Lake County IN Archives Biographies.....Belshaw, William Edward 1848 - ************************************************ 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 December 21, 2006, 10:16 pm Author: T. H. Ball (1904) WILLIAM EDWARD BELSHAW. William Edward Belshaw, formerly identified with agricultural and horticultural interests in Lake county and now living a retired life in Lowell, manifested throughout his business career those sterling traits of character which lead to honorable and satisfactory success. He was resolute and energetic and these qualities were resultant factors in winning him the prosperity that he now enjoys. He was born in West Creek township, Lake county, September 28, 1848. His father, William Belshaw, was a native of England and when a young man came to America, locating at Door Prairie, LaPorte county, Indiana, whence he came to Lake county about 1836. Few settlements had been made within the borders of this county at that time. Much of the land was still in possession of the government, and in consequence was uncultivated and unimproved. The streams had not been bridged and the forests were uncut, and it remained to such enterprising and progressive citizens as Mr. Belshaw to reclaim the wild district for the purposes of civilization. He secured a tract of land from the government and developed a good farm in West Creek township, whereon he spent his remaining days, his life labors being ended in death when he was seventy-one years of age. His religious views were in harmony with the doctrines of what is known as the Church of God. He married Harriet Jones, a native of Ohio, in which state she was reared until eight years of age, when she came to Lake county, Indiana, with her father, Harry Jones, the family home being established in West Creek township amid the conditions of frontier life. Mrs. Belshaw lived to be about sixty-eight years of age. By her marriage she became the mother of seven children, three sons and four daughters, of whom one daughter died in infancy. The others are all living, as follows: William Edward, of this review; Mrs. Mary Cathcart, of LaPorte, Indiana; Florence, the wife of James Chitwood, of Lowell; Charles, who is a resident of Oregon; Lucy, the wife of Sherman Hayden, of Los Angeles, California; and John, a farmer, of Eugene, Oregon. William Edward Belshaw was reared under the parental roof upon the old homestead farm in West Creek township. His education was acquired by attending the common schools for about two months in the winter season, and throughout the remainder of the year he worked upon the home farm, doing such service as his age and strength permitted. As the years advanced he gained in proficiency and he continued to assist his father until twenty-four years of age. On Christmas day of 1874 Mr. Belshaw was united in marriage to Miss Lucina Brannon, daughter of James and Eleanor (Foster) Brannon, who are mentioned on another page of this work. Mrs. Belshaw is their oldest child and was born and reared in West Creek township, Lake county. Mrs. Belshaw received her primary education in the district schools and Lowell high school and then she was a student in the Western Female Seminary at Oxford, Ohio, for two years. She was a successful teacher in her native county for six years. Religiously she is a member of the Presbyterian church, and was also a teacher in the Sunday schools. She is the mother of six children, three sons and three daughters, and five are living, as follows: J. W. Belshaw is a scccessful [sic] attorney-at-law in Lowell; he graduated in the class of 1892 in the Lowell high school and afterwards was a student in the Normal at Valparaiso. He was a teacher one year in the Lowell high school and a number of years in his native county. He read law with Attorney R. C. Wood and upon his being admitted to the bar began the practice of his profession at Lowell. He wedded Miss Maud Holshaw, in July, 1898, and one little daughter graces this union, by name Ernestine. He has an attractive residence in Lowell, and is one of the representative citizens of the village. Lewis D., a resident of West Creek township and a farmer, wedded Miss Emma Stuppy, and has two daughters, Mabel and Edith. Lewis graduated from the teachers' course in Valparaiso Normal and taught four years in Lake county. His wife was also a teacher in the same county. Albert B., also a resident of West Creek township and a practical farmer, wedding Miss Matilda Hadders. Julia, at home with her parents, was educated in Lowell high school, but her chosen profession is music. She was educated in music at Steinway Hall at Chicago, and is a successful teacher in west Lake county. She is a member of the Presbyterian church. Edith, the youngest, is in the fourth grade of the public schools. Mrs. Belshaw's progenitors were heroes in the Revolutionary war and the direct descendants are eligible to become members of the society of Sons and Daughters of the Revolution. Mrs. Belshaw went with her husband as a bride to a part of the old Belshaw homestead in West Creek township, and there Mr. Belshaw was engaged in general farming until 1895. In that year he built his present brick residence in Lowe1l, took up his abode thereon and is now engaged in fruit-growing. His life has been characterized by unfaltering industry and good management, and success has attended his efforts. He is now the owner of a farm of one hundred and thirty-six acres, on which his son resides. He is also a stockholder in the State National Bank, of Lowell, and his wife is the owner of a farm of one hundred and thirty acres in West Creek township, to which Mr. Belshaw gives his personal supervision. Mr. Belshaw gives his political allegiance to the Democracy and has been chairman of the township central committee. He takes an active interest in the work of the party, and his efforts in its behalf have been effective and far-reaching in the locality where he resides. He is at the present writing nominee for county treasurer on the Democratic ticket. He keeps well informed on the questions and issues of the day and also has a broad general knowledge of matters touching the general interests of society and the welfare of the country. Having spent his entire life in Lake county, he is well known to its citizens, and the fact that many of his friends are numbered among those who have known him from boyhood is an indication that his career has been honorable, straightforward and worthy of respect. Additional Comments: Extracted from: ENCYCLOPEDIA OF Genealogy and Biography OF LAKE COUNTY, INDIANA, WITH A COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY 1834—1904 A Record of the Achievements of Its People in the Making of a Commonwealth and the Founding of a Nation. REV. T. H. BALL OF CROWN POINT, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ILLUSTRATED CHICAGO NEW YORK THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY 1904 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/in/lake/bios/belshaw509gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/infiles/ File size: 7.2 Kb