BIO:  JOHN W. SHELLY, 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 769-770
  _____________________________________________________________

  NOTE: Use this web address to access other bios:
  http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cumberland/zeamer/

 
    JOHN W. SHELLY, formerly a successful teacher, now a substantial farmer in
  South Middleton township, Cumberland county, comes of a family, whom,
  tradition says, descended from an uncle of the poet, Percy Bysshe Shelley,
  who settled about two hundred years ago, on Shelly's Island in the
  Susquehanna river.

    Ephraim Shelly, father of John W., was born March 6, 1822, near Shelly's
  Island. In the schools of York county he acquired a good education, and for a
  short time he was engaged in teaching. He then clerked in Gardner's store,
  Rossville, York county, and while there became acquainted with his future
  wife. In 1849, after his marriage, he settled on a farm of sixty acres about
  five miles south of Carlisle, in South Middleton township, Cumberland county.
  The only improvements at that time were a log house and an old straw roofed
  barn. Mr. Shelly set to work systematically to care for and improve his land,
  and in a few years had entirely transformed the place. He was a good citizen,
  always interested in the moral and material progress of his town and county,
  and always willing to perform his full share of the necessary work. One of
  the first members of the United Brethren Church, he was a leading member in
  that denomination; was instrumental in building the Springville Church, and
  for forty years was Sunday School Superintendent. Politically he was a stanch
  Republican. For seven years he served as school director, and as he was an
  incumbent of that office at the time of the Civil war, he was exempt from the
  draft. He collected the bounty tax of $21,000, in South Middleton township,
  the largest amount collected in any township in the State. In 1848 he married
  Harriett Spangler, daughter of John Spangler, whose home was on the banks of
  the Conewago. The Spanglers are descended from John Spangler, a lieutenant in
  the German army, who settled at York, Pa., some two hundred years ago; his
  descendants now number some five hundred. Mrs. Harriett (Spangler) Shelly was
  a woman of considerable education, and of decided literary tastes. She died
  April 11, 1874, aged fifty-two years, five months and four days. Ephraim
  Shelly died Dec. 7, 1894, aged seventy-two years, nine months and one day.
  Their children were: Almira Louise, born in 1848, died in 1850; David
  Spangler, born in 1852, died in 1862; and John W.

    John W. Shelly was born May 22, 1854, on the old home farm, where he still
  resides. The old house was destroyed by fire on the night of May 14, 1901,
  and the present comfortable home was erected the same year: Mr. Shelly
  received his education in the district schools, and, having inherited from
  both father and mother a natural taste for study, he applied himself both in
  and out of school, thus acquiring a great deal of general information. At the
  age of seventeen he was qualified for teaching, and for four years, three
  years in the primary and one in the graded, he taught the home school,
  situated about a mile from his home. After his marriage he settled down to
  farming on the homestead, and has met with success in his chosen calling. He
  is progressive and

    770  CUMBERLAND COUNTY.

  industrious, and, like his father, is one of the honorable and useful
  citizens of the town.

    On Sept. 9, 1875, Mr. Shelly was married to Frances A. Rebman, who was born
  Oct. 26, 1855, and is the only surviving child of the late Gotlieb Rebman. To
  bless this union have come the following children: Anna Rebman, born Sept.
  20, 1876, married, Jan. 3, 1899, H. W. Baker; Harriett Spangler, born Nov.
  22, 1877, a graduate at the age of fifteen, of the Shippensburg State Normal
  School, winner of the Wakely prize at Dickinson College, a graduate of the
  Lebanon Valley College, author of a book of poems "Life and Loving," is at
  present the teacher of music, elocution and physical culture in the schools
  of Lebanon City; Emily May was born Oct. 23, 1881; and Mary Ellen was born
  March 4, 1887.

    GOTTLIEB REBMAN was born in Wittenberg, Germany, Nov. 7, 1816, and was
  brought in 1819, by his parents to York county, Pa., locating near York. When
  quite a boy Gotlieb was thrown upon his own resources, and he endured many
  hardships before his success was won. For some time he was engaged in
  wagoning to Pittsburg. In 1867 he purchased the Henry Brechbill farm, and
  moved there, passing the rest of his days in agricultural pursuits. On Sept.
  11, 1851, he married Anna B. Eshleman, of Lancaster county, who died Jan. 31,
  1897, aged seventy-seven years. He died Oct. 16, 1902, aged eighty-five
  years. They had two children: George Washington, born July 4, 1852, died Feb.
  10, 1873; and Frances A. is now Mrs. John W. Shelly.