BIO: LEVI J. SHAMBAUGH, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Joe Patterson OCRed by Judy Banja Copyright 2004. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cumberland/ _____________________________________________________________ >From Biographical Annals of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, Chicago: The Genealogical Publishing Co., 1905, pages 196-198 _____________________________________________________________ NOTE: Use this web address to access other bios: http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cumberland/zeamer/ LEVI J. SHAMBAUGH. The Shambaugh name has been upon the Cumberland county records since in 1793. That year a Philip Shambaugh was taxed with a hundred acres of land and two horses and two cows in the part of West Pennsboro township, that is now included in Frankford. He may have been in the county prior to this, but this entry is the first documentary evidence of him having been here. It does not appear where he had lived before coming to Cumberland, but according to family traditions he came here from Dauphin county, and his ancestor, named George Shambaugh, came from Germany in 1749, and first settled in Montgomery county, Pa. Philip Shambaugh died in 1844, at the age of eighty-three. For several years prior to his death he was totally blind. His wife survived him, and died in the home of her son George, in Frankford township, at the age of eighty-nine years. Both are buried in the graveyard of the Stone Church in Lower Frankford. Of the history of his wife's family not much can be ascertained. This Philip Shambaugh had children as follows: Peter, George, Philip, Barbara, Stephen, Anna, Mary, Hannah and Margaret. Of these children Stephen and Anna died young; Barbara married Jacob Reigle, and moved to Ohio; Mary married Martin Mountz, of Frankford; Hannah married a 196 CUMBERLAND COUNTY. Mr. Leopard, of Perry county and Margaret married a Mr. Shugart, of Perry county. Philip Shambaugh's son, Philip, was born Oct. 8, 1789, and was yet a little child when his parents settled in Cumberland county. On April 24, 1826, he married Anna Margaretta Wert, who was born in Upper Paxton township, Dauphin county, March 31, 1802, and was a daughter of Joseph and Barbara (Kitch) Wert, among the early pioneers of Pennsylvania. Joseph Wert was a man of more than ordinary talent and shrewdness, of a peaceable turn of mind and a great favorite with the Indians, who shared his hospitality, and when in trouble sought his counsel. They were pliable under his influence, and upon one occasion, when a band of them came to his home in war paint, determined to avenge certain wrongs in his neighborhood, he gave them food, spoke kindly and begged them to spare the lives of those they intended to destroy, and by these means persuaded them not to commit the depredations they contemplated. He and his entire family, Mrs. Shambaugh alone excepted, moved to Ohio about the year 1825, and became pioneers of a section which includes Bucyrus and Massillon. Philip Shambaugh, the son, died April 15, 1846, at the age of fifty-seven years. He was a man who was held in high esteem by his neighbors for his integrity, modesty and general good character. His wife, Anna Margaretta, died in June, 1871, and their remains are buried in the graveyard of the Stone Church in Lower Frankford. Philip and Anna Margaretta (Wert) Shambaugh had children as follows: Sarah, John, Rebecca, Jacob, Elvina, Samuel, Philip A. and Levi J. Sarah married Adam Finkenbinder, and lived in West Pennshoro. She and her husband died near Elliottson. John married Eva A. Ressler, and moved to Clinton county, Iowa. Rebecca married George B. Orris, of Frankford, where both she and her husband lived and died. Jacob, when a young man, went to Iowa, and there enlisted in the army, and was killed in the battle of Iuka, Miss., Sept. 19, 1862. Elvina died at the age of sixteen. Samuel married Jane E. Brown, of North Middleton, and moved to Missouri, but after five years' stay there returned to Frankford township, where both he and his wife died. Philip A. enlisted in Company C, 158th P. V. I., and after a nine months' service came home with impaired health. He afterward went West and located near Oakley, Macon Co., Ill., where he married Nannie Phillips, and is still residing. Levi J. Shambaugh, the youngest child, and subject of this sketch, was born Sept. 14, 1843, on his father's farm on the north bank of the Conedoguinet creek, in Frankford township, a short distance to the northwest of Plainfield. His father died while he was yet less than three years of age, and he was left entirely to the care of his mother. He was sent to the country district school until old enough to do manual labor, and then lived out on a farm at two dollars a month during summers, but was brought home and sent to school in the winters. He was thus employed for six successive summers, at the end of which time he had accumulated a bank account amounting to fifty dollars. He then made an effort to obtain an education, and for three terms, two winters and one summer, attended Prof. Gillelen's select school at Greason, by which time his money was exhausted. Having no one to advance the necessary cash, or to give him advice, he again hired on a farm. The Civil war being in progress he enrolled his name in a company of home guards at Plain- CUMBERLAND COUNTY. 