David Henry Shively From Macon County, Illinois To Bonneville County, Idaho

Sometimes a story is so interesting that further research needs to be done. There are several newspapers that record the following incident. This account was extracted from The Morning Oregonian, Portland, Oregon, Saturday, June 23, 1928, Page 1, Column 4:

Farmer Survives Bolt

Lightning Tears Man's Clothes But Hoe Saves Life

Idaho Falls, Idaho, June 22.-- (AP) - Although a bolt of lightning tore his clothes to shreds, splintered a hoe handle in his hands and rendered him unconscious for an hour last night, Dave Shively, 44, farmer living near here, apparently suffered no ill effects except  burns about his head and arms and slight shock.   A physician said the hoe, by forming a ground contact, saved Shively's life.

Almost eight months later the story was still appearing in the newspapers.  Found in The Bradford Era, Bradford, Pennsylvania, Saturday, February 2, 1929, Page 4, Column 3:

Although a bolt of lightning tore his clothes into shreds, splintered a hoe handle in his hands, and rendered him unconscious for an hour, Dave Shively, 44, a farmer living near Idaho Falls, Idaho, apparently suffered no ill effects.  His cap was destroyed, his overalls and underwear were torn to strips, one shoe was ripped off, and his socks were set on fire.

Special thanks are given to Kimberly Rafferty and her staff at the Idaho Falls Public Library for locating the obituary for David H. Shively.  Located in The Post Register, Idaho Falls, Idaho, February 4, 1938 is the following newspaper obituary:

David H. Shively Dies In Hospital

David H. Shively, a resident of this community for the past 23 years, passed away in a local hospital Friday morning at 8:05 o'clock.   His death came following an operation performed a few days ago.

Mr. Shively was born on May 29, 1881, at Cerrogordo, Ill.  He moved to Decatur when a boy and lived there until 23 years ago when he came to Idaho Falls.

Mr. Shively was a farmer by occupation and also did some construction work.

He is survived by his mother, Mrs. M. J. Shively of Idaho Falls;  four brothers, W. O. Shively and Steve Shively, both residing in Idaho Falls; J. E. Shively of Twin Falls and Joseph P. Shively of McKeon, Calif.,and three sisters, Mrs. John Metzbar of Iowa, La., Mrs. Charles Sleppy and Mrs. Ben Moore, both of Idaho Falls.

Funeral arrangements have not been announced.   The body is at the McHan Funeral Home.

Further information was located in The Post Register, February 6, 2011, Page 10:

Shively Rites Will Be Held Here Sunday

Funeral rites will be conducted in the McHan Funeral chapel Sunday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock for David Shively, resident here for the past 23 years and farmer residing west of Idaho Falls.  He passed away in a local hospital Friday morning following an operation.

The Rev. J. Samuel Bailey will officiate.  Interment will be in the Rose Hill cemetery.

Thank you to those who recorded the burials in the Rose Hill Cemetery in Idaho Falls, Idaho on Find-A-Grave.  Among those listed in the burials is David H. Shively born 29-May-1881 and died 4-Feb-1938, David (in researching I believe this should be Donald George Shively, son of William O. Shively) died 25-Feb-1934, Solomon C Shively born 16-Apr-1855 and died 8-Feb-1926 and his second wife, Mary J. Shively born 8-Mar-1859 and died 29-Mar-1939. Also buried in the Rose Hill Cemetery are William Oren Shively and May Shively Sleppy, who were the step-brother and step-sister of David Henry Shively.

David Henry Shively was the son of Solomon C Shively and his first wife, Sophrona.  It is recorded in The Decatur Daily Republican, Decatur, Illinois, Friday, June 1, 1883, Page 4, Column 4:     Solomon C. Shively vs Sophrona Shively, divorce, decree pro confess; evidence heard by court, and decree granted.    Solomon Shively married 2nd to Mary Jane Yount Peck on 21-June-1883 in Macon County, IL.  

In reviewing the census records Solomon and Sophrona Shively had at least the following children:  Joseph born ca. 1874, Lilly born ca. 1877, Lucy born ca. 1879 and David Henry born 1881.   Solomon and Mary Jane had the following children:  twins William Oren and Vinnie May born September 1883, Catherine born July 1888, twins John and Stephen born November 1891, and Mary born July 1893.  There is an obituary in the Post Register for a J. E. (Jack) Shively which mentions he was born Nov. 21, 1892 and was a brother to the children of Solomon and Mary Jane Shively.  It is not known at this time if this is the twin brother of Stephen or if this is another son of Solomon and Mary Jane.

