Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Shiffer, William H 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com October 4, 2007, 9:52 pm

Author: Genealogical and Biographical Record of Will County 

WILLIAM H. SHIFFER, one of the leading farmers of Manhattan Township, was born 
in Clarion County, Pa., in 1845, and descends from German ancestors, who 
settled in Pennsylvania in an early day. His father, William, a native of 
Pennsylvania, born in 1811, learned the miller's trade in his native county,
and this occupation he followed there, at the same time owning and cultivating 
a farm. In 1857 he came to Illinois and settled on a farm near Plainfield, 
this county, but after a few years bought a farm near Lockport. In 1866 he 
disposed of his Illinois property and moved to Polk County, Iowa, but five 
years later he went to Rooks County, Kans., and entered a claim to one hundred 
and sixty acres of land. Clearing the ground, he put up farm buildings, placed
the land under cultivation, built fences, erected a house, and in time made 
the farm a valuable place. He continued to reside there until his death at 
eighty years. During the existence of the Know-Nothing party he advocated its 
principles, and afterward became a Republican.

The marriage of William Shifter united him with Elizabeth Near, who was born 
in Germany and was brought to the United States at eight years of age, growing 
to womanhood in Pennsylvania. They became the parents of twelve children, 
namely: John, of Joliet; Lewis, who lives near Plainfield, in Kendall County; 
Mary, the widow of Francis Delong, of Joliet; Sarah, wife of Sylvester Hannes, 
of Des Moines, Iowa; Solomon, whose home is in Joliet; Robert, of Des Moines,
Iowa; William H.; Rebecca, the widow of William Haines, of Rooks County, 
Kans.; Priscilla, wife of Nelson Bellward; Simon, of Polk County, Iowa; 
Charles, residing in Colorado; and Lavinia, who is the wife of John Rollins, of
South Dakota. The mother of these children died in Will County when eighty-one 
years of age. Four of the sons were soldiers in the Civil war, and took part 
in its leading battles. John was a member of the One Hundred and Forty-second 
Pennsylvania Regiment. Lewis, Solomon and Robert belonged to the Forty-sixth 
Illinois Volunteers.

At the time the family settled in this county our subject was a boy of twelve 
years. He was educated in common schools and Plainfield College. In 1869 he 
came to Manhattan Township and purchased eighty acres on section 24. Four 
years later he sold that place, after which he spent three years in Manteno.  
In 1881 he settled on the old Young homestead on section 22, where he owns one 
hundred and sixty acres, and carries on a general farm and stock business. The 
most of the improvements on the farm have been made under his supervision. He 
is interested in the Manhattan Center Threshing Company, and for four years 
acted as manager of the machine. A Republican in politics, he has served his 
party as delegate to the county convention. For four years he held the office 
of justice of the peace, for one year served as township treasurer, for three 
years was commissioner of highways of the town of Manhattan, and for seventeen 
successive years was school director, during a part of the time serving as 
clerk of the board. In the United Evangelical Church at Manhattan he is 
steward, trustee, secretary and treasurer, and has also been assistant 
superintendent and a teacher of the Sunday-school. All movements for the 
benefit of the church have received his encouragement and assistance, as have
also those enterprises calculated to advance the general welfare of the people.

March 17, 1873, Mr. Shifter married Elizabeth, daughter of William and 
Elizabeth (Gardner) Karr. She was one of twelve children, six of whom are 
living, namely: Philip, a farmer in Nebraska; George, a farmer in Indiana; 
Martin and John, also residents of Indiana; Elizabeth and Kate, the latter 
being the wife of Mahlan Stroop. One of her brothers, Henry Karr, served under 
General Grant in the Civil war, and died while in the army. In 1847 William 
Karr came from Germany and settled in Summit County, Ohio. In 1860 he 
established his home on a farm in Jackson Township, Will County, where he 
resided for six years. Later he made his home in Greengarden Township for 
three years. In 1870 he bought the farm where Mr. Sniffer now lives, and here 
he died at eighty years of age, and his wife when eighty-six. Mr. and Mrs. 
Sniffer have only one child living, Nettie, wife of Henry Eberhart, who is 
engaged in the lumber business in Manhattan.

Additional Comments:
Genealogical and Biographical Record of Will County Illinois Containing 
Biographies of Well Known Citizens of the Past and Present, Biographical 
Publishing Company, Chicago, 1900

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