Northumberland County PA Archives Biographies.....Shipman, D. Webster 1863 - living in 1899 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com July 5, 2005, 1:53 pm Author: Biographical Publishing Co. D. WEBSTER SHIPMAN. Conspicuous among the young men of sterling worth of the Seventeenth Congressional District of Pennsylvania, to whom business and professional work have given a wide acquaintance throughout the district, and whose public services are highly esteemed, is D. Webster Shipman, district attorney of Northumberland County, Pa., a rising young attorney with a good practice and excellent prospects. He is a son of Lemuel and Maria (Bloom) Shipman, and. was born March 1, 1863, in what was then Lower Augusta, now Rockefeller, township. Our subject's common school education was finished with a course at Freeburg Academy, which he entered in 1876. He afterward spent three years at practical work in the office of the register and recorder at Sun-bury, after which he decided to choose a profession for his life work and entered the Lewisburg University in 1883, pursued the classical course and graduated with high honors in 1887, being a member of the first graduating class after the institution had changed from Lewisburg University to Bucknell University. After graduating at Bucknell University Mr. Shipman registered as a student of law with P. A. Mahon, who at that time was district attorney of Northumberland County. He was admitted to the bar in 1890 and immediately began the practice of his profession; being a polished scholar and an eloquent speaker, he has met with flattering success and has succeeded in building up a practice which could be obtained only by a man of his exceptional abilities. His eloquence has attracted wide-spread attention and on especial occasions has excited many flattering compliments and has been instrumental in securing for him a place on the program of many public occasions. Mr. Shipman is a Democrat and was a candidate in 1892 for the office of district attorney, but failed at the primary election. Our subject was hot frightened from the field, however, by this defeat and three years later was put in nomination for the same office, being duly elected by the handsome majority of 1,100 votes, which fact alone attests his ability and worth. Again in 1898 he was renominated by acclamation and re-elected to the same office. Our subject's family is of Norman stock; its founder having been knighted by Henry III., of England in 1258, and granted a coat of arms with the following motto: "Non Sibi Sed Orbi." The family seat was at Sarrington, Nottinghamshire, England. Edward Shipman was the founder of the Shipman family in America. In 1635 in company with Hugh Peters, John Davenport, Theodore Fenwick and others, he immigrated to America to escape religious persecution and settled, at Saybrook, Connecticut. Some of the older members of the Shipman family rendered valiant and distinguished services to their country during the Revolutionary War. John Shipman, great-grandfather of our subject, was born October 13, 1783, in New Jersey and died April 8, 1850. Early in life he settled in Lower Augusta township, Northumberland County, Pa., being one of the early pioneers. He was united in marriage with Mary McKinney, of Scotch descent, who was born January 25, 1786. Abraham Shipman, our subject's grandfather, was a most remarkable man, such as is needed in the settlement of a new country. He was born March 10, 1810, in Northumberland County, of which he was a resident all his life, following agricultural pursuits, in connection with which he owned and operated a large grist-mill in Lower Augusta township. He also followed the profession of civil engineer, at which he was quite an expert. Politically he was a stanch Democrat and wielded a large influence in political circles; he enjoyed to the fullest extent the confidence of the people of his community; served as justice of the peace for a long time; and was also associate judge under Judge Jordan. Being a large, athletic man of military appearance, his presence was indispensable to military organizations, and he served as a member of the Jackson Rifles from 1829 to 1836. He led a long, busy, and successful life which won for him the love, esteem and admiration of all who came within the magnetism of his presence. He died at the old family homestead where he had passed so many useful and happy years, mourned by a sympathetic and appreciative community. At this same homestead in Lower Augusta township was born Lemuel Shipman, father of our subject. He was reared and educated in his native county, where he taught school for a number of years; then he became a merchant in the same township until he was elected register and recorder in 1873. He served two terms in succession and showed great executive ability in the discharge of the duties of that office. Railroad contracting next engaged his attention for a number of years in various localities, after which he purchased an interest in the Lewisburg Furniture Works and became manager. He subsequently went South and engaged in the lumber business and is now manufacturing lumber in Meridian, Mississippi. He was married to Maria Bloom and four children survive as the results of this union, named, respectively: William A., who is engaged in the furniture and undertaking business at Sunbury; D. Webster, subject of this personal history; Edwin H., in the employ of the Shamokin Street Railway Company; Augusta, now the wife of S. C. Yocum, a teacher in the public schools of Northumberland County. Our subject is a man who is eminently fair in all his dealings; he is active, energetic, and talented, and the advances already made bespeak for him a brilliant future in the profession he has chosen. His portrait appears on another page of this work in proximity to this. Additional Comments: Extracted from: Book of Biographies of the Seventeenth Congressional District Published by Biographical Publishing Company of Chicago, Ill. and Buffalo, NY (1899) This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/pafiles/ File size: 6.4 Kb