SEWELL M SHATTUCK, b 26 Sept 1846

SHATTUCK, DAVIS, GRANBY, MORGAN, EDSEN, HUNTINGTON, WEBER, BRITTELL, JACKSON, PETCH

Posted By: Donna Moldt Walker (email)
Date: 11/13/2004 at 12:43:34

Three miles from the city of Maquoketa is one of the pleasantest and finest farms in the township. It comprised 200 acres of well-tilled and exceedingly fertile soil, and has a commodious set of frame buildings, and is in all respects a well-ordered and managed estate. The fortunate possessor of this farm is the subject of this biography, a man of rare enterprise and capability. He is of New England birth and antecedents, coming of sturdy, well-endowed stock, and inherits from his ancestry many of those traits of character that have made him successful as a farmer and stock-raiser.

He was born in Reading, Windsor Co., Vt., Sept. 26, 1846. His father, Samuel Augustus Shattuck, was born in the same town, Oct. 29, 1821, and his father, Sewell Shattuck, was also a native of Windsor County. The great-grandfather of our subject, Solomon Shattuck, was a native of England, and came to America with his brother in colonial times, and resided near Boston for a while. He subsequently moved to New Hampshire, and from there to Windsor County, Vt., becoming quite a early settler of that portion of New England. He bought a home near Windsor, and established himself at his trade of a cooper, at which he worked the greater part of the time. He spent his last years in the town of Windsor, where he died at the age of seventy-five. The grandfather of our subject was reared in his native county, and learned the trade of a carpenter and joiner, and was engaged at it the greater part of his time during the remainder of his life. He spent his last years in Reading, Vt., dying at the age of sixty-five. The maiden name of his wife was Betsy Davis, she was a native of Vermont, and of Reading. Her father, Ezekiel Davis, a native of New England, was an early settler of Reading. He was a farmer and always engaged in agricultural pursuits, and died in Reading at the ripe old age of eighty years.

The maiden name of his wife was Granby, and she was a native of New England. The grandmother of our subject came to Iowa with her son in 1866, and died a few weeks later. There were eight children born to her and her husband, namely: Frederick S., Warren W., Sewell A., Cornelius D., Charles E., Isabelle J., James, and Almond.

The father of our subject was the third child of the family and was reared in his native county. He commenced work with his father as soon as he was large enough to be of any use, and mastered the trade of a carpenter. He worked at it in Windsor County until 1853, when he came to Iowa, by way of stage to Albany, thence to Buffalo by canal, and from there to Chicago, and on to Freeport, then the western terminus of the railway, by the cars, and from there to Savanna and to Maquoketa by stage. This city was then but a small hamlet, with perhaps a dozen houses, and he became an early settler. He bought a lot on West Platte Street, and established himself at his trade, became identified with the building interests of the city, and was a factor in its development. He continued at carpentering until 1878, although in 1867, he had purchased his present farm, which is conveniently located, seventy-five acres within the city limits and thirty acres of pasture nearby. He has erected a substantial set of frame buildings, has his land under excellent tillage, and it is a very valuable farm. He was married in December, 1842, to Miss Rosaline A. Morgan, and their union has been blessed to them by the birth of two children - our subject and Mary. The daughter married W.A. Edsen, and they have one child - Myrta. The mother of our subject was born in Weathersfield, Windsor Co., Vt. Her father, Samuel Morgan, a native of Massachusetts, of Welsh antecedents, was one of the early settlers of Windsor County. He bought a tract of heavily timbered land, and cleared a good farm from the forests of New England, and continued his residence there until his death. The maiden name of his wife was Huntington, and she was also a native of Massachusetts, and died in Weathersfield. The grandfather of our subject was reared and married in Weathersfield; inherited the old homestead, and lived on it until 1844. In that year he came as far westward as Bloomington, Ill., and bought land two miles out of the city and resided on it until his earthly pilgrimage was over. The maiden name of his wife, grandmother of our subject, was Laura Weber. She was born in Vermont and died on the home farm near Bloomington.

Sewell Shattuck, of whom we write, was in his seventh year when he accompanied his parents to Maquoketa, so that the greater part of his life has been passed here. He attended school quite steadily during his youth, and being an apt, bright scholar gleaned a good, practical education. At the age of twenty-two he commenced his career as a farmer, and at that time had an eighty acre tract of land, on which there was a set of log buildings, standing some ways back from the highway; about half of the land was cleared, and the rest in timber. He at once set to work to clear the remainder, and in the busy years that have followed has wrought a great change on this once wild prairie, whereby it has been transformed into a well-cultivated farm, with a neat set of frame buildings replacing the original structures of logs, and he has added to the size of his homestead until he now has 200 acres of land. He devotes much of his attention to raising stock, buys and ships it quite extensively, and at present has 150 head of feeders, all in a sleek, well-kept condition.

Mr. Shattuck has been twice married. His first marriage was to Miss Juniatt Brittell, by whom he has two children - Clyde and Bert. The maiden name of his present wife was Fannie Jackson. She was born in Davenport, Iowa, to Joseph and Jane (Petch) Jackson, natives, respectively, of Lincolnshire and Yorkshire, England, and now residents of Farmers' Creek Township. Mr. and Mrs. Shattuck's marriage has been blessed to them by the birth of one child - Beulah. Mr. Shattuck is an active Democrat in his political affiliations. He is conceded on all sides to be one of our most useful citizens, and a credit to the citizenship of his adopted county.

("Portrait and Biographical Album of Jackson County, Iowa", originally published in 1889, by the Chapman Brothers, of Chicago, Illinois.)