Mary Shively was born on 15-Sep-1854 in Darke County, OH and died on 21-Feb-1888 in Darke County, OH. Mary was the daughter of Jacob W. Shively (born 3-Nov-1823 Darke County, OH and died 6-May-1896 in Darke County, OH) and Rebecca Mills (born 21-Dec-1829 Darke County, OH and died 8-Feb-1882 in Darke County, OH). Jacob W. Shively was the son of Daniel Shively (born 11-Jan-1792 Somerset County, PA and died 21-Aug-1841 in Darke County, OH) and Christina Heck (born 1-Dec-1794 Somerset County, PA and died 24-Mar-1833 in Darke County, OH).
Listed on the 1860 Greenville Township, Dark County, OH census is the family of Jacob Shively age 36, wife Rebecca age 30, son Isaac M. age 10, son Daniel M. age 8 and daughter Mary A. age 5. On the 1870 German Township, Darke County, OH census are Jacob Shively age 46 occupation butcher, wife Rebecca age 40, son Daniel M. age 18 and daughter Mary A. age 15. Located on the 1880 Palestine, Darke County, OH census is the household of Jacob Shively age 56 occupation butchering, wife Rebecca age 50 and daughter Mary age 25.
Copied from The Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio, Wednesday, February 22, 1888, Page 6, Column 4:
A Bad Minister And His Victim
GREENVILLE, O., Feb. 21 - (Special) —This afternoon Rev. D. B. Johnson, having a wife and children living at Tippecanoe, out on $200 bond for living in adultery with Miss Shively of Palestine, was returned to jail on order of his bondsmen, the woman having died in childbirth at 1 o’clock this morning. Fears of the escape of the preacher were entertained. The poor, deceived woman and child will be buried tomorrow.
The following was extracted from The Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio, Tuesday, September 21, 1886, Page 1, Column 6:
A Sinner In Saintly Garb
An Indiana Dominie Skips Out With One Of His Flock
RICHMOND, Ind., Sept. 20 —(Special) — Rev. D. B. Johnson, who assumed the pastorate of a Cambellite church at New Paris, O., six miles distant from this city, last spring, has proved a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Latterly he has been dividing his time between New Paris and Palestine and concluded to remove there Friday. He went there and was to return today to begin moving. Saturday his wife concluded to take up the carpets and under one of them found two very loving letters from Mollie Shindley, a well connected Palestine miss, revealing deep dyed villainy. Straightway she went to Palestine, and following the services there last night there was a business meeting, at which Johnson was accused and made no denial, but still later decamped with the object of his illicit love. He leaves his wife and three children destitute and numerous unpaid bills.
An account of the happenings appeared in the Darke County Democratic Advocate, Greenville, Ohio, Thursday, September 23, 1886, Page 1, Columns 3-4:
An Unwise Virgin
Elopes With A Married Preacher
Startling Expose In A Church By An Outraged Wife - The Graceless Husband Runs Off With An Old Maid, Deserting His Family - Desperate Attempt Of A Heartless Pulpit Pounding Hypocrite
(Special Dispatch To The Enquirer)
RICHMOND, Ind., September 20. — This little village of New Paris, six miles from this city over the Ohio border, is in a ferment to-day, and high, middle and low-toned society is shocked, and greatly shocked, at the wickedness of Rev. D. B. Johnson whose sin at last has found him out.
When the Enquirer reported drove into New Paris last night the downfall of one who was ever supposed to be good and pure, was on the lips of every one he met.
Rev. D. B. Johnson is a Cambellite preacher, or as they are called Elder. Early last spring he, was preaching at Spartansburg,, but wanted to go to New Paris and take charge of the congregation at that place, and it was finally agreed that he should come, and the brethren at New Paris advanced him $26, with which he settled some debts at Spartansburg and came on to New Paris.
The congregation fixed him up comfortably, buying him furniture, coming to this city and going his security for goods. It wasn’t long until Brother Johnson was well beloved. He was such a real nice man, and though he had a real nice way of getting into debt, not attention was paid to this because he certainly would settle sin his real nice way.
Now it seems that Elder Johnson also had a charge at Palestine, a cosy village not farm from New Paris; and on divers occasions was wont to knock the dust from the pulpit cushions in the village church.
On one of these dust-knocking occasions he met Miss Mollie Shively, a maiden of some thirty summers, who was housekeeper for her father, her mother being dead. The Elder was the maiden all forlorn, and like David of old, converted her. But no scandal was created, and even when Mollie visited New Paris nothing wrong was ever suspected between the demure Mollie and the dignified Elder.
Finally Elder Johnson concluded to move to Palestine, where he could be near Mollie, and at the same time save sinners. The New Paris folks didn’t like this very much, but Elder Johnson went ahead and prepared to move.
