BIOGRAPHY: John C. SHAHEN, Mifflin County, PA

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The Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of the Juniata Valley, Comprising 
the Counties of Huntingdon, Mifflin, Juniata, and Perry, Pennsylvania.
Chambersburg, Pa.: J. M. Runk & Co., 1897, Volume I, pages 602-603.

  JOHN C. SHAHEN, Strodes Mills, Mifflin county, Pa., son of James and Mary 
(Todd) Shahen, was born in Granville township, Mifflin county, November 3, 1843.  
His paternal grandfather was a native of Ireland, who came to Pennsylvania and 
settled in Fayette county.  He married Miss Geyer, and had eight children:  
John, married and resided at Johnstown, Cambria county, Pa;  James;  George, 
married Miss Boyer, resided at Johnstown for a number of years, but spent the 
latter part of his life in Mifflin county;  Nellie (Mrs. Smith), resided in 
Cambria county;  Sarah (Mrs. James Vansant), resided in Mifflin county, where 
their son, James, married Mrs. Slagle;  Barbara (Mrs. McElhoe), resided in 
Cambria county;  Nancy (Mrs. True), resided in Mifflin county;  ------- (Mrs. 
Hughes), resided in Cambria county.  All of the above-named raised families, 
members of whom are to-day among the prominent citizens of their respective 
counties.  James Shahen was born in Fayette county, Pa., but came to Mifflin 
county with his parents during his boyhood.  He was raised on the farm and 
attended the district schools.  As he grew to manhood he became a valuable 
assistant to his father, who was most of his time engaged in lumbering and 
making charcoal in the vicinity of Hope Furnace, in Granville township.  He 
followed various occupations up to the time of his marriage and then began 
farming on the old Shahen farm in Granville township, on the mountain road from 
Belleville to Lewistown.  Besides farming, he was extensively engaged in 
manufacturing lumber, owning a tract of over 600 acres of timberland.  He had 
begun business life a poor man, but through habits of frugality and industry and 
strict attention to business interests, he became possessed of a very 
comfortable living.  He was an ardent Democrat;  he served as county 
commissioner.  Mr. Shahen was married to Mary, daughter of William Todd, who 
came from Ireland and settled in Oliver township, Mifflin county.  His children 
were:  Mary;  Sarah (Mrs. George Snyder), removed to Indiana;  and Rachel (Mrs. 
Joseph Kreps), resided in Mifflin county, where their children all live except 
William, who has removed to Huntingdon, Pa.  Mr. Todd lived to be over ninety 
years of age.  To Mr. and Mrs. James Shahen were born twelve children, all of 
whom died in infancy except four:  Mary Elizabeth, died unmarried, aged about 
thirty years;  George, married Margaret Beatty, has two sons, James McClellan 
and John Andrew;  John C.;  and William, who died at the age of twelve years.  
Both parents were members of the Methodist church.
  John C. Shahen was born and raised on the old homestead.  He enjoyed the 
advantage of a district school education, and remained with his parents until 
his twenty-seventh year, assisting with the farm work and in the various 
departments of lumbering.  On November 3, 1864, he enlisted in Company A, 
stationed at Carlisle, Pa., which later became part of the One Hundred and 
Forty-ninth regiment, and continued in service up to the close of the war.  He 
was mustered out May 8, 1865, at Carlisle.  Returning to the old homestead he 
engaged in manufacturing lumber and in farming up to 1870, when he removed to 
his present farm, purchased from John McKee, son of Alexander McKee.  The tract 
consists of 111 acres.  Mr. Shahen has made many improvements to the land, and 
has erected new buildings and fences, so that his farm now ranks among the 
foremost in the valley.  He is a progressive farmer and a man of influence.  
Loyal to the political views of his forefathers, he adheres to the cause of 
Democracy.  After serving in various township offices, he was elected 
commissioner;  at the expiration of his first term he was re-elected, and has 
served most efficiently.  He is a member of the Chaplain T. Stevenson Post, No. 
482, McVeytown.  His brother, Andrew Shahen, resides on the old homestead in 
Granville township, where he grew to manhood.  He is not married.
  John C. Shahen was married, March 10, 1870, to Mary I., daughter of James and 
Jane (Neal) Martin, of Nittany valley, Centre county, Pa.  They have had four 
children, one of whom died young.  The other three are:  Mary J., wife of 
Charles G. Kauffman, has one child, Mary A.;  Alvernia Rachel;  and Robert 
Martin.  Mr. and Mrs. Shahen are earnest, faithful members of the Presbyterian 
church at McVeytown.