa, Monday, March 28, 1910, Page 7, Columns 3-4:
Waterloo People Who Expect Great Riches
The above people are chiefly concerned in the location and securing of a vast estate, amounting to many millions of dollars, in Plymouth, England.  The tale is so strange as to be almost beyond belief.   The principal heir in this city is Mrs. Jane Stroud Pettit.  She and her husband, Irving Pettit, are both blind and are cared for by Mr. and Mrs. Amos J. Shiveley, residing at their home on Linden avenue near the city limits.  Mrs. Shiveley is a daughter of Mrs. Pettit.  Another family interested in Waterloo is that of W. E. Perkins, a son of Mrs. Shiveley.
Other heirs represented by a Waterloo attorney are Richard Stroud of Marble Rock and Henry Stroud of Kansas City.
Many years ago it is claimed an  estate was founded in England by David Stroud. At his death a portion of the heirs were found and distribution of the wealth made in their cases.  That which should come to the American heirs was held in trust.  Mrs. Pettit and her two brothers, Richard and Henry, could not be located and when they were first informed of the good luck in store for them refused to credit.  The founder of the estate was an uncle of the three people named as direct heirs.
Investigation has led the Waterloo attorney to place confidence in the report and he is in communication with a solicitor at Plymouth, England.  Those who expect to profit by the distribution of the estate are borne up by excitement and naturally believe that the money will come to them quickly, but on the other hand the attorney is loth to believe that any great part of the estate will be received before many months, possibly two years. Mrs. Pettit and her two brothers trace a direct descent from a brother of David Stroud.
The heirs state that between twelve and fifteen millions of dollars are ready from immediate distribution and that the estate in all amounts to nearly fifty millions of dollars.

Another account regarding the issue was located in The Waterloo Evening Courier,  Friday, March 25, 1910, Page 11, Column 4:
Prospects Of Great Wealth
Fortune Flirts With Several Waterloo People
Attorneys Engaged In Investigating Reported Estates Held In Trust
To have the prospect of shortly securing vast sums of money after having worked hard and been deprived of nearly all of the luxuries and even some of the necessities of life is held before a number of Waterloo people.  Recently it came to the attention of Mrs. Amos J. Shiveley, residing on lower Lafayette street, that an estate valued at perhaps a million and a half of dollars was held in Plymouth, England awaiting the appearance of the rightful heirs.  The estate is known as the Stroud estate.  Mrs. Shiveley's maiden name was Stroud, being a granddaughter of the founder of the immense fortune.  It appears that the mother of Mrs. Shiveley was notified of the existence of the fortune, but refused to credit the good luck in store for her.  Later other inquiries were sent out and Mrs. Shiveley located.  Other heirs that will probably participate in the division of the fortune are Frank and William Petitt and Mrs. Irving Petitt.  For some time an attorney of the city has been investigating the matter, but so far no definite information has been imparted to those chiefly concerned.
W. E. Perkins, a motorman on the street car line, is a son of Mrs. Shiveley and participation in the wealth will bring much needed comfort to his home in which are a number of children.
"Luck" Very Generous
Not content with holding up this prospect before these people a recent advertisement in a newspaper asked for the location of one A. J. Shiveley, stating that an immense estate in Pennsylvania awaited the rightful claimant.  This advertisement for some time passed unnoticed in this city, but friends finally took the matter up and called Mr. Shiveley's attention to it.
Mr. Shively has given the matter to an attorney to investigate, and it is hoped by friends of the family that the good fortune will not prove a myth.  The Mr. Shiveley referred to in the second instance is the husband of Mrs. Shiveley of the first part of the story.  Mr. Shiveley is the step-father of Mr. Perkins.
Whatever comes of these reports the members of the family are loth to credit them until they see the actual coin in their hands, but it is certainly a pleasure to anticipate what might be done if all of them should suddenly become millionaires.

Amos J. Shively was born 22-Feb-1853 in Allen County, Ohio and died 24-Sep-1941 in Marshalltown, Marshall County, Iowa.  The following newspaper obituary was located:   Amos J. Shively, 1112 Bromely Street, a resident of this city since 1886, died at the Deaconess Hospital at 10:30 Wednesday Morning.  He had been in poor health for the past three years and his last illness confined him to the hospital for two weeks.  Death was due to age debility.
Mr. Shively was born in Allen County, Ohio, February 22, 1853, the son of Jacob and Sadona Shivley.  His early years were spent in Ohio and later in Kansas.  He married udora Perkins, June 12, 1884, at Stockton, Kansas.  They lived there for eight years and then came to Marshalltown.  Mrs. Shively died in Marshalltown in 1926.
There were three children born to Mr. & Mrs. Shivley.  One daughter proceeded him in death, and surviving are:  Mrs. Harley (Lillie) Carkhuff of Quarry and Mrs. Dewy Bailey of this city.  There are also two step-sons, W. E. Perkins of Fredricksburg, and W. S. Perkins of this city.  An adopted son, Clarence Shively of this city, 19 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren also survive.
Funeral services were held at the Pursel Funeral Home Friday afternoon at 2 o'clock with burial in the Iowa River cemetery.

Udora "Dora" Petitt was born 30-Oct-1853 in Illinois and died 26-Mar-1926 in Marshalltown, Marshalltown County, Iowa.  The newspaper obituary for her is as follows:  Mrs. Udona Shively, wife of Amos Shively, 112 Bromely Street, died at the Deaconess Hospital at 11:40 Sunday night of pneumonia following a week long illness.
Mrs.Shively was born in Rockford, Ill, October 30th, 1853, daughter of William Petitt and Jane Strout Petitt.  She was married to James Perkins whom she divorced. In 1883 she married Mr. Shively in Rooks County, Kansas.  After making their home at Wichita, Kan. for eight years, Mr. & Mrs. Shively came to this city, which had since been their home.
Mrs. Shively is survived by her husband and five children, Walter E. and William Perkins, Mrs. Harley (Lillie) Carkhuff, Mrs. Julia Bailey and Clarence Shively of this city.  Two brothers, Charles Petitt, of Fredericksburg, and Francis Petitt  of Waterloo, and a sister Mrs. Mary Moody of Fredericksburg, also survive.  Funeral services were held from the Persel-Davis Chapel Wednesday afternoon at 2 o'clock.  Burial in Iowa River cemetery.

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