197 field, and acquired some rudimentary military training. That fall he was urged to apply for the position of teacher of the Logan school in Frankford township. He reluctantly entered the class for examination, but secured a certificate and successfully taught that school for one term. That was an important period in his lifetime, and he has often since regretted that he did not then put his mind to hard and continuous study, and make an effort to obtain a higher education. He felt so inclined, but the great excitement of the war enticed him into other channels, and he went to Harrisburg and engaged at driving government teams. At this he continued until the fall of 1864, and then enlisted in Company F, 209th P. V. I., in which he served as sergeant to the close of the war. He participated in all the hard marches, skirmishes and battles that stand to the credit of the Hartranft Division of the 9th Army Corps, the most important engagements being the battles of Ft. Steadman and Petersburg. In the battle of Petersburg he responded from the sick call, at the request of his commanding officer, First Lieutenant H. A. Bigler, the captain being a prisoner in Libby, and the Second Lieutenant disabled at Ft. Steadman. In front of Petersburg his company were in the thick of the fight, and two of his bunk mates were wounded, and all of his superior officers put out of action, but he came through the ordeal unscathed. On its way homeward his regiment encamped at Alexandria, and taking advantage of the opportunity he visited the celebrated Marshall House, in that town, and viewed the staff from which Colonel Ellsworth tore the rebel flag May 23, 1861. Another of his memorable experiences was his participation in the Grand review, which was given in Washington City in celebration of the ending of the war, May 23-24, 1865. He reached Harrisburg on his way home May 31, 1865. After returning from the war Mr. Shambaugh bought from J. C. Keiser a half interest in a general store at Greason, and formed a partnership with Mr. Keiser under the firm name of Keiser & Shambaugh. They rented the warehouse at Good Hope, now Elliottson, and for one year conducted a mercantile, forwarding and coal business at that place. At the earnest request of friends who offered him financial support, Mr. Shambaugh, in the spring of 1867, took the entire business upon himself, and continued in it for three years with marked success. Prices then were extremely high. Wheat commanded as much as $3.15 a bushel, and other grains were proportionately high. Prints sold for as much as thirty cents a yard, and muslins for seventy-five cents. In the spring of 1870 he bought of John Greider a farm located in Frankford township, and moved to it. This change he has always considered a mistake, as in purchasing the farm he contracted a debt which the panic of 1873, with its consequent decline of values, made burdensome. In December, 1879, he exchanged his farm and personal property, excepting his household goods, for the store house and stock of store goods of George H. Greider, at Bloserville. On taking possession he built a new dwelling and store house, and also bought the adjoining property and remodeled the house upon it. He now again entered the mercantile business and gave to it all his attention until 1894, when, owing to failing health, he transferred his business to his two oldest sons. Mr. Shambaugh is a Democrat in politics, but has never been a partisan. He has never sought public position, but in 198 CUMBERLAND COUNTY. his time has filled nearly every township office there is on the list. He was elected justice of the peace for four times in succession, and was often urged to become a candidate for county treasurer and for the Legislature, but never yet yielded, except to serve the last term as justice of the peace. On Jan. 7, 1868, Levi J. Shambaugh married Mary E. Shuff, daughter of James M. and Elizabeth (Shaeffer) Shuff. James M. Shuff was a native of Adams county. His parents died while he was yet a child and he was raised in the home of friends named Gardner. He married Elizabeth Shaeffer, who was born in Germany. After his marriage he settled in West Pennsboro, Cumberland county, where he lived until the end of his days. He died Sept. 27, 1889, and his remains are buried at Plainfield. His widow still survives and, resides at Carlisle. To Mr. and Mrs. Shambaugh the following children were born: Mervin James; John Edwin; Charles Albert; William Ira; Clara Elizabeth, who died when two years old; and one who died in infancy. Mervin J., the oldest son, married Elizabeth Burgner, and is in the mercantile business in York. John E. married Flora K. Fry, and is in business in Bloserville. Charles Albert graduated from Dickinson College, and from the Dickinson Law School and is a member of the Cumberland county Bar; he is unmarried and lives at home with his parents. William Ira is a member of the United Evangelical Church, and now pastor of a charge at Scranton; he married Mary M. Mundis, of York. In the spring of 1904 Mr. and Mrs. Shambaugh moved from Bloserville to Carlisle, and now reside in a pleasant home on North Pitt street in that town.