Greene County IN Archives Biographies.....Shryer, Godfrey 1827 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/in/infiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com May 11, 2006, 6:00 pm Author: Goodspeed (1884) GODFREY SHRYER was born March 25, 1827, in Hamburg on the Rhine, Prussia. He is the son of Jasper B. and Matilda (Koehnen) Schroer (the original name of Shryer was Schroer, but after the family came to this country the name was changed to Shryer), both native Prussians, where they resided, the father being a coal and lumber dealer, having a barge on the River Rhine. On the 16th of April, 1849, they embarked at Rotterdam, Holland, for the United States, arriving in Boston June 17 following. There were in the family ten children, eight of whom came with the parents to this country. In a few weeks after their arrival at Boston the family came to Indiana to visit friends and look for a home. Soon after they arrived in Indiana, at Columbus, several of the family were taken sick with the cholera, and the father and several members of the family died. The surviving members of the family, with the exception of one sister, who was married, settled in Greene County, where they have since resided. Our subject at the time of the family's coming to United States was in the Prussian Army, and the rebellion of 1849 having broken out and not liking to fight his friends and neighbors, and against his principles, he deserted and accompanied the family to this country. He had received a good education, and was engaged in mercantile pursuits while in his native country. After coming to Greene County, he, in the year 1850, visited Wisconsin, Illinois and Iowa, but not liking it in those States he returned to Indiana, and embarked in mercantile pursuits at Indianapolis, where he remained a short time, and then came to Worthington, which had just started, and embarked in mercantile pursuits. He was in this business continuously until 1869, when he sold out and has since been in the real estate, insurance and business of a legal character. He was united in marriage with Miss Hannah Sheepers March 28, 1851. She was born at Wesel on the Rhine April 24, 1825. From this union nine children, viz.: George H. Emily, Otto, Tillie, Henry W., Emma, Mollie E., G. William and Louisa May. Five of these children are dead. Mr. Shryer is a thorough business man, and has by his energy and perseverance accumulated a goodlv share of this world's goods. He has been Notary Public for a number of years, and has held positions of honor and trust. He is a Democrat in politics, but in local elections he is very conservative, voting for whom he considers the best man. He has twice visited the Old World since living at Worthington, in 1861 and in 1873, the last time being appointed by Gov. Hendricks as Assistant Commissioner to the Vienna Exposition. He is not a member of any church organization, but is ever ready to contribute to all moral, educational and other enterprises that tend to build up the country in which he lives, or benefit his fellow-man. He is one of the county's best and most prominent citizens. His object in leaving Indianapolis and coming to Worthington was that at the last-named place the hunting and fishing were good, and he was very fond and very successful at these sports. He is an Odd Fellow, and the oldest member of the order in Greene County, and has been a member of the Grand Lodge and Encampment since 1856. Additional Comments: Jefferson Township Biographies Extracted from: HISTORY OF GREENE AND SULLIVAN COUNTIES, STATE OF INDIANA, FROM THE EARLIEST TIME TO THE PRESENT; TOGETHER WITH INTERESTING BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES, REMINISCENCES, NOTES, ETC. ILLUSTRATED. CHICAGO: GOODSPEED BROS. & CO., PUBLISHERS. 1884. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/in/greene/bios/shryer456nbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/infiles/ File size: 4.1 Kb