Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Shutts, John 1814 - 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com May 8, 2007, 11:24 pm

Author: Portrait & Bio Album, 1890

JOHN SHUTTS. After long years spent in agricultural pursuits, the subject of 
this sketch has retired from the labors of life and is passing his declining 
years in a peaceful enjoyment of the comforts of life, surrounded by friends 
whom he has gained by his upright character, and blessed by the love of 
children whom he has reared to honorable and useful manhood and woman- hood. 
He is the possessor of one of the finest estates which Joliet Township boasts, 
comprising about two hundred and ten acres on section 22. Upon it he has 
erected substantial and adequate accomodations for man and beast, together 
with such other buildings as are needful to shelter the crops which he raised; 
he has also done such work in the way of fencing and tree culture as the best 
farmers undertake, all the trees to be seen near his fine home having been 
planted by himself. The subject of this sketch is the fourth in a family of 
eleven children born to Henry and Catherine (Seism) Shutts. Both the parents 
were natives of Columbia County, N. Y., and there passed away. At Livingston 
the eyes of our subject opened to the light, September 9, 1814. He grew to 
manhood on his father's farm, making it his home until he was twenty-four 
years old. In the meantime he had secured as good an education as could be 
obtained in the schools of the vicinity, together with a thorough knowledge of 
agriculture, and had become possessed of excellent habits and fine principles. 
Upon leaving the parental roof Mr. Shutts located upon a farm near his early 
home, remaining upon it three years when he traded for one in Ulster County 
and removed there. For fourteen years he was identified with the interests of 
that section, leaving it in the fall of 1855, to take up his residence in Will 
County, Ill. Choosing the location which has since been his home he renewed 
the labors in which he had formerly been engaged, soon becoming known among 
the old settlers as a farmer of progressive ideas, a citizen of public spirit 
and steadfastness, and a man of genial, hospitable nature and upright 
character. Among the very early settlers of Columbia County, N. Y., were Mr. 
and Mrs. Cole. To them was born a daughter Catherine, who grew to maturity in 
possession of a noble character, an intelligent mind, and the disposition and 
manners which made her companionship desired and fitted her to become a true 
helpmate for the man of her choice. The good qualities of this young lady won 
the reward of John Shutts and after a successful wooing they were united in 
marriage at her home. Their happy wedded life was terminated December 21, 
1878, when the loving wife and devoted mother was removed from her sorrowing 
household by the hand of death. To Mr. and Mrs. Shutts nine children were 
born, seven of them being yet alive. Catherine A. is the wife of Thomas Tait 
of Jackson Township; Henry is a lawyer in Oregon, Mo.; Samuel is a farmer in 
Joliet Township; John Jr., lives on his father's farm; Cassius is a resident 
of Rooks County, Kan.; Peter is practicing law in Joliet; Franklin lives in 
Rooks County, Kan. The deceased children are Sarah, who died in infancy, and 
Mary who breathed her last in February, 1890. Mr. Shutts has taken quite an 
active part in politics, exercising the right of suffrage in behalf of the 
Democrat party. He has held the office of Assistant Supervisor of Joliet 
Township several terms, and has been School Director thirteen years: He 
manifests a deep interest in the cause of education, as in other elevating 
movements, and as an official is judicious and able. He is a member of the 
Presbyterian Church, to which his deceased wife also belonged.

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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