Solomon Shively was the son of Stephen Shively (1828-1912) who married in Clinton County, Indiana ca. 1850 to Catharine Metzger (1831-1914).  The parents of Stephen Shively were Jacob Shively (1805-1872) and Susan Metzger (1806-1883).  The parents of Jacob Shively were Johannes (John) Shively, Sr (1775-1848) and Esther Wolf (1785-1822).  The parents of Johannes (John) Shively were Christian Shively, Sr (1744-1834) and Susanna Cripe (1748-1818).  The father of Christian Shively was Ulrich (Uli) Shively baptized 8-Jan-1722 in village of Oberdorf, District of Waldenburg, Canton of Baselland, Switzerland.

Benjamin Franklin Shively From St. Joseph County Michigan

A Shively cousin received a calendar from the Fleet Reserve Association for 2012. For the month of December there is a view of the U.S.S. Arizona memorial which shows the name of B. F. Shively.  A request was made to see if any information on B. F. Shively could be found.   B .F. Shively's full name was Benjamin Franklin Shively and he was the son of Harry Wilbur Shively and Agnes Martha Albright.  

Benjamin Franklin Shively was a fireman, 1st class, U.S. Navy on the U.S.S. Arizona when the ship was attacked in Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.  He was on the casualty list and is buried in the Riverside Cemetery, Three Rivers, St. Joseph County, Michigan.  

Also buried in the Riverside Cemetery are his parents.  His father, Harry Wilbur Shively was born on 4-March-1886 in VanBuren County, Michigan and died 12-Aug-1976 in St. Joseph County, Michigan.  His mother, Agnes Martha Albright Shively was born 24-Sep-1888 in Rock County, Wisconsin and died 3-Dec-1966 in St. Joseph County, Michigan.

The family of Harry and Agnes Shively are located on the census records  in 1930 Lockport Township, St. Joseph County, Michigan and 1920 Kalamazoo Township, Kalamazoo County, Michigan.  From these records it is known there were at least the following children:   Louise born ca. 1915, Wilbur born ca. 1917, Benjamin born 1919 and James born ca. 1923.

Harry Wilbur Shively is found on the 1900 census records in the household of his parents, Benjamin F Shively born October 1834 and 2nd wife Hattie May Doolittle born June 1863.  The family is located in Laurel, Cedar County, Nebraska.  

Benjamin F Shively born in 1834 was the son of Benjamin Franklin Shively, Sr (1799-1844) and Barbara Asherman (Eshelman) (1809-1887).  Input from Shively researchers indicate that  Benjamin Franklin Shively, Sr may be a twin to Christian Shively (1799-1827).  Further it is believed that Benjamin and Christian were sons of Jacob Shively and Barbara Thomas. The Shively researchers continue to look for documentation to prove this lineage.

William Henry Shively From Franklin County, Virginia

The newspapers are a great source of information for the genealogist.  Many times information that is not recorded any where else can be gleaned from the newspaper articles.  An example is found in the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Sunday, December 19, 1915, Page 7, Columns 5-7:

Taking Wedding Clothes Home When Killed By Train

Pamplin, VA., December 13.--Henry Shively, oldest son of W. H. Shively, was killed last night by a material train on the Norfolk and Western Railway, about two miles from here.  Mr. Shively, who was employed by Franklin Brothers as clerk in their store, started home about 6 o'clock, accompanied by Sam Price.  He carried a new suit of clothes, which was said to have been for his wedding, to have taken place soon.  When they reached Bet Davis Crossing, Price turned off the track for his home.   Just as Mr. Shively said good night, the train which had  approached unobserved, struck him.  His body was badly mangled, and death was probably instantaneous.  The remains were taken to his home, near Martinsville.  He is survived by his father and mother, a sister and brother.

William Henry Shivey was born in 1893.  He was buried in the Ward Feazell Cemetery in Ferum, Franklin County, Virginia.  His stone identifies him as W. H. Shively, 1893-1915,  and erected by Yokefellows class, Pamplin, Va.

William Henry Shively was the son of Walker Henry Shively born 11-Jul-1870 died 2-Feb-1947  and Martha Jane Feazell born 3-Jan-1871 died 13-Feb-1951.  The family is located on the 1910 Franklin County, Virginia census and listed as follows:  Walker H Shively age 38,  wife Martha J. age 39, son William H age 16, daughter Nora A age 14, and son Samuel R age 11.  Nora A. Shively married Gurnie Cook and Samuel Shively married Nannie Ethel Stone.

Walker Henry Shively was the son of William H. Shively born ca. 1842 and Mary (last name unknown) born ca. 1844.  This family is located on the census records in 1880 in Franklin County, Virginia, Long Branch District.  