Last Friday he went up to Palestine to preach Saturday night and Sunday while he was away Mrs. Johnson was arranging to move by packing the furniture and tearing up the carpets. She lifted the carpets in Mr. Johnson’s study, and under one corner found two letters, nice dainty letters, smelling of sweet perfume, and addressed in a feminine hand that she knew was not her own, to Rev. D. B. Johnson. She read them both, and in one of them this is what she found:
“September 4, 1886.
“MY DEAR BARTON: Your letter received, and oh! how I thank you for your dear, kind, loving words. I have at times thought I have been in love, but never have I had such feelings for any one as I have for you. Oh! God, how can I stand it. Claudy will be happy with us; will have great happiness when he is with his new mamma. If God blesses us with babies where will be no difference made between them and Claudy. Will we be as happy as we anticipate? I know we will. We will know nothing but ourselves and Claudy. Darling, I am your wife in heart if not in law, and now, darling, write to me and tell me how things are at home. Oh! how I long to be with you and near you! Good-by.
Your loving
Mollie”
The other letter was of similar import, and couched in more affectionate language. The poor wife was crushed, but she would not brook the betrayal. “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned,” and she panted for revenge. Taking the letters to J. A. Moore, attorney at law, she told her story and engaged his services. Then to the members of the church went she, and unfolded a tale that horrified them. But this was not all. Notices had been sent to the New Paris Mirror office for publication next Wednesday announcing that Rev. Daniel Barton Johnson would preach at New Paris next Sunday. These notices she had withdrawn, and the genius of the Mirror office was filled with wonder thereat.
EXPOSING THE VILLIAN.
The wronged wife on yesterday morning went to Palestine with the letters and a determination to expose the man who was masquerading in God’s livery. On her arrival she found her dear husband in the pulpit knocking out sinners in one-minute rounds, and Mollie in the congregation drinking the words that dropped from the lips of her married preacher lover.
Calling one of the deacons from the room, Mrs. Johnson told the story of her husband’s perfidy and showed the letters. When the services were over a business meeting was held and Elder Johnson was confronted with his wife’s story. He broke down under her scathing denunciation, and with tearful eye admitted his guilt, begging for forgiveness. But the stern old deacons could not condone his hypocrisy. His ministerial robes were stripped from him, and then and there he was banished from the church.
THE ELOPEMENT.
Some time during the night Daniel Barton Johnson and Mollie Shively fled together, and their whereabouts are unknown. A boy drove them away in a buggy, but the boy can not be found to tell where he took them. Mrs. Johnson telegraphed to New Paris and to this city to have the pair arrested when found, and officers over all the surrounding country are looking for them. Johnson was a New York street gamin sent West to find a home. He grew up in idleness and sin, but managed to secure an education. Before joining the church and becoming an elder he traveled with a gang of “singers” and his speciality was doing the “smear-cast act”.
He married the wife he so shamefully betrayed in Winchester, Ind. She was a widow,, some years older than he, but a lady of unblemished reputation, whose mother still lives in Tippecanoe, Ohio. Two children were born to them, one a boy now three years old, and the other a babe eighteen months old. All these he left in destitute circumstances, for even when he had money he seldom shared it with his family.
A RANK DEAD-BEAT.
Daniel Barton Johnson, with his other sins, is a rank dead-beat. He swindled many confiding friends around and about Palestine, his debts amounting to hundreds of dollars. At New Paris nearly every store-keeper is his victim in sums ranging from $1 to $80. He played it so fine that none were afraid to trust him.
The silly Molly Shively, who is certainly old enough to have known better, is the daughter of a respectable butcher in business at Palestine, and until now has been of reputation unblemished. Her father appears to take the matter philosophically, only saying: “Mollie has got into a bad scrape, and she must get out the best she can. I will send her no money nor try to find her.”
The Enquirer man this evening learns that an attempt will be made to capture Johnson, he being accused of embezzling a sum of money while acting as a agent for a patent fence machine.
The following regarding the death of Mary “Mollie” Shively’s father was found in The Greenville Journal, Greenville, Ohio, Thursday, May 14, 1896, Page 8, Column 2:
Palestine
Correspondence Journal
Jacob Shively, an old soldier and pioneer, died on Wednesday morning of last week and was buried on Thursday afternoon at 2 p.m.
Also from The Greenville Journal, Greenville, Ohio, Thursday, May 7, 1896, Page 5, Column 2:
Jacob Shively died at his home in Palestine, this county, Tuesday afternoon, after a lingering illness. His funeral takes place this afternoon at 2 o’clock. Mr. Shively was at one time a prominent and popular business man of this city.
The following regarding the death of Mary “Mollie” Shively’s mother was found in The Greenville Democrat, Greenville, Ohio, Wednesday, February 15, 1892, Page 3, Column 2:
Mrs. Rebecca, wife of Jacob Shively, died at her residence in Palestine on Feb. 8th, 1882, aged 52 years, 6 months and 2 days.
