BIOGRAPHIES:  Warner R. SHONAT, Galesville, Trempealeau Co., WI

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Submitted by: Nance Sampson, Trempealeau Co. WIGenWeb CC  19 February 2005
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**Posted for informational purposes only. I am not related to the subject 
of this biography, nor do I have any further information on this family.

Warner R. Shonat, a prominent citizen of Galesville, who until
recently was closely identified with the agricultural development of
the township, was born at Decorah Prairie, Trempealeau County, Nov.
20, 1869, son of George B. and Jeanette (Dewar) Shonat.  His
education, acquired chiefly in the district school, was supplemented
by student work at Gale College, which he attended two winters. After
that he resided on the parental homestead, assisting his father until
1894, when, on March 14, he was married to Mary Cook, who was born
near Duplainville, Wis., daughter of Thomas and Sarah (Wilson) Cook. 
Her father, who was born in Scarboro, England, Nov. 6, 1829, was a
merchant by occupation.  After coming to America he settled in New
York state, whence he came to Waukesha, Wis., at a time when the site
of the present large and flourishing city of Milwaukee was but a
swamp.  After settling in Duplainville he engaged in business there
as a merchant and was also postmaster of the village for a number of
years, besides serving as justice of the peace.  He died there June
20, 1876.  His wife survived him many years, her death taking place
at Pewaukee, Wis., May 10, 1905.  Their daughter Mary was the fourth
born in a family of five children, and was educated in the Lisbon
school at Pewaukee, Wis.  Warner R. Shonat after his marriage took
charge of the home farm of his parents, which he purchased in June,
1894.  He added to the improvements made on it by his father and
developed it into a first-class piece of agricultural property,
continuing to operate it until the spring of 1916, when he rented the
farm and moved to Galesville.  Here he had purchased a fine modern
residence, formerly owned by his sister, together with five acres of
land adjacent to the Arctic Springs Creamery.  He is a stockholder in
the La Crosse Packing Company and the Western Wisconsin Telephone
Company.  His farm consists of 180 acres of highly improved land. Mr.
Shonat is a director in the Farmers' Fire Insurance Company of
Trempealeau County, and is head officer of the reserve fund of the
Order of Beavers, belonging also to the yeomen.  He is a member and
elder of the Presbyterian Church and for about 14 years served as
clerk of the Decorah Prairie school district.  In politics he is a
Prohibitionist.  The family, of which he is a leading representative,
has aided largely in the development of the agricultural resources of
this part of Trempealeau County. 

-Transcribed from the "History of Trempealeau County Wisconsin,
1917," pages 478-479. 

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