John M. Shively From Kentucky To Missouri And On To Oregon

There are numerous accounts recorded regarding the life of John M. Shively. From the Orgegon Encyclopedia, written by Susan Badger Doyle, is the record that "John M. Shively was an Oregon pioneer who was active in terriorial affairs as a businessman, lobbyist, postmaster, surveyor, and gold seeker. He was born April 2, 1804, in Shelby County, Kentucky.  He taught school and opened a dry goods store before marrying Martha Meade Johnson in 1836.  In the Panic of 1837, he lost five stores that he had built in St. Louis, and he became a surveyor.  When his wife died in 1842, the decided to go to Oregon.

As a promoter for immigration to Oregon, Shively enlisted 300 people to travel with him.  After failing for receive military protection for the journey from the U.S. Congress and losing the confidence of almost all of his fellow travelers, the left St. Louis in spring 1843 with six others.  At Independence, Missouri, he joined the large train that made the first great migration to Oregon.  When they reached Fort Hall, Shively was one of thirty who broke off from the rest and made an unsuccessful attempt to find a more direct route to the Willamette Valley.  They rejoined the main train at Fort Boise and arrived at Fort Vancouver, by way of Whitman mission and the Dalles, in October.

In 1844, Shively settled on a land claim at Astoria and laid out a town, but the Hudson's Bay Company disputed his claim and forced him to leave the area.  In April 1845, he travled east on the Oregon Trail to St. Louis and then to Washington, D.C., where he lived for more than a year.  While there, he participated in the Northwest boundary negotiations, lobbied for mail service to Oregon, and published a guidebook, Route and Distances to Oregon and California (1846), which includes general advice to emigrants.

In March 1847, the U.S. Postmaster General appointed Shively postmaster of Astoria, the first postmaster west of the Rocky Mountains.  That summer, he and his second wife, Susan Eliott, traveled to Astoria, carrying the first U.S. mail overland to Oregon.  He served as postmaster and justice of the peace in Astoria until he was lured to California by the gold rush in 1849.  On his return voyage home the next year, he lost all his earnings in a shipwreck and then learned that he had been replaced as postmaster.  From 1851 to 1854, he served as Clatsop County surveyor and road commissioner.

When gold was discovered in southern Oregon in the early 1850s, Shively left for the goldfields and made a good deal of money at Shively's Gulch near Jacksonville.  He eventually returned to Astoria to administer his extensive properties there.  His wife, Susan died in 1883.  Shively died ten years later, on April 4, 1893, after spending five years bedridden in an Astoria hospital."

The following information was extracted from The Weekly Herald, August 30, 1845, Page 278, Column 6:

Very Interesting News From Oregon.--Another Revolution Probable In California.--We received by yesterday's Western mail the following late and interesting intelligence from California and Oregon.

According to the advices, there is likely to be another revolution in California, and that the emigrants to Oregon are making fine progress--fine for a trip through uninhabited regions.

[From The Western (MO) Expositor, Aug 6.]

A company arrived here on Thursday last, part of whom were from Oregon, and the rest from California.--The parties met in the wilderness on their way in, and then came here together.  Mr. J. M. Shively, from Oregon, informs us that he left October on the 19th of April last.  He states that the settlers have a fine prospect for an abundant crop this year; and that they were making ample preparations to have every thing necessary for the emigration which went out the present year.  He informs us that he met the advance party of the Oregon emigrants who went out this year on the 9th of July last at Green River, about 200 miles this side of Fort Hall.  The emigrants were travelling in detached parties, the last of whom he met only one day's travel beyond Fort Laramie.  Nothing had occurred to them on their route worthy of particular notice.  They were all well supplied with an abundance of provisions and their stock and teams had stood the trip exceedingly well, with the exception of their horses.  These he states were poor, and seemed much jaded and exhausted.  There was no sickness of any kind amongst the emigrants.  He states that the number of cattle was immense.  The emigrants numbered about 2375 souls, large and small.

Owing to recent disturbances in Oregon with the Wallawalla Indians, it was anticipated that the emigrants would be harrassed by them on their route.  They were advised however, of this anticipated attack, and intended gathering at For Hall in sufficient numbers to repel any attack that might be meditated against them.  Mr. Shively is of opinion that the settlers in Oregon will have disturbances with the Indians during the coming winter, but nothing serious was apprehended from this unexpected outbreak.

He states than many of the settlers are in favor of organizing an independent government, thinking themselves too far from the United States for protection unless the American government would act with more promptness and decision than it has done heretofore.

Major M. Harris, better known there as "black Harris", was in Oregon and engaged in hunting a better road than the one now travelled from Fort Hall to Oregon city.

Mr. Shively brought a large number of letters for the different sections of the United States.

