SHIPPEE, James H., b 1801; 1905 Bio, Delta County, Colorado http://files.usgwarchives.net/co/delta/bios/shippeejh.txt --------------------------------------- Donated August 2001 Transcribed by Judy Crook from the book: Progressive Men of Western Colorado Published 1905, A.W. Bowen & Co., Chicago, Ill. --------------------------------------- James H. Shippee James H. Shippee displayed his courage and patriotism on many a bloody field in defense of the Union during our unhappy Civil war and won high commendation from his superior officers in that destructive strife and a decoration from his native state for the valor and other soldierly qualities he exhibited. He was born in 1839 at Halifax, Vermont, the first born of the nine children that composed the household of his parents, James S. and Mary A. (Roberts) Shippee, the former a native of Saratoga county, New York, who moved to Vermont when a young man and there engaged in farming until his death, at eighty-five years of age, in 1879, his summons coming while he was temporarily in his native county. The mother is a native of Vermont, born November 12, 1801, and is still living at the age of more than one hundred and three years, having been for more than twenty years of the time a resident of Rowe, Massachusetts. Their son James passed his minority at the paternal homestead and was educated in the district schools in the vicinity. At the age of twenty-one he enlisted in Company A, Second Vermont Infantry, in which he rendered gallant service for a term of nineteen months, receiving a distressing wound at the battle of Savage Station and being discharged on November 29, 1862. He then returned to Vermont and was married to Miss Eveline Voyce, after which he settled down to farming, which he followed until September 14, 1863, when he again enlisted, becoming a member of Company M, Eleventh Vermont Infantry, in which he served twenty-three months, participating in many hard-fought battles and being wounded three times. He served until the close of the war, being mustered out August 10, 1865, at Brattleboro, Vermont. During his term of service in the latter regiment he was wounded at Cold Harbor and at the last charge on Petersburg. In addition to these engagements he took part in the battles of Bull Run, Savage Station, Antietam, Williamsburg, Fredericksburg, Winchester, Gettysburg, Spottsylvania, Cedar Creek, Fisher's Hill and Vicksburg. One of his cherished mementos is a memorial given him by the state of Vermont on account of his excellent military record in the war, which although an unusual testimonial of appreciation was but a just tribute to merit and unselfish service in the midst of great danger and difficulties where human life was the stake and death seemed ever eager to win it. At the close of the war he again returned to his native state and was prosperously occupied in farming there until 1867, when he moved to Iowa. Here for two years he followed the same pursuit, and at the end of that time sold out and became a resident of Nebraska, remaining until 1876. In that year his wife died and he returned to Vermont where he passed the next two years. In 1878 he came to Colorado and located at Red Cliff, in what is now Eagle county. In that town he was one of the first city marshals and gave the people excellent service in helping to establish the municipal government and in safely conducting it afterward. Subsequently he lived at different times in various parts of the West, and in 1897 came to Delta and purchased a farm one mile from the town, on which he lived for a time, then sold it and bought two houses in town and retired from active business pursuits. He has, however, taken an earnest interest in the good of the place, and has accentuated his devotion to its welfare by acceptable and appreciated service as night marshal, resigning this position to engage in business in January, 1904. His family consists of seven children, all of whom are living except one. He is an active and prominent member of the Grand Army of the Republic and in politics is independent. =================================================== Contributed for use by the USGenWeb Archive Project (http://www.usgenweb.org) and by the COGenWeb Archive Project USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access.