Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Shenk, Michael 1818 - 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com May 5, 2007, 10:37 am

Author: Portraits & Bio Sketches, 1890

MICHAEL SHENK is a substantial, well-to-do farmer of Custer Township, and he 
has borne an honorable part in bringing about the great change wrought by the 
pioneers and present citizens of Will County that has placed in the front 
ranks of its sister counties. His parents were Christian and Magdalene (Wolf) 
Shenk, natives of Lancaster County, Pa. His father operated a mill there for 
thirty years, and with his wife was a life-long resident of that part of the 
country, she dying in 1850, and he in 1824. Our subject is the only survivor 
of six children. He was born in August, 1818. His education was conducted in 
the common schools. He suffered an accident at a raising when he was eighteen 
years of age, whereby his right shoulder, ribs and leg were broken, and for 
four years he was unable to do anything. After that he went to work on a small 
farm for himself in Erie County, Pa., made improvements upon it, built a house 
and barn, and made full payment at the rate of $22 per acre, he buying it of 
his mother. He remained on that place about fourteen years, and then disposed 
of it in order to try agriculture in this county, and coming here in 1858, he 
bought his present farm. The improvements upon it were very meagre, but he has 
placed it in a good condition. He built his present dwelling in 1875, and also 
erected a good barn at a cost of $1,000. He has one hundred and sixty acres in 
the home farm, all of which is under fine cultivation except thirty acres, and 
he has adjoining it eighty acres of land that is well adapted to pasturage and 
is used for that purpose, he having his farm well stocked. By his marriage, in 
1851, to Miss Sarah A. Carter, our subject secured the substantial aid of a 
wife who, by her good management of their household affairs, has contributed 
in no small degree to bring about their present prosperous circumstances. Mrs. 
Shenk is a native of England, born in 1822, and received a good education in 
the land of her birth. Her marriage with our subject has been gladdened by the 
birth of eight children, all of whom are living, and are well settled in life. 
Their record is as follows: John, who is living in Yates Center, Kan., married 
Sarah Wright, and they have four children; William, a resident of Fairbury, 
married Alma Robbins, and they have one child; Jerome, of Reed Township, 
married Belle Morrill, and they have one child; Elizabeth, wife of Harvey 
Brown, of Chicago, is the mother of nine children; Delia Ann is the wife of 
Napoleon Leslie, of Braidwood, and has five cliildren; Joseph, a resident of 
Braidwood, married Ella Rankin, and they have five children; Minnie married 
John Jilson, who lives on the home farm, and they have three children; Ida 
married Calvin Whitson, of Pontiac, and they have four children. John Shenk 
bore an honorable part in the late war as a soldier in the One Hundredth 
Illinois Infantry, and was slightly wounded at Mission Ridge. William went out 
with the same regiment, but came home sick before the expiration of his term 
of enlistment. He afterward served in a three months' regiment. Since 1858 Mr. 
Shenk has been associated with the people to whom Custer Township owes its 
prosperity, and he has conducted himself in all ways so as to secure the 
entire confidence and respect of his fellow-citizens. He has taken part in the 
management of public affairs as School Director of this district, and at one 
time he was Assessor of Custer and Reed Townships for a period of two years. 
He votes the Republican ticket. Mrs. Shenk has for many years been a devoted 
member of the Episcopal Church, and is equally esteemed with her husband.

Additional Comments:
Portrait and Biographical Album of Will County, Illinois, Containing Full Page 
Portraits and Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens 
of the County; Chicago: Chapman Bros., 1890 
 


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