From Mr. Sappington, who left California on the 4th of April last, we have confirmation of the recent revolution which has been published heretofore.  The citizens of the country have appointed a Governor of their own, but it was anticipated that another revolution would take place, and that the old government would be re-established.  He brings no other news of particular importance.

On yesterday evening another small company, under the superintendance of Mr. L. W. Hastings, left our place for California.  They seem to be men of the right stamp for such an undertaking, and leave right willingly for the plains.  Apparently regardless of all dangers, they venture forward bouyed up with hopes of success, and stimulated to deeds of daring, by the desire of bettering their condition and that of their friends who have gone before them.  The season of the year for such a jaunt, is unusually late; but they seem to think not, and appear determined to show to the world, that nothing need prove an obstacle to our crossing the plains.  Success to them. Below we give the names of the company and their residence:

Lanisford W. Hastings, (Captain), San Francisco, California; Dr. R. Semple, Alton, Ill, (6 ft., 8 in. high); O. S. Burnham, Cincinnati, Ohio; J. Nash, South Alabama; A. H. Crosby, Lexington, Mo.;  W. N. Loker, T. Merange, St. Louis, Mo.; T. E. Robbins, St. Charles, Mo.; J. Bristol, N.Y. City; C. Venerable, Hagerstown, Md; J. G. Ward, R Rankin, Springfield, Ill; N. B. Smith, H. Downing, J. B. Stebbins, P. Mendenhall, H. C. Smith, St. Josephs, Mich.; J. A. Simpson, C. Carroll, S. Bancroft, P. S. Phillips, A. Little, T. F. Waters, Iowa.

Benjamin E. Shively Who Lived In Jefferson County, Kentucky and St. Louis, Missouri

While doing research for the St. Louis, Missouri area the name of Benjamin E. Shively was located.  Benjamin E. Shively was born in Kentucky and was the son of Benjamin F. Shively and Margaret J. (last name unknown). The grandparents of Benjamin E. Shively were William Henry Shively (1786-1866) and Nancy Earickson (born 1791) of Jefferson County, Kentucky.  The following newspaper article was extracted from The Republic, St. Louis, MO, Sunday morning, March 21, 1897, Part III, Page 2, Column 4:

Fireman Shively Injured

About 8:30, after the Gaus Plaining Mill fire had been gotten under control, several firemen were standing on an adjoining building playing a stream of water on the burning building.  Benjamin Shively of truck No. 2 was standing near the edge of the building.  He suddenly lost his balance and fell to the ground, a distance of about 25 feet.  He was picked up and taken to the North End Dispensary, where it was found that he had sustained a fracture of his right foot and was severely bruised about the head and shoulders.  His injuries are not serious and he was taken in an ambulance to his home at 901 North Garrison avenue.

Benjamin E. Shively is listed with his parents on the Jefferson County, Kentucky, 1st Ward of Louisville in 1860.  Listed are B F Shively born in KY, age 40, a pilot; wife Maggie born in KY and age 32; daughter Margaret born in KY and age 14; daughter Ann P, born in KY and age 10; son Ben born in KY and age 8; daughter Annie age 5 and daughter Maggie age 2.   Benjamin was found on the 1900 City of St. Louis census record but note the dates of birth and ages are different than the info in the 1860 census record.  Listed on the 1900 City of St Louis census record is Benj born Sept 1861, age 38; sister Albina born March 1859, age 41; sister Margaret Stauf born July 1865, age 34; and nephew Conrad Stauf born Oct 1889, age 10.  

Listed in the 1885 Gould's city directory for St. Louis, page 1068 are:

Shively, Benjamin E.  clk. residence 2618 Wright

Shively, Margaret   widow of Benjamin F  residence 2618 Wright

Additional dates of death for the family were extracted from the St. Louis, MO death records:

Shively, Benjamin T. (note from other records middle initial was F.) died 2-Sep-1882, address 2618 Magnolia, buried Calvary Cemetery

Shively, Margaret J. aged 62, died 6-June-1888, residence of her son, Benjamin E. Shively, No. 2618 Wright street, buried Calvary Cemetery

Shively, Albina, died 24-Sep-1905, buried Calvary Cemetery

Shively, Benjamin E., died August-1912, buried Calvary Cemetery

The following death notice was located in The Republic, St. Louis, MO., Thursday morning, June 7, 1888, Part 1, Page 5, Column 5:

DEATHS

SHIVELY.--On Wednesday, June 6, 1888, at 12:40 o'clock p.m., Mrs. Margaret J. Shively, aged 62 years.

The funeral will take place Friday, 8th inst., at 2 o'clock from residence of her son, Benjamin E. Shively, No. 2618 Wright street, to St. Teresa's church, thence to Calvary cemetery.  Friends are invited